Vocabulary Development
Grade 3:
Strategy 1: School Yard Safari
The purpose of this strategy is to enhance a student's descriptive vocabulary. Take your students outside (this works best during fall or spring when there are signs of changing seasons) and write a book based on the following pattern. Encourage vivid use of adjectives (e.g. decomposing leaves, howling winds, multicolored hues, budding blossoms). This strategy can be used in grades 1-4.
On the playground, I see __________________, __________________, and __________________.
On the playground I hear __________________, ____________________, and ___________________.
On the playground I smell ___________________, ____________________, and ___________________.
On the playground I feel ____________________, ___________________, and _________________.
Strategy 2: Word in My LIfe
The purpose of this strategy is to tie the new vocabulary word(s) to concepts that students already know. After introducing a word and explaining what it means, guide the students to see this word in active operation of their lives. Construct Word in My Life cards that have "what I learned about the word" on one side and "the word in my life" on the other. In the first box, the student writes what she or he learned about the word from the teacher, class discussion, glossary, etc. In the second box, the student writes or draws the word as part of his or her life. Sharing the Word in My Life comments is much more motivating to students than looking up definitions and using a word in sentence.
Strategy 1: School Yard Safari
The purpose of this strategy is to enhance a student's descriptive vocabulary. Take your students outside (this works best during fall or spring when there are signs of changing seasons) and write a book based on the following pattern. Encourage vivid use of adjectives (e.g. decomposing leaves, howling winds, multicolored hues, budding blossoms). This strategy can be used in grades 1-4.
On the playground, I see __________________, __________________, and __________________.
On the playground I hear __________________, ____________________, and ___________________.
On the playground I smell ___________________, ____________________, and ___________________.
On the playground I feel ____________________, ___________________, and _________________.
Strategy 2: Word in My LIfe
The purpose of this strategy is to tie the new vocabulary word(s) to concepts that students already know. After introducing a word and explaining what it means, guide the students to see this word in active operation of their lives. Construct Word in My Life cards that have "what I learned about the word" on one side and "the word in my life" on the other. In the first box, the student writes what she or he learned about the word from the teacher, class discussion, glossary, etc. In the second box, the student writes or draws the word as part of his or her life. Sharing the Word in My Life comments is much more motivating to students than looking up definitions and using a word in sentence.
Grade 4:
Strategy 1: Vocabulary Bookmarks
The purpose of this strategy is to draw students' attention to new vocabulary words as they listen to a teacher read or read independently and increase their expressive and receptive vocabulary. Have them collect interesting words and make a bookmark with the word and definition where they are found in a text. During shared reading and independent reading, invite students to note descriptive verbs and have them create a bookmark that includes the title of the text, author, word, definition, and a sentence using the word. They can refer back to this as they keep reading independently. This strategy can be used in grades 4-6.
Strategy 2: Building Words
The purpose of this strategy is to practice focusing on prefixes, suffixes, and roots to make words grow. It promotes selling as well as understanding prefixes and suffixes. Split the class into small groups or two large groups and give each group one word. For example, check or thunder. As a competition, or not, have the groups see who can come up with and find the most words using the beginning word in them. Allow students to use dictionaries to add to their lists when they run out of ideas. They can add suffixes to new words to increase their total number, such as making checker and checkbook plural.
Example:
check
checks
checked
checker
checkers
checkout
checkerboard
checkbook
recheck
Strategy 1: Vocabulary Bookmarks
The purpose of this strategy is to draw students' attention to new vocabulary words as they listen to a teacher read or read independently and increase their expressive and receptive vocabulary. Have them collect interesting words and make a bookmark with the word and definition where they are found in a text. During shared reading and independent reading, invite students to note descriptive verbs and have them create a bookmark that includes the title of the text, author, word, definition, and a sentence using the word. They can refer back to this as they keep reading independently. This strategy can be used in grades 4-6.
