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Vocabulary Wonderland Express

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Lesson Plan

Vocabulary Wonderland Express

Students will learn new Christmas-themed vocabulary words, practice using them in context, and reinforce comprehension skills using "wh" questions through reading, interactive games, and puzzles.

Expanding vocabulary enhances reading comprehension and communication skills, while actively using new words, answering "wh" questions, and solving puzzles strengthens critical thinking and information retrieval from texts, all while having festive fun.

Audience

3rd Grade Students (Tier 1 - Classroom)

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive vocabulary introduction, guided reading, a festive game, a vocabulary maze, and a crossword puzzle to reinforce learning.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Vocabulary Wonderland Warm-Up, The Day Before Christmas Reading, Vocabulary Express Challenge, Vocabulary Wonderland Maze, Vocabulary Wonderland Crossword, Vocabulary Wonderland Answer Key, Vocabulary Wonderland Slides, and Vocabulary Wonderland Cool-Down

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Christmas Word Scramble

5 minutes

  1. Display the Vocabulary Wonderland Warm-Up on the board.
  2. Instruct students to unscramble the Christmas-themed words individually or in pairs.
  3. Briefly review answers as a class, clarifying any unfamiliar words.

Step 2

Vocabulary Introduction

5 minutes

  1. Using the Vocabulary Wonderland Slides, introduce new Christmas vocabulary words (e.g., 'jolly,' 'festive,' 'garland,' 'carol', 'feast').
  2. For each word, display the word, a simple definition, and an example sentence.
  3. Encourage students to repeat the words and ask clarifying questions.

Step 3

Reading: The Day Before Christmas

5 minutes

  1. Distribute the The Day Before Christmas Reading to each student.
  2. Have students read the short festive paragraph independently, focusing on understanding the story and how the vocabulary words are used in context.
  3. Briefly discuss the story and answer any initial questions.

Step 4

Game: Vocabulary Express Challenge

3 minutes

  1. Explain the rules of the Vocabulary Express Challenge game.
  2. Divide students into small groups and distribute vocabulary word slips.
  3. Facilitate the game, encouraging students to define words, use them in sentences, and ask "wh" questions about the words or their context. Circulate to provide support and keep track of time.

Step 5

Activity: Vocabulary Wonderland Maze

4 minutes

  1. Distribute the Vocabulary Wonderland Maze to each student.
  2. Instruct students to complete the maze individually by drawing the correct path based on vocabulary definitions and comprehension questions from the reading.
  3. Circulate to provide support and check for understanding.

Step 6

Activity: Vocabulary Wonderland Crossword

3 minutes

  1. Distribute the Vocabulary Wonderland Crossword to each student.
  2. Instruct students to complete the crossword puzzle individually using the provided clues and vocabulary words.
  3. Circulate to provide support and check for understanding.

Step 7

Cool-Down: Quick Check

5 minutes

  1. Distribute the Vocabulary Wonderland Cool-Down exit ticket.
  2. Ask students to write down one new vocabulary word they learned and one question they still have. This provides a quick check for understanding and identifies areas for review.
  3. Collect cool-downs to assess learning.
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Slide Deck

Vocabulary Wonderland Express!

Get ready for a festive journey into words and stories!

Welcome students and introduce the festive theme of the lesson. Explain that today we'll be expanding our Christmas vocabulary and practicing comprehension.

Warm-Up: Unscramble the Festive Words!

Unscramble the letters to reveal Christmas-themed words!

  1. OLYJL
  2. STEIFVE
  3. NLADGAR
  4. ROLAC
  5. TAESF

Take your time and do your best! We'll review them together soon.

Display this slide for the warm-up. Give students 3-5 minutes to unscramble the words. Walk around and offer hints if needed. Review the answers together, reinforcing the correct spelling and meaning.

Vocabulary Word 1: Jolly

Jolly (adjective)

Definition: Happy and cheerful.

Example: Santa Claus is a very jolly fellow, always laughing and spreading cheer!

