LESSON FOUR:  Vocabulary Square

                             

LESSON DESCRIPTION

Students continue to develop vocabulary through text using root words and affixes, synonyms and antonyms, context clues, and dictionaries. Students participate in thinking aloud and also apply decoding skills using the New Word Strategies Questionnaire.

 

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS

R1E     Develop vocabulary through text using root words and affixes, synonyms, antonyms, contexts clues, and dictionary.

R1C     Apply decoding strategies to problem solve unknown words when reading.

 

LESSON MATERIALS

§         Sources of literature 

 

§         Supplies 

o        Markers

 

§         Handouts provided

o        New Word Strategies Checklist

o        Vocabulary Square

 

§         Words to know

o        affixes

o        context clues

o        vocabulary

 

 

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT                      Assessment                  Scoring Guide

Students complete the Vocabulary Square graphic organizer. Scoring guide provided.

 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

  1. Read a passage from John Henry by Ezra Jack Keats or another tall tale to demonstrate how to use the think aloud strategy when coming to a difficult word. Discuss the strategies used to decode the word and discover the meaning within the context of the passage.

 

Strategy

 

 

Think aloud is a method the teacher uses to discuss the mental process good readers use when coming to a new or unfamiliar word. Some decoding strategies to discuss are: chunking words, using affixes, looking for smaller words within words, using context clues, and using a dictionary or glossary.

 

  1. Model the different strategies using the New Word Strategies Checklist from the tall tale John Henry.

 

  1. Work with the library media specialist to introduce or reinforce the use of dictionaries and thesaurus. Model how to complete the five sections of the Vocabulary Square handout. After checking for understanding, students complete a blank Vocabulary Square graphic organizer independently. They may choose a word or select a word posted on the board.