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  • Ideas by Jivey

    Jivey shares ideas and lessons to make literacy accessible for all.

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    Vocabulary

    Enrich Students’ Reading, Writing, and Speaking Vocabulary

    April 6, 2018

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    Teachers are aware that understanding vocabulary is crucial to reading comprehension, but we want students to do more than just “know it when they read it.” We hope our students can adopt these words into their repertoire and improve their writing and speaking vocabulary as well.

    As I mentioned in this past post filled with research-based information, providing a list of words to look up in the dictionary is NOT sound vocabulary instruction. Multiple exposures to the words in context and their meanings, indirectly as well as intentionally, will help students truly understand how to use the new vocabulary.

    HOW CAN I EXPOSE MY STUDENTS TO NEW VOCABULARY?

    I think one of the most important words to note above when thinking about teaching vocabulary is “multiple.” Hearing the word in a mentor text and then talking about it isn’t enough for students to truly “learn” the word. Students must see, hear, and use the new words in many ways in order to really understand it. I shared some ideas of activities to make vocabulary stick in this past post, but I wanted to talk about a few more!

     

    PERSONAL REFERENCE RESOURCES

    One of the easiest and also most important ways to help students understand vocabulary is to relate those words to synonyms and antonyms that they already know. Students can make their own book of vocabulary words (use a composition notebook or even stapled paper) or a set of word cards, where they list synonyms and antonyms of vocabulary words you are learning in the classroom. This should always be a work in progress so that as they think of other related words (or learn them!), they can add it to their personal resource. This book or set of cards can be referenced when working on writing, like their own personal thesaurus!

     

    FLYSWATTER!

    This is a cheap and easy game to play with your students to review vocabulary (because remember, we want students to use and remember the words, not just talk about them for a week and move on to new words). All you need is a couple of cheap, plastic flyswatters (or you can use these amazing swatters Joanne found at Dollar Tree!) and some board space. Write vocabulary words all over the board. Split the class into two teams. Have one student from each team come up to the board. Begin giving clues to the students about one vocabulary word. When a student thinks they know the vocabulary word you are describing, he or she should “SWAT” the word on the board. (OR you could do this with your interactive word wall!) You could even have the “winner” of each round be the clue-giver!

     

    ASK AND ANSWER

    Don’t forget about those listening and speaking standards! This exercise is a great way to help students learn to listen to each other and practice using vocabulary words. If the vocabulary words are specific to a certain topic, this will work better because the students are not going to “stretch” to try to incorporate the words. Group your students with three or four students in each group (any more and they may not all get a chance to talk). One student begins the discussion by asking a question that incorporates a vocabulary word (and it can’t be, “What does demolish mean?” but rather, “What happens to a building when it is demolished?”) to the next student. That student should answer the question, taking as much time as needed to respond, and then ask the next student a question that incorporates another vocabulary word. The other students should nod or shake their head to indicate if they agree or disagree with the student answering the question. They may only speak out of turn if the student answering chooses to call on someone shaking their head to indicate that they disagree.

    For example, with a group of three students, Student A might start by asking, “What would a rabbit gnaw on?” (vocabulary word: gnaw)

    Student B could answer, “A rabbit would gnaw on carrots and grass. Some rabbits might gnaw on small pieces of wood, too.”

    Student A and C might be nodding their head, but then Student C shakes his head when Student B says rabbits gnaw on wood. Student B calls on Student C to discuss the disagreement. Student C says, “Rabbits don’t gnaw on wood. But beavers do.”

    Student B may then argue (and explain/teach!) that he owns a rabbit and his rabbit gnaws on wood because his teeth would keep growing if he didn’t. He could then ask Student C a question using a vocabulary word, and Student C would answer, then ask Student A a question with a vocabulary word.

    Your students will enjoy being able to have fairly open discussions, and they will get more practice with and exposure to those vocabulary words!

     

    ANALOGIES

    Analogies can be tricky to teach at first, but once students understand the setup and connections, it is really great for higher order thinking skills! Students will learn to apply logical reasoning and think critically in order to finish analogies. And of course, these exercises are going to strengthen their understanding of vocabulary. The most helpful tip when teaching students to solve analogies is to have them create a sentence with one side. This will help them think of how to “fill” the sentence with the other side of the analogy.

