Introduce Vocabulary: Peter's Chair (Keats)

From FreeReading

Activity Type: Introduce

Activity Form: Standard

Grade: K, 1

Group Size: Small Group, Whole Class

Length: 30 minutes

Materials: Peter's Chair, Ezra Jack Keats

Goal: Given a word, the student can say its meaning

Items: fussing, mutter, rascal

What to do

1. If more than three words are listed below, choose three. (It's tough for students to take in more than three new words in one go.) Write the three words on sentence strips so they can easily be displayed after the lesson.
2. I'm going to read a new book to you today. It's called Peter's Chair. It uses some words you might not know, so I'm going to tell you the words now. Then, when I read the story, I want you to raise your hand when you hear the word. Okay?
3. Tell students the three words and their meanings. Have them repeat the words back to you.
4. Remember, when you hear any of our three words, raise your hand. Ready?
5. Read the story. Praise students who correctly identify the words as you read. Repeat each word's meaning as you encounter it.
6. When you finish reading, go through the three words giving the complete sequence below for each word. You can give the examples/non-examples either to the whole group or to individual students. Feel free to add your own examples and non-examples, particularly if students seem unclear.
7. Optionally, read the story again.
8. Students need to encounter a word multiple times before learning it. So:
   • Try to find opportunities to use the three words during other activities in the next 24 hours.
   • Ask students to use the word themselves and praise them strongly when they do.
   • Be particularly excited about usage in contexts different from that in the book you read, since students often have difficulty dissociating a word and the specific context in which they first came across it.

fussing

• Fussing means moving around and worrying a lot. What's the word?
• The mom was fussing around her sick child. If you're not feeling well, you might be fussing.
• I'm going to name some people. If you think the person might be moving around and worrying, say fussing. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • A baby who is hungry
  • A happy, sleeping baby
  • An auntie worried about her niece who scraped a knee
  • A teacher who is missing one of her students
  • A child playing with friends

mutter

• Mutter means to talk quietly so others can barely hear it. What's the word?
• A teacher can’t hear it when the student mutters the answer. If you want people to understand you, you should speak loudly, not mutter.
• I'm going to name some people. If you think the people are speaking so quietly that others can barely hear, say mutter. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • A cheerleader at a game
  • A fireman asking if everyone is out of a burning building
  • A woman in a library reading to herself
  • A man in a grocery store trying to remember what he needs to buy
  • Children playing on a slide

rascal

• A rascal means a person who does sneaky or naughty things. What's the word?
• Sometimes raccoons are called rascals because they like to steal things. If you jump out and scare your dad, he might say, "You rascal!"
• I'm going to name some behaviors. If you think the behavior is sneaky, say rascal. Otherwise, don't say anything. Just sit quietly. Ready?
  • Hiding classmates' markers
  • Turning out the light when someone is reading
  • Putting grease on a doorknob
  • Helping set the table for supper
  • Riding a bike to school