Figure skaters often pick shimmering costumes. The costume shimmers on the ice, adding to the skater's beauty and grace of movement. By the way, when something shimmers, you can call it "shimmering" to sound serious, or call it "shimmery" to sound playful.
Study the word ROUSE:
To rouse someone who's sleeping is to wake them up. Your parents might rouse you before dawn to get ready for school. Or, maybe you're roused by the delicious smell of biscuits cooking, or maybe you're roused by the sound of your siblings running around or playing music. Here's Patrick, roused by the sound of his alarm clock.
Often we rouse someone from their sleep, but we can also rouse someone who's not paying attention. In that case, to rouse people is to catch their attention and make them focus. If your friend is daydreaming in class, you might have to rouse her from her daydream.
And, if you rouse yourself, or if you just rouse, you wake yourself up, or you get up or stand up. On chilly mornings, I have trouble rousing myself from my cozy bed.
Lastly, if you call something rousing, you mean it's exciting, like it has the power to wake people up, grab their attention, and get them moving. A rousing cheer or a rousing song is a loud, exciting one that makes people join in. Here's King Bob giving a rousing speech.
So, something radiant sends out lots of rays of light. In other words, radiant things are bright and shining, as if they're shooting out many rays of light, color, or happiness.
A radiant smile is so bright and happy that it seems to shine like the sun.
When something is radiant, it has radiance. Radiance is a bright light that shines out, or, it's the quality of being bright and shiny, or happy or beautiful, like the sun.
When you get up early, you can see the radiance of the sunrise.
Study the word DIM:
One opposite of "bright" is "dim." Dim lights and dim places are just a little bit light. They're not totally dark, but they're not bright, either. In other words, a dim place is slightly dark, with just a teeny amount of light to see.
"Dim" can also mean "unclear," or even "hopeless." If you have a dim memory of a birthday party from long ago, then you can just barely remember it; inside your mind, the memory seems dark.
But let's end on a happy note! You could say that your excitement for the weekend is undimmed, even though you don't have fun plans. Or you could say that old age hasn't dimmed your grandmother's beauty. Something that stays bright, lovely, or happy over time is undimmed.
If your little sister is crying because she's scared of the dark and afraid to go to sleep, you could soothe her by singing her a lullaby, or by showing her that there's nothing scary in her room.
Or if your little brother has had a really rough day at school, you could soothe him by hugging him and telling him tomorrow will be better.
Usually we soothe people, but we can also soothe people's pain, or their stress or discomfort. If you suffer a sunburn, you could soothe your burn with an ice pack.
Even if you're not hurt, or not upset about anything, soothing things can still make you feel good. They make you feel calm and peaceful.
For example, soothing music is soft; it can make you feel chilled out or even sleepy. The familiar sound of your father whistling can be soothing to you, and so can the steady roaring of the ocean.
5. The word that means "not totally dark, but pretty dark" is...
...
dim.
Sunshine, Moonshine
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: a shimmer is a lovely flash of light, and to shimmer is to give off little flashes of light.
(Source) On the first page of our book, the sea shimmers in the morning light. What does this mean?
A) It means that the surface of the sea seems to move and dance with sparkles of light.
2. Remember: to rouse people is to get them moving after they'd been asleep or just deep in their own thoughts.
(Source) In our book, the morning sun rouses the boy. What does this mean?
B) It means that the boy wakes up from sleep when the sunlight reaches his pillow.
3. Remember: to be radiant is to glow or beam with light, beauty, or excitement.
(Source) In our book, the beach is radiant at midday. What does this mean?
B) It means that the shells, the rocks, and even the water seem to shine in the sunlight.
4. Remember: a dim place has only a little bit of light, and when things dim, they get darker or less strong.
(Source)
In our book, as the day comes to an end, the light outdoors gets dim. What does this mean?
A) It means that the sun sets, and the day's brightness fades; it gets harder to see in the low light of evening.
5. Remember: soothing things help you feel relaxed.
(Source)
At the end of our book, the moonlight soothes the boy to sleep. What does this mean?
A) It means that the soft glow of the moon makes the boy feel comfortable and sleepy.
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 in the front row as your little brother is performing in his very first piano recital. As he finishes playing a beautiful piece, and as the audience erupts into loud clapping and cheers, he turns to face you, and he smiles so brightly, so proudly, that it's as if rays of light are shining from his face.
