170
Mop Top
by Don Freeman
vacant – stumbled –stubborn– floppy – soaring – thrilled
Summary
This is the story of a boy who never wanted to get his hair cut. One day he was told by his mother to get his hair cut before his birthday party. On his way to the barber, he noticed how scruffy a dog looked, how long a neighbor’s grass was, and how a palm tree needed to be trimmed. He went into a grocery store and was mistaken for a mop by an old lady. This made him realize that a haircut may not be so bad after all.
Genre
Realistic Fiction
How do you know? This story is fiction with all the story elements of a character, setting, problem and solution. The author made up this story. It didn’t really happen. What makes it realistic fiction is that what happens to the character in a story could also happen in real life. Could there be another boy in the world who never wants to get his hair cut? Of course there could… and that makes it realistic fiction.
vacant
Use in the story
In the story, Mop Top was given some money to go to Mr. Barberoli to get his hair cut. Moppy put the money in his pocket, and off he zoomed across the vacant lot. He could zoom across the vacant lot because vacant means that there was nothing on the ground to stand in his way. The lot was empty. Say the word, vacant.
Definition
If something is empty or does not have anything in it, you could say that it is vacant. If you are on a trip and looking for a hotel room you might see a “vacant” sign. Vacant means the hotel has an empty room to rent. Say the word that means something is empty or does not have anything in it, vacant.
Use in different ways
Let’s think of some things that are vacant. If I say something that is empty or vacant, say the word vacant. If I say something that is not vacant, do not respond.
· a bubblegum machine full of gumballs no response
· a parking lot at the mall with no cars vacant
· a house that no one lives in vacant
· a laundry basket of clothes no response
· a burned out old car left in a field vacant
· a store with the windows boarded up vacant
· an empty house with a “for sale” sign vacant
Summarize
What is the word that describes something that is empty or does not have anything in it? vacant
stumbled
Use in the story
In the story, as Mop Top was getting closer to the barbershop, he slowed down to a trot. He said, “Don’t need my hair cut at all—anyway not now.” He grumbled and stumbled until he saw a candy story. If Mop Top stumbled he lost his balance and sort of fell as he was taking each step. Say the word, stumbled.
Definition
If you stumble, you trip and lose your balance when you walking or running. I could say that a man stumbled over a rock and fell down. You can stumble on the playground if you’re running too fast. Say the word that means to trip and lose your balance when walking or running, stumble.
Use in different ways
Let’s think of some situations when someone might stumble. If the person might stumble, say the word stumble. If the person might not stumble, say nothing.
· walking on the grass and tripping over a hose stumble
· watching T.V. no response
· falling off your bike and scraping your knee no response
· leaving your house and missing the front step stumble
· not watching where you are going and tripping over a cord stumble
Act it out. Invite students to act out stumbling.
Summarize
What is the word that means to trip and lose your balance when you are walking or running? stumble
stubborn
Use in the story
In the story, Mop Top did not want to get his hair cut. He didn’t care what anybody said about his hair or what they called him. But the time came when something had to be done about Moppy’s top. On his way to the barber shop, he said, “I don’t need my hair cut at all – anyway not now.” Mop Top did not want to change the way he looked. He was stubborn when it came to cutting his hair. Say the word, stubborn.
Definition
If you are stubborn, you are not willing to accept change or help; you may be hard to deal with. If you are asked to wear certain clothing to school and you tell your mother you don’t want to, you are being stubborn. Say the word that means someone who is not willing to accept change or help, stubborn.
Use in different ways
Let’s think of some instances where you may be stubborn. If I say something that you feel is an example of being stubborn, cross your arms and look stubborn as you say the word stubborn. If I say something that is not stubborn, don’t say anything at all.
· taking out the trash no response
· not going to bed when it is time stubborn
· braiding your hair no response
· not sharing your toys when asked nicely stubborn
· a dog refusing to go outside for a walk stubborn
· refusing to fasten your seatbelt stubborn
What does it mean if someone says you are as stubborn as a mule? Mules are famous for not wanting to move. No matter what you do, they just stay where they are. You can put a rope around a mule’s neck and try to pull him. You can push him from behind but he just won’t budge. When someone says you are as stubborn as a mule, they mean that you will not change. You will not accept help. You dig in and refuse to be moved. Can you think of a time when you were as stubborn as a mule?
Draw it. Draw a picture ( write or tell a story) about a time when you were stubborn.
Act it out. What does your face look like when you are being stubborn? (mad, lips pinched together) What do your arms look like when you are being stubborn? (crossed) Invite a single child to come to the front and show what it looks likes to be stubborn. Then invite the class to do the same thing.
Summarize
What is the word that means someone is not willing to accept change or help? stubborn
Activities – vacant – stumbled – stubborn
Idea Completions
Invite students to finish each of the sentences below.
I stumbled one time when I ….
When I am stubborn my mom …
The garage was vacant because…
Act it out.
· Show how you could stumble over a box in your house.
· Show how your face would look is you were being stubborn and would not share your toy.
· Show how your face would look if Disneyworld was closed and vacant.
Word Associations
What word that we have been studying do you think of when I say…
trip – stumble
like a mule – stubborn
empty – vacant
fall - stumble
Using all 3 of the words
What is the word that means to trip and lose your balance? stumbled
What is the word that means not willing to accept change, hard to deal with? stubborn
What is the word that means empty? vacant
floppy
Use in the story
In the story, Moppy ran to the barber shop when he was mistaken for a real mop. After Mr. Barberoli cut Moppy’s hair, he showed him what he looked like in the mirror. “Well Sonny, who’s that, would you say?” asked Mr. Barberoli. “It’s me! It’s me without that floppy old mop on top!” Find the place in the story where Mr. Barberoli shows Moppy how he looked before the haircut. Floppy means that Moppy’s hair was hanging loose just like a mop. Say the word, floppy.
