Leigh Healy
Vocabulary Lesson Sequence
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
by William Steig
Vocabulary Words
ceased
perplex
soothe
miserable
vanish
inquire
Definitions and
Sentences
stopped; ended
The baby’s crying ceased when his mother rocked
him.
to puzzle or confuse
The student was perplexed by the difficult math
problem.
to comfort or make something or someone feel
better
The hot tea helped soothe her sore throat.
extremely unhappy or uncomfortable
The man’s leg injury made him feel miserable.
to disappear
Harry made the paper vanish with his magic wand.
to ask
The customer inquired about the price of the book.
Vocabulary Activities
Day One: Introduction
Introduce words, definitions, and sentences.
Demonstrations and discussions of the words
1. cease
Have the children clap and when you give the signal all clapping will cease.
2. perplex
Discuss things that might perplex you.
i.e. hard math problems, finding a missing homework assignment, where the class went while
you were still in the bathroom
3. miserable
Use facial expressions to show how you would look if you felt miserable.
4. vanish
Discuss things that might vanish.
i.e. rabbit in a black hat, sun behind the clouds, a ghost
5. inquire
Discuss as a synonym for ask. Discuss examples of things they have inquired about that day.
i.e. homework assignment, clarify directions before an assignment, how something works
6. soothe
Use facial expressions to show how you would look if something was soothing.
Day Two: Vocabulary Match


Review vocabulary words, definitions, and sentences.
Cut out attached vocabulary word and picture cards. Have students decide which words match each
picture.
 Then, use the cards to play a memory match game. Students work in pairs to play the game.
 Once a student matches a picture and the word correctly, they have a match. The student with the most
matches wins the game.
Key:
cease- stop sign
perplex- screen bean with box
soothe- woman taking a bath
miserable-man with upset face
vanish- magic hat
inquire- student with hand raised
Day Three: Word Associations



Review vocabulary words, definitions, and sentences.
Present students with each word and have them fill in the bubbles.
Possible answers are included in the bubbles.
flu
hot
weather
miserable
being
grounded
losing a
friend
soft
music
a friend to
talk to when
you are sad
soothe
lotion on
sunburn
medicine
for a
bug bite
Speed Round One:
Please circle the correct answer to make the sentence complete.
1. If the music is soothing it makes you feel:
a. content and relaxed.
b. uncomfortable and irritable.
c. angry and upset.
2. If a test is perplexing it makes you feel:
a. confused and ask for help.
b. confident and finish quickly.
c. silly and circle any answer.
3. If a noise ceases, it:
a. continues late into the night.
b. stops quickly.
d. begins in the morning.
4. If you inquire about a car, you:
a. drive it home.
b. keep it in your driveway.
c. find out whether it goes fast or slow.
5. If you have a miserable headache, you:
a. stay home from school.
b. go to a party and dance.
c. drink water.
6. If your spelling words vanish, they
a. are in your homework folder like always.
b. cannot be found and could have disappeared.
c. are at home on the kitchen table.
Decide whether each statement is true or false.
7. A cease-fire would make shooting end in a war.
True False
8. A teacher might inquire about your plans for the weekend.
9. Students can make a pencil vanish forever.
True False
True False
10. The hot water soothed my tired muscles after running.
True False
11. A surprise birthday party makes most people feel miserable.
12. Spelling tests with words you can spell easily perplex you.
True False
True False
Speed Round One Key: 1. a 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. a 6. b 7. T 8. T 9. F 10. T 11. F 12. F
Day Four:


Review vocabulary words, definitions, and sentences.
Have students generate synonyms and antonyms to complete the chart below.
synonym
vocabulary word
antonym
perplex
cease
vanish
inquire
Key:
synonym
vocabulary word
antonym
puzzle, bewilder, confuse
halt, stop, quit
disappear
ask, question, quiz
perplex
cease
vanish
inquire
understand, comprehend, grasp
continue, persist
appear, show up, emerge
know, have
Speed Round Two:
Decide if you would answer yes or no to each statement.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Miserable people are fun to hang out with.
Yes No
Perplexing questions are enjoyable to solve because they are easy. Yes No
The sun can vanish behind the clouds before it rains. Yes No
The talking should cease when an announcement is made on the intercom. Yes No
You should inquire about something you do not understand. Yes No
The heavy metal music was soothing to the old lady. Yes No
The following questions are related to the story. Decide if you would answer yes or no to each statement.
7. Sylvester was miserable when his parents turned him back into a donkey. Yes No
8. Sylvester’s dad tried to soothe his mom because she missed him terribly. Yes No
9. Sylvester inquired with all the neighbors about what to do with the strange pebble. Yes No
10. Sylvester’s parents were perplexed because he could not be found anywhere. Yes No
11. Sylvester vanished into the lion’s stomach and hid there from his parents. Yes No
12. The love will cease now between Sylvester and his parents. Yes No
Speed Round Two Key:
1. N
2. N
3. Y
4. Y
5. Y
6. N
7. N
8. Y
9. Y
10. Y
11. N
12. N
Day Five:

Review vocabulary words, definitions, and sentences.
 Have students generate possible solutions for the sentences. The answers in ( ) are possible answers.
The teacher was perplexed because______________________. (the students did poorly on the test)
The ______________vanished from the lunchroom. (broom)
Parents inquire about ________________. (your day at school)
Vocabulary Assessment for Sylvester and the Magic
Pebble by William Steig
Choose the correct picture.
1. Which student looks perplexed?
2. Which face looks miserable?
3. Which picture shows the rabbit vanishing?
4. Which would be soothing to your skin?
5. Which shows a person inquiring?
6. Which asks you to cease doing something?
Circle the antonym (word meaning the opposite) of each word.
1. miserable
joyful
loud
sad
2. cease
stop
continue
quit
3. vanish
appear
jump out
run
Circle the synonym (word meaning the same) of each word.
1. perplex
confuse
understand
question
2. inquire
ask
know
excite
3. soothe
comfort
irritate
aggravate
Key:
Pictures:
1. student with light bulb
2. happy face
3. hat without the rabbit
4. mother rubbing lotion on child’s back
5. man and woman asking questions
6. no smoking sign
Antonyms:
1. joyful
2. continue
3. appear
Synonyms
1. confuse
2. ask
3. comfort
cease
perplex
soothe miserable
vanish
inquire