Archive : 2006 : July : 13

By ILuvKaliNJay

Before reading- "word detectives"- give each student a magnifying glass (just to make it fun), tell them the page # and the word and have them search for the word. After everyone has found the word, have them read the entire
sentence the word is in to try to figure out the meaning. This also helps with modeling how to use context clues. Another before reading idea is to introduce all of the vocab words, discuss meanings, and have students write a short prediction about the story using the vocab words. Guess the covered word is also a game kids like--Write out sentences using the vocab words in context

to the story, cover the vocab word and have the kids guess what the vocab word is.

After reading- "Hop to It"- make a grid using a shower curtain liner and tape down vocab words in different squares. Read a definition or a sentence(omitting the correct word) and have students hop on the correct vocab word. Or you could have students toss a bean bag and whatever word that it lands on have them use in a sentence or define. Another idea- tape a vocab word to students' backs. Have other students give clues about the word and try to have each student guess which word is on his/her back. "Swat it"- post vocab words written on cute bug shapes on the board. Read the definition or a sentence with the word omitted and have the student swat the correct word.

Hope some of these ideas help!