Strategy 2: Building Words
The purpose of this strategy is to practice focusing on prefixes, suffixes, and roots to make words grow. It promotes selling as well as understanding prefixes and suffixes. Split the class into small groups or two large groups and give each group one word. For example, check or thunder. As a competition, or not, have the groups see who can come up with and find the most words using the beginning word in them. Allow students to use dictionaries to add to their lists when they run out of ideas. They can add suffixes to new words to increase their total number, such as making checker and checkbook plural.
Example:
check
checks
checked
checker
checkers
checkout
checkerboard
checkbook
recheck
Grade 5:
Strategy 1: Predict-O-Gram
The purpose of this strategy is to encourage students to predict the meaning of words before reading a story or novel. Present the unfamiliar words to the students. The students predict whether the words relate to a character, setting, or plot and then place them under the appropriate heading. When they encounter the word in the passage, they either confirm or correct its meaning. This strategy can be used in grades 4-6.
Strategy 2: Semantic Feature Analysis
The purpose of this strategy is it offers the students the opportunity to think about words and note the similarities and differences of words within a cluster of words. Select a cluster such as transportation, and choose five to ten words that are part of it. The number of words depends on the age of the students and the time you have for this activity. You might choose car, bicycle, rocket, stagecoach, snowmobile, canoe, and raft. Create a matrix, list them in a column and then, in a row, list the feature that they may or may not share: moves on land, has a motor, and so forth. The students examine each word in relation to the features and mark it with a plus if it shares that feature and with a minus if it does not. Sometimes students are reluctant to choose a plus or minus, saying it depends on the circumstances. In this case they place a check under the feature to signal their need to explain more fully. If they do not know the item shares a feature, they write "DK" for do not know. Once the students know the procedure, have them work in small groups to complete the matrix.
Strategy 1: Predict-O-Gram
The purpose of this strategy is to encourage students to predict the meaning of words before reading a story or novel. Present the unfamiliar words to the students. The students predict whether the words relate to a character, setting, or plot and then place them under the appropriate heading. When they encounter the word in the passage, they either confirm or correct its meaning. This strategy can be used in grades 4-6.
Strategy 2: Semantic Feature Analysis
The purpose of this strategy is it offers the students the opportunity to think about words and note the similarities and differences of words within a cluster of words. Select a cluster such as transportation, and choose five to ten words that are part of it. The number of words depends on the age of the students and the time you have for this activity. You might choose car, bicycle, rocket, stagecoach, snowmobile, canoe, and raft. Create a matrix, list them in a column and then, in a row, list the feature that they may or may not share: moves on land, has a motor, and so forth. The students examine each word in relation to the features and mark it with a plus if it shares that feature and with a minus if it does not. Sometimes students are reluctant to choose a plus or minus, saying it depends on the circumstances. In this case they place a check under the feature to signal their need to explain more fully. If they do not know the item shares a feature, they write "DK" for do not know. Once the students know the procedure, have them work in small groups to complete the matrix.
Grade 6:
Strategy 1: Word Expert Cards
The purpose of this strategy is to encourage students to become an expert in a word and then teach it to their peers. Before reading a story, novel, or content area passage, choose new key words and assign one or two words to each student. The student looks up each word's definition, states it in his/her own words, finds synonyms and antonyms, and uses the word in a sentence. After approving their answers, give each student an index card and instruct them to fold it in half so it resembles a booklet. On the cover they write the word in large print and illustrate it. Inside they write the titel, defintition, synonym, antonym, and the sentence. One the back they write their name and the title of the story, novel, or content passage. Students then teach their words to their peers. Have them form groups of three with each taking turns to teach their word. Then they rotate to different groups until they teach the entire class.
This can also be completed as a collaboration strategy where you divide them into groups with each student having a job; one to find the definition and put it in his/her own words, one to find synoynms, one to find antonyms, and another to write a sentence. This can be done in grades 6-8.