There's a word that starts with R that describes your little brother's face. What's the word?
radiant
2. For the past few days, you've been coughing all the time, and your throat is red and sore. You make a cup of hot chamomile tea, with a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of honey, and as you sip it slowly, you feel better: your throat isn't as sore, and your cough eases off. You feel your whole body relax.
There's a word that starts with S that describes the chamomile tea. What's the word?
soothing
3. You're sitting in a boat on a calm lake. It's late at night, and the moon is high and bright. Suddenly there's a flash of silver. A trout has leapt up from the water, its hundreds of scales each shining in the moonlight, before splashing back down.
There's a word that starts with SH that describes the fish. What's the word?
shimmering
4. You and your family walk into a movie theater, carrying popcorn as you find your seats. You're just in time, because the movie is about to start. The lights in the theater get darker and darker until you can barely see your popcorn, and then the movie begins to play.
There's a word that starts with D that describes what the lights are doing. What's the word?
dimming
5. You and your classmates have just had an exciting—but exhausting—day at the zoo. You've all climbed back onto your bus, and you're headed back to school. You slouch in your seat, eyes heavy and feet tired. Your seatmate leans against your shoulder and falls asleep. The whole bus is quiet. Then, suddenly, a classmate three rows away from you starts singing. "Oh, ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer!" Everyone opens their eyes, laughs, and joins in on the singing. Soon you and your class are totally awake, laughing loudly as you sing at the top of your lungs. Even your teacher is singing!
There's a word that starts with R that describes the song. What's the word?
rousing
Sunshine, Moonshine
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
shimmer
to sparkle with wiggling light
rouse
to excite someone, or to wake someone up from sleep
radiant
glowing with light or cheer
dim
not totally dark, but pretty dark
soothe
to help someone feel better
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!
Sunshine, Moonshine
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 SHIMMER:
Remember: a shimmer is a lovely flash of light, and to shimmer is to give off little flashes of light.
Idea 1: "With shimmering scales, the (fish, snake, lizard, or crocodile) (does something)."
Idea 2: "As we (did something), (the sun or the moon) made the surface of the (pond, lake, river, or ocean) shimmer."
(Source) 2. Write a sentence with the word ROUSE:
Remember: to rouse people is to get them moving after they'd been asleep or just deep in their own thoughts.
Idea 1: "When I'm sleepy, the smell of (something delicious) can always rouse me."
Idea 2: "I was thinking really hard about (something) when, suddenly, I was roused by (something loud)."
(Source) 3. Write a sentence with the word RADIANT or RADIANCE:
Remember: to be radiant is to glow or beam with light, beauty, or excitement.
Idea 1: "As (something exciting happens), I give (someone) a radiant smile."
Idea 2: "I got to (some place) just in time to see the radiance of (something)."
(Source) 4. Write a sentence with the word DIM:
Remember: a dim place has only a little bit of light, and when things dim, they get darker or less strong.
Idea 1: "Even in the dim light, I could see (someone) (doing something)."
Idea 2: "I couldn't wait for (something exciting), but my excitement dimmed when (something bad, boring, or disappointing happened)."
(Source) 5. Write a sentence with the word SOOTHE:
Remember: soothing things take away some of your pain, your worry, or your stress.
Idea 1: "If a baby is crying, you can soothe them by (doing something) or (doing something else)."
Idea 2: "I close my eyes and enjoy the soothing (sound or feel) of (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?"
Sunshine, Moonshine
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 Sunshine, Moonshine? How does it connect? Next, which word connects second-best, and how? Finally, which word totally does NOT connect to Sunshine, Moonshine, and why?
In our book, the sun is radiant as the kids play on the beach, and the water shimmers as the kids go sailing. Tell me about something you love to do outside. Maybe you love sailing, too, or making sandcastles, or playing soccer on an open field, or jumping on a trampoline in your friend's back yard. Tell me all about this outdoor activity, and why you enjoy it so much.
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 challenging. Then, use those three words as you tell me a story about trying to soothe an angry monster, a wild animal, or a very cranky baby. How do you soothe this loud creature? Do you sing? Do you use magic? Do you need all your friends to help you soothe the creature? Use your imagination, and have fun as you write!
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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