You will learn
- Find new words in a story.
- Use clues to guess a word’s meaning.
- Check the guess with a picture or sentence.
- Say what a new word means.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Stories have new words.
- Pictures and sentences give clues.
- We guess and check.
- We keep new words in a word book.
Words to know
a hint that helps you find a meaning
a hint from a picture
think what something means
look again to see if right
1. Discover: The giant boots
Kofi found a pair of enormous boots. They were so big that he could stand in one. “These must belong to a giant!” he said.
Ama asks, “What does enormous mean?” Kofi says, “It means very, very big. The sentence says he could stand in one boot!”
Think: What clue helped Kofi?
2. Understand: New words in stories
Idea 1: New words
When we read stories we meet new words. That is a good way to grow our vocabulary.
Idea 2: Find clues
Look at the words around the new word and at the pictures. They give clues to the meaning.
Idea 3: Guess and check
Make a good guess, put it back into the sentence, and check that it makes sense.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Use the sentence
The boots were enormous. He could stand in one. What does enormous mean?
- Read the clue.
- Guess the meaning.
Answer: very big
Example 2 (We do it together): Use a picture
A picture shows a lion roaring. What does roar mean?
- Look at the picture.
- Think what a lion does.
Answer: to make a loud noise
Example 3 (You try): Check
Does very big make sense in the sentence?
Show the steps and answer
- Put the meaning back.
- Read the sentence again.
Answer: Yes, it makes sense.
Did you know?
Children learn most of their words from listening to stories and reading books.
Why this matters
Learning words from stories makes you a better reader and a better speaker.
4. Explore: Word detective
Find the meaning of a new word.
- Find a new word in a story.
- Look for clues.
- Guess and check.
- Add the word to your word book.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can work out the meaning of new words.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The new word is ___.
- The clue is ___.
- I think it means ___.
- It makes sense because ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What does enormous mean?
very big
Question 2. What clue helped Kofi?
he could stand in one boot
Question 3. Does very big make sense?
yes
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- The boots were enormous. They were very ___.
- A lion roars. Roar means a loud ___.
- We use ___ and sentences to find meaning.
- What do we do after guessing?
- Where can we keep new words?
Level 2: Grow
- The house was tiny. It was very ___.
- The soup was boiling hot. Boiling means very ___.
- She whispered. She spoke very ___.
Level 3: Stretch
- Pick a new word from a story. Write its meaning.
- How do clues help?
- Ayo thinks enormous means tiny. How can he check?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Find a new word in a story. Ask a family member what it means.
Show a sample answer
The word is gigantic.
Another one. Add three new words to a word book.
Show a sample answer
enormous, tiny, whisper.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Try clues first.
Fix: Put it back in the sentence.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can find new words in a story.
- I can use clues to guess meanings.
- I can check my guess.
- I can say what a new word means.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Stories have new words.
- Use clues from the sentence and pictures.
- Guess and check.
- Keep a word book.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Using new words in sentences. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Where can we find new words? [1 mark]
- The boots were enormous. What does enormous mean? [1 mark]
- What clue helped you? [1 mark]
- Name two things that give clues. [2 marks]
- Explain how to work out the meaning of a new word. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- in stories [1]
- very big [1]
- he could stand in one boot [1]
- the sentence [1]; the picture [1]
- look for clues [1]; guess the meaning [1]; check it makes sense [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Enormous means very ___.
- Tiny means very ___.
- Boiling means very ___.
- Whisper means to speak ___.
- A roar is a loud ___.
- We guess and ___.
- Where can we keep new words?
- True or false: pictures give clues.
- Add a new word to your word book.
- Write a sentence with a new word.
Homework
Find three new words in a story and write their meanings in a word book.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Enormous means very ___. | big | 1 |
| 2. Tiny means very ___. | small | 1 |
| 3. Boiling means very ___. | hot | 1 |
| 4. Whisper means to speak ___. | quietly | 1 |
| 5. A roar is a loud ___. | noise | 1 |
| 6. We guess and ___. | check | 1 |
| 7. Where can we keep new words? | in a word book | 1 |
| 8. True or false: pictures give clues. | true | 1 |
| 9. Add a new word to your word book. | a new word | 1 |
| 10. Write a sentence with a new word. | a valid sentence | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 big; 2 noise; 3 pictures; 4 check; 5 in a word book. Level 2: 1 small; 2 hot; 3 quietly. Level 3: 1 a valid word and meaning; 2 they help us guess the meaning; 3 read the sentence again.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Find new words in a story | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Use clues to guess a word’s meaning | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Check the guess with a picture or sentence | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say what a new word means | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Skipping new words. Try clues first.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use pictures and read the sentence aloud.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to find the meaning of new words in stories. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Read stories aloud.
- Stop at a new word and ask what it might mean.
- Add new words to a word book.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: find new words in a story; use clues to guess a word’s meaning; check the guess with a picture or sentence; say what a new word means.
Prerequisite knowledge. Multiple-meaning words.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Read the giant boots story and stop at enormous.
Explanation (10 min). Teach clues, guess, check.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise word detective.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their words.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What does it mean? What clue helped?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use picture clues and read aloud. Extension. Look up words in a children’s dictionary.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Skipping new words. Try clues first.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use pictures and read the sentence aloud. Enrichment. Find synonyms for new words. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Language. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core L.1.4 (determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words) and L.1.6; Education Endowment Foundation Improving Literacy in Key Stage 1 guidance (vocabulary); Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (vocabulary). These sources informed the lesson.