Using vocabulary strategies to figure out unfamiliar words Fantasy Using vocabulary strategies to figure out unfamiliar words

Expert vocabulary knowledge can be acquired through experience

Teaching point Today I want to teach you that specific vocabulary plays an important role in everything you read, especially in fantasy novels. You need to pay close attention to words that are new to you, figuring out what those words mean by using your whole toolkit of vocabulary strategies.

Fantasy Language It makes sense on why you might run across so many new vocab words in fantasy books. So much of what fantasy writers write about is made up out of their imaginations, so they need to make up new words to describe those invented things. Also, even when things aren’t made up, many fantasy novels are set in unusual or ancient locations which mean they need their own set of words.

As fun as it is to run into new words, it can be intimidating, too. Let’s look at some strategies that we know.

Jabberwocky

Let’s take a stab out working out some vocabulary. 1. I think I am going to try to get a gist of what’s going on… The first line is the beginning of a story, because it starts was and I know that stories can start that way. And there are words here in this first part that I know that are helping me get the gist too. Like did, in were. So …maybe, if I envision some more, I think I can tell that brillig is either a time or a season

Let’s take a stab out working out some vocabulary. 1. I think I am going to try to get a gist of what’s going on… The first line is the beginning of a story, because it starts was and I know that stories can start that way. And there are words here in this first part that I know that are helping me get the gist too. Like did, in were. So …maybe, if I envision some more, I think I can tell that brillig is either a time or a season The next two lines sound like more creatures doing some things. Slithy toves sounds like a creature that move or do something because gyre and gimble sound like moving words

So, let’s substitute some words that make sense. FLIMSY for Mimsy since they sound alike and borogoves remind me of butterflies All flimsy were the butterflies

So, let’s substitute some words that make sense. FLIMSY for Mimsy since they sound alike and borogoves remind me of butterflies All flimsy were the butterflies More animals doing something…

Now you help… Using your tool box, work with a partner to look over the next stanza. See which words you need to figure out, and try using your toolkit to help you.

Now you help… Using your tool box, work with a partner to look over the next stanza. See which words you need to figure out, and try using your toolkit to help you. Capitalized? So it is a proper noun. A monster perhaps Possibly dangerous or furious or both?

Fun fact Some words, originally made up by authors or fantasy books, ended up becoming real words, used by people in real life. For example, the author J.R.R. Tolkien invented the word tween. Another author named Francois Rebelais invented the word gargantuan in his book about giants. So even if we are only learning the words for this book, who knows, we might be learning it for life!

As we go to read One thing you’ll be doing is figuring out tricky words, You’ll also want to be building theories, following themes, using writing to capture all of you thoughts…