Isolating for Dummies

Isolating is a word that describes the act of separating or setting something apart from other things. It's like when you take a single toy from a big box of toys and put it on a separate table all by itself. So, when we talk about isolating, we mean picking something out and making it feel special or different by giving it its own space or place.

Now, let's think about this word in a different way. Have you ever seen a squirrel who wants to eat a nut, but it needs to open the shell first? The squirrel will find a quiet tree branch that's away from the other squirrels, and it will sit there all by itself, working hard to crack open the nut. So, in this case, the squirrel is isolating itself from the other squirrels to focus on opening the nut.

Similarly, when we talk about isolating in a social sense, it means separating someone or something from others. For example, if you have a friend who is feeling sick and has a contagious cold, they might have to stay away from school for a few days. This is because we want to make sure their cold doesn't spread to other students and make them sick too. So, we isolate the sick friend by asking them to stay at home until they are healthy again.

In summary, isolating means separating or setting something apart from others, either physically or socially. It's like giving special attention to something or someone by creating a different space or keeping them separate from others. Whether it's putting a toy on a separate table, a squirrel cracking open a nut on a quiet branch, or a sick friend staying home to avoid spreading germs, isolating is all about keeping things separate and giving them their own space.