The Wordly children were so weary after bike riding and swimming on Saturday that they could barely walk through the front door. It had been a long, busy day, and they didn't get home until after dinner time. They were very weary.
When you are weary, you are exhausted, or very tired.
When have you felt weary? Describe the feeling. What made you feel so tired? List some words that have similar meanings to weary. Can you think of any words that mean the opposite of weary?
It will be a great accomplishment when the Wordly boy finally learns how to ride his bike without training wheels. It has not been easy. Every day, he tries to do it.
An accomplishment is something a person does successfully, especially if it was difficult for them to do, or took time and effort.
What accomplishments are you most proud of? List some things that you worked hard to do.
One of the Wordly boys is determined to learn to ride his bike without training wheels. He won't give up trying.
If you are determined to do something, you have made a firm decision to do it.
Right now I am determined to study Spanish every day. What have you ever been determined about? Did your determination help you succeed? Show someone how you look when you are determined to do something.
The oldest Wordly boy went to the beach. When he looked out at the ocean, the sky was so vast, it seemed to go on forever. Compared to how vast it was, he felt very small, like one of the grains of sand beneath his feet.
Vast means covering a very, very large area, or consisting of a huge number. The Pacific Ocean is vast. A vast number of bees live in a beehive.
What other things could be described as vast? (outer space, a desert, a sports stadium...) What would I mean if I said I saw a vast herd of antelope? What space might seem vast to a fly?
The Wordly family unites to clean up their home. They all work together to make their home look nice. It feels good when they join together to get something done.
To unite is to join together.
Have you ever united with someone to get something done? Could children unite against a bully? What would that mean? Why do you think our country is named the United States of American?
The youngest Wordly girl wanted to wear her bathing suit to school one day. She loved her bathing suit, and she thought it would be fun to wear it to school. Everyone else in the family said it was an absurd idea. For one thing, it was the middle of winter!
If something is absurd, it is silly or ridiculous. This reminds me of yesterday's idiom. If something is absurd, it is definitely out of the question!
What is the opposite of absurd? Draw a picture of an absurd hat. Tell what is absurd about it.
Mr. Wordly took two of the children to an ice cream parlor on the way home the other night. The rest of the family was upset. "You know we love ice cream," they said, "but what did you get for us - zilch!"
Zilch means zero or nothing.
Can you make up a story problem where the answer is zilch? Right now the number of people who can eat in restaurants or swim in public pools is zilch. Show someone at home the meaning of zilch with your hands.
Mrs. Wordly helped her youngest child out of the car. They had just come home from a long drive, and he was feeling drowsy. She carried him inside and he went to take a nap.
When you are feeling drowsy, you feel sleepy.
When do you feel drowsy? If you are asleep, are you drowsy? What is the opposite of drowsy? Pretend you are drowsy. Show someone at home how you might look and act.
One of the Wordly children refuses to eat vegetables. No matter how many different types his mother serves him, he just won't do it. He always says, "No."
Refuse means to not agree to do something.
Are there any foods you refuse to eat? Why? Have you ever wished for something that your parents refused to do or get for you? Have you ever refused to try something new or different? What was it, and why didn't you want to try it?
One of the Wordly children has a teddy bear collection. She collects teddy bears as a hobby. Each teddy bear is made of a different fabric and has a different texture. The fabrics' textures feel smooth, bumpy, fuzzy, or a little rough. The rough bear is her favorite. It used to be fuzzy, but she sleeps with it every night, and now it feels rough.
Texture is how something feels to use when we touch it.
List as many textures as you can. Look around the room. Describe the textures of different things you see. Do foods have textures? How is the texture of jello different from carrots? What about cheese pizza hot from the oven, or cold cheese pizza?
In the winter, the Wordlys' door sticks a little, and they have to yank it open . They pull it hard and fast, and then it opens.
When you yank something, you pull, jerk, or tug it with a quick motion.
What things might you yank? What words could we use to describe a yank? What type of motion is it?
Sometimes the Wordly children can be unruly when they are inside the house for a long period of time. The children get a bit wild and hard to control. Many parents might feel like their kids are being unruly these days as we shelter at home.
