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Naming Words: People, Places & Things

Kindergartners learn that naming words (nouns) name people, animals, places, and things — the words we use to name everything in our world.

KindergartenNouns30 minutes1 class periodPlay-BasedExplicit teaching4 StandardsCommon Core
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Know that naming words name things.
  • ✓Name people, animals, places, things.
  • ✓Sort naming words.
  • ✓Use a naming word.
Essential Question

A girl, a dog, a park, a ball — these are all NAMES for things! Words that name people, places, and things are called naming words.

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Who or What?

Project this and sort each naming word into people & animals, or places & things.

📝 Sort each naming word!Try it
🧑 People & Animals
⚽ Places & Things
Tap a word, then tap a bucket.
The Lesson · Play-Based Learning (Gather · Explore · Play · Reflect)

30 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Gather — Names for Things

5 min

A girl, a dog, a ball — these are all names! For what?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name some people and things.
  • Ask what they have in common.
  • Set the goal: naming words.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name things.
  • See they’re names.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Naming Words

10 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Who or What?
  • Sort each naming word.
  • Name people, places, things.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort words.
  • Name each.
  • Say the group.
3

Play — Naming Games

12 min

Play together.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Point to and name things in the room.
  • Sort naming words.
  • Name a person, place, thing.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name things.
  • Sort them.
  • Name each kind.
4

Create — My Naming Words

8 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Draw a person, a place, a thing.
  • Name each one.
  • Share it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Draw three.
  • Name them.
  • Share it.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Share a naming word.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a person, place, or thing.
  • Say what kind.
  • Celebrate naming words!

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say a word.
  • Say the kind.
  • Cheer!
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (Kindergarten).

CCSS
L.K.1b

Use frequently occurring nouns.

CCSS
L.K.5a

Sort common objects into categories.

CCSS
L.K.1

Demonstrate command of standard English grammar.

CCSS
L.K.5

Explore word relationships and meanings.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Use picture word cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is a naming word for a ___.”
  • Point and name.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with people and things.
  • Use picture support.
  • Sort a few at a time.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add naming words for places.
  • Name things by category.
  • Use a naming word in a sentence.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / tablet
  • 🗂️Picture word cards
  • 💻Who or What?
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🧺Sorting mats
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

naming worda word that names something (a noun)nouna naming wordpersonsomeone, like a girlanimala living creatureplacesomewhere, like a parkthingan object, like a ballnamewhat something is calledsortto put into groups
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a naming word?
A word that names a person, animal, place, or thing.
QUESTION 2
Is “park” a person or a place?
A place.
QUESTION 3
Name one naming word for a thing.
Sample: ball, book, cup, or toy.

Growing at home? Name the world.

Have families point to things around the house and name them — person, place, or thing. A printable naming-words page is in the Early Learning library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Naming Words (Nouns)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Naming Words (Nouns)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Naming Words (Nouns)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: animal, name, naming word, noun, person, place, sort, thing
  1. what something is called
  2. a word that names something (a noun)
  3. somewhere, like a park
  4. to put into groups
  5. a living creature
  6. an object, like a ball
  7. a naming word
  8. someone, like a girl

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a naming word?
  2. Is “park” a person or a place?
  3. Name one naming word for a thing.
Answer key — Part A: 1) name · 2) naming word · 3) place · 4) sort · 5) animal · 6) thing · 7) noun · 8) person
Part B: 1) A word that names a person, animal, place, or thing. 2) A place. 3) Sample: ball, book, cup, or toy.