critical

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Routine for Lesson Vocabulary

Team Talk

Introduce Water is critical to all living

things. Critical means important to the
outcome of a situation. Lets say the word
together: critical.

Ask your partner to tell about a book or

movie in which the hero arrives just in
time. Discuss what would have happened
if the hero had not been there at the
critical moment.

Demonstrate Wetlands are a critical

environment for birds. Lack of rain caused a
critical shortage of water. Oil is critical to the
engine because without oil the engine parts
would be ruined.
Apply Why is it critical that we have
electricity in our communities?

Discuss with your partner what things you

believe are critical to a good birthday
party.
Look at the photograph on the front of
this card. Take turns explaining why it is
critical for these zebras to get water.

Display Now I will write the word on the

board. Lets read the word together: critical.

Grade 5 Unit 4 Week 3 Exploding Ants

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enables
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Routine for Lesson Vocabulary

Team Talk

Introduce A guide dog enables this woman

to go many places. Enables means gives
ability, power, or means to or makes able.
Lets say the word together: enables.

Talk to your partner about what enables

children to grow and stay healthy.

Demonstrate A microscope enables us to

see the parts of a cell. The Hubble Telescope
enables us to see details of distant stars. An
education enables a person to get a good job
and earn more money.

Tell your partner a sentence using the

word enables. Have your partner repeat
the sentence, replacing the word enables
with a synonym.
Ask your partner what enables him or her
to fall asleep easily and quickly.

Apply What form of transportation enables

people to move around in a city very rapidly?
Display Now I will write the word on the
board. Lets read the word together: enables.

Grade 5 Unit 4 Week 3 Exploding Ants

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mucus
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Routine for Lesson Vocabulary

Pencil Talk

Introduce The boys cold produced mucus.

Mucus is a slimy substance produced in the
nose and throat to moisten and protect them.
Lets say the word together: mucus.

Complete these sentence frames:

Demonstrate Without mucus, your nose

would be very dry. A cough can clear mucus
from the throat. When you have a cold, your
nose and throat produce much more mucus
than usual.

You should throw away used tissues

because mucus can contain __________.
If there were no such thing as mucus, we
would have trouble __________.
Write a sentence using the word mucus in
context. Include one or two clues to help
readers understand what mucus means.

Apply Why do you think your nose and

throat produce more mucus when you have a
cold?
Display Now I will write the word on the
board. Lets read the word together: mucus.

Grade 5 Unit 4 Week 3 Exploding Ants

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scarce
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Routine for Lesson Vocabulary

Action!

Introduce Groceries are scarce on these

shelves. Scarce means hard to get, rare.
Lets say the word together: scarce.

Imagine you are walking across a desert

and water is scarce. Show how you
measure out a drink of water and drink it.

Demonstrate Scarce goods usually cost

more. After my mom lost her job, money was
scarce. When a drought hit our county, both
water and green growing things became
scarce.

Imagine you have found a rare fossil of

a tiny dinosaur. You want to take it to an
archaeologist. Show how you carry this
scarce treasure.

Apply Which is more scarcediamonds or

coal? Explain why you think this is so.

Show how you search a field of grass for

a scarce four-leaf clover.

Display Now I will write the word on the

board. Lets read the word together: scarce.

Grade 5 Unit 4 Week 3 Exploding Ants

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specialize
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Routine for Lesson Vocabulary

Pencil Talk

Introduce Many health-care workers

specialize in one type of medicine. To
specialize is to develop in a special way or to
be fit for a specific use or environment. Lets
say the word together: specialize.

Imagine you are exploring a new planet.

You find life forms that specialize in
turning dirt into gold. Write sentences
about these living things. Use the word
specialize.

Demonstrate Many bats specialize in

eating insects. Doctors in that clinic specialize
in treating eye diseases. Our whole family
cooks, but I specialize in baking bread.

Choose an animal or plant that

specializes in a particular action or
process. Draw a picture of the animal
or plant. Then write a sentence about it,
using the word specialize.

Apply What do we call scientists who

specialize in the study of animals?
Display Now I will write the word on
the board. Lets read the word together:
specialize.

Complete these sentence frames:

Spiders specialize in __________.
To specialize in caring for children, a
medical student has to __________.

Grade 5 Unit 4 Week 3 Exploding Ants

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sterile
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Routine for Lesson Vocabulary

All Together

Introduce The researcher covers her mouth

and nose to keep the work area sterile. Sterile
means free from germs. Lets say the word
together: sterile.

Im going to describe some situations.

Say Sterile if you think the situation is
germ-free. Say Not sterile if you think it
is not.

Demonstrate The operating room was kept

sterile. Wash your hands several times with
soap and water to be sure they are sterile. If
doctors did not use sterile instruments, their
patients would get infections.

1. the syringe a nurse uses to give you

a shot
2. a picnic table an hour after a picnic
3. a cup of water scooped from a pond

Apply Why is it important to keep kitchen

counters as sterile as possible?
Display Now I will write the word on the
board. Lets read the word together: sterile.

Im going to ask you some questions.

Answer yes or no.
Are your dirty tennis shoes sterile?
Is it important for a surgeons hands to
be sterile?

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