    For example:     dreadful : _______ : : frightful : pleasing

    Something that is frightful is scary and not pleasing…

    …so something that is dreadful is terrible and not _________.

    Ask students what word would represent something not dreadful or terrible. They might suggest lovely, happy, or wonderful.

    You can pick up the word cards and this analogies page that go along with the book, My School’s a Zoo!


    You can also get more vocabulary activities just like this for your favorite mentor texts in my TpT store!

     

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    by Jessica Ivey 

    About Jessica Ivey

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    Welcome!

    Welcome!

    Hi, I'm Jessica, also affectionately known as Jivey! I am passionate about making literacy accessible for all students using research-based strategies. Students learn best through content integration and in-context skills, and my goal is to help you deliver your instruction with these best practices!

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    Ideas By Jivey

    21 hours ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    😍Teachers LOVE using the paired texts I've written! 📖With original passages (differentiated for two reading levels) and multiple-choice & constructed response questions that require students to go back into the text for the answers (not basic-level comprehension), you are able to tackle rigorous reading standards while integrating social studies and science content into ELA to maximize much-needed time!Plus, bonus!! Students actually enjoy the passages' topics (no yawns through lessons)! 🚫😴Check out this set for Westward Expansion here! 👉https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Paired-Texts-Print-Digital-Westward-Expansion-Grades-4-6-1811055 ... See MoreSee Less

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    Ideas By Jivey

    2 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    Happy World Poetry Day!! 📖🖋️☕️Need a ready-to-teach close-reading poetry resource? Grab it here! www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Close-Reading-Poetry-Through-the-Year-Printable-Digital-2216146 ... See MoreSee Less

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    Ideas By Jivey

    3 days ago

    Ideas By Jivey
    🦎Here's another fantastic book you won't want to miss for Women's History Month on this Mentor Text Monday!🐉Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles by Patricia Valdez is the inspiring biography of the pioneering female scientist who loved reptiles.Get the resource I've made to go along with the book to have:★a mentor sentence lesson for the book★an interactive notebook activity to review/teach abstract nouns★eight reading ideas suggested with three activities provided: supporting an inference, key details and main idea, and vivid verbs★one writing idea suggested with a writing prompt given★contextual vocabulary activitiesGet it in the All-Access Mentor Text Membership: members.ideasbyjivey.com/all-accessGet the unit on TPT: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Joan-Procter-Dragon-Doctor-Mentor-Text-Digital-Print-Unit-802...Get the unit on Jivey's website: www.ideasbyjivey.com/product/joan-procter-dragon-doctor-mentor-text-digital-print-unit/ ... See MoreSee Less

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    😍Teachers LOVE using the paired texts I've writ 😍Teachers LOVE using the paired texts I've written! 

📖With original passages (differentiated for two reading levels) and multiple-choice & constructed response questions that require students to go back into the text for the answers (not basic-level comprehension), you are able to tackle rigorous reading standards while integrating social studies and science content into ELA to maximize much-needed time!

Plus, bonus!! Students actually enjoy the passages' topics (no yawns through lessons)! 🚫😴

Check out this set for Westward Expansion at the link in my profile!

#ideasbyjivey #fabulousfeedback #pairedtexts #pairedpassages #iteach456 #upperelementary #teacherspayteachers #teachersfollowteachers 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Paired-Texts-Print-Digital-Westward-Expansion-Grades-4-6-1811055
    Happy World Poetry Day!! 📖🖋️☕️ Need a Happy World Poetry Day!! 📖🖋️☕️

Need a ready-to-teach close-reading poetry resource? Grab it at the link in my profile! 

#worldpoetryday #worldpoetryday2023 #ideasbyjivey #teacherspayteachers #teachersfollowteachers #iteachtoo #iteach456 #poetryintheclassroom 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Close-Reading-Poetry-Through-the-Year-Printable-Digital-2216146
    🦎Here's another fantastic book you won't want t 🦎Here's another fantastic book you won't want to miss for #womenshistorymonth  on this #mentortextmonday!

🐉Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles by Patricia Valdez is the inspiring biography of the pioneering female scientist who loved reptiles.