Strategy 2: Action Jeopardy
The purpose of this strategy is to practice and review the meaning of words and their use. In Action Jeopardy, set up a game board, which can be a large poster board divided into five columns and four or five rows. Label the columns with the following categories: definition, synonym, antonym, sentences, and context. In each row write a definition, synonym, antonym, a sentence with a blank that needs to be filled in with the focused word, and the topic in which the word would be found. Each row becomes more difficult and the points increase, just like the Jeopardy TV game show. Students work in three teams as they choose the answer and state the question in one minute or less. Use words students need to learn for content areas. The following websites offer free game boards to simplify the set-up: http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games, and http://warp.byu.edu/jeopardy. Some of the sites allow you to post the game on interactive white boards and allow you to include images or MP3 files.
Strategy 1: Word Expert Cards
The purpose of this strategy is to encourage students to become an expert in a word and then teach it to their peers. Before reading a story, novel, or content area passage, choose new key words and assign one or two words to each student. The student looks up each word's definition, states it in his/her own words, finds synonyms and antonyms, and uses the word in a sentence. After approving their answers, give each student an index card and instruct them to fold it in half so it resembles a booklet. On the cover they write the word in large print and illustrate it. Inside they write the titel, defintition, synonym, antonym, and the sentence. One the back they write their name and the title of the story, novel, or content passage. Students then teach their words to their peers. Have them form groups of three with each taking turns to teach their word. Then they rotate to different groups until they teach the entire class.
This can also be completed as a collaboration strategy where you divide them into groups with each student having a job; one to find the definition and put it in his/her own words, one to find synoynms, one to find antonyms, and another to write a sentence. This can be done in grades 6-8.
Strategy 2: Action Jeopardy
The purpose of this strategy is to practice and review the meaning of words and their use. In Action Jeopardy, set up a game board, which can be a large poster board divided into five columns and four or five rows. Label the columns with the following categories: definition, synonym, antonym, sentences, and context. In each row write a definition, synonym, antonym, a sentence with a blank that needs to be filled in with the focused word, and the topic in which the word would be found. Each row becomes more difficult and the points increase, just like the Jeopardy TV game show. Students work in three teams as they choose the answer and state the question in one minute or less. Use words students need to learn for content areas. The following websites offer free game boards to simplify the set-up: http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games, and http://warp.byu.edu/jeopardy. Some of the sites allow you to post the game on interactive white boards and allow you to include images or MP3 files.
Assessment
Maze Test
An informal assessment for vocabulary is the maze test. The purpose of the maze test is to allow younger students to demonstrate what context clues and background knowledge their use when they encounter unknown words. It can be used for diagnostic and instructional purposes. To construct a maze test, delete every fifth word while keeping the first and last sentences intact. Give students tree choices for every deleted word. One choice is correct, one fits the sentence's syntax, and the third choice does not fit the sentence in any way. Note whether the students rereads the sentences, reads beyond the word choices, or reads beyond the sentence to figure out the word. The synonym cloze test is another form of a maze test where a synonym is added above the deleted word and three choices are provided for each deleted word. The synonym gives readers an excellent clue, but teachers can still assess students' technical vocabulary.
Maze Test
An informal assessment for vocabulary is the maze test. The purpose of the maze test is to allow younger students to demonstrate what context clues and background knowledge their use when they encounter unknown words. It can be used for diagnostic and instructional purposes. To construct a maze test, delete every fifth word while keeping the first and last sentences intact. Give students tree choices for every deleted word. One choice is correct, one fits the sentence's syntax, and the third choice does not fit the sentence in any way. Note whether the students rereads the sentences, reads beyond the word choices, or reads beyond the sentence to figure out the word. The synonym cloze test is another form of a maze test where a synonym is added above the deleted word and three choices are provided for each deleted word. The synonym gives readers an excellent clue, but teachers can still assess students' technical vocabulary.