Grade 5
Teacher’s Manual
sample lesson
Week 6
Big Cats
by Seymour Simon
The big cats are lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, pumas, cheetahs, and snow leopards. This
informational text explains how big cats hunt, how they see at night, where they live, what
they eat, why they are endangered, and how people can protect them.
Grade 5
© Developmental Studies Center
TEACHER’S MANUAL
SAMPLE LESSON
Week 6
Overview
Big Cats*
by Seymour Simon
(HarperTrophy, 1994)
Readers learn about the characteristics and
habits of the world’s largest cats, including
tigers, lions, cheetahs, and snow leopards.
* This book will also be used in Week 7.
Words Taught
Words Reviewed
stun
apprehensive
extend
bedlam
scarce
devour
dignified
thunderous
Word-learning Strategies
• Recognizing words with multiple meanings
• Using context to determine word meanings (review)
• Recognizing synonyms (review)
• Recognizing shades of meaning (review)
132 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Vocabulary Focus
• Students hear and discuss a nonfiction book.
• Students learn six words from the book.
• Students discuss words with multiple meanings.
• Students review using context clues.
• Students review synonyms and shades of meaning.
Social Development Focus
• Students begin working with a new partner.
DO AHEAD
•Prior to Day 1, decide how you will randomly assign partners. (We suggest
that the partners continue to work together through Week 10.) See the front
matter for suggestions about assigning partners randomly (page xvii) and for
considerations for pairing English Language Learners (page xxxii).
•(Optional) Prior to Day 2, review More Strategy Practice on page 142.
•Prior to Day 3, make a transparency of “Sentence from Big Cats” (BLM13).
•(Optional) Prior to Day 3, review More Strategy Practice on page 146 and make a
transparency of “Synonym Match” (BLM14).
•Prior to Day 5, add this week’s review words to the word chart.
•Prior to Day 5, make copies of the Week 6 family letter to send home with
the students.
•(Optional) Prior to Day 5, collect these word cards and picture cards for Weekly
Review: 1, 13, and 25–30.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 133
Day 1
Read-aloud
Materials
In this lesson, the students:
•
•
•
Big Cats (pages 4–19)
Hear and discuss a nonfiction book
Begin working with a new partner
About Abbreviated Lessons
Beginning this week, parts of the lesson that are essentially the same
from week to week are abbreviated. Teacher Notes refer you to a fully
written-out example of each abbreviated part, if you wish to review it.
For more information about abbreviated lessons, see page xxiii.
GE T R E A DY TO R E A D
Teacher Note
Working with the same partner
for a few weeks helps the
students get to know each
other and become more
comfortable sharing their
thinking. It also helps them
reflect on their interactions and
solve problems over time.
Teacher Note
The pages of Big Cats are
unnumbered. For easy reference,
pencil in page numbers
beginning with the number 1
on the title page. Page 4 begins,
“The big cats are bundles of….”
This system is used throughout
Pair Students and Get Ready to Work Together
Randomly assign partners (see “Do Ahead” on page 133) and make
sure they know each other’s names. Have partners sit together.
Explain that the students will be working with their new partner for
the next few weeks as they discuss books and learn new words. Ask:
Q
What is one thing you have learned about working with a partner
that will help you work with your new partner?
Give the students a few moments to think about the question. Then
have a few volunteers share their thinking with the class. Ask the
students to keep these things in mind today, and tell them that you
will check in with them later to see how they did working with their
new partner.
Introduce Big Cats
Show the cover of Big Cats and read the title and the author’s
name aloud. Explain that the book tells about seven of the largest
members of the cat family: the tiger, the lion, the leopard, the jaguar,
the puma, the cheetah, and the snow leopard. Tell the students that
this week they will hear and discuss words from the first half of the
book. Next week they will finish the book.
the program for all read-alouds
with unnumbered pages.
134 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 1
R EA D A LOU D
Read the Book Aloud with a Brief Introduction to
Each Part
Tell the students that the first part of today’s reading introduces the
big cats and tells how the cats are different and how they are alike.
Read pages 4–8 aloud, showing the photographs and stopping as
described below. Deal with each suggested vocabulary word as you
come to it.
English Language Learners will
benefit from previewing the book
and photographs before you
read it to the class. They may also
benefit from more frequent stops
and discussions during the reading
(for example, after pages 6 and 17).
