In this activity, students demonstrate their understanding of vocabulary words using a Frayer Model. After choosing a word, students provide a definition, characteristics, examples (synonyms), and non-examples (antonyms) of the word. Students may be provided the vocabulary words, or they can use words that they have discovered through their reading of the text.
This example uses the word absent-minded
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Student Instructions
Create a Frayer Model for one of the vocabulary words from Mr. Popper's Penguins.
Boost retention by turning vocabulary review into fun classroom games. Games like charades, bingo, or word races encourage engagement and help students internalize meanings in a lively, memorable way.
Divide your class into small groups to foster teamwork. Each team works together to guess, act out, or define vocabulary words, ensuring every student participates and learns from peers.
Rotate roles such as clue-giver, guesser, or scorekeeper so all students are involved. Active participation keeps energy high and gives everyone a chance to practice vocabulary in different ways.
Introduce simple props or drawings related to your vocabulary words. Visual aids help students connect abstract definitions to concrete images, making new words easier to remember.
Lead a quick debrief to talk about what strategies helped teams remember or use new words. Reflecting together reinforces learning and builds metacognitive skills.
A Frayer Model is a graphic organizer that helps students understand vocabulary by having them define a word, list its characteristics, give examples, and provide non-examples. Using it with Mr. Popper's Penguins supports deeper comprehension of key terms from the story.
To create a visual vocabulary board, pick a word from Mr. Popper's Penguins, use a Frayer Model to define it, list characteristics, and add examples and non-examples. Illustrate each part with drawings or photos to make the meaning clearer for students.
Engage 4th and 5th graders by using Frayer Models, group discussions, drawing scenes, and interactive online tools like Photos for Class to illustrate vocabulary from the book. These methods make learning fun and memorable.
Including non-examples helps students distinguish what a word does not mean, clarifying its definition and preventing misunderstandings. This strategy is especially helpful for words with subtle meanings.
Great choices for a Frayer Model from Mr. Popper's Penguins include: absent-minded, expedition, peculiar, bewildered, and inquisitive. These words offer rich context for exploring definitions, characteristics, and examples.