A Vocabulary/Pre-reading strategy RIVET A Vocabulary/Pre-reading strategy

“Rivet” A vocabulary/pre-reading strategy Rivet is a pre-reading activity. Its purpose is to expose students to unfamiliar vocabulary terms that might affect reading fluency and thus inhibit comprehension when reading the text. It can be used across all disciplines. Students typically love this activity!

Instructions for Rivet (Download the “Rivet Activity” document) The teacher will choose approximately 6 - 8 difficult vocabulary words or important names from a text* that may inhibit students from comprehending the text when they read The teacher puts blanks on board, chart paper or transparency representing the number of letters in each vocabulary word (newspaper/magazine article, excerpt from textbook, poem, on-line article or some other supplemental text)

Students shout out possible words Teacher fills in one letter at a time for students to guess the first word from left to right. Teacher encourages students to guess the word Students shout out possible words NOTE: Unlike Hangman, students are NOT guessing the letters. Their eyes are “riveted” to the board as you write the letters, and they are trying to guess the word based on the letters you have written and the number of remaining blanks.

Collaboratively talk about its meaning once word is discovered … When a student guesses the word, finish writing it. (ask students to try to finish spelling it for you) Collaboratively talk about its meaning once word is discovered … Repeat process until all words are identified (if students do not know the word, give examples, use word in a sentence, or discuss root word/suffix/prefix … try to let the students tell you a meaning instead of you telling them)

Then, give students the title of the story or chapter being introduced In journals, ask students to write a summary predicting what the text will be about using 6 or more of the vocabulary words

Read predictions aloud List predictions on chart paper Read text Have students compare and contrast their predictions with text as they progress through the reading (they can write down their notes and/or discuss in small groups or whole class)

Final Product for Lesson Choose a text in your discipline to use for a lesson that incorporates the “Rivet” activity (Download the “Rivet Activity” document) Submit the lesson plan, a copy of the text (including a list of the words used), a professional reflection (what went well, what could be improved, etc...), and a sample of student work (Download “Teacher Reflection” document)