Study the word REQUEST:
When you request something, or when you make a request, you're asking for something that you want, and you're asking in a nice, formal, polite way. Imagine you're at a fair, and a worker asks you, "What kind of balloon animal would you like?" You might request a purple cheetah by saying, "May I please have a purple cheetah?"
"Request" is a serious word. We request things from workers, from companies, from teachers, from doctors, from librarians, and so on. But most of the time, we don't "request" things from our friends and family: we "ask" instead!
At a restaurant, you could request extra tomatoes on your salad. You could request extra napkins, or a high chair for your baby sibling. You might request some cherries with your drink; if your server says "Sure!" and brings you the cherries, then your request has been granted.
When you buy an airline ticket, you can request a seat by the window. Of course, someone can turn down your request, meaning they tell you, "Sorry, no, you can't have that."
Study the word REJECT:
When you reject something, you decide NOT to take it. If you're shopping for eggs and you see a carton with a broken egg, you should reject that carton: put it back, and don't buy it. You don't want that one!
If you tell your friends, "Let's build a fort!" but they say "No, that's stupid; we're not doing that," then they've rejected your idea. If you try out for a play but you don't get in, you've been rejected. If a high school student really wants to go to a certain college, but the college sends them a letter saying "Sorry, no, you can't come here," then the college has rejected that student.
If you walk up to a group of kids playing basketball and say "I'd like to play, too!" but they say "No, you can't play with us," then they've rejected you. Rejection can really hurt your feelings.
Study the word FRAGILE:
Something fragile can easily break. If you drop it, or even hold it too tightly, it might crumble or fall apart. So, be careful with it, and be gentle!
A fragile glass or vase is so delicate that it will shatter if you drop it. And a fragile leaf is so thin and crispy that you could easily tear it or poke holes in it, even if you don't mean to.
An egg is fragile. Its shell is so thin that it easily cracks if you push on it. Of course, if you're hatching out of the egg, then you're happy with its fragility!
Even someone's feelings can be fragile. If you have a friend who cries easily and gets their feelings hurt all the time, then your friend's feelings are fragile.
Study the word FIERCE:
Something fierce seems wild, strong, and dangerous. A fierce dog looks angry and ferocious, ready to attack. A fierce storm is loud and powerful, able to drown a boat at sea by stirring up the choppy water or set a tree on fire by striking it with lightning.
You don't have to be big or bad to be fierce. A hungry baby has a fierce cry: loud, forceful, and painful to hear. If you're about to do something that scares you, like ride a rollercoaster or get a shot, you might keep a fierce grip on your mom's hand: a strong, tight grip. Even a fight, an argument, a performance, or a competition can be fierce if people are being loud, strong, powerful, and impressive.
Study the word SATISFIED:
When something satisfies you, it makes you happy because it gives you what you wanted. So, if you're satisfied, you're glad with what you have, or happy with how things happened. When you get your own way, or when you get what you need, you're satisfied.
You feel satisfied when you order a drink or a meal and it's exactly how you wanted it! The drink has satisfied your thirst. The meal has satisfied your hunger. The taste was just right, and now you feel full and satisfied. Ahhh.
When you've worked hard on something and done a good job, you're satisfied with yourself, and satisfied with your work. Maybe you spent a long time cleaning your room, and now it looks perfectly tidy, with lots of space for activities. How satisfying! You feel satisfied.
Now, I'll say the meaning, and you say the word!
Listen as I describe each word.
Try to say the word, nice and loud, as quick as you can.
5. The word that means "to tell someone no, or send something back" is...
...
reject.
Dear Zoo
Day 2: Understand
Let's understand how these words connect to our book!
Listen to each question, and decide which answer choice is correct. You can check your answer by clicking "Show Answer." If you make a mistake, don't worry! Just listen to the question again, then try again.
1. Remember: to request that someone bring you something, or do something for you, is to ask them nicely to do that.
(Source) In our book, the narrator requests a pet from the zoo. What does this mean?
A) It means that the narrator wrote a letter to the zoo, asking them for a pet.
