Defining Words
Define words by category and by one or more key attributes (e.g., 'a duck is a bird that swims'), making real-life connections between words and their use
What a learner can do afterwards
- Define 'tiger' as 'a large cat with stripes' — naming category and key attribute
- Connect the word 'cozy' to real-life examples: places at home that feel cozy
- Sort words into categories and explain why each word belongs
The lesson
A definition tells what a word means. To build one, do two things: name the group the thing belongs to, then add one special detail that makes it different from everything else in that group.
Mia sees a tiger at the zoo. She tells her friend: 'A tiger is a cat with stripes.' First she named the group: cat. Then she added the special detail: stripes. Now her friend knows exactly what she means.
Some words connect to feelings and places, not just animals. Cozy means warm and comfortable. A blanket on the couch on a rainy day is cozy. So is a soft fort made of pillows.
When you sort words into a group, ask yourself why. If you can say why a word belongs, you really understand it.
A strong definition names the group a word belongs to, then adds the detail that makes it special.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.