Teacher Note
For an example of how to deal
Suggested Vocabulary
with vocabulary words during a
read-aloud, see page 6.
grace: beauty or ease of movement (p. 4)
domestic: tame; not wild (p. 6)
temperate climates: mild climates (p. 6)
canine teeth: sharply pointed teeth on either side of the
front teeth (p. 8)
retracted: drawn in (p. 8)
sheaths: protective coverings (p. 8)
stalking: quietly following, to hunt (p. 14)
ELL Vocabulary
It may be helpful to point out to English Language Learners
that some words from the reading are defined in the text (for
example, the word carnivores on page 8) and that they should
listen for these. They also may benefit from discussing additional
vocabulary, including:
prey: [Spanish cognate: presa] animals hunted by other animals
for food (p. 4)
stunning force: lots of strength or power (p. 4)
purr: make a low, soft sound because they are happy (p. 4)
For more information about
cognates, see page xxxiii.
tropics: [Spanish cognate: trópicos] hottest and wettest parts of
the world (p. 6)
gore: stab (p. 17)
noble: [Spanish cognate: noble] large, beautiful, and impressive (p. 19)
Stop after:
p. 8
“When the claws are drawn in, cats can run along silently
on their soft footpads without alerting their prey.”
Ask:
Q
What did you learn about how big cats are alike and how they are
different? Turn to your partner.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 135
Week 6  Day 1
Have one or two volunteers share their thinking with the class.
Show pages 10–11 and tell the students that the next section tells
about big cats’ senses and how they take care of their cubs. Read
pages 10–13. Stop after:
p. 13 “About this time their spots begin to disappear, and
in several more months they take on the solid colors
of an adult.”
Ask:
Q
What did you learn about big cats’ senses and how they care for
their cubs? Turn to your partner.
Have one or two volunteers share their thinking with the class. Show
pages 14–15 and tell the students that the last section of the book
you will read this week focuses on tigers and lions. Read pages 14–19
aloud. Stop after:
p. 19 “Most of the loud group roaring takes place at night,
sometimes as a response to the roars of nearby prides or
solitary lions.”
FAC I L I TAT ION T I P
During the next few weeks, we
DISCUSS THE R EA DI NG
encourage you to focus on two
questioning techniques that will
deepen the students’ thinking
and broaden participation in
Talk About the Book
Briefly discuss the book as a class. Ask:
discussions: asking open-ended
questions and using wait-time.
Notice that many of the questions
we suggest are open-ended,
Q
What did you learn about tigers and lions?
Q
What have you learned about big cats that surprised you?
inviting many responses. They
cannot be answered with a
REFLECT
single word and often begin with
words like what, how, and why.
We encourage you to ask the
questions as they are written and
notice how the students respond.
Because the questions require
thought, we suggest that you use
Reflect on Working Together
Have the students talk briefly about how they worked with their new
partner. Ask:
Q
What did you and your partner do today that helped you work
well together?
Q
What would you like to do differently the next time you
work together?
at least 5–10 seconds of wait-time
after asking a question before
calling on anyone to respond.
This gives everyone a chance to
think before talking.
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© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 1
MOR E ELL SU PPORT
Learn About Big Cats
Review that the first half of Big Cats tells what cats such as lions,
tigers, and leopards look like and how they live. Give the students a
few moments to recall what they heard about big cats. Then ask:
Q
What is one interesting thing you learned about big cats?
Have the students use the prompt to share their thinking with
a partner:
PROMPT: “One interesting thing I learned is that….”
Teacher Note
Academic language is the
language necessary for success
Have volunteers use the prompt to share their thinking with
the group.
in school. It includes general
academic words commonly
found across content areas and in
EXTENSION
Explore Academic Language: Carnivore
many different kinds of texts (for
example, the target words taught
in the Words in Action program) as
well as content area or domain-
Explain that nonfiction writers who write about science topics such
as animals often use scientific words to discuss their subject. Explain
that in Big Cats, Seymour Simon uses the scientific word carnivore
when he tells what big cats eat. Write the word carnivore on the
board. Tell the students that as you read the sentence from Big Cats
that includes the word carnivore, you want them to listen for what
the word carnivore means. Then read the first sentence on page 8
aloud. Ask:
is important for all students’
Q
Academic Language on page xiii.
What does the word carnivore mean? What kind of food does a
carnivore eat?
specific words and terms (for
example, carnivore, seismologist,
and Industrial Revolution).
Knowledge of academic language
success in school and is especially
critical for English Language
Learners. For more information
about academic language, see
Teacher Note
If necessary, explain that a carnivore is an “animal that eats meat, or
the flesh of other animals.” Then discuss:
Examples of carnivores are
Q
Examples of herbivores are
In addition to big cats, what other animals are carnivores, or
meat eaters?
domestic cats, dogs, wolves,
hyenas, seals, and sharks.
cows, horses, deer, elephants,
sheep, and goats. Examples
Write the words herbivore and omnivore on the board. Explain that
herbivore is the scientific term for an “animal that eats plants” and an
omnivore is an “animal that eats both plants and meat.” Discuss:
of omnivores are chickens,
Q
what these animals eat.
What animals are herbivores? What animals are omnivores?
