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43 Improving Your Vocabulary

Page
315
from
All Write

Improving Vocabulary Opening Page

Start-Up Activity

Ask for a volunteer to read page 315 aloud. Then discuss with students the value of reading, even when English is their second language. One of its main values is that it helps students build their vocabularies. Then select one word to analyze, as in the example that follows:

  • eject: The pilot ejected from the burning airplane.

Have a volunteer define the word eject and explain the clue in the sentence that helped him or her define it. Then as a class explore its word parts:

  • e (like ex) means “out”
  • ject means “throw”

Point out that students will learn strategies like these in this chapter.

Think About It

“English spelling is weird . . . or is it wierd?”

—Irwin Hill

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.4.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.4.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.6

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.4.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.4.B

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.6.L.3.4

LAFS.7.L.3.4

LAFS.8.L.3.4

LAFS.6.L.3.6

LAFS.7.L.3.6

LAFS.8.L.3.6

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.22.b.2.B

110.23.b.2.B

110.24.b.2.B

110.22.b.2.A

110.23.b.2.A

110.24.b.1.A

110.22.b.2

110.23.b.2

110.24.b.2

110.22.b.2.C

110.23.b.2.C

110.24.b.2.C

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 316 from All Write

Using Context

Point out that using context—a word’s use in a sentence—is what the student did to define the word eject. Then review the four ways to use context listed on page 316. Provide additional sentences for each type of context clue. Here are a few sentences to use:

  • Malnutrition is a common problem with some elderly people, but poor nutrition is not their own health problem. (Poor nutrition is a synonym.)
  • Jay’s excuse seemed credible to his mother but unbelievable to his father. (Unbelievable is an antonym.)
  • My grandmother suffers from hydrophobia, which is a fear of water, so she never learned to swim. (A fear of water is a definition)
  • The picnic table include a tray of sliced apples, pears, and kiwis. (The series suggests that they are all fruits.)

Also have students find and share other sentences containing context clues that help the reader understand a new word.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.2.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.5.b

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
21st Century Skills:
Building Vocabulary

Page 317 from All Write

Using a Thesaurus

Ask for a volunteer to read aloud the first part of page 317 (up to “Finding the Best Word”). Then discuss the rest of the page, which shows students how to find a more effective substitute for the word laugh. Then, if possible, have students review an example of a print and/or online thesaurus. Model how the resource works before students use it on their own.

Sentences that contain words like good, nice, small, big, happy, etc. are good for students to work with.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.2.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.5.e

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
21st Century Skills:
Building Vocabulary

Page 318 from All Write

Using a Dictionary

The next two pages explore using a dictionary. Page 318 identifies the types of information found on a typical dictionary page and page 319 shows an actual page. Carefully review and discuss these pages. Point out that most dictionaries include synonyms for many of the entries and, in this way, function as a thesaurus. Then, if possible, have students review an example of a classroom and/or online dictionary. Give students many opportunities to use dictionaries to study and learn words, perhaps by asking them a series of questions about the information on a page in the dictionary. Example questions:

  • What is the part of speech for the word lacrosse?
  • What is the first and second definition for the word ladder?
  • What is an antonym for the word lack?
  • What is the plural form of the word lady?
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.2.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.5.e

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
21st Century Skills:
Building Vocabulary

Page 320 from All Write

Keeping a Personal Dictionary

If you instruct your students to keep a personal dictionary, consider giving them a minimum number of words to add each week. They can compile their dictionaries on note cards, in their classroom notebooks, or on an online file.  Model creating an entry to a new word; then have students do the same on their own. Encourage students to use a few new words in their daily journal or learning log.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.L.3.6
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.2
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.5.c

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
21st Century Skills:
Building Vocabulary

Page 321 from All Write

Studying New Words

Display the four words below. Then have a volunteer pronounce each word and identify its main parts. For example, nonfat consists of non + fat.

  • nonfat           non + fat
  • underage      under + age
  • careless        care + less
  • fitness           fit + ness

For each of the four words, have a volunteer explain the meaning of each word part and the word as a whole. Ask what this activity shows: that knowing the meaning of word parts can help you understand new, longer words. Then read and discuss “Word Parts.” Have students identify the prefixes, suffixes, and roots in the four words above.

Next, read “Word Families” on page 321. Ask students if they can think of other words built around the base word trust. Examples: trusting, distrust, distrustful, trusted, antitrust. Pick another base such as like or harm and as a class brainstorm for words that contain the base word.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.2.C
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.3, LA 6.1.5.a

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
21st Century Skills:
Building Vocabulary

Page 322 from All Write

Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

The next eight pages serve as a glossary of common prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Each entry includes a definition of the word part and one or more example words that include the part. Review these pages with students and encourage them to turn here whenever they have a question about a particular prefix, suffix, or root.

As a regular classroom activity, assign four word parts each week. Assign students one part daily at the beginning of class. Have them write the word part, define it, give a sample word using it, and write a sentence using that word. Also have them brainstorm for other words that the include the word part. At the end of the week, display a chart like the one that follows, containing prefixes, suffixes, and roots that have been studied during the past week, combined with a few word parts from previous weeks. Give students five minutes to combine these word parts into as many words as possible. Discuss these new words.

auto   ion
  flex  
re   ing
  graph  
in   ible


 

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.L.3.4
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.2.C
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.3, LA 6.1.5.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
21st Century Skills:
Building Vocabulary