10/9/03
A BONUS LESSON
If you are among those teachers who have already reordered vocabulary books for your students for this current school year, you should have received a surprise gift from me, my first supplement to Word Web, entitled "Large, Larger, Largest." For those who haven't yet reordeed, you will receive this supplement when you do.
This bonus is divided into three parts, which you can use either consecutively or, as time allows, throughout the year. Part I defines behemoth, colossal, collosus and cyclopean. Each lesson is replete with graphics and the host of Word Web's familiar proprietary elements: Awesome Associations, Bonus Blasts, Cool Connections, Delve Deepers, Featured Facts, Literary Links, Periodical Pearls and Think Links.
Part II discusses gargantuan, gigantic, goliath and jumbo. Gargantuan (adj): Enormous, great beyond all limits, from the legendary figure Gargantua, who when born, cried out "Drink, drink!" so loudly that the words were heard at a great distance, whereupon his royal father exclaimed, "Que grand tu as!" (French for "How great you are!") Since these were the first words he uttered after the birth of his child, all accepted it as the child's name.
This babe needed 17,913 cows to supply him with milk! Once, when wanting a salad for dinner, he went to cut some lettuces as big as walnut-trees - and ate up six pilgrims who had hidden themselves among them out of fear! He could play 207 different games, picked his teeth with an elephant's tusk and did everything in the same "large way."
Although jumbo is derived from the supposedly African-sounding name of the famous star of Barnum and Bailey's circus, today we use the word in connection with some jet airplanes, hot dogs, eggs, bank loans, mortgages, jumbo-size packages and much more. Part III treats leviathan, mammoth, massive and titanic. Many of these lessons contain mathe-matical questions and measuring activities, as well as research suggestions. Do you know what an ell measures? Neither did I until I read how many of these it took to make Gargantua's clothes! Of course, a teacher's guide accompanies the lessons, along with ways for you to encourage your students' critical thinking skills. You'll be learning right along with your students - and having a great time doing it!
This supplement is available for ordering on our website. More are in the works. I will soon post information on Supplements #2, #3 and #4 which are red, yellow, black and white colors (in the same format of green and blue in lessons 23 of Volumes I and II, respectively, but in full color ). Any of these supplements will brighten those long, dreary days in midwinter that most of us face or may even be suitable activities for summer vacation.
If you have any question about these supplements, please contact me, emiller@seepub.com. I'd also love to get your feedback on these extra activities. Elinor