© Developmental Studies Center
bears, and chimpanzees. Your
students may wish to search
online to learn more about
Grade Five 137
Day 2
Introduce Stun and Extend
Materials
In this lesson, the students:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Big Cats
Chart paper and a marker
(Optional) Word cards and
picture cards 25, 26
Learn and use the words stun and extend
Discuss words with multiple meanings
Reflect on how to work well with a partner
Words Taught
stun (p. 4)
Stun means “make unconscious or unable to think clearly.” Stun also means
“shock or greatly surprise.”
extend (p. 8)
Extend means “lengthen or stretch out.” Extend also means “offer or give.”
About Recognizing Words with Multiple Meanings
This week, we introduce the students to recognizing words with multiple
meanings, another strategy they can use to figure out the meanings of
unfamiliar words independently. The students learn that many words have
more than one meaning and that often the meanings are very different. They
learn that if they encounter a word with multiple meanings as they listen to
or read a text, they can usually figure out the correct meaning by thinking
about how the word is used. This week, the students explore the multiple
meanings of stun and extend. For a complete list of the multiple-meaning
words taught in grade 5 and the weeks in which they are introduced, see
page 560 of volume 2. For more information about recognizing words with
multiple meanings and other word-learning strategies, see page xv.
I N TRODUCE A N D USE STU N
Get Ready to Work Together
Have partners sit together. Show the cover of Big Cats and explain
that today the students will learn two words from the book. Remind
the students that they are working with a new partner this week, and
briefly discuss:
Q
What is one thing you want to remember to do today to work well
with your new partner?
Tell the students that you will check in with them later to see how
they did working with their partner.
138 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 2
Introduce and Define Stunned
Review that Big Cats is a nonfiction book about the largest members
of the cat family. Show pages 4–5 and review that big cats like tigers
and lions may look harmless while at rest, but when they hunt, they
are fierce creatures with incredible strength. Read the following
sentence from page 4 aloud, emphasizing the word stunning: “A tiger
hits with stunning force and can knock down animals two or three
times heavier than itself.”
Tell the students that stun means “make unconscious or unable to
think clearly.” Explain that a tiger hits its prey with such tremendous
force that it stuns the animal, or makes it unconscious or unable to
think clearly.
Have the students say stun, and write it on a sheet of chart paper.
Teacher Note
Card 25 (stun) shows
a football player stunned by a
football that hit him on the head.
Discuss Being Stunned
Explain that a person might be stunned if he hits his head or is struck
on the head, and give examples of a time you were stunned or saw
someone who was stunned. (You might say, “I was riding my bike
once and fell and hit my head. Even though I was wearing a helmet,
I was stunned for a moment. I was dizzy and couldn’t think clearly. In
movies you sometimes see characters who are stunned, or knocked
unconscious, when they fall and hit their heads or are hit on the
head.”) Discuss as a class:
Q
Teacher Note
If the students struggle to answer
the question, ask questions such
as, “When have you bumped your
head and felt stunned, or dizzy
or dazed afterward?” and “When
have you seen a person on TV or
in a movie who was stunned by a
When have you been stunned or seen someone who was stunned?
PROMPT: “I was stunned when…” or “[On TV] I saw [a man who
was stunned when]….”
blow to the head?”
Teacher Note
For an example of how to
prompt the students to use
Discuss Another Meaning of Stun
a word, see page 11.
Tell the students that words often have more than one meaning.
Sometimes the meanings are similar; sometimes they are very
different. Explain that the word stun has two very different meanings.
Review that stun can mean “make unconscious or unable to think
clearly,” and tell the students that stun can also mean “shock or
greatly surprise.”
Teacher Note
© Developmental Studies Center
For a correlation of the skills
and strategies taught in the
Words in Action program to the
Common Core State Standards,
visit devstu.org/ccss.
Grade Five 139
Week 6  Day 2
Teacher Note
Explain that people are sometimes stunned, or shocked or greatly
surprised, when unexpected things happen, and give examples of
times you or someone you know was stunned. (You might say, “A
few years ago my wife threw a surprise birthday party for me. I was
stunned when I walked into the room and all my friends shouted
‘Happy birthday!’ It was a complete surprise, and for a moment I was
speechless. A friend of mine was stunned on a camping trip when
he opened his backpack and found that a snake had crawled into it.
That was a real shock!”) Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Support struggling students
by asking questions such as,
“When have you seen or heard
something that shocked or
surprised you?” or “When have
you seen or heard something
that left you speechless or
caused you to say, ‘Wow! I
didn’t expect that!’” If the
Q
students continue to struggle,
ask an alternative question
such as, “When have you seen
someone who was stunned?”
When have you been stunned, or shocked or greatly surprised?
[pause] Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “I was stunned when….”
Teacher Note
Review the pronunciation and meanings of the word stun.
