Lesson Overview:

Having practiced putting words in alphabetical order, it’s now time to transfer those skills to a dictionary.  I find that many children have a hard time making this jump, so it’s a wise course of action to practice.  This lesson will step your kids through some very basic dictionary exercises.  Be sure to teach slowly and carefully, pointing out each of the dictionary’s features.  Then, let the children get to work using their newly acquired alphabet skills.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

3-4

Objective:

To practice alphabet skills in a children’s dictionary.

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Students will correctly complete simple dictionary games/exercises.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask students if they remember how being able to use the alphabet is like a key.  Today students will get a chance to practice using the alphabet by exploring basic parts and functions of a children’s dictionary.

2. Main:

Show the class a children’s dictionary.  Ask what a dictionary can be used for.  Be sure to mention:

1. Definitions
2. Spellings
3. Parts of speech
4. Common usage
5. Pronunciation

But, before we can get to this information, we have to find the words!

To find a word in the dictionary:

1. First, find the first letter.
2. Second, find the first and second letters
3. Third, find the first, second, and third letters, and so on.

Teach how to use Guide Words.

Students work with a partner to complete dictionary games/exercises.

3. Conclusion:

There is still more dictionary work to do, but hopefully you can now find the words in the dictionary by looking letter by letter.

Resources:

1. Class set of children’s dictionaries.
2. Handout with dictionary exercises (attached, plus answer key).
3. Pencils

Notes:

I have found that it is very difficult for third-graders to locate words in the dictionary.  Even if they know the alphabet and letter order, they give up easily.  Common problems include:

1. Not using guide words
2. Turning too many or too few pages at a time
3. Not being able to search for a word on a page, even if the guide words tell you that you are on the right page!
4. Giving up too easily

In this lesson, the children can and should help one another, but they should not call out page numbers or show each other where the words are.  The goal is to get each child to think through the process of locating each word.

You must be careful to design the questions on your handout based on the dictionary you will be using.  I prefer the Scholastic Children’s Dictionary because it is illustrated, has the entire alphabet printed down the edge of each page, in both upper and lower cases, and highlights the main entries.

Recommended books for this lesson:

Scholastic Children’s Dictionary

Key Terms:

Alphabet, Alphabetize, Alphabetization, ABC Order, Dictionary, Dictionaries

Student Handout, Dictionary Basics

Answer Key, Dictionary Basics

 

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students learn how to use a children’s world atlas.

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

3-5

Objectives:

Learn what an atlas is and how to use a world atlas to identify countries, capital cities, and political boundaries.

Suggested Time:

40-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will successfully use a National Geographic Kids World Atlas to locate continents, countries, capital cities, and political boundaries.  Students will understand that an atlas is a book of maps.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Show the students a copy of the National Geographic Kids World Atlas.   It looks like a book, but it is not just any book.  This is a special book!   At first glance, what can we notice about this book?

• It has a lot of maps
• It has a lot of pictures
• It has games and a flag section at the back

The big idea here is that an atlas is a book of maps.

2. Main:

Teach how to use the atlas.  I usually teach about the atlas with a series of exercises and games:

Continent Review:   Ask students to turn to the table of contents, which is found immediately after the title page.  Ask the kids to look at the pictures of the globes above each colored column.  There are seven globes and seven columns.  What do they represent?  (Answer:  Continents).

Review the names of all seven continents together.  Example:  Which continent’s maps start on page 68?  (Answer:  South America.)  Which continent is represented by the color brown?  (Answer:  Africa.)   Which continent is represented by penguins?  (Answer:  Antarctica.)  Be sure that the kids are comfortable with the seven continents before you continue.

I’m Thinking of a Country:   Help the children learn some of the names of countries in our world by asking questions that continue to narrow their choices.

Example:  I’m thinking of a country in Europe.  (Give them a few seconds to find Europe in the Table of Contents).  I’m thinking of a country in Eastern Europe.  (Another pause so that they can find the subsection of Europe labeled “Eastern Europe”.)  I’m thinking of a country that starts with the letter “S”!  What is my country?  (Answer:  Slovakia.)

Once the children figure out which country you are referring to, have them turn to the correct page and find it on the map.  Do this several times until they can navigate the Table of Contents with confidence.

What is the Capital City?  Repeat the “I’m Thinking of a Country” exercise.  However, once children find the country on the map, ask them to locate the capital city.  Every country’s capital city is always marked with a black star in a small circle.  Example:  If the children are looking at Canada on page 61, they need to be able to find the star to determine that the city of Ottawa is Canada’s national capital.  Repeat this exercise several times for several capital cities.

Which Countries Are My Neighbors?  Repeat the “I’m Thinking of a Country” exercise.   However, once the students find the country, have them identify the countries that border the one they just found.  Example: On page 115, students should be able to work out that Turkey’s closest neighboring countries are Syria, Iraq, Armenia, Georgia, and Bulgaria.

Where Are You From?  Ask students to find their home countries and show a neighbor.

