Study the word DESPERATE:
“Despair,” or “desperation,” is a sad, scary, dangerous, or hopeless situation. And when you’re in despair, you’re desperate: you're scared, uncomfortable, or in danger, and you need something very badly--and you’ll do anything to get it.
This girl is desperate for help. She's desperate to get inside the building. She's very scared of something outside that could hurt her.
Sometimes people say, "Desperate times call for desperate measures." That means, "When the situation is extremely bad, you have to do something extremely bad: something crazy, different, or dangerous." For example, if you're desperately hungry, you might steal someone else's food.
Study the word SWELTERING:
If you swelter, you're so hot that you're hurting or even fainting. So, a sweltering place, or a sweltering day, is very, very, hot, making people feel sick or just terribly uncomfortable.
Study the word ATTEMPT:
If you attempt something, you try to do it. An attempt is a try. In the image above, Bart is attempting to get the bucket off Homer's head. Do you think his attempt will work? It might!
You could attempt to bake something you've never baked before, or attempt to learn a new game. You could attempt to make friends with someone, or attempt to learn a new language. When you attempt something, you don't know if it'll work, and you might fail, but you give it a shot anyway.
(Source)
This bunny is attempting to reach an apple, but her attempt fails:
Study the word SHOO:
If you shoo away a bug, or shoo away an animal or a person, you're waving your hands at them to tell them to go away and leave you alone. You might even say "Shoo!" or "Shoo-shoo!" If a bug lands on your cheeseburger, you can shoo it away. If you're talking on the phone and your little siblings run up to you and try to grab the phone away from you, you can shoo them away, too.
You might shoo pigeons away from your balcony, if they're making loud noises and pooping everywhere. "Shoo-shoo! Get away!" you might shout.
(Source)
This guard is shooing chickens away from the subway:
(Source)
Usually, you shoo someone away from you. But you can also shoo someone in another direction that you want them to go. When you shoo someone, you're waving your hands at them to show them where to go, almost as if you're pushing them that way. A mom might shoo her kids into the car. A dad might shoo his kids away from a hot pan on the stove. You could shoo your friends up to your room when they come over. But if you just shoo someone, you're telling them to go away.
Study the word REFRESHING:
When you feel fresh, you feel rested, awake, alive, and full of energy. So, something that refreshes you helps you feel that way again. It helps wake you up and give you energy.
If you feel hot, tired, sleepy, or thirsty, a cold drink can be refreshing.
(Source)
If you've been stuck inside all day, the smell of the outdoors can be refreshing. A cool breeze on your face, too, can feel refreshing.
5. The word that means "to wave someone away from you" is...
...
shoo.
Hot Dog
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: if you feel desperate, you really need something, and you won't be okay until you get it.
(Source) In our book, it's a hot, sunny day, and the dog is desperate to cool off. What does this mean?
A) It means that the dog feels very uncomfortable in the heat, and he wants to do something to feel cooler.
2. Remember: if it's sweltering outside (or inside), it's painfully hot, and you do NOT want to be there.
(Source) In our book, it's a sweltering summer day. What does this mean?
B) It means that the sun is bright, the temperature is high, and the animals are seeking shade.
3. Remember: if you're attempting something, you're making an effort to do it, but you might or might not actually do it.
(Source) In our book, the dog makes one attempt after another to get cool. What does this mean?
A) It means that the dog tries lots of ways to cool down, but most of his efforts fail.
4. Remember: if you're shooing someone away, you're moving your hand away from you, as if to say "No, go away."
(Source)
In our book, when the dog tries to get a haircut from the man shearing the sheep, the man shoos him away. What does this mean?
B) It means that the man dismisses the dog, telling him to move along and get out of the way.
5. Remember: something refreshing feels good and helps you feel better when you're hot, thirsty, or tired. Refreshment can come from sleep, from food, or from anything that wakes you up and energizes you.
(Source)
At the end of our book, the dog finally finds refreshment. What does this mean?
A) It means that the dog finally cools off by soaking in the pool; at last, he feels comforted.
