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Introduce Vocabulary: Amigo (Baylor)
Amigo by Byrd Baylor gives learners a chance to practice with unknown words and context clues. Choose several vocabulary words to focus on as you read the picture book, or use the ones provided here (the book is in English despite the...
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Reading Comprehension: Thor and Sif
Expose your readers to the fascinating legends of Norse Gods Thor and Sif. They read a brief introduction about traditional stories and myths then read several paragraphs on these figures, marking unknown words as they go. Learners look...
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Mystery Word Wall Game
Practice using words found on the classroom word wall, in vocabulary lists, or on spelling lists with your class. Young readers use clues to find the mystery word in the room. They can tally the points earned from identifying words...
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Visual and Meaning Cues
Learn how to apply visual and meaning cues to reading unknown words. Readers will explore what to do when they come to a word they do not know as they watch the teacher model the use of these cues and then participate in guided and...
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Using Initial Sounds and Picture Clues to Read Unknown Words
Kindergarteners read the bold words that are unknown by using the strategies of initial sound and picture clues. They meet individually with their teacher in order to assess this concept. Excellent resource!
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Butterfly, Butterfly: Teaching Vocabulary
Kindergarteners practice new words through listening to and reading the science book Butterfly by Jenny Feely. The teacher will first choose words that are essential for understanding the text. Then, using pictures in the text, pupils...
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Using Picture Cues to Read Unknown Words
Help readers identify new words. Learners will use illustrations in the story From Head to Toe by Eric Carle to help them with unknown words. As they read new vocabulary words, they will use pictures on the imbedded worksheet to discover...
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Structure and Meaning Cues
First graders use cues to identify unknown words. They will learn strategies to assist them in decoding while reading. Then they discuss how to listen to themselves read in order to decide whether or not the word makes sense in the...
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The Tell-Tale Heart
Bring Edgar Allan Poe's spooky story to life! After reading the short story "The Tell-Tale Heart," middle and high schoolers identify the theme, character traits, irony, and other story concepts. During pre-reading, they take notes,...
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Dictionary Use
Bring dictionaries back into your classroom! Although it's often preferred to look up a word's definition on a computer or smart phone, we still need to practice this important skill. Middle and high schoolers investigate how to use the...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Peter's Chair (Keats)
A new baby means a lot of changes for Peter! Ezra Jack Keats presents this common childhood experience in his story Peter's Chair, the context of a detailed vocabulary study. Before you read, introduce the three new words scholars will...
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Introduce Vocabulary: A Taste of Honey (Wallace)
A Taste of Honey offers learners a chance to practice with unknown words and context clues. Choose several vocabulary words to focus on as you read the picture book, or use the ones provided here. Pre-teach the words and have scholars...
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Dictionary
Discovering different ways to use a dictionary to find the meaning of unknown words is the focus of this language arts activity. Everyone reads a story and practices finding unknown words in the dictionary.
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Nonfiction Text Features
Identify features of a nonfiction article in this language arts lesson. Middle schoolers apply comprehension strategies as they read the parts of the article, and analyze the author's key points. Additionally, they examine information in...
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Using the Glossary
Fifth graders explore the glossary. For this language arts lesson, 5th graders define unknown words in a text by using the glossary. Students read a text and use the glossary to find unknown words.
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Making Words
Third graders spell words and define homophone. In this making words lesson, 3rd graders decipher words from letter strips in an effort to identify the "secret word". Students use a set of letters to spell different words.
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School-Home Links: Prefixes
In this prefix worksheet, students review the definition of a prefix and several examples. Then students change the words in the given sentences by adding the prefix re- to the underlined words and rewrite the sentence. Finally, students...