Introduce the first vocabulary word: 'Jolly'. Provide the definition and read the example sentence. Encourage students to create their own sentences or share synonyms/antonyms.

Vocabulary Word 2: Festive

Festive (adjective)

Definition: Relating to a feast or holiday, especially Christmas; joyful.

Example: The town square looked very festive with all the twinkling lights and decorations.

Introduce 'Festive'. Repeat the process: definition, example, student interaction.

Vocabulary Word 3: Garland

Garland (noun)

Definition: A wreath or string of flowers, leaves, or other materials used for decoration.

Example: We hung a beautiful pine garland around the fireplace mantle.

Introduce 'Garland'. Discuss what a garland looks like and where it's typically used.

Vocabulary Word 4: Carol

Carol (noun or verb)

Definition: (noun) A joyful song or hymn, especially one for Christmas; (verb) to sing joyfully, especially Christmas songs.

Example: The children loved to carol door-to-door, singing their favorite Christmas tunes.

Introduce 'Carol'. Ask students if they know any Christmas carols.

Vocabulary Word 5: Feast

Feast (noun)

Definition: A large meal, typically one in celebration of something.

Example: On Christmas Day, our family enjoys a delicious feast with turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie.

Introduce 'Feast'. Discuss different types of feasts and why they are special.

Your Turn! Festive Reading & Questions

Now it's time for our main activity!

  1. You will receive a worksheet with a short story.
  2. Read the story carefully.
  3. Match the vocabulary words to their definitions.
  4. Answer the "wh" questions about the story.
  5. Remember to look back at the text for your answers!

Explain the activity instructions clearly. Emphasize reading the story carefully and using the text to answer 'wh' questions.

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Warm Up

Christmas Word Scramble Challenge!

Unscramble the letters to reveal some festive vocabulary words! Write the correct word next to the scrambled one.

  1. OLYJL:


  2. STEIFVE:


  3. NLADGAR:


  4. ROLAC:


  5. TAESF:


Bonus Question!

Can you use one of the unscrambled words in a sentence?





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Game

Vocabulary Express Challenge!

Get ready to put your new vocabulary words to the test! Work in small groups for this fun challenge.

Materials Needed:

  • Small slips of paper with each of the five vocabulary words: Jolly, Festive, Garland, Carol, Feast (one word per slip)
  • A hat or bowl

How to Play:

  1. Divide into small groups (3-4 students per group).
  2. Each group will take turns. One student from the group will pick a word from the hat.
  3. That student must then act out or draw a picture (without words!) that represents the vocabulary word. Their teammates try to guess the word.
  4. Once the word is guessed correctly, the student who picked the word must define it AND use it in a complete sentence.
  5. Finally, another student from the group must ask a "wh" question (Who, What, When, Where, Why) about the word or the example sentence, and the first student to answer correctly gets a point for their team.

Example Round:

  • Student picks: "Jolly"
  • Student acts/draws: Santa laughing, hopping happily.
  • Teammate guesses: "Jolly!"
  • Student defines & sentences: "Jolly means happy and cheerful. Santa Claus is a very jolly fellow!"
  • Another student asks: "Why is Santa jolly?" (Answer: Because he loves Christmas and spreading cheer!)

Keep playing until all words have been used, or time runs out! The team with the most points wins!

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Reading

The Day Before Christmas

It was the day before Christmas, and the house was filled with a festive spirit. Lily and Tom were helping their grandmother decorate. They carefully hung a beautiful green garland around the doorway. The smell of gingerbread cookies baking made everyone feel jolly. Later, their family gathered around the piano to carol their favorite Christmas songs. Tomorrow, they would all enjoy a wonderful Christmas feast with turkey and all the trimmings!

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Activity

Vocabulary Wonderland Maze: Festive Word Path!

Welcome to the Vocabulary Wonderland Maze! Our little elf, Pip, needs your help to reach Santa's workshop. At each stop, you'll find a question or a word. Draw a line with your pencil to follow the path with the correct answer. If you choose the wrong path, you'll reach a dead end, so be careful!

