Tap, Bang, and Leap on New Year's Eve

Tell apart words that show how we move and how strongly we feel.

Read the poem

Waiting for the New Year

1The year is almost over,
so we stay up late tonight.
We fold some paper party hats.
Our house is warm and bright.

2At nine, my brother Jun is sleepy.
He yawns and rubs his eyes.
At eleven, he's exhausted.
He flops down with heavy sighs.

3Grandma taps her spoon on a cup,
tap, tap, so soft and slow.
I bang my drum as hard as I can.
Bang, bang! Now here we go!

4We count, "Three, two, one!"
Jun gives a sleepy hop.
I leap across the rug.
I'm thrilled! I don't want to stop!

Words that show how

Some action words are close in meaning, but each one shows a different way to move.

Read stanza 4. Underline the sentence that shows a big jump.

Read stanza 3. Grandma taps, and the speaker bangs. What is different?

Question 2 optionsA. Grandma hits softly, and the speaker hits hard.B. Grandma hits hard, and the speaker hits softly.C. Grandma and the speaker both hit softly.D. Grandma and the speaker both hit hard.

Does each word show a soft, gentle hit or a hard, loud hit? Sort the words.

Write the best word from the word bank in each sentence. Use each word one time.

1. Jun can on one foot, but only for a little while.
2. Mia softly on the door, so she won't wake Grandpa.
3. The wind is so strong that the door shut with a loud noise.
4. With one big, long jump, the cat can from the chair to the bed.

Words that show how much

Some describing words tell a little. Other words tell a lot.

Read stanza 2. Which word tells that Jun is very, very tired?

Question 5 optionsA. sleepyB. brightC. exhaustedD. wide-awake

Read stanza 4. The speaker says, "I'm thrilled!" What does thrilled mean?

Question 6 optionsA. a little bit sadB. very, very excitedC. a little bit sleepyD. very, very angry

Match each word to a stronger word that means almost the same thing.

Soaked means very, very wet. Which sentence uses the word soaked the right way?

Question 8 optionsA. Ava felt one tiny raindrop, so her shirt was soaked.B. Ava stayed inside all day, so her shirt was soaked.C. Ava ran through the sprinkler, so her shirt was soaked.

Write a sentence about something that makes you thrilled. Use the word thrilled.