Unruly means hard to control or rule. We can see some parts of the word in the definition "unable to be ruled."
Is our class ever unruly? What would it mean to say someone had unruly hair?
The oldest Wordly boy likes to read novels because made-up stories are very interesting to him. He likes to see what different ideas each author has.
A novel is a long, fictional story with made up characters. The plot, or story events happen in the book.
How are novels different from non-fiction books. Are novels for kids, or just for adults? Can you remember any of the novels I read to you during snack time this year?
Mr. Wordly is always on the lookout for hazards in their home. He is concerned about safety. He wants everyone in his family to be safe.
A hazard is a danger or risk.
What are some possible hazards at school? What about at your home? What are hazardous materials? What can we do to make them safe?
The youngest Wordly girl is good at imitating the wicked witch's cackle from the Wizard of Oz. The witch's laugh is loud and unpleasant. The Wordly girl does a very good imitation of a cackle.
To cackle is to make a loud, mean, laughing sound, or to make the clucking sound of a chicken.
When someone cackles, is it a pleasant or unpleasant sound? What types of characters might cackle? Cackle like a barnyard chicken that's proud it just laid an egg. Now cackle like a wicked witch.
The Wordlys participate in many school and neighborhood activities. They like to get involved in activities and events. They participated in the Neighborhood Cleanup last month, and planned to participate in the school potluck.
If you participate in something, you join with other people in an activity or event.
What activities do you participate in at school? What about outside of school?
It's obvious that the Wordly children like sports. They are always running off to practice or play a game. If that's not obvious enough, you will often find a baseball, soccer ball or football in their front yard.
When something is obvious, it's easy to notice or understand.
What's obvious to you? What's obvious when someone looks around your house?
Mrs. Wordly was aghast the other day when she saw her dog running through the house covered in mud. The dog left muddy pawprints all over the floor and shook mud on the walls. She was surprised and shocked.
if someone is aghast, they are struck with extreme surprise and shock.
Have you ever felt aghast about something? What was it? What might make a teacher feel aghast?
The Wordly children like to drink root beer out of frosty mugs. They put the glass mugs in the freezer until they have a thin layer of frost on them.
When something is frosty, it is very cold and covered with frost.
Name some things that can be frosty. If I said someone gave me a frosty look, what do you think I would mean?
When the Wordly family goes to the beach, the children scramble over the rocks and sandy hills to get to the water. The parents walk slowly along the path. The children always get to the beach first.
To scramble is to rush or struggle to climb over something or to get somewhere.
Do you prefer to scramble over things or to walk around them? Why do you think scrambled eggs are called that?
The youngest Wordly boy came home from school upset. He told his mom that he had been scolded at school for playing in class.
When you scold someone, you talk to them sternly about something they have done wrong.
What do you get scolded for? Have you ever been scolded for something that wasn't your fault? Pretend you are scolding a small child or dog. What would your face and body look like?
One of the Wordly girls is so limber she can do a backbend and a back walk over.
When you are limber, you bend easily, and are very flexible.
What sports or activities might someone who is very limber be good at? Can you think of words that mean the opposite of limber?
Mrs. Wordly's children were acting suspicious. She heard them whispering, and whenever she walked into the room they stopped talking. Her suspicions were correct. Later that night the children had a surprise party for her.
When you are suspicious, you feel mistrust or you suspect something isn't right.
Have you ever been suspicious? What happened?
Sometimes the youngest Wordly children mumble so you can't quite understand what they are saying. They talk unclearly, without moving their lips much. Mr. Wordly tells them not to mumble, to speak clearly and loudly.
When you mumble, you speak quietly and unclearly, without pronouncing words sharply.
Do you ever mumble? How are you feeling when you mumble? What would it mean to mumble an apology? How would you be feeling?
The oldest Wordly boy likes to ask people what their occupation is; he is interested in learning what type of work they do. He thinks he would like to be a writer or own a bookstore.
An occupation is a person's job, or what they do to earn a living.
Draw yourself as an adult, busy at your occupation. Try to include details that help show what your job is.