Objectives  Identify synonyms and antonyms; animal habitats, traits and behavior;

Teaching Guide
rhyming words; ask and answer questions; use picture and context clues; compare  
and contrast Agarrarse
Materials  parallel, uneven, monkey, or side-by-side bars; stopwatch; chart

30 minutes, Days 1–3

Build Background
Activate Prior Knowledge  Tell children: Los animales se agarran de las cosas. Ask:
¿Qué animales han observado agarrándose de árboles o ramas en su vecindario o en el zoológico? (gatos,
ardillas, monos, etc.) Then ask: ¿Por qué piensan que los animales se agarran de los árboles? (Buscan
comida. No quieren caerse.) Say: Hoy vamos a aprender por qué los animales se agarran de las cosas.

Introduce the Focus Skill: Synonyms and Antonyms  Tell children: Los
sinónimos son palabras que significan lo mismo. Open the book to pp. 10–11. Read the
first sentence on each page aloud to the class as you emphasize the words “observar”
and “mirar.” Tell the class: “Observar” y “mirar” significan lo mismo. “Observar” y
“mirar” son sinónimos. Then say: Los antónimos son palabras que significan lo opuesto.
Turn to pp. 16–17. Read the first sentence on each page aloud to the class as you
emphasize the words “trepar” and “bajar.” Say: “Trepar” (point up) y “bajar” (point
down) significan lo opuesto. “Trepar” y “bajar” son antónimos. Write the following list of
synonyms and antonyms in pairs on the board: bajo/alto, grande/enorme,
grueso/delgado, rápido/veloz. Ask volunteers to circle the synonym and
underline the antonym pairs. Guide children by asking: ¿Estas palabras significan lo mismo? ¿Estas palabras significan lo opuesto?

Acquire New Vocabulary  Introduce the vocabulary words to the class: lastimar, soltar, explorar, perezoso,
balancear, acomodar, anidar. Write them on the board and review definitions. Tell the class that some of these words
have synonyms and antonyms. Ask volunteers to brainstorm synonyms and antonyms and write them on the board next to the
corresponding vocabulary word. For example, synonyms: perezoso/vago, balancear/columpiar; antonyms: soltar/agarrar,
lastimar/curar. If children have difficulty, refer them to the book for examples. Review synonyms and antonyms as a class.

Read and Respond  Display the book. Read the title and author name aloud as you track the print. Tell children: Los poemas
son como la música. Siguen un compás. Necesitamos mantener el ritmo para que suene bien. Read p. 4 aloud to model correct pronunciation and
rhythm. Tap your desk lightly as you read so children can hear the beat. Then assign subsequent pages to each member of the class.
Have each child read his/her page aloud. Pause after reading each page and encourage children to answer the following questions: ¿Por
qué este animal se agarra del/de la ___? ¿Dónde vive? Tell children to use picture and context clues when giving their answers. For instance,
after reading p. 10, a child might say: El koala se agarra del árbol porque quiere observar. Él vive en un bosque. Discuss animal habitats as a class.

60 minutes, Days 4–5

%PHYS. ED
Curricular Enrichment: Physical Education  Tell children: Los animals pueden agarrarse de las ramas de un árbol
y aguantarse por mucho tiempo. Hoy vamos a ver cuánto tiempo cada uno de ustedes puede agarrarse de una barra. Take children to the school
gymnasium or playground. Tell them to form a line in front of the parallel, uneven, monkey, or side-by-side bars. Children will
take turns grabbing onto the bar and hanging from it as long as possible. Use a stopwatch to keep track of how long each child
can hold on. The next child in line will wait his/her turn while you record the previous child’s time on a chart. When every
child has had a turn, tell them to look at the chart and tell you how they did. Then have children discuss what it felt like to hold
on to the bar. Say: Si los músculos de sus brazos son fuertes, pueden sostenerse por más tiempo. Ask: ¿Piensan que los animales tienen brazos más
fuertes o más débiles que nosotros? (más fuertes) ¿Qué podríamos hacer para tener brazos fuertes? (Hacer ejercicios.) Ask children to come up with
ideas for other ways of exercising to stay healthy.

Home Connection  (Teacher, you may want to photocopy NATIONAL STANDARDS

this activity for children to complete with a family member.)
Language Arts: K-12.1, K-12.3, K-12.4, K-12.5, K-12.6, K-12.7, K-12.8, K-12.11, K-12.12
Ask your child why animals grab onto things like trees. (Para Mathematics: Numbers PK-2.1; Algebra PK-2.1, PK-2.4; Geometry PK-2.2, PK-2.4;
que no se caigan; porque allí duermen, etc.) Encourage your child Connections PK-12.3
Science: K-4.1, K-4.2, K-4.3
to discuss the Curricular Enrichment exercise. Have your Social Studies/Geography: K-12.1, K-12.2, K-12.3
Health: K-4.1, K-4.3, K-4.4, K-4.7
child demonstrate the exercise when you go to the park or Music: K-4.8
during playtime. Physical Education: K-12.1—12.7

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