Vocabulary Development Strategies for Fourth Grade
1. Categorizing:
Description: This activity can ask students to name are many items as possible for each category.
Purpose: To help students connect known words to unknown words.
Directions: Have the students create a chart with a main heading, and then subheadings of the main topic under it. Once the students have created subheadings of the main heading, ask the students to list as many items as possible for each category.
An example of what categorizing may look like is:
Animals
Dogs Cats Monkeys
Saint Bernards Burmese Spider
Labs British Longhair Howler
Dalmaniations Persian Apes
2. Possible Sentences:
Description: An activity used to introduce students to new vocabulary words they may come across while reading.
Purpose: To preview new words from a story, concept book, or informational text.
Directions: List six or seven new words on the board, and list six or seven words the students already know on the board. Ask each student to write a sentence using one word from each list of words from the board. Have the students read the passage you have selected and have been previewing as a class. Once they've read the passage they've been previewing, ask the students to decide which of their sentences are "true" in regard to word usage. If the students have sentences that are incorrect, ask them to change the sentences so all of the information is correct.
Here is an example of possible sentences:
New Vocabulary Words Known Words
Cumulus Clouds
Stratus Rain
Cirrus Weather
Nimbostratus Thunder
Description: This activity can ask students to name are many items as possible for each category.
Purpose: To help students connect known words to unknown words.
Directions: Have the students create a chart with a main heading, and then subheadings of the main topic under it. Once the students have created subheadings of the main heading, ask the students to list as many items as possible for each category.
An example of what categorizing may look like is:
Animals
Dogs Cats Monkeys
Saint Bernards Burmese Spider
Labs British Longhair Howler
Dalmaniations Persian Apes
2. Possible Sentences:
Description: An activity used to introduce students to new vocabulary words they may come across while reading.
Purpose: To preview new words from a story, concept book, or informational text.
Directions: List six or seven new words on the board, and list six or seven words the students already know on the board. Ask each student to write a sentence using one word from each list of words from the board. Have the students read the passage you have selected and have been previewing as a class. Once they've read the passage they've been previewing, ask the students to decide which of their sentences are "true" in regard to word usage. If the students have sentences that are incorrect, ask them to change the sentences so all of the information is correct.
Here is an example of possible sentences:
New Vocabulary Words Known Words
Cumulus Clouds
Stratus Rain
Cirrus Weather
Nimbostratus Thunder