For an example of how to end the
discussion of a word, see page 13.
I N TRODUCE A N D USE E X TEN D
The Spanish cognate of
extend is extender.
Teacher Note
Card 26 (extend) shows a
woman extending a tent pole.
Teacher Note
Introduce and Define Extend
Show pages 8–9 of Big Cats, and review that big cats use their
teeth and tongues to help them catch and eat prey. Then read the
following sentences from page 8 aloud, emphasizing the word
extended: “Cats also have razor-sharp claws that are perfect for
cutting and holding. The claws are thick and hooked. They can be
extended for action, or retracted at will into sheaths in the paws.”
Tell the students that extend means “lengthen (make longer) or
stretch out.” Point out that big cats can extend, or stretch out, their
claws when they are needed for cutting or holding prey.
Have the students say extend, and write it on the chart.
You might tell the students that
extend and retract are antonyms
and that retract means “pull
in or draw in.” If you started
an antonym chart, you might
add extend and retract to it.
140 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 2
Discuss Extending Things
Explain that people sometimes extend, or stretch out, their arms,
and model extending your arms to the sides, to the front, and over
your head. Ask:
Q
As you model extending your
arms, you might have the
Why might people extend their arms? Turn to your partner.
students extend their arms.
PROMPT: “People might extend their arms to….”
Explain that sometimes we use the word extend to talk about
lengthening or stretching out the time it takes to do something.
Discuss as a class:
Q
Would you be pleased if our school day were extended, or
lengthened, by an hour? Why?
PROMPT: “I [would/would not] be pleased if the school day were
extended because….”
Discuss Another Meaning of Extend
Review that words often have more than one meaning and that
sometimes the meanings are very different. Review that extend can
mean “lengthen or stretch out,” and tell the students that the word
extend can also mean “offer or give.”
Explain that we typically use the word extend, meaning “offer or
give,” to talk about giving advice to someone, offering someone
an apology, or giving someone an invitation, and give examples.
(You might say, “I extended, or offered, advice to my sister when she
was looking for a summer job. I extended, or offered, an apology
to my mom when I spilled juice on her white carpet. Last weekend
I extended an invitation to my parents to come to dinner.”) Use
“Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Q
When have you extended advice, an invitation, or an apology to
someone? [pause] Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “I extended….”
Review the pronunciation and meanings of the word extend.
Teacher Note
For more practice with
the multiple meanings of
extend, see More Strategy
Practice on the next page.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 141
Week 6  Day 2
REFLECT
Reflect on Working Together
Facilitate a brief discussion about how partners are working
together. Ask:
Q
What are you enjoying about working with your new partner?
M OR E S T R AT E G Y P R AC T IC E
Discuss the Multiple Meanings of Extend
Review that extend can mean “lengthen or stretch out” or “offer
or give.”
Tell the students that when they hear or read a word like extend
that has more than one meaning, they can usually figure out the
correct meaning by thinking about how the word is used. Explain
that you will read a sentence that includes the word extend.
Partners will decide whether extend means “lengthen or stretch
out” or “offer or give.” Read the following sentence aloud twice:
Teacher Note
•
You might explain that charities
are “organizations that give
money or help to people.”
After the terrible flood, many charities extended help to the
flood victims in the form of food, tents, and medicine.
Ask:
Q
In the sentence, does extend mean “lengthen or stretch out” or
“offer or give”? Why? Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “I think extend means [‘offer or give’] because….”
In the same way, discuss one or both of the following:
•
•
142 Words in Action™
Conner was helping his dad build a shed in the backyard. His
dad asked him to extend the tape measure 15 feet and then
mark the spot with a stick.
When Hannah broke her dad’s favorite coffee mug, she
immediately extended an apology to her dad and offered to
replace the cup.
© Developmental Studies Center
Day 3
Introduce Scarce and Devour
In this lesson, the students:
Materials
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Review the words stun and extend from Day 2
Learn and use the words scarce and devour
Review using context clues
Word chart from Day 2
and a marker
Review synonyms and shades of meaning
•
Continue to focus on working well with
a partner
Transparency of “Sentence
from Big Cats”(BLM13)
•
(Optional) Word cards and
picture cards 27, 28
•
(Optional) Transparency of
“Synonym Match” (BLM14;
see More Strategy Practice
on page 146)
•
(Optional) Overhead pen
Words Taught
scarce (p. 17)
Scarce means “difficult to get or find.” If something is scarce,
there is very little of it.
devour (p. 17)
Devour means “eat something quickly and hungrily.”
I N TRODUCE A N D USE SC ARCE
Big Cats
Briefly Review Stun and Extend
Have partners sit together. Review the Day 2 words by having the
students tell what they know about the words.
Teacher Note
You might ask partners
what they will do today
to work well together.