Get the resource I've made to go along with the book to have:
★a mentor sentence lesson for the book

★an interactive notebook activity to review/teach abstract nouns

★eight reading ideas suggested with three activities provided: supporting an inference, key details and main idea, and vivid verbs

★one writing idea suggested with a writing prompt given

★contextual vocabulary activities

This is just one of over 150 books in the All-Access Mentor Text Membership! Join at the link in my profile! https://members.ideasbyjivey.com/all-access

#ideasbyjivey #picturebooks #mentortext #mentorsentence #teachersfollowteachers #iteach345
    When do YOU teach grammar? 🤓 📓If you're usi When do YOU teach grammar? 🤓

📓If you're using the #mentorsentences routine, I suggest beginning your writing time with it! You want grammar and language to be directly connected to their writing.

This also helps get students into a writing frame of mind, and often gives them a purpose for writing that day! ✏️

Read more about the mentor sentences routine at the link in my profile!

#ideasbyjivey #mentortexts #teacherspayteachers #upperelementary #grammarteacher

https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/routine
    🔍Research has proven that #vocabulary words mus 🔍Research has proven that #vocabulary words must be presented in context for proper comprehension.

📖That means... throw out the word lists for kids to look up in a dictionary and memorize the definition!!!

📚Picture books are vital – yes, even in the upper grades – to allow students to use the images to help with context and infer the meaning of words. One way to present vocabulary words effectively is to teach through texts you are already using for other lessons!

😍You can find over 150 weeks' worth of contextual vocabulary activities just like these in the All-Access Mentor Text Membership- link in profile!!

#ideasbyjivey #upperelementary #mentortexts #teachingvocabulary #teachersfollowteachers #iteach345 

https://members.ideasbyjivey.com/all-access
    🍀What book are you reading this week for St. Pa 🍀What book are you reading this week for St. Patrick's Day?

Fiona's Luck by Teresa Bateman is a fun one!

Need some last-minute activities?

You can find an entire unit for this #mentortext in Ideas by Jivey's All-Access Mentor Text Membership, as well as on TPT (link in profile)!

#stpatricksdayintheclassroom #ideasbyjivey
#mentorsentences #upperelementary
#teachersfollowteachers #teacherspayteachers
#iteach345

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fionas-Luck-St-Patricks-Day-Mentor-Text-Digital-Print-Leprechaun-Book-Unit-7821146
    I LOVE reading #fabulousfeedback from you all! 🤩 This one makes me especially happy because I know committing to a new routine like mentor sentences is a mindset shift, but I always hear such positive results once teachers do! ❤

Check out #mentorsentences on my website or my TPT store! www.ideasbyjivey.com

#ideasbyjivey #iteach #iteachtoo #mentortexts #grammarteacher #elementaryela #teacherspayteachers #teachersfollowteachers
    🍀🌈💰For today's #mentortextmonday, let's g 🍀🌈💰For today's #mentortextmonday, let's get excited for St. Patrick's Day this week! 

I have the perfect #picturebook: 🍀Fiona's Luck by Teresa Bateman. It's an original folktale with a little girl power mixed in!

Get the resource I've created for it and you'll have: 
🍀a mentor sentence lesson for the book

🍀an interactive notebook activity to review/teach figurative and literal language

🍀six reading ideas suggested with three activities provided: citing evidence, character analysis, and defining using context clues

🍀one writing idea suggested with a writing prompt given

🍀contextual vocabulary activities

🍀science integration - design a leprechaun trap with simple machines

You can find this unit in Ideas by Jivey's All-Access Mentor Text Membership, as well as on TPT (link in profile)! 

#stpatricksdayintheclassroom #ideasbyjivey #mentortext #mentorsentences #upperelementary #teachersfollowteachers #teacherspayteachers #iteach345

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fionas-Luck-St-Patricks-Day-Mentor-Text-Digital-Print-Leprechaun-Book-Unit-7821146
    🤔 So what's so special about using #mentorsente 🤔 So what's so special about using #mentorsentences instead of lectures and worksheets?

💡Engagement in the daily class discussions around language is what will give many students a “lightbulb moment” and help those skills transfer to writing. 

Holding these high-level conversations are when the students are going to learn the MOST. 🥳

Read more at the link in my profile! 

#ideasbyjivey #teachersfollowteachers #iteach345 #mentortexts #upperelementaryteacher #grammarteacher 

https://www.ideasbyjivey.com/routine
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