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how? Specific Word Instruction L E S S O N M O D E L F O R Word Relationships Benchmark • ability to acquire in-depth understanding of word meanings 478 Grade Level • Grade 3 and above Grouping • whole class • small group or pairs Sample Text Possible Sentences Stahl and Kapinus (1991) found that the use of this prereading strategy significantly improved both students’ recall of target word meanings and their comprehension of the selection containing those words. Since students have to use at least two words in each possible sentence, they are required to understand the relationship between the words. Through evaluation of sentence accuracy, students are forced to actively process semantic information about each word (Stahl 1999). This sample lesson model targets specific vocabulary found in “Studying the Sky,” a short selection about astronomy. The same model can be adapted and used to enhance specific word instruction in any commercial reading program. • “Studying the Sky” (Resources) POSSIBLE SENTENCES Target Words ancient astronomer constellation galaxy orbit universe Select the Target Words Select about six words from the sample text “Studying the Sky” that may be unknown to students, are central to the main idea of the selection, and are adequately defined by context within the selection. Then select about four words from the text that are likely to be known to students. Introduce the Words List the following words on the board: ancient, astronomer, center, constellation, galaxy, orbit, planet, stars, sun, universe ner Specific Word Instruction Englis h-La nguage Le arner English/Spanish Cognates ancient • anciano (elderly) astronomer • astrónomo constellation • constelación galaxy • galaxia orbit • órbita universe • universo Tell students that the words on the board will appear in the selection they are about to read, “Studying the Sky.” Ask students to share their knowledge of each word. If necessary, provide a brief student-friendly definition of each word. • Ancient describes someone who is very old or something from a very long time ago. • An astronomer is someone who studies planets and stars. • A constellation is a group of stars visible from Earth. The stars create a shape that can be recognized and has a name, such as the Big Dipper. • A galaxy is a group of billions of stars belonging to one star system. Earth is in the Milky Way galaxy. • An orbit is a circular path that a heavenly body or satellite makes around another body in space. • The universe is everything that exists, including all space and matter. how? 479 Write Possible Sentences Next, have students work individually or in pairs to select two or three words from the list on the board. Tell them to make up one sentence that contains at least two of the words and that might appear in the selection they are about to read. Print the suggested sentences on the board and have them read aloud. Include both accurate and inaccurate statements without discussing them. For example, write the following sentences on the board: Nine planets orbit around the sun. A constellation is a great big galaxy. An astronomer is someone who is ancient. The sun is the center of the universe. V. V O C A B U L A R Y 11. SPECIFIC WORD INSTRUCTION 12. WORD-LEARNING STR ATEGIES 13. WORD CONSCIOUSNESS how? Specific Word Instruction Read the Selection Studying the Sky stronomy is the study of the planets, stars, and galaxies. People have been watching the movement of the sun, moon, planets, and stars since ancient times. So astronomy is a very, very old science. From early times, people tried to make models of the universe. For many years, no one wanted to believe that the sun was the center of the solar system. It took a long time for people to accept this heliocentric model, with the earth orbiting around the sun with the other planets. It is interesting to study the night sky like the astronomers from centuries ago. You can see even the most distant stars with your eyes alone. And you may be able to identify constellations, or groups of stars. Constellations make pictures in the sky, such as Canis Major (the Great Dog) or Ursa Minor (the Little Bear). A telescope can be used to see faraway things more clearly. With a telescope, you can see details like the craters of the moon and other features of the lunar landscape, the moons of Jupiter, and the rings of Saturn. Astronomy is like taking a trip back in time. This evening you can look at the same planets and stars that ancient astronomers observed so long ago. A 480 VO C A B U L A RY H A N D B O O K • S T U DY I N G T H E S K Y 206 When students have finished contributing possible sentences using all the target words, have them read, independently or aloud, the selection “Studying the Sky.” Evaluate the Accuracy of the Possible Sentences After students read the selection, go back and evaluate the accuracy of the possible sentences. Have students look again at the sentences on the board. Encourage them to discuss whether, based on their reading, each sentence is or is not accurate. If they determine that a sentence is accurate, place a checkmark beside it. If a sentence is inaccurate, help students to rewrite the sentence on the board to make an accurate statement. For example: Nine planets orbit around the sun. A constellation is a great big galaxy. R E W R I T E : A constellation is a group of stars in a galaxy. An astronomer is someone who is ancient. R E W R I T E : A long time ago, ancient astronomers observed the stars. The sun is the center of the universe. R E W R I T E : The sun is at the center of our solar system.