Teacher Note
For an example of how to review
Introduce and Define Scarce
Show pages 16–17 of Big Cats and review that tigers are carnivores
(meat eaters) that eat wild animals such as elephants, deer, bears,
wild pigs, and frogs. Read the following sentence from page 17
aloud, emphasizing the word scarce: “In places where wild animals
are becoming scarce, tigers prey heavily on cattle and sheep.”
the words, see page 15.
The Spanish cognate of
scarce is escaso/a.
Tell the students that scarce means “difficult to get or find.” Explain
that if something is scarce, there is very little of it. Explain that when
wild animals become scarce, or difficult to find, tigers prey on farm
animals such as cattle and sheep.
desert where water is scarce.
Have the students say scarce, and write it on the chart.
Teacher Note
Teacher Note
Card 27 (scarce) shows
a gazelle finding water in a
You might explain that scarce
and plentiful are antonyms. If you
started an antonym chart, add
scarce and plentiful to it.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 143
Week 6  Day 3
Discuss Things That Can Become Scarce
Tell the students that sometimes water becomes scarce in an area.
There is very little of it. Discuss as a class:
Q
Teacher Note
For an example of how to
prompt the students to use
a word, see page 11.
PROMPT: “Water might become scarce if….”
Ask the students to imagine that paper has become scarce in the
classroom and we have to conserve, or save, the paper we have. Ask:
Q
Teacher Note
Why might water become scarce?
If paper became scarce, what might we do to conserve paper? Turn
to your partner.
PROMPT: “If paper became scarce, we might conserve it by….”
For an example of how to end the
discussion of a word, see page 13.
Review the pronunciation and meaning of the word scarce.
I N TRODUCE A N D USE DEVOU R
The Spanish cognate of
devour is devorar.
Teacher Note
Introduce Devour and Review Synonyms
and Using Context Clues
Show the transparency of “Sentence from Big Cats” (
BLM13):
Alternatively, you may wish to
write the sentence on the board
or on a sheet of chart paper,
underlining the word devour.
Sentence
From Big Cats
Inasingleday,eatingatseveralmealsuntilitisfull,anadulttiger
can devouralmosthalfitsownweightinmeat.
Direct the students’ attention to the sentence on the transparency
and tell them that it is from the part of the book that tells how tigers
hunt and eat their prey. Ask the students to listen carefully as you
read the sentence; then read it aloud, emphasizing the word devour.
Tell the students that devour is the other word they will learn today.
Remind them that you can sometimes figure out the meaning of a
word by reading the sentence that includes the word, or the sentence
before or after, and looking for clues. Explain that as you read the
sentence again, you want them to think about what the word devour
144 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 3
might mean and what words in the sentence are clues to its meaning.
Reread the sentence. Point to the word devour and ask:
Q
Based on what you just heard, what do you think the word devour
might mean, and what words in the sentence are clues to its
meaning? Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “I think devour means [‘eat’]. The word [‘eating’] is a
clue to its meaning.”
Teacher Note
If necessary, explain that devour means “eat something quickly and
hungrily” and that devour and eat are synonyms. Point out that the
words “eating at several meals until it is full” are clues to the meaning
of devour.
dog devouring a piece of meat.
Have the students say devour, and write it on the chart.
Teacher Note
You might circle the context clues
in the sentence.
Card 28 (devour) shows a
If you started a synonym chart,
Discuss Devour and Eat and
Review Shades of Meaning
add devour and eat to it.
Teacher Note
Remind the students that devour means about the same thing as eat,
with this important difference: when an animal devours its food, it
does not eat it slowly or in small bits. It eats quickly and hungrily.
For a correlation of the skills
Ask the students to close their eyes and picture in their mind a dog
devouring a piece of meat. Have them picture what the dog looks
like and sounds like. After 15–20 seconds, have the students open
their eyes, and ask:
visit devstu.org/ccss.
Q
and strategies taught in the
Words in Action program to the
Common Core State Standards,
What did you picture in your mind as the dog was devouring the
meat? Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “As the dog was devouring the meat, I pictured….”
Explain that Seymour Simon could have written that a tiger can eat
almost half its weight in meat, but he chose to use the word devour
because he wanted readers to clearly picture in their minds how
quickly and hungrily a tiger can eat. Tell the students that now that
they know the word devour, they have just the right word to use
in their own writing when they want to write about someone or
something eating quickly and hungrily.
Teacher Note
If you started a “Just the
Right Words” chart, add
eat and devour to it.
Review the pronunciation and meaning of the word devour.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 145
Week 6  Day 3
M OR E S T R AT E G Y P R AC T IC E
Teacher Note
Play “Synonym Match”
Show the transparency of “Synonym Match” (
BLM14):
Alternatively, you may wish to
write the “Synonym Match”
words on the board or on
Synonym Match
a sheet of chart paper.
