excel

Vocabulary Card 1.1

ex • cel (v.)
To excel at something is to be very good at it.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: Keep practicing and you will excel.
3 Use the word excel in your own sentence.
4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the
word excel.

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COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, discuss
what it means to excel. Then discuss these questions:
What approach would you use to accomplish this goal?
What is something you excel at?

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Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1
illustrious
 Vocabulary Card 1.2

il • lus • tri • ous (adj.)

An illustrious person is famous for his or her
achievements.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: The illustrious inventor was
known around the world.

3 Use the word illustrious in your own sentence.

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4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the
word illustrious.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, discuss

what it means to be illustrious. Then discuss these

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questions: What conclusions can you draw about this
illustrious inventor? What other illustrious people can you
think of?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

revere
 Vocabulary Card 1.3

re • vere (v.)
If you revere someone, you think very highly of
that person.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: I revere people whose inventions
improve the world.

3 Use the word revere in your own sentence.

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4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the
word revere.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, think

of what it means to revere someone. Then discuss these

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questions: What characteristics does a person whom you
revere possess? Who is someone that you revere?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

transcend
 Vocabulary Card 1.4

tran • scend (v.)

If you transcend a boundary, you go above or
beyond it.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: Astronauts must transcend
limitations and challenges.

3 Use the word transcend in your own sentence.

4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the
word transcend.

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COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, discuss
what it means to transcend a boundary. Then discuss

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these questions: What qualities must people have to
transcend boundaries? What are examples of boundaries
that you could transcend?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

locomotives
 Vocabulary Card 1.5

lo • co • mo • tives (n.)
Locomotives are the engines that make a train
go forward.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: Locomotives pulling freight cars
leave the railroad yard every thirty minutes.

3 Use the word locomotives in your own sentence.

4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the

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word locomotives.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, discuss

the use of locomotives. Then ask the question: In what

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ways were locomotives an improvement in transportation
from the horse and wagon?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

chugged
 Vocabulary Card 1.6

chugged (v.)
If a machine chugged along, it moved slowly
and noisily.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: The steam train chugged through
the mountain passes.

3 Use the word chugged in your own sentence.

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4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the
word chugged.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, think

about machines you have seen as they chugged.

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Discuss these questions together: How could you use your
five senses to describe a machine as it chugged along? Why
do you think steam trains were slower than today’s trains?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

gadgets
 Vocabulary Card 1.7

gadg • ets (n.)

Gadgets are small, specialized machines or
electronic devices.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: The toolbox at the hardware store
had various gadgets.

3 Use the word gadgets in your own sentence.

4 Brainstorm other words that come to mind when you

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hear the word gadgets.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION Think of some gadgets

that you would use to fix things, to make things, or to

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cook. Describe some of them to a partner, without telling
what they are. See if your partner can guess each item.
Discuss how people might have performed these same
tasks before the gadgets were invented.

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

phonograph
 Vocabulary Card 1.8

pho • no • graph (n.)

A phonograph is a machine that plays recorded
music or sound.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: Long ago people played music on
a phonograph.

3 Use the word phonograph in your own sentence.

4 Brainstorm other words that come to mind when you
hear the word phonograph.

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COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION Ask small groups to
list the major differences between playing music on a

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phonograph and streaming music on a computer. Have
them discuss these questions: How do you think music
sounded when it was played on a phonograph? What
other changes do you think will be made in the future?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

sputtered
 Vocabulary Card 1.9

sput • tered (v.)

If something sputtered, it worked in a rough or
uneven way and made popping noises.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: The engine sputtered as the car
drove down the road.

3 Use the word sputtered in your own sentence.

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4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the
word sputtered.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION Think about a

machine that you have seen or heard that sputtered.

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Discuss these questions with a partner: How would you
describe the machine that sputtered? Why do you think
this engine sputtered, and what could be done to fix it?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

flop
 Vocabulary Card 1.10

flop (n.)
Something that is a flop is a complete failure.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: The cake he baked was a flop.
3 Use the word flop in your own sentence.
4 Make a list of synonyms and antonyms for the
word flop.

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COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner,
discuss something you tried to do or make that was not
successful, or was a flop. Then discuss these questions
together: How did you feel when you experienced your

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flop? What could you do differently next time to change
the results?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

incandescent
 Vocabulary Card 1.11

in • can • des • cent (adj.)

Something that is incandescent gives off a lot
of light.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: We replaced the burnt out light
bulbs with incandescent bulbs.

3 Use the word incandescent in your own sentence.

4 Brainstorm other words that come to mind when you

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hear the word incandescent.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, think

about how an incandescent light may look. Make a list

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of other sources of light, such as florescent, halogen, and
LED bulbs. Discuss these questions: Why do you think there
are many kinds of lights? Why might someone choose to use
an incandescent bulb?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

cylinder
 Vocabulary Card 1.12

cyl • in • der (n.)

A cylinder has circular ends and straight sides.
In an engine, a cylinder takes in gas to make other
parts move.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: The mechanic replaced the leaky
cylinder with a new one.

3 Use the word cylinder in your own sentence.

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4 Brainstorm other words that come to mind when you
hear the word cylinder.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, think

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about why a working cylinder is important. Discuss
these questions together: Why would a leaky cylinder
need to be replaced? What might happen if a broken
cylinder is not replaced?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1

patents
 Vocabulary Card 1.13

pat • ents (n.)

Patents are legal documents. If you get a patent for
an invention, no one else is allowed to make or sell it.

1 Read the word and its meaning above.

2 Read this sentence: Scientists protect their inventions
with patents so no one can copy them.

3 Use the word patents in your own sentence.

4 Brainstorm other words that come to mind when you

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hear the word patents.

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSION With a partner, think

about different inventions that have needed patents.

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Discuss these questions together: What kinds of
information would you need to include when applying for
patents? Why is this information necessary?

Grade 5 • Module 1 • Week 1