Vocabulary

3.) Good readers study vocabulary words.

As the reader turns words into meaning, vocabulary becomes a factor to wrestle with. Vocabulary presents itself when the reader comes across words that is unfamiliar, difficult to break down, or a key word to the story. Sometimes, the reader may have heard of a word before, but what they are reading attaches a new meaning to it. Studying words and understanding their uses allows the reader to look beyond the letters on paper into new meanings and ideas inspired by the writer. 

 

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Vocabulary use with Frindle by Andrew Clements 

Because Frindle by Andrew Clements is a novel written at a reading level below my own, there were few challenging words that jumped out to me. So, instead of  recording words that were difficult to me, I was cognitively aware of words I predicted to be hard for children at the books reading level to understand. When reading, it is a useful technique to search for interesting, unusual, or frequently used words that appear in the text. Though the reader may already know the word's meaning, it may be used differently in this text or it may have outstanding importance to the underlying message of the reading by being mentioned more prominently than other words. Particularly in Frindle, I felt that "vocabulary" should be a broad term that is not limited to single words. Instead, phrases and groups of words used as an expression to mean something different than the literal translation of the written words. For example, such an expression might be, "has the cat caught your tongue?" The literal translation would be asking if a cat took a person's tongue. However, the true inferred meaning and intention behind the phrase is to ask why someone is not speaking much or has been acting shy. 

Examples of Vocabulary and Expressions or Phrases in Frindle by Andrew Clements:

  Pg. 2- "Thermostat"

The text describes the word thermostat as something requiring a tiny screwdriver to change the temperature in a room. By using the surrounding context of the paragraph, the reader can use context clues to infer meaning about this word.

Pg. 6- "Monopoly" and "Reputation"

Most children at this book's reading level may be familiar with the game Monopoly. However, the word monopoly is used in a new way with reference to Mrs. Granger overtaking all the power as head teacher for all of fifth grade. Students may not understand that she isn't being compared to money or a board game. Instead, the fact that all students must have Mrs. Granger as a teacher gives her power and ownership over all students and all opportunities for teaching fifth grade. This is similar to a monetary monopoly. A reputation may be difficult to understand, as well. In this case, reputation is meant to imply that Mrs. Granger is known for a certain set of behaviors and results. Mrs. Granger would hold strong to this reputation and let this attitude be intimidating to students that threaten it. 

Pg.  14- "...Nick could feel a homework assignment coming the way a farmer can feel a rainstorm."

The phrase and metaphor, "the way a farmer can feel a rainstorm," requires the reading to draw comparisons between this text and prior knowledge about farmers.  This phrase expects the reader to understand that farmers need to plan quickly and accordingly in response to rain in order to properly grow a farm. Farmers look for signs of rain and must problem solve, taking action for the good of the farm. The same is being said about Nick looking for signs and acting upon the prediction of a homework assignment. Nick then acts upon his suspicions quickly for the good of his class getting out of doing their homework. 

Pg. 43- "Staying after school with The Lone Granger became a badge of honor."

The expression, "badge of honor" holds a figurative, rather than literal translation in this quote. Instead of a physical badge being worn by students, this phrase is more synonymous to pride. What is typically a punishment is now being boasted as an action to be proud of. Staying after school for saying frindle was understood amongst students as being brave and proud for standing up for what they believe in. 

Pg. 53- "He had launched a first-class thought-grenade."

If a child does not know what a "grenade" is, then a thought-grenade will not make sense either. In this case, it is meant to be an explosive, impressive thought that was unique and would have a large effect coming from one central point. This meaning is gathered by comparing the thought expressed prior to this term to the physical thing and actions resulting from a grenade. 

Pg. 53- "I mean, it's not like vandalism or stealing..."

Readers may need to study the meaning of the larger words of vandalism or stealing at this reading level. But, more importantly, the reader must understand that this description is comparing Nick's test of his school and language to a range of severity in crimes. It is implied that what is happening is not good, but it is insignificant when compared to worse harms.   

Pg. 75- "But you still have to stay and live in this town. So mind your P's and Q's"

The expression, "...mind your P's and Q's," sounds strange when taken literally as thinking about the letters P and Q. Instead, it must be understood that it means to be aware of your manners and behaviors. The phrase comes from a history of bartending. Bartenders would mark a P for pint or Q for quart next to a customer's name to signify which size of drink the customer would receive and pay for. To "mind your P's and Q's" is to be careful about how you behave toward others in order to avoid trouble or to gain respect. In this case, Nick's mother is warning him to behave carefully in order to maintain respect and avoid trouble in the town he lives in as a result of the "word war."