Word Web Vocabulary

9/8/03

An Almost Endless Cascade Strikes Home

For those of you who are using Word Web Vocabulary's Volume I, I just learned a new meaning for cascade (Lesson 4's Wicked Word of the Week). For those of you who are using Volume II, you can do a little "continuous review" by using the extra information I (and perhaps you) gleaned from the recent blackout in the Northeast. The press reported, "The area where the cascading outages began has now been identified."

My definition for cascade: (n): Waterfall; anything that ripples or showers down in the manner of a waterfall. My examples: We picnicked beside the roaring cascade. The snow cascaded off the roof. Her hair cascaded down her back. His books cascaded off the desk. My Think Link questions for students: (1) The Cascade Mountains are in Washington and Oregon. How might they have gotten their name? (2) Why would a manufacturer call its dishwashing product Cascade?

Now, with the recent blackout in mind, we can add to the definition. When the electric power fails in one area, it will affect other areas to which it supplies power in a cascade until there is a massive blackout - as there was in the Northeast United States in August 2003.

As the creator of Word Web, one of the things I like best is learning new definitions for words with which I'm already familiar. Most especially, though, I like the discoveries that my Cool Connections bring to me - and which I hope bring to you and your students. The first of these was when I learned that "monk" belonged with the root word "mono-", something which seemed obvious once it was pointed out but one I would never have recognized on my own. In an upcoming Ellie's Word, I'll dwell more on some of my other favorite Cool Connections. Elinor (emiller@seepub.com)