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Vocabulary Lists and Activities for the PreK-2 Classroom
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Vocabulary Lists and Activities for the PreK-2 Classroom
Integrating Vocabulary, Children’s Literature, and Think-Alouds to Enhance Literacy

  • Susan E. Israel - President and Director at Reading Alliance for Catholic Education


July 2008 | 144 pages | Corwin

"Israel offers an organized resource for teaching vocabulary and provides word lists, literature connections and extensions, journal prompts, and additional resources for teachers. The book's organization allows a teacher to pick and choose where to start and what to include."
—Anita Barnes, Literacy and Math Specialist
Second Street School, Frankfort, KY

"A valuable resource for teachers who want to increase their students' vocabulary."
—Gustava Cooper-Baker, Principal
Sanford B. Ladd Elementary School, Kansas City, MO

Engage young children with this creative and strategic approach for building early literacy skills!

Helping PreK and primary-grade educators improve young students' oral language and build strong reading and writing skills, this practical resource is the ideal tool for planning literacy instruction based on the National Reading Panel's recommendations for vocabulary development.

Unique in its thematic approach to developing students' vocabulary, this book provides word lists, literature selections, and teaching strategies for building young learners' vocabulary and comprehension skills. Based on original research conducted by Susan E. Israel and Edward B. Fry, the lists are comprised of words used frequently by children in their writing, as well as additional words to enhance learning. Each thematic chapter offers:

  • Literacy integrations for reading and writing in the classroom
  • Writing prompts to integrate with journal activities
  • Read-aloud suggestions from children's literature
  • Think-alouds to enhance vocabulary

Vocabulary Lists and Activities for the PreK–2 Classroom not only fills a gap in the field of reading and writing instruction but also provides a wealth of activities and vocabulary words organized around topics appropriate for primary students.


 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
About the Guest Contributor
 
Introduction: Vocabulary Words for Primary Grade Students
 
Part I. Vocabulary Voices I Hear: Development of Vocabulary Through Oral Language Literacy
 
1. School Success
#1: Back to School

 
#2: People I Know

 
#3: Kindness Counts

 
#4: My Favorites

 
#5: Classroom Jobs

 
#6: Understanding Directions

 
#7: School Themes

 
#8: Parent Volunteers

 
 
2. Oh, the Words We Know!
#9: Witty Words We Know From A-Z

 
#10: Words We Use When We Go Places

 
#11: Dr. Seuss Fun

 
#12: Name Games

 
#13: My Word Wall

 
#14: ABC Books Resource List

 
 
3. Phonics and Team Work
#15: What to Say Instead of "Sound It Out"

 
#16: Words With R-Controlled Vowels

 
#17: "H" Brothers

 
#18: Cow Words

 
 
Part II. Read to Me Words: Building Rich Vocabulary Through Storybooks and Other Print-Rich Materials
 
4. New Genres
#19: What Are You Thinking?

 
#20: Books With Lessons

 
#21: We Are Special

 
#22. Wired Words

 
#23: Words I Know Web

 
 
5. Informational Storybooks by T. Lee Williams
#24: Nonfiction for Everyone

 
#25: Cookbook Fun

 
#26: Bugs and Brains

 
#27: Factual Fun

 
#28: Cultural Curiosity

 
 
6. Celebrations
#29: Happy Birthday

 
#30: Celebrating the 100th Day

 
#31: Holidays

 
#32: Seasonal Fun

 
#33: Literacy Day

 
 
Part III. How I Use Words I Can Read: Developing Vocabulary Literacy Through Writing
 
7. Writer's Learning New Words
#34: Writer's World Words

 
#35: Ideas for Writing

 
#36: Writing Prompts

 
#37: Creative Writing Connections

 
#38. Vocabulary Word List From Israel and Fry's Research

 
#39: Writing Responses

 
#40: Books to Help Children With Writing

 
 
Resource A: Vocabulary Self-Assessment
 
Resource B: Readings About Vocabulary
 
Resource C: Web Sites for Teaching Phonics and Learning to Read
 
Resource D: Science Vocabulary and Web Sites to Increase Critical Thinking
 
Resource E: Poetry Learning Centers
 
Resource F: Home-School Connections
 
References
 
Children's Book References
 
Index

"Offers an organized resource for teaching vocabulary, and provides word lists, literature connections and extensions, journal prompts, and additional resources for teachers. The book's organization allows a teacher to pick and choose where to start and what to include."

Anita Barnes, Literacy and Math Specialist
Second Street School, Frankfort, KY

“A valuable resource for teachers who want to increase their students’ vocabulary. The author provides a guide for integrating vocabulary, writing, and other components of the writing process.”

Gustava Cooper-Baker, Principal
Sanford B. Ladd Elementary School, Kansas City, MO
Key features
  • Provides essential information about vocabulary development
  • Includes themed lists of student friendly classroom connected vocabulary
  • Infused throughout with tips and strategies for teaching vocabulary in primary grades

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Introduction