1
2
apprehensive
thrilling
elude
unwillingly
devour
struggle
gleam
avoid
grudgingly
worried
hair-raising
glow
stun
eat
tussle
shock
Explain that partners will play a game called “Synonym Match.”
Point to the words in column 1, and explain that these are
vocabulary words the students have learned. Point to the words
in column 2, and explain that these are synonyms of the words in
column 1. Explain that partners will match each vocabulary word
Words in Action
Week 6  Day 3
to BLM14
its synonym.
™
©DevelopmentalStudiesCenter
Point to the word apprehensive, pronounce it, and have the
students pronounce it. Then point to the words in column 2
and ask:
Q
Which word in column 2 is a synonym of apprehensive? Turn to
your partner.
PROMPT: “[Worried] is a synonym of apprehensive.”
continues
146 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 4
M OR E S T R AT E G Y P R AC T IC E
continued
Have a volunteer draw a line from the word apprehensive to the
word worried.
Discuss the remaining words in the same way. When you get to
the final two words in column 1, have the students discuss them
together by asking:
Q
Which word in column 2 is a synonym of stun, and which word
is a synonym of tussle? Turn to your partner.
Day 4
Introduce Dignified and Thunderous
In this lesson, the students:
Materials
•
•
•
•
•
Review the words scarce and devour
from Day 3
Learn and use the words dignified
and thunderous
Continue to focus on working well
with a partner
•
Big Cats
Word chart from Days 2–3
and a marker
(Optional) Word cards and
picture cards 29, 30
Words Taught
dignified (p. 19)
Dignified means “confident, calm, and in control.”
thunderous (p. 19)
Thunderous means “making a loud, rumbling noise like thunder.”
Teacher Note
If necessary, remind the
students that they are
I N TRODUCE A N D USE DIGNIFIED
focusing this week on working
with their new partner.
Briefly Review Scarce and Devour
Have partners sit together. Review the Day 3 words by having the
students tell what they know about the words.
Teacher Note
For an example of how to review
the words, see page 15.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 147
Week 6  Day 4
The Spanish cognate of dignified
Introduce and Define Dignified
Show pages 18–19 and review that the male lion is sometimes
referred to as the “King of Beasts.” Read the second sentence on
page 19 aloud, emphasizing the word dignified. Explain that dignified
means “confident, calm, and in control.” Point out that lions appear
to have a dignified manner, or way of behaving. They seem calm and
in control.
is dignificado/a.
Teacher Note
Card 29 (dignified) shows
Have the students say dignified, and write it on the chart.
a dignified queen; she is
calm and in control.
Discuss Dignified People
Explain that a person who is dignified has self-confidence and
self-control. A dignified person does not lose his temper and stays
calm even in a stressful situation. Tell the students about someone
you think is dignified, and describe the dignified way the person
behaves. (You might say, “I think my mother is dignified. Even when
she is upset or angry, she never raises her voice. She stays calm and
in control of herself.”) Discuss as a class:
Teacher Note
If the students struggle to
answer the questions, ask
questions such as, “Who do
you know who always seems
calm, confident, and in control?
When have you seen that
Q
person act in a dignified way?”
Who do you know who is dignified? Why would you describe the
person as dignified?
Teacher Note
For an example of how to
PROMPT: “[My dad] is dignified because….”
prompt the students to use
a word, see page 11.
Teacher Note
Tulip is an imaginary character
who appears frequently in
activities during the year. If one
of your students or someone
Discuss Whether Tulip is Dignified
Explain that you are going to describe something that an imaginary
fifth-grader named Tulip is doing. Partners will discuss whether Tulip
is being dignified and why they think so. Begin with:
•
they know is named Tulip, you
may want to select another
name for the character.
Teacher Note
You might explain that
the opposite of dignified is
undignified and that un- is a
prefix that means “not.”
148 Words in Action™
Tulip is giving a report to her class. Some of her classmates are
being noisy, so Tulip waits patiently for them to settle down. When
the class is quiet, Tulip begins to talk.
Ask:
Q
Is Tulip being dignified? Why? Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “Tulip [is/is not] being dignified because….”
Have one or two volunteers use the prompt to share their thinking
with the class.
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 4
In the same way, discuss one or both of the following:
•
•
Tulip is standing in the lunch line. She is hungry and the line is
moving slowly. She grabs her stomach, makes loud groaning
noises, and shouts, “I’m starving! Feed me! Feed me!”
Tulip trips over a tree root on the playground. She stands up, calmly
brushes herself off, and continues to play.
Review the pronunciation and meaning of the word dignified.
Teacher Note
You might ask the students how
Tulip would behave in the lunch
line if she were being dignified.
Teacher Note
For an example of how to end the
I N TRODUCE A N D USE
THU NDEROUS
discussion of a word, see page 13.
