Building Vocabulary Strategies Strategies to increase students’ vocabulary

Introducing Vocabulary  Students generate definitions in their words  Use Background Knowledge  Use Context Clues  Use pictures or other examples, if helpful  Only use dictionary to double check

Vocabulary List #13: The Watsons Go to Birmingham Vocabulary Word Part of Speech Our Definition Connotation (+ or -) punyadj. wilyadj. flutteredverb accustomedverb accurateadj Context Clues On page 159, Grandma Sands says that Byron was so puny when he was born that everyone was worried about him. Mr. Robert says there aren’t many animals wilier or tougher than a raccoon. (163) The narrator (Kenny) says the hands of the grown ups fluttered around the little girls who had been hurt in the church bombing.

VOCABULARY #13: WATSON’S wily (adj) sneaky, scheming, clever

VOCABULARY #13: WATSON’S puny (adj) Small, tiny, weak, wimpy

VOCABULARY #13: WATSON’S fluttered (verb) Flapped real fast

Vocabulary List #13: The Watsons Go to Birmingham Vocabulary Homework Choices for The Watsons Go to Birmingham (Choose any of the following for vocabulary homework )  Meaningful Sentences (clues underlined!)  Illustrations: with a caption for each word  3 synonyms for each word (besides what we used in our definition)  2 examples for each word  Vocabulary story using all 5 words

Meaningful Sentences Definition: A meaningful sentence tells the reader something about a word and shows that the writer understands the meaning of the word Checking Strategy: Take the starred word out of the sentence. If you can insert other words (within reason) in its place and the sentence still makes sense, it is not meaningful. Box and Underline: Place a box around the starred word. Underline all the words/phrases that tell something about the starred word.

Example  Good example: Sally was acting extremely hostile when she threatened to beat me up after school.  Bad Example: When I wake up in the morning I feel hostile

Frayer Model Definition: Everything that makes you who you are. Characteristics: style (dress, carry yourself) personality appearance/looks behavior religion hometown attitude job Examples: New Yorker Construction Worker Red Sox Fan student T.I. stalker crossing guard/ mother/ daughter schizophrenic (many personalities) Non-examples: paper car marker Suburban truck money food identity

Concept Definition Map

Semantic Feature Analysis DemocratRepublican Former Governor Former Vice- President 2 Full Terms in Office Still Living L. B. Johnson –— –— Nixon–— –— –— Ford–— –— –— Carter –— –— Reagan–— –— –—  Bush (Sr.)–— –— –— Clinton –— –— Bush (Jr.)–— –—