Introduce Vocabulary: Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (Aardema)

From FreeReading

What to Do

Prepare

Select three Tier Two vocabulary words to teach your students. A list of suggested words appears below. Write the vocabulary words on the board or on chart paper.

Model/Instruct

1. Introduce the story.

Today we are going to read a story entitled Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain.

2. Introduce the three vocabulary words you have chosen.

Before we read the story, I want to introduce some new words that we will come across. Please repeat each word after I say it.

3. Read the story.

Let’s read the story. Make sure to listen for today’s vocabulary words and to think about how they are used in the story. If you hear a vocabulary word while I am reading, raise your hand.

4. Define key vocabulary words. See definitions below.

Let’s think about our vocabulary words. The word ______________ means ____________. Does anyone remember how this word was used in the text?

Call on students to answer the question. Then refer to the text to show how the word was used in context. Repeat this process for each vocabulary word.

Practice

Now let’s practice what we’ve learned.

browse

Browse means to look around without trying too hard to find something particular. What's the word?

My dad browsed through the aisles of the grocery store when he was hungry. When you want to read something but you’re not sure what, you browse the bookshelf.

I'm going to name some things. If you might look find them by browsing, say browse. Otherwise, keep quiet. Ready?

• A can of tomatoes
• A good book
• A clown
• Bread
• A stop sign

pierced

Pierced means to have made a hole in something. What's the word?

The sharp needle pierced her blouse. If you push a pin through a piece of paper, you've pierced the paper.

I'm going to name some things. If the object can make a small hole, say pierce. Otherwise, keep quiet. Ready?

• A mosquito
• A mouse with sharp teeth
• A shoe
• An apple
• A stapler

slender

Slender means thin or skinny. What's the word?

Those pants don't fit me, because I'm not that slender. If you can break a stick, it's probably slender, not thick.

I'm going to name some items. If you think this item is thin or skinny, say slender. Otherwise, just stay quiet. Ready?

• A drinking straw
• A big, old tree
• A pencil
• A shoe string
• A school bus

tend

Tend means to take care of something. What's the word?

The old woman tends to her garden every morning. If you tend to your school work, you will get good grades.

I will name some jobs. If you take care of the thing, say tend. Otherwise, just stay quiet. Ready?

• The way your room looks
• Turning off the TV when you're done watching it
• Cleaning the whole school
• Washing the windows
• Putting gas in the car

Adjust

For Advanced Students:

If time permits, have students create more examples for the vocabulary words.

For Struggling Students:

If time permits, have students record the words on a Vocabulary Discovery Chart or in a Word Journal.

For ELL Students:

In order to help ELL students learn the words, it may be helpful to use realia and/or to teach cognates.

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