Using the Activities
In general the activities are appropriate for grades 3–6 and are scaffolded to build on basic reading skills. Some activities are more difficult than others and may not be appropriate for every student. However, there are many activities to choose from for each book, so matching your students’ abilities and interests should be easy. There are six kinds of activities in each workbook:
Create a Sentence. Using the target words from the reading, students write an original sentence that demonstrates their understanding of the word’s meaning. Then they draw a picture of the sentence. By displaying these student drawings in your classroom, you can positively reinforce learning of new vocabulary words.
Crossword Puzzle. Students solve clues to complete the puzzle of target words from the chapter reading. Having students think from definition to word (rather than word to definition) helps to improve retention of new vocabulary. Correct spelling is also an essential part of solving the crossword.
Define It. With dictionaries in hand, students practice looking up target vocabulary words that correspond to the chapter reading. They note the guide words given at the top of the dictionary pages, and write a definition of the word. Then students choose one of the target words from the list to use in a sentence and another word from the list to draw. Encourage students to refer again to the dictionary in order to complete these last two steps. Returning to the chapter to read the words in context, along with looking them up in the dictionary, will help students grasp the meaning of the words.
Take It Home. Students involve parents in their learning by reading target words and phrases to them while parents check their work. All the words and phrases in the activity correspond to the reading skills (e.g., consonant blends, suffixes, silent e) students are currently working on. Parents then help their children build comprehension skills in the activities that follow. Children refer to the chapter reading in order to fill in the blanks with target words, answer comprehension questions, and draw a picture of a scene from the reading. Be sure to send home the reproducible Take-It-Home Parent Guide before the first assignment so that parents know what to expect and how to help their children with the activity.
Word Search. This activity is yet another way to expose students to target vocabulary. Students have fun finding and circling target vocabulary words from the reading. Word Search may be especially challenging for some students with special learning needs. If this is the case, simply substitute it with another activity related to the chapter.
Write and Draw. A great way to explore shades of meaning, this activity can be used as either a starting point or wrap-up for classroom discussion about vocabulary words. Students use a target word in a sentence and write a synonym. Then they draw a picture that demonstrates the word’s meaning; for example, for the target word hot, students may write warm, then draw a campfire.
