Assessment: Recognizing Content Vocabulary and their Definitions
A Formal Assessment of a students knowledge of vocabulary and the definitions can be assessed by creating multiple-choice tests. This requires the students to match words with its proper definition.
Some strategies that can support using and memorizing vocabulary and the definitions can be seen below.
Vocabulary Development: Vocabulary Think Marks
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: This strategy allows students to listen for new vocabulary words, or if they are reading independently, they have a strategy to use in order to collect new and interesting vocabulary words.
Procedure: During shared and independent reading, ask the students to write down new and different vocabulary words that they might not know. Ask the students to find the definition to each word on their Think Mark, and ask them to write a new sentence using each word. (This works best with descriptive words as well!) When using this strategy while students are reading independently, the Think Mark can also serve as a book mark.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
As well as adapted from fifth grade Field Period.
*see appendix for Think Mark Printable
Vocabulary Development: Predict-O-Grams
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: This strategy helps students to predict the meaning of words before reading a story or novel.
Procedure: Educator prompts students with unfamiliar (new) words (they must be from the text) then the students must predict whether the words relate to the character, setting, or plot. Once the students make their prediction for each new word, they must write them in their chart with bolded headings for each character, setting, and plot. (For example: the student might predict that the word peculiar may be used to describe a character in the story.)
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
*see appendix for Predict-O-Grams Chart
Vocabulary Development: Possible Sentences
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: This strategy is used to preview new words from a story, concept book, or informational text, and to create new possible sentences with the new words and words that are already known.
Procedure: First, define and explain a handful of new words to the student. Then, give them words that they already know (that are connected to new words). Next, ask the students to write sentences using two to three new words and words they already know. (These sentences must make sense and be grammatically correct). The students should have a list of these new vocabulary words and the words that they already know.
This strategy can be used for all content areas, and also helps with sentence structure.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Vocabulary Development: Crossword Puzzles
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Students enjoy crossword puzzles; the purpose of this strategy is to allow students a fun and interactive way to learn new vocabulary words and their definitions.
Procedure: There are many online resources that allow educators to create crossword puzzles easily. As an educator, ask the student to find words that they think are important for them to learn and remember. Also, students can make their own cross word puzzles using graph paper. First identify similar letters in the vocabulary words in the crossword puzzle and then assemble the words in the crossword puzzle. When working with small groups, allow the students to make the puzzles for one another (so that it is a challenge for each student).
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
A Formal Assessment of a students knowledge of vocabulary and the definitions can be assessed by creating multiple-choice tests. This requires the students to match words with its proper definition.
Some strategies that can support using and memorizing vocabulary and the definitions can be seen below.
Vocabulary Development: Vocabulary Think Marks
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: This strategy allows students to listen for new vocabulary words, or if they are reading independently, they have a strategy to use in order to collect new and interesting vocabulary words.
Procedure: During shared and independent reading, ask the students to write down new and different vocabulary words that they might not know. Ask the students to find the definition to each word on their Think Mark, and ask them to write a new sentence using each word. (This works best with descriptive words as well!) When using this strategy while students are reading independently, the Think Mark can also serve as a book mark.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
As well as adapted from fifth grade Field Period.
*see appendix for Think Mark Printable
Vocabulary Development: Predict-O-Grams
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: This strategy helps students to predict the meaning of words before reading a story or novel.
Procedure: Educator prompts students with unfamiliar (new) words (they must be from the text) then the students must predict whether the words relate to the character, setting, or plot. Once the students make their prediction for each new word, they must write them in their chart with bolded headings for each character, setting, and plot. (For example: the student might predict that the word peculiar may be used to describe a character in the story.)
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
*see appendix for Predict-O-Grams Chart
Vocabulary Development: Possible Sentences
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: This strategy is used to preview new words from a story, concept book, or informational text, and to create new possible sentences with the new words and words that are already known.
Procedure: First, define and explain a handful of new words to the student. Then, give them words that they already know (that are connected to new words). Next, ask the students to write sentences using two to three new words and words they already know. (These sentences must make sense and be grammatically correct). The students should have a list of these new vocabulary words and the words that they already know.
This strategy can be used for all content areas, and also helps with sentence structure.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Vocabulary Development: Crossword Puzzles
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Students enjoy crossword puzzles; the purpose of this strategy is to allow students a fun and interactive way to learn new vocabulary words and their definitions.
Procedure: There are many online resources that allow educators to create crossword puzzles easily. As an educator, ask the student to find words that they think are important for them to learn and remember. Also, students can make their own cross word puzzles using graph paper. First identify similar letters in the vocabulary words in the crossword puzzle and then assemble the words in the crossword puzzle. When working with small groups, allow the students to make the puzzles for one another (so that it is a challenge for each student).
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.