Introduce and Define Thunderous
Show pages 18–19 again, and remind the students that the male
lion is sometimes referred to as the “King of Beasts” because of his
dignified and majestic, or kinglike, manner. Explain that the lion also
has a majestic roar. Then read the second paragraph on page 19
aloud, emphasizing the word thunderous and stopping after the
sentence, “A loud roar can be heard from a distance of five miles.”
Explain that thunderous means “making a loud, rumbling noise like
thunder.” Review that the lion’s thunderous, or loud and rumbling,
roar can be heard from five miles away.
Have the students say thunderous, and write it on the chart.
Teacher Note
Card 30 (thunderous)
shows two musicians
pounding thunderous beats
Discuss Thunderous Noises
on their instruments.
Remind the students that a thunderous noise is a loud, rumbling
noise like thunder. Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Teacher Note
Q
by asking questions such as,
What might make a thunderous noise? [pause] Turn to your partner.
Support struggling students
“What vehicle, animal, or musical
PROMPT: “[A semitruck] might make a thunderous noise on the
highway.”
instrument might make a
Review the pronunciation and meaning of the word thunderous.
thunderous noises (garbage
thunderous noise?” Alternatively,
name a few things that make
trucks, trains, tractors, jet engines,
drums, elephants, stampeding
herds of horses, crowds of
people) and then ask, “What else
might make a thunderous noise?”
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 149
Week 6  Day 4
EXTENSION
Explore the Suffix -ous
Remind the students that a suffix is a “letter or group of letters
that is added to the end of a word and that changes the meaning
of the word.” Explain that the suffix -ous means “having” or “full of”
and that when -ous is added to the word thunder, it makes the
word thunderous, which means “making a loud, rumbling noise
like thunder.”
On the board, write the word danger. Ask:
Teacher Note
Q
What word do you make when you add the suffix -ous to the
word danger?
Q
What does dangerous mean?
In the same way, have the students discuss the meaning of other
words that use the suffix -ous, such as adventurous, courageous,
envious, humorous, joyous, mountainous, and poisonous.
For a list of words that use the
suffix -ous and other word lists,
see the Words in Action DVD-ROM.
150 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Day 5
Weekly Review
In this lesson, the students:
Materials
•
•
•
•
Word chart from Days 2–4
with review words added
•
Copy of Week 6 family letter
for each student
•
(Optional) Word cards and
picture cards 1, 13, 25–30
Review and use this week’s words
Review and use words learned previously
Continue to focus on working well
with a partner
Words Taught
stun
Stun means “make unconscious or unable to think clearly.” Stun also means
“shock or greatly surprise.”
extend
Extend means “lengthen or stretch out.” Extend also means “offer or give.”
scarce
Scarce means “difficult to get or find.” If something is scarce, there is very
little of it.
devour
Devour means “eat something quickly and hungrily.”
dignified
Dignified means “confident, calm, and in control.”
thunderous
Thunderous means “making a loud, rumbling noise like thunder.”
Words Reviewed
apprehensive
Apprehensive means “worried or anxious that something bad may happen.”
bedlam
Bedlam is a “situation in which there is a lot of noise and great confusion.”
R EV I EW T H E WOR DS
Teacher Note
Briefly Review the Words
For an example of how to
Have partners sit together. Direct the students’ attention to the word
chart. If necessary, briefly review the meanings of this week’s
words. Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
activities, see page 24.
Q
Which of these words might you use if you were writing a story
about being stranded on a deserted island? How might you use the
word? [pause] Turn to your partner.
introduce the weekly review
“Stranded on a deserted island”
means that you have been left by
yourself on an island where no
other people live.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 151
Week 6  Day 5
PROMPTS: “I might use the word [stun]” and “I might write,
[‘I was stunned when a coconut fell on my head’].”
Briefly review the meanings of the review words.
PR AC T ICE USI NG T H E WOR DS
Teacher Note
If the students struggle to
complete the sentence, remind
them that when a person is
apprehensive, he or she is worried
that something bad may happen.
Then repeat the questions. If the
students continue to struggle,
provide examples of ways the
Do the Activity “Create a Sentence” as a Class
Explain that partners will do an activity called “Create a
Sentence.” Explain that you will tell the students the beginning
of a sentence that uses one of the words. They will use what
they know about the word and their imaginations to finish the
sentence. Explain that before partners do the activity together,
they will practice as a class.
Point to the word apprehensive on the chart and review that
apprehensive means “anxious or worried that something bad may
happen.” Then read the following sentence starter aloud:
•
sentence might be completed.
(You might say, “Leticia is
apprehensive about going
canoeing on the lake because
she can’t swim” or ”Leticia is
Ask:
Q
apprehensive about canoeing
on the lake because the weather
report says a storm is on the
way.”) Then reread the sentence
starter and repeat the questions.
