Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Moonbear's Bargain (Asch)
If you are reading Frank Asch's book Moonbear's Bargain, here is an excellent way to practice vocabulary in context with budding readers. Although you could include others, the recommended words for this text are: blossom,...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Smoky Night (Bunting)
Experience the Los Angeles Riots through the eyes of a child in Even Bunting's poignant story Smoky Night. Use this text as you teach vocabulary in context, using comprehension questions to help scholars make connections to outside...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Amigo
Pupils determine the meaning of tier-two vocabulary words. They explore vocabulary while reading Amigo. As they read, they record their words in a word journal or on a discovery chart. The words bold, content, pleasant, seek, wise, and...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Animal Action ABC
Explore the meanings of tier two vocabulary words. In small groups, young learners listen to a read-aloud story and evaluate new vocabulary words for their meaning.
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Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin's New Friend
The story Franklin's New Friend contains three tier-two vocabulary words! Your class reads the story, identifies the vocabulary words, and then works to construct their meanings. The new words are recorded either in a journal entry or on...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Mama, Do You Love Me?
Youngsters analyze tier two vocabulary words. Learners explore their comprehension of tier two vocabulary words found while reading Mama, Do You Love Me? and record their vocabulary using a word journal or discovery chart.
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Sorting (Pluckrose)
Find guidance to introduce math vocabulary in context using Henry Pluckrose's book Sorting. This text is an excellent cross-curricular resource for budding readers. Before starting, review some new vocabulary words: collect, common,...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Swimmy (Lionni)
Learn the importance of leadership as you explore vocabulary in context through Leo Lionni's book Swimmy, which can be found on YouTube in case you don't have it. This text includes some excellent vocabulary words for young readers,...
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Introduce vocabulary: Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse (Lionni)
Provide access to new vocabulary words (envy and mysteriously) in context as emerging readers listen to Leo Lionni's Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Explain these terms before reading the story aloud and help kids utilize context clues...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Dandelion (Freeman)
Dandelion the lion is dapper and elegant; young readers learn these and more vocabulary words as they read Don Freeman's story Dandelion (hint: this strategy can be applied to any book). Familiarize pupils with the new words before...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Doctor DeSoto (Steig)
William Steig's story of a witty mouse couple will have scholars intrigued as they listen for new vocabulary words and context clues. Doctor DeSoto can be found on YouTube in case you don't have it. Emerging readers expand their...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Fancy Nancy (O'Connor)
Get fancy with Jane O'Connor's story Fancy Nancy as scholars learn some elegant new words in context: accessories, chauffeur, plume, stupendous, and tiara. After introducing these new terms (do any scholars already know them?), encourage...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride (Priceman)
What a fun way to explore new vocabulary words! Marjorie Priceman's book Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride offers plenty of new words for scholars to learn in context: amateur, assembled, demonstration,...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Into the A, B, Sea (Rose)
As budding readers learn about the ocean, they'll get practice with the alphabet and new vocabulary words (cling, nab, prey, slumber, and thrive) in context. Read Deborah Rose's book Into the A, B, Sea, which includes a glossary in the...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Kindergarten ABC (Rogers)
As kindergartners are learning the alphabet, expand their vocabulary in the process using Jacqueline Rogers' book Kindergarten ABC. Each page features a letter and various objects for scholars to locate in the picture, and they focus on...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Letting Swift River Go (Yolen)
If your class is reading Jane Yolen's Letting Swift River Go, explore these vocabulary words in context: faint, quench, remain, and sacred. Before reading the story aloud, acquaint learners with these words briefly. As you read,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Miss Spider's Tea Party (Kirk)
Learning new vocabulary words is best done in the context of an engaging story like David Kirk's Miss Spider's Tea Party. New readers (or almost-readers) focus on any of 12 new words: conceal, courtesy, demand, descend, dread, fragile,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Ruby's Wish (Bridges)
Jump into traditional Chinese culture with budding readers as they examine vocabulary in context through Shirin Yim Bridge's book Ruby's Wish. This book is read on YouTube if you don't have it on hand. Scholars are briefly introduced to...
Novelinks
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter: Vocabulary List
A staggering amount of work went into compiling this vocabulary resource for Carson McCullers' The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. The overview provides a rationale for the strategy and information about tier 1, 2, and 3 words. The 19-page...
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Cold Sassy Tree: Vocabulary Development
Change places with your pupils, and let them teach their peers! Each learner signs up to teach a word from a list provided by the teacher (included here). Then, they complete a graphic organizer to help them develop a better...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Kindergarten Count to 100
During read-aloud of Kindergarten Count to 100 by Jacqueline Rogers, children listen for context clues about vocabulary that includes the words "first," "second," and "third." I love the way vocabulary development skills are integrated...
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Skippyjon Jones Vocabulary
Who is Skippyjon Jones? Use Judy Schachner's popular children's books to teach young learners simple vocabulary words. This resource provides a list of English words and their Spanish translations, but your youngster has to match each...
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Vocabulary in Sentences
With a vocabulary usage instructional activity, readers use context clues to determine the correct choices of vocabulary words to complete sentences. They complete 12 questions, most of which are based on gerunds and infinitives.
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Word Up!
Study the importance of word choice in informational text. Middle and high schoolers locate unfamiliar words and phrases in newspaper articles of their choosing, and use online word sites to explore the definitions and histories of each....