2. Remember: when someone offers you something but you reject it, you're turning it down, saying that, no, you don't want it.
(Source) In our book, the narrator rejects several animals from the zoo. What does this mean?
B) It means that the narrator sends the animals back to the zoo, because they're too big, too fierce, too grumpy, and so on.
3. Remember: something fragile is so weak, thin, or small that it easily gets hurt.
(Source) In our book, the giraffe arrives in a green crate marked "fragile." What does this mean?
B) It means that someone wrote "fragile" on the crate so that everyone would be gentle with it, and not hurt the giraffe.
4. Remember: something fierce is forceful; about to attack; or full of big, bad feelings.
(Source)
In our book, the narrator says that he sent the lion back to the zoo for being "too fierce." What does this mean?
A) It means that the lion—with his sharp claws, strong teeth, and powerful muscles—is too scary to have as a pet.
5. Remember: when you're satisfied, you've gotten what you wanted, so you feel just fine.
(Source)
At the end of our book, the narrator is finally satisfied with his pet. What does this mean?
B) It means that the narrator is pleased and happy with the puppy that the zoo sent.
Finally, let's understand how these words can connect to other situations!
Listen as I describe each situation, and shout out the vocabulary word that comes to mind. You can check your answer by clicking "Show Answer." Remember, if you make a mistake, don't worry! Just listen again, then try again.
1. You're playing soccer with your strongest, fastest friends. You've split into teams, and both teams are determined to win. Both teams are running, sweating, kicking, and scoring points with lightning speed. There's a word that starts with F that describes this game. What's the word?
fierce
2. You've written a story. You love it! You're so happy with it! It's funny, surprising, and easy to read. You've spent a long time editing your story, carefully making changes to make it better and better. Now, you're done, and you're ready to share it with your family. There's a word that starts with S that describes how you feel. What's the word?
satisfied
3. You go to visit your great-grandma. She's almost a hundred years old, and she's thin, with very delicate skin that easily bruises. So, you're very careful and gentle when you hug her. There's a word that starts with F that describes your great-grandma. What's the word?
fragile
4. At your school, there's a rule against hats. No one is allowed to wear a hat at school. But, you're going to dress up as Abraham Lincoln to give a history presentation next week, and you really want to wear the hat! You visit the office and talk with your principal, hoping she'll give you permission to wear the hat for your presentation. There's a word that starts with R that describes what you're doing. What's the word?
requesting
5. You're doing your math homework, and it's very difficult today. You know you can do it, so you keep working on it. Your parents keep asking, "Do you want some help? Let me help you." But you keep saying, "No, I'm fine. I got it." Still, they keep offering to help, and you keep saying "No, thanks; I don't need any help." There's a word that starts with R that describes what you're doing to your parents' offers. What's the word?
rejecting
Dear Zoo
Day 3: Illustrate
Grab some index cards, or open Quizlet.com. It's time to illustrate some flash cards!
If you're using index cards, write your word on the front, and on the back, write the definition and draw a picture: something that'll help you understand what the word means. If you're using Quizlet, simply add your words and definitions to your set, and choose any picture you like.
You can copy my definitions below, or you can write your own. And, you can use the pictures I've suggested, or pick your own.
When you're done illustrating your words, be sure to scroll down and tell me about the pictures you picked!
Term
Definition
Picture
request
to be polite and serious as you ask someone for what you want or need
reject
to turn someone away, tell someone no, or send back something that you don't want or need
fragile
needing to be handled gently and carefully so that it doesn't break or get damaged
fierce
full of strength, power, and very strong feelings
satisfied
pleased because you like what you got, or you like how things went
Tell me about your pictures!
Take your pictures one at a time, and tell me: what's in the picture, and how does it connect to the word? For example, let's say I just studied the word "frantic." I could write: "Mickey is throwing clothes into his suitcase as fast as he can. He's frantic because he's worried he'll be late."
For another example, let's say I just studied the word "triumphant." I could write: "The girl just won a contest, and she's holding a big trophy. That's why she's triumphant."
