Introduce vocabulary: Giggle, Giggle, Quack (Cronin, 2002)

From FreeReading

Activity Type: Introduce

Activity Form: Standard

Grade: K, 1

Group Size: Small Group, Whole Class

Length: 30 minutes

Materials: Giggle, Giggle, Quack, Doreen Cronin

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

Items: influence, prefer, sensitive, snicker

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 Giggle, Giggle, Quack. 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.

influence

• Influence means to push someone gently to do something. What's the word?
• I would like to influence you to do your homework. If you set a good example for your little brother, you influence him to behave.
• I'm going to name some behaviors. If you think your parents would like you to influence your little brother or sister to do the behavior, say influence. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?
  • Brush your teeth before bed.
  • Eat candy under the covers.
  • Clean your dirty dishes.
  • Throw away garbage.
  • Hide garbage in the couch.

prefer

• Prefer means you like something more than something else. What's the word?
• I prefer noodles instead of rice. If you like oranges better than apples, you say "I prefer oranges."'
• I'm going to name some foods. If you like these foods more than most foods, say prefer. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?
  • Cookies
  • Bananas
  • Pancakes
  • Vinegar
  • Mayonnaise

sensitive

• Sensitive means you have feelings and can understand others' feelings. What's the word?
• The little boy was so kind and sensitive. If you help someone in trouble, you're showing that you are sensitive.
• I will name some behaviors a child might do. If the behavior shows the child is careful of other people's feelings, say sensitive. Otherwise, stay quiet. Ready?
  • Help an old person carry groceries.
  • Hold a friend's hand when she feels sad.
  • Get a ball that's stuck in a tree for a little child.
  • Trip someone when they walk by.
  • Break someone's lamp.

snicker

• Snicker means a little laugh, sometimes to yourself. What's the word?
• The boy didn't know if the play was supposed to be funny, so he snickered a little. When you are watching a cartoon, you snicker.
• I'm going to name some TV shows. If you think the show is supposed to make you laugh, say snicker. Otherwise, just stay quiet. Ready?
  • The news
  • Cartoons
  • An exercise show
  • A funny kids' show
  • An action movie