Challenge 1: Jolly

Pip sees a sign with the word Jolly. Draw your path through the correct meaning:

  • Path A: Sad and grumpy
  • Path B: Happy and cheerful










Challenge 2: Festive

Pip hears faint music. The sign says Festive. Draw your path through the correct meaning:

  • Path A: Very quiet and still
  • Path B: Relating to a holiday; joyful










Challenge 3: Garland

Pip comes across a decoration. The sign says Garland. Draw your path through the correct meaning:

  • Path A: A type of musical instrument
  • Path B: A string of decorations, like flowers or leaves










Challenge 4: Carol

Pip sees some children singing. The word on the sign is Carol. Draw your path through the correct meaning:

  • Path A: A type of Christmas cookie
  • Path B: A joyful song, especially for Christmas










Challenge 5: Feast

Pip is getting hungry and sees a table. The sign says Feast. Draw your path through the correct meaning:

  • Path A: A small snack
  • Path B: A large meal, often for a celebration










Challenge 6: What did Lily and Tom hang around the doorway?

Pip sees a picture of a house. He needs to remember the story. Draw your path through the correct answer:

  • Path A: Tinsel
  • Path B: A beautiful green garland










Challenge 7: Why did everyone feel jolly?

Pip is almost there! He needs one more answer from the story. Draw your path through the correct answer:

  • Path A: Because they were tired
  • Path B: Because of the smell of gingerbread cookies baking










YOU REACHED SANTA'S WORKSHOP! CONGRATULATIONS, PIP!

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Activity

Vocabulary Wonderland Crossword!

Use the clues below to complete the crossword puzzle with your new Christmas vocabulary words!

Across

  1. Happy and cheerful. (5 letters)






  2. A large meal, often for a celebration. (5 letters)






Down

  1. A string of decorations, like flowers or leaves. (7 letters)






  2. A joyful song, especially for Christmas. (5 letters)






  3. Relating to a holiday; joyful. (7 letters)






(Teacher will provide a grid or students can draw their own!)

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Answer Key

Vocabulary Wonderland Answer Key

Warm-Up: Christmas Word Scramble Challenge!

  1. OLYJL: JOLLY
  2. STEIFVE: FESTIVE
  3. NLADGAR: GARLAND
  4. ROLAC: CAROL
  5. TAESF: FEAST

Bonus Question!

  • Student answers will vary. Example: "The jolly elves helped Santa load his sleigh."

Vocabulary Wonderland Maze: Festive Word Path!

Challenge 1: Jolly

  • Correct Path: Path B: Happy and cheerful.

Challenge 2: Festive

  • Correct Path: Path B: Relating to a holiday; joyful.

Challenge 3: Garland

  • Correct Path: Path B: A string of decorations, like flowers or leaves.

Challenge 4: Carol

  • Correct Path: Path B: A joyful song, especially for Christmas.

Challenge 5: Feast

  • Correct Path: Path B: A large meal, often for a celebration.

Challenge 6: What did Lily and Tom hang around the doorway?

  • Correct Path: Path B: A beautiful green garland.

Challenge 7: Why did everyone feel jolly?

  • Correct Path: Path B: Because of the smell of gingerbread cookies baking.

Vocabulary Wonderland Crossword!

Across

  1. JOLLY
  2. FEAST

Down

  1. GARLAND
  2. CAROL
  3. FESTIVE

Part 2: Comprehension Questions (Wh-Questions) (from original worksheet, no longer a separate activity)

These questions are now integrated into the Vocabulary Wonderland Maze.

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Cool Down

Vocabulary Wonderland Cool-Down: Exit Ticket

Before you go, let's reflect on what you've learned!

  1. Write down one new Christmas vocabulary word you learned today:


  2. Use that word in a sentence:





  3. What is one question you still have about today's lesson or Christmas traditions?





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