Definition
If something is floppy, it is hanging or flapping in a loose way. Some rabbits have floppy ears. Say the word that means something hanging in a loose way, floppy.
Use in different ways
Let’s think of some things that may be floppy. If I say something that might be floppy, say floppy. If it is not floppy, don’t respond.
· a new big, wide beach hat floppy
· a glass of water no response
· a zipper that is stuck no response
· clothes that are too big for you floppy
· a rag doll floppy
· a dog with long ears floppy
Summarize
What is the word that means something hanging in a loose way? floppy
soaring
Use in the story
In the story, Moppy didn’t care what anybody said about his hair or what they called him. All he wanted was to stay home and play. He sometimes played at being a roaring lion and a soaring eagle. A soaring eagle is one that flies high in the sky. Say the word, soaring.
Definition
If something is soaring it means it is flying or gliding in a swift, easy way and at great height. Eagles soar high from mountain top to mountain top. A kite soars when it gets really high in the sky. Say the word that means to fly or glide high in a swift, easy way, soar.
Use in different ways
Let’s think of some things that may soar. If I say something that might soar, say soar, if it does not soar, say nothing.
· a ballerina’s tutu nothing
· a hawk leaving it’s nest soar
· a rocket at liftoff soar
· a shell on the beach no response
· a frisbee thrown through the air soar
· an airplane flying through the clouds soar
Summarize
What is the word that means to fly or glide high in a swift, easy way? soar
thrilled
Use in the story
Finally, Moppy’s hair was cut. He hopped down from the barber’s chair and gave Mr. Barberoli the money. Out the door he felt as light as a feather. He was thrilled to have his hair cut and not look like a floppy mop anymore. He was so happy! He was excited! He was overjoyed! He was thrilled! Say the word, thrilled.
Definition
When you are thrilled, you have a sudden feeling of great excitement. You can be thrilled to see Santa Claus or you can be thrilled to go on a roller coaster. When Red Riding Hood had the opportunity to take a gift to her sick Granny, she was thrilled. Another way to say delighted is to use the word thrilled. Say the word that describes a sudden feeling of great excitement, thrilled.
Use in different ways
Let’s think of some situations that might make you feel thrilled. If it sounds like a situation where you might feel thrilled, say thrilled. If it doesn’t sound like a situation where you would be thrilled, don’t say anything at all.
· seeing lots of presents under the Christmas tree thrilled
· going to Disney World and seeing Mickey Mouse thrilled
· getting a shot at the doctor’s office no response
· loosing your favorite toy no response
· getting to spend the night with your best friend thrilled
Summarize
What is the word that means you have a sudden feeling of great excitement? thrilled
Activities – floppy – soaring – thrilled
Word Associations
Say the word that you think of when I say each word.
fly – soar
droopy – floppy
happy – thrilled
excited – thrilled
opposite of disappointed - thrilled
Idea Completions
Finish each sentence.
· I was thrilled when I ….
· My dog’s ears are so floppy that…
· My kite soared above…
Questions, Reasons, Examples
· Would you be thrilled to win a prize or stub your toe? prize
· Would your rather soar to the moon or to the bottom of the ocean? Why?
· Would you be thrilled to go on a rollercoaster or to go to “time out”? rollercoaster
· Would you wear a floppy hat to school or to the beach? the beach Why?
Using all 3 of the words
What is the word that means very excited? thrilled
What is the word that means hanging loosely? floppy
What is the word that means to fly high in the sky? soar
Vocabulary Wrap-up
vacant – stumbled –stubborn– floppy – soaring – thrilled
Draw the words.
Invite students to fold a piece of paper in half and then half again so that they have four squares. Write one word in each square. Encourage students to draw or sketch a picture for each of the following words.
soaring stumbled floppy thrilled
Act it out.
· Invite students to show the class how they would act if they were thrilled. Then ask the entire class to pretend they are thrilled and to act it out without making a sound.
· Invite a few students to come to the front and act out how they would stumble if they were walking, running, skipping.
· Invite a student to the front to act out how he would look if he was a floppy rag doll. Then invite the class to show how they would look if they were a floppy rag doll.
· Invite two students up to the front of the class. Let one child pretend to be stubborn and refuse to move. Invite the other child to try to push or pull him while the stubborn child refuses moving. No words can be spoken.
· Invite a student to pretend he is a bird soaring through the sky. Then invite the entire class to stand up and pretend to soar through the sky.
Review the words.
· If an animal were flying through the air would you say it stumbled or was soaring? soaring
· If I found five dollars would I be stubborn or thrilled? thrilled
· If my house had no furniture in it would it be vacant or floppy? vacant
· If I were walking my dog and I tripped on a rock, would you say that I stumbled or was soaring? stumbled
· If my dog’s ears were hanging down to the floor, how would I describe them? stubborn or floppy? floppy
· If I was told to make my bed and I refused, would I be stubborn or vacant? stubborn
vacant
The lot was vacant in front of the buildings.
stumbled
The teacher stumbled over the rug.
stubborn
The goat was stubborn and did not want to go back into
the pen.
floppy
The rabbit had floppy ears.
soaring
The eagle was soaring high in the air.
thrilled
The team was thrilled that they won the championship.