Build Your Vocabulary

Do you find your students struggling with vocabulary words?  I have pretty high readers in my class this year, but they have a really hard time using context clues to figure out what words mean.  I have taught this skill over and over again!

So, I decided during my Word Work/Word Study time I would create a vocabulary rotation.  We use Reading Workshop, so we do not have a reading series to follow that would provide me with vocabulary words for my class.  This has been hard for me, but I do like that I am able to choose words that might broaden their vocabulary.  I have also encouraged them to use these words during their writing time.

I post my vocabulary words or "exciting words" on my door due to my lack of classroom wall space. We review the three words for the week, and the students then have to look them up using a dictionary, tablet, or computer.  I have taught them how to use all three.  They are getting pretty good at it!

Students also write each word in a sentence and draw a picture of it.  You can tell from my photos below that this is a skill we are still working on. ;/

Then, I have a mystery word for the week.  The students are given clues each day to help them guess what they think the mystery word is.  Here is a list of the clues I give:

1.  number of letters in the word

2. first letter of the word

3. rhyming word

4. antonym

5. synonym

On Friday, we go over the student guesses and I tell them the word!  They get so excited if they guess correctly.  I even had a student ask me if they looked up other synonyms for the synonym would that be cheating.  Hah!  I told him no because I was impressed he was smart enough to think of that!

We also find "exciting words" in the stories we read together, and I post them on our door.  Students are also encouraged to write down "exciting words" from the books they read.  Then, we put them on the door and discuss their definition.  Once we have mastered the words we place them on our word wave.  Then, students can reference them throughout the year!  I encourage them to use them during writing. 

It's a work in progress, but I hope by the end of the year their vocabulary skills will improve. 

Check out my Build Your Vocabulary packet in my TPT store.  You can download the preview and see the booklets the students use each week.  I love it!

Work Work Centers

So this summer I did a lot of planning and a lot of prepping for my word work centers.  I wanted them to be fun and challenging for my second graders.  So, I came up with a plan to have my students have the option to do four different things during word work time.  Also during this time I will pull a small group to work on reading strategies.  I am always needing extra time to work with a small group.

I started out by teaching my kiddos the four different options for Word Work.

1. Practice spelling words.  I have two different lists each week.  My students are able to take the test Monday to find out whether they will be practicing the on-level list for the week or the advanced list.  I have both lists posted in the room and students will refer to these words when they complete the spelling word center.

I have 6 different spelling activities they can do at this time.  I currently am using the following activiites:

*rainbow write the words

*put the words in ABC order

*write the word and stamp the word

*write the words on dry erase boards 

*roll and write the word

*use pipe cleaners to make the words

I keep the activities in a pocket chart on the back of my easel.

Spelling words are posted on the reading  wall.

Students take these to their desk and complete the activity.  They must turn in their work in the turn in basket for me to check. 

So far the students love this!!! They are so excited to practice these words and they are able to come more comfortable with the skill we are focusing on for spelling that week. 

Grab some of the word work worksheets for free below!

2.  There is a green basket that has a fluency poem and worksheet.  I am using the fluency first book to get my activities from.  They read the poem and complete the worksheet to go with it.  It is great practice for them.  It reviews several skills and helps them be more fluent.

I am using this book to get my fluency papers.  My students are at a high level this year so I am using the third grade book. 

3.  I also made a fluency center.  This is one of my favorite spots in my room.  The students sit at the stools with a partner.  They have to use the timer to time one another.  They are to read the phrases in less than a minute.  Once they are able to do this successfully three times, then I will test them.  If they pass, then they are able to move to the next set of cards.

The students fight over this center!  They are also pretty good at it, so I am currently working on fluency passages for them to complete once they have mastered all the fluency phrase sets. 

Check out my fluency packet below!

Grab your free fluency tracking sheet by clicking here!

4.  The last option (my favorite!!) is the special sounds center.  This is where students will complete 3 different activities for each special sound.  I call them special sounds because it is easier to group them altogether that way. 

Here is a breakdown of the sounds they will practice:

Ai/ay

Ee/ea

Au/aw

Ou/ow

Igh/y

Oi/oy

Oo

Or 

Ar

Ir/ur/er

Ough/oa

Ew/Ui/Ue

Air/Are

I store all the activities in this drawer system.  I found this at Sam's club for $20! 

They will play a game or complete a center activity, then each one has a worksheet to check for understanding.  Then, the third activity is a book that focuses on this skill with a comprehension worksheet to go with it.  

If they are able to complete each activity correctly, then they will take a quiz.  I use engrade to set up quizzes.  The students will take the quiz and if they pass they will move on to the next sound.

Each sound has a badge that goes with it.  If they successfully pass they will have a badge placed on their locker.  The kids won't stop talking about this.  All they want is a badge for their locker!  I'm thrilled something so simple can be so motivating.  

Once they have passed all these, I am going to move them on to vocabulary activities.  I am working on this also.  Hopefully I will have some time to get that  put together since I am still working on completing my special sound packets. (Eek!! I need to get moving!) 

Check out below to see what packets I've completed so far.  I hope to have the rest finished by the end of the month! 

       

    

  

Grab a free special sound tracking sheet by clicking here! 

Check out some fun photos of my kiddos at work!!

I would love to hear how you do word work in your classroom!  As you can see, I am all about allowing my students to have some choices and to make learning as much fun as I can.  I also want then to work at their own pace and this allows them to do so.  We are off to a great start, but I will keep you posted on how well the students do.  Thanks for stopping by!