Vocabulary Mini Lesson

Topic: Vocabulary
Literature: The Watson’s Go To Birmingham-1963
Grade Level: 4th
Time: Ongoing vocabulary instruction throughout novel

Introduction:
Upon beginning this book, I will provide the students with a list of about twenty vocabulary words the students will come across throughout the book. Before beginning the novel, I will have the students write down their own definitions for the words provided and hang on to them for future use. As we work through the novel, the students should make note of when they come across a vocabulary word (I will provide page numbers for each word to help). When the student comes across a flagged vocab word, I will have them write a new or altered definition of the word based on contextual clues. After finishing each chapter, the students will be expected to research definitions using either the internet or dictionaries depending on resources. The students will keep running lists of their initial definitions, their contextual definitions, and then the dictionary definitions until the novel is finished.

Assessment/Activity:
An activity or assessment tool following the conclusion of the novel would be to play a few rounds of vocabulary bingo. I will make the bingo charts using the definitions of the words. When the definitions are read, the students must accurately identify the word in order to place a chip on it. This is a fun alternative to a vocabulary test to check for the student’s comprehension.

Vocabulary Words Used:

hostile pg. 37
intimidate pg. 39
emulate pg. 39
welfare pg. 100
peon pg. 101
pinnacle pg. 131
Walter Cronkite pg. 141
maestro pg. 146
Lawrence Welk Show pg. 159
eavesdropped pg. 161
seniority pg. 170
whirlpool pg. 210
raising cain pg. 235
Narcissus (from Nar-sissy) pg. 28