How Do You Get from Here to There?  Ask students whether they can figure out which countries they have traveled through or over on one of their trips.  If your students have not crossed national boundaries, have them use a country map within the atlas to show some of their regional travels.  If your students do not have much experience traveling, ask them to point out a country or two that they would like to visit and ask them how they would have to travel to get there.

3. Conclusion:

Pull the kids together for just a moment to go over the basics:  An atlas is a book of maps and atlases can be used for locating countries, cities, and borders.  Thank the students for their work and express your confidence that they will now be able to independently explore the National Geographic Kids World Atlas.

Resources:

A class set of the National Geographic Kids World Atlas. You can substitute another atlas if you prefer, but the lesson is written specifically for the National Geographic Kids World Atlas.

Notes:

I have taught this lesson many times, and each time it is a kid-pleaser.  The children love finding places in the atlas!  They love making their own discoveries.  They will want to keep the atlases, and they will want to take them home that day to show their families.  In one of my schools, kids were so enthusiastic that I used most of our book fair credits to purchase and place copies of the National Geographic Kids World Atlas in each classroom for Grades 3 to 5.  Once they know how to use the atlas, they’ll be off and running with their own inquiries and discoveries.  Teaching the atlas is just one of the reasons that I love working with reference materials in a PYP program.

I do have a strong preference for the National Geographic Kids World Atlas.  I’ve seen other children’s atlases, and none of them compares in quality, vibrancy, or content with the National Geographic.  Plan ahead and be sure to have enough copies of the atlas for this lesson.  I typically keep a class set in the library reference section, then put 5-8 copies in each classroom.  That is a lot of atlases, but students will use them if they have access to them.

Recommended books for this lesson: 

National Geographic Kids World Atlas, Fourth Edition, published by National Geographic.

Key Terms:

Atlases, Maps, Geography, Continents, Capitals, Boundaries, Flags, Landforms

 

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students practice using the Roman Alphabet in English.  I use this lesson with my Grade 3 students every year.  To do research in Unit of Inquiry books, students need to be able to use an index.  Without an understanding of basic alphabetization, using an index is impossible.  Some of them understand the concept of arranging words in alphabetical order, but for many of them this is new material.  Many students struggle with what to do if the first letter is the same.  Being able to alphabetize is a skill, one that needs a bit of practice!  The students enjoy these games, and I particularly like the collaborative, hands-on approach that these lessons take.  Almost always, when I teach this lesson, teachers document the activity for posting on the class Weebly or digital portfolios.  Get your alphabet cards ready and enjoy these alphabet games!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

3-4

Objective:

To practice alphabet skills so that students have a better chance of using and working correctly with dictionaries, indexes, encyclopedias, library spine labels, etc.

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Working as a class, students will correctly alphabetize four groups of letters/words.  The four groups begin with very easy material but quickly become more difficult.  Each set of words/letters much be placed in correct alphabetical order.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Provocation: Use a set of keys.  Tell the kids that the “key” they will practice today “unlocks” an infinite amount of information.

Begin by singing the “Alphabet Song.”  Ask the kids how the alphabet can be a key?  What could the alphabet unlock?  Ask the class to sing the alphabet song together so that you know that they know the alphabet.  If they can sing the song, they can complete today’s work.

Relevance:  We need the alphabet to work in many of our reference materials.  We must be able to confidently look up words, find books on shelves, and locate articles based on how they are spelled.  Thus, the alphabet is very important!

2. Main:

Four alphabet games:

1. Letter cards (red)
2. Words cards in which each first letter is different (yellow)
3. Word cards in which each first letter is the same, but each second letter is different (green)
4. Word cards in which each first two letters are the same and the third or fourth letters are different (blue).

See the photos and letter/word lists attached.  I made my own materials for this lesson, but I have provided everything you need to make your own material set.

Students form a giant circle sitting on the floor.  Everyone gets one card per game.   The only two rules are that:

1. You may not touch anyone’s card but your own.
2. You may not speak or gesture to another student. Every person must think through the alphabet every time.  If you call out an answer or tell someone else when to put his card down, you’re taking away his/her chance to learn!  Don’t spoil the fun.  Think to yourself and think quietly!!

The person with the first card gets the class started, and the silence cannot be broken until the last card is on the floor.

After each round, let the kids give themselves a round of applause.  Then, clarify any word meanings they do not understand.

3. Conclusion:

We will practice again next time.  Being able to work confidently with the alphabet is an important skill!

Resources:

Alphabet game cards, four sets.  (See photos and attached word/letter lists.)

Notes:

I love using this lesson because it is cooperative and incorporates movement.  Too many alphabet lessons only use a pencil and paper, and this one is simply more fun.

I have never completed the four rounds without a lot of talking/whispering despite all my pleas to the contrary.  Some kids can’t help but shout out or take control by telling others what to do.  I try to remain good natured about this, but if you have someone who is consistently spoiling the game for others, you might have to ask that child to sit out for one round.

Recommended books for this lesson:

None

Key Terms:

Alphabet, Alphabetize, Alphabetization, ABC Order

Word Card Word Lists

Letters (Red)

First Letter Different (Yellow)

Second Letter Different (Green)

Third or Fourth Letter Different (Blue)