Let's see one more example! Let's say I just studied the word "dumbfounded." I could write: "This girl is dumbfounded because she sees a gigantic birthday cake that's taller than she is; now, she's so shocked that she doesn't know what to say." Maybe that's not REALLY what's happening, but it's okay to use your imagination!
Dear Zoo
Day 4: Apply
Today, you'll apply the vocabulary words to your own life! I'll help you write a sentence using each word that expresses your own thoughts, ideas, wishes, and experiences.
For each word below, write your own sentence. You can use either of the two ideas I'll suggest, or you can invent your own. Include as much detail as you can!
(Source) 1. Write a sentence with the word REQUEST:
Remember: to request that someone bring you something, or do something for you, is to ask them nicely to do that.
Idea 1: "At the restaurant, I requested some extra (something) for my (something)."
Idea 2: "I requested more time from my teacher, so that I could finish (writing or creating something)."
(Source) 2. Write a sentence with the word REJECT:
Remember: when someone offers you something but you reject it, you're turning it down, saying that, no, you don't want it.
Idea 1: "When I shop for clothes, I pick things that have (something I like) and reject things that have (something I don't like)."
Idea 2: "I kind of wanted to (do something crazy, silly, or dangerous), but I rejected that idea."
(Source) 3. Write a sentence with the word FRAGILE:
Remember: something fragile is so weak, thin, or small that it easily gets hurt.
Idea 1: "A baby (kind of animal) is fragile, with tiny little (body parts of some kind)."
Idea 2: "If you mail someone (an object of some kind), be sure to write 'FRAGILE' on the package, so that it doesn't get (bend, torn, or broken)."
(Source) 4. Write a sentence with the word FIERCE:
Remember: something fierce is forceful; about to attack; or full of big, bad feelings.
Idea 1: "The wind howled fiercely as we struggled to (do something)."
Idea 2: "When I was (doing something scary), I kept a fierce grip on (something that made me feel safe)."
(Source) 5. Write a sentence with the word SATISFIED:
Remember: when you're satisfied, you've gotten what you wanted, so you feel just fine.
Idea 1: "Whenever I (do something very good at home, at school, or in a game), I'm satisfied with myself."
Idea 2: "I take a big, satisfying bite of (some food), and I feel strong, like I could (do something)."
When you're ready, paste your sentences into the form below. Now is a good time to read your sentences out loud, and think, "Do I like my sentence? Does it sound good? Do I need to fix anything? Could I add any more details?"
Dear Zoo
Day 5: Free-Write
You've studied hard! Today, before you write, please take a few minutes to play with your flash cards.
Try looking at your pictures and recalling your words. Be sure to say them out loud! If your flash cards are in Quizlet, play the Match game.
When you feel comfortable with all your words, you're ready to write!
Pick one topic below:
Look through your flash card deck of all the words you’ve studied recently. First, which word in your deck best connects to the book Dear Zoo? How does it connect? Next, which word connects second-best, and how? Finally, which word totally does NOT connect to Dear Zoo, and why?
In our book, the narrator keeps returning wild animals to the zoo because they won't make good pets. In the end, he keeps the puppy: it's the perfect pet for him. What kind of animal do you think makes a perfect pet? It might be a normal domestic animal, like a dog, a cat, a bird, or a fish—or it might be a wild animal, like a bat, a wolf, a lion, or a chipmunk. Tell me all about this animal and why it would make a great pet.
When you’re done with your draft, look through your flash card deck of all the words you’ve studied recently, and pick one word that could fit into your paragraph. Add it in.
Look through your flash card deck of all the words you’ve studied recently, and pick three words that seem fun or exciting. Imagine that you've kept a fierce animal from the zoo as a pet, and use those three words to tell me a story about something crazy that happens when you take your new pet to the park.
When you're all done, it's a good idea to take a little break! Come back later, and paste your first draft (above) into the box below.
Read your work out loud, and think, "Do I like this? Does it sound good? Do I need to fix anything? Could I add any more details?" Please try for three or more sentences.
When you're happy with your second draft below, click the Submit button.
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