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 sitting on a blanket at the beach, enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Some seagulls approach you, eyeing your sandwich, and you shout something and wave your hands at them, making sure they don't snatch your sandwich away. There's a word that starts with S that describes what you're doing. What's the word?
shooing
2. It's the first day of summer school, and you walk into your classroom. It's hot and muggy, and you immediately start to sweat. The windows are closed and the air conditioning is off. There are no fans. You fan yourself with your hand, but it just makes you feel tired. There's a word that starts with S that describes this classroom. What's the word?
sweltering
3. You've never made a cake from scratch before, but you've looked up a recipe on YouTube, and you're going to give it a try. You grab ingredients from the pantry. The recipe calls for granulated sugar, but you don't have any. Uh-oh. Well, you have brown sugar, so you'll swap that in and see how it works out. There's a word that starts with A that describes what you're doing. What's the word?
attempting
4. You've been riding in the back seat of the car for a long time, traveling a bumpy, winding road, and you're starting to feel queasy and dizzy. Your head aches, and your stomach feels tight. You roll down your window, and the fresh air makes you feel better instantly. The breeze hits your face, cool and calming, and you breathe it in deeply. You don't feel sick anymore. There's a word that starts with R that describes this breeze. What's the word?
refreshing
5. Your friend's dog has just had puppies. They're so cute! You really want one. In fact, you love the puppies so much and you want one so badly that you feel like you'll never be happy unless you get one. Your parents have told you "No," and you don't like how your voice sounds as you ask, "Please, please, please?" There's a word that starts with D that describes you—and your voice. What's the word?
desperate
Hot Dog
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
desperate
wanting and needing something so badly that you don't care what you have to do to get it
sweltering
so hot that you're very uncomfortable to be there
attempt
to give something a try, even though it might not work
shoo
to wave someone away from you
refreshing
waking you up and giving you energy and good feelings
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!
Hot Dog
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 DESPERATE:
Remember: if you feel desperate, you really need something, and you won't be okay until you get it.
Idea 1: "With a desperate shout, the child (tried to do something)."
Idea 2: "After (doing something hard, or eating something yucky or boring) for a long time, I’m desperate for (something fun or delicious)."
(Source) 2. Write a sentence with the word SWELTERING:
Remember: If it's sweltering outside (or inside), it's painfully hot, and you do NOT want to be there.
Idea 1: "On a sweltering summer day, my favorite thing to do is (something)."
Idea 2: "If you can't sleep because your room is sweltering, you can (do something to feel cooler)."
(Source) 3. Write a sentence with the word ATTEMPT:
Remember: If you're attempting something, you're making an effort to do it, but you might or might not actually do it.
Idea 1: "If you attempt to (do something difficult), make sure you start by (taking some important step)."
Idea 2: "After many failed attempts, I've finally figured out how to (do or make something cool or difficult)."
(Source) 4. Write a sentence with the word SHOO:
Remember: If you're shooing someone away, you're moving your hand away from you, as if to say "No, go away."
Idea 1: "I quickly shooed away a (dog, cat, bug, or other living thing) that was trying to eat (something of mine)."
Idea 2: "I didn't want the little kids to get hurt, so I shooed them away from (something dangerous)."
(Source) 5. Write a sentence with the word REFRESHING:
Remember: something refreshing feels good and helps you feel better when you're hot, thirsty, or tired.
Idea 1: "After a long, refreshing nap, I'm ready to (do something exciting or difficult)."
Idea 2: "When I'm exhausted from (doing something tiring or boring), I like to have a refreshing (glass, bottle, or pouch) of (some kind of cold drink)."
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?"
Hot Dog
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 Hot Dog? How does it connect? Next, which word connects second-best, and how? Finally, which word totally does NOT connect to Hot Dog, and why?
In our book, the dog is desperate to cool down on the hot day. He really, really wants to cool off. Tell me about a time you desperately wanted something. What did you desperately want, or desperately hope for? What did you do to try to get it? Did it work out: did you get it?
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 weird. Imagine that you're visiting the farm in this book. Use the three words you picked to tell me a story about a crazy or creative new way that you help the dog cool off on a sweltering day. Remember, he's already attempted jumping in front of a fan, sneaking into the barn, dashing for ice cream that fell on the ground, and getting someone to shave off his fur. What's something new and different that you could attempt to help him get nice and cool?
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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