Teacher Note
Follow up by asking:
Q
question is to encourage the
about the word and whether
the volunteer’s sentence
conveys the word’s meaning.
Does it make sense to say, “Leticia is apprehensive about going
canoeing on the lake because [she has never been canoeing
before]”? Why?
Point to the word stun on the chart, and review that stun has two
meanings. Explain that the students will complete a sentence in
which stun means “make unconscious or unable to think clearly.”
Then read the following sentence starter aloud:
•
152 Words in Action™
How might you complete the sentence? Why might Leticia be
apprehensive about going canoeing on the lake?
PROMPT: “Leticia is apprehensive about going canoeing on the
lake because….”
The purpose of the follow-up
students to think more deeply
Leticia is apprehensive about going canoeing on the
lake because….
During the soccer match, Baxter was stunned when….
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 5
Ask:
Q
How might you complete the sentence? What might have happened
to Baxter during the soccer match that would stun him?
PROMPT: “During the soccer match, Baxter was stunned when….”
Follow up by asking:
Q
Does it make sense to say, “During the soccer match, Baxter was
stunned when [he tripped and fell onto the grass]”? Why?
Teacher Note
If the students are struggling,
provide examples of ways the
sentence might be completed.
(You might say, “During the
soccer match, Baxter was stunned
when he was hit by the soccer
ball” or “During the soccer match,
Baxter was stunned when he
bumped into another player.”)
Do the Activity in Pairs
Tell the students that partners will now do the activity together. Point
to the word stun on the chart again and explain that the sentence
that partners will complete uses the word stun to mean “shock or
greatly surprise.” Then read the following sentence starter aloud:
•
Then reread the sentence starter
and repeat the questions.
Claire was stunned when she walked into her house and….
Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Q
How might you complete the sentence? What might have
stunned Claire when she walked into her house? [pause] Turn to
your partner.
PROMPT: “Claire was stunned when she walked into her
house and….”
Follow up by asking:
Q
Does it make sense to say, “Claire was stunned when she walked into
her house and [saw a donkey standing in her living room]”? Why?
Point to the word bedlam and explain that the last sentence uses
this word. Review that bedlam is a “situation in which there is a lot
of noise and great confusion.” Then read the following sentence
starter aloud:
•
There was bedlam at the zoo when….
© Developmental Studies Center
Teacher Note
Support struggling students by
reminding them that stunned
means “shocked or greatly
surprised.” Then repeat the
questions. If they continue to
struggle, provide examples of
ways the sentence might be
completed. (You might say,
“Claire was stunned when she
walked into her house and
discovered 6 inches of water
on the floor” or “Claire was
stunned when she walked into
her house and saw that all her
furniture had been stolen.”)
Then reread the sentence starter
and repeat the questions.
Grade Five 153
Week 6  Day 5
Use “Think, Pair, Share” to discuss:
Q
Teacher Note
Support struggling students by
reminding them that bedlam is a
How might you complete the sentence? What might cause bedlam
at the zoo? [pause] Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “There was bedlam at the zoo when….”
“lot of noise and great confusion.”
Then repeat the questions. If they
Follow up by asking:
continue to struggle, provide
examples of ways the sentence
Q
might be completed. (You might
say, “There was bedlam at the
Does it make sense to say, “There was bedlam at the zoo when [an
elephant got loose]”? Why?
zoo when the monkeys escaped
from their cages” or “There was
bedlam at the zoo when a group
of children started screaming
and running in all directions.”)
Then reread the sentence starter
and repeat the questions.
Discuss the Remaining Words
Tell the students that you will ask them questions about the words
they did not review in the activity “Create a Sentence.” Ask:
[dignified, devour]
Q
Would it be dignified for a person to devour his food? Turn to
your partner.
PROMPT: “It [would/would not] be dignified for a person to
devour his food because….”
[extend]
Q
Would you extend your hand to a hungry dog? Why? Turn to
your partner.
PROMPT: “I [would/would not] extend my hand to a hungry
dog because….”
[scarce]
Q
Would you be worried if food became scarce? Why? Turn to
your partner.
PROMPT: “I [would/would not] be worried if food became
scarce because….”
154 Words in Action™
© Developmental Studies Center
Week 6  Day 5
[thunderous, extend]
Q
If your pet rhinoceros were making thunderous noises, would you
extend an apology to your neighbors? Why? Turn to your partner.
PROMPT: “If my pet rhinoceros were making thunderous noises, I
[would/would not] extend an apology to my neighbors because….”
Family Letter
Send home with each student
the family letter for this week
(see “Do Ahead” on page 133).
Periodically, have the students
share with the class what they
are doing to review and use the
words at home.
© Developmental Studies Center
Grade Five 155