Look It Up! Using a Dictionary

Learning Objectives

• Put words in alphabetical order to the third letter.
• Use guide words to decide if a word is on a page.
• Read a dictionary entry and choose the meaning that fits a sentence.

How to Use This Resource

• Show a dictionary. Ask: "How do you find a word quickly?"
• Teach alphabetical order and guide words with the slides, then do activities 1 and 2 together.
• Students complete activities 3 to 6 with real dictionaries if possible. Use the quiz and send the homework page home.

Classroom Activity Ideas

• Dictionary race: call a word; the first team to find it reads the meaning aloud.
• Human alphabet: students hold word cards and line up in order.
• Guide word game: show two guide words; students hold up yes or no cards for words that fit.

Differentiation

Support: order words by first letter only and use an alphabet strip. Challenge: students write their own dictionary entry for a new word, with a part of speech and two meanings.

Assessment

Use the worksheet and quiz to check ordering, guide words and meanings. Use the rubric during the dictionary race.

Teacher Tips

Remind students that when first letters match, they look at the second letter, and so on. Many words have more than one meaning (bat, light, ring), so always check the example sentence before choosing.

What's Included

• 10-page printable PDF lesson pack: teacher lesson plan with timings, materials and differentiation
• Key vocabulary list (6 words with meanings and examples)
• Student worksheet (6 activities)
• Quiz / assessment (3 parts)
• Homework practice page
• Printable flashcards: 6 A5 picture cards (separate PDF)
• Assessment rubric (4 levels)
• Lesson slides (editable PowerPoint)
• Editable Word version of all student pages
• Complete answer key (also as a separate PDF)

Additional Files

• Lesson Slides (PPTX)
• Editable Student Pages and Lesson Plan (DOCX)
• A5 Flashcards (PDF)
• Answer Key (PDF)

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