Daily Vocabulary Scaffolding

Students cannot be expected to learn these terms the first time or even the second time they see the words. Daily vocabulary scaffolding is a good way to give all of your students the opportunity to really learn and understand science vocabulary. Students can make vocabulary flip cards with the definition on one side and the term on the other.

1 Daily vocabulary scaffolding is a good way to give all of your students the opportunity to really learn and understand science vocabulary. Many vocabulary terms in science are also concepts. Students cannot be expected to learn these terms the first time or even the second time they see the words. Constant practice, coupled with laboratory experience and other more tangible ways of experiencing science, is necessary for students to actually learn and absorb the meanings of the words and to enable students to remember their meanings for years to come. Transparency The Unit Transparency Book contains one transparency per chapter. All the vocabulary words for that chapter, along with their definitions, are listed by section. The definition falls under each vocabulary word in blue type; the blue type does not project when the transparency is on an overhead projector. You as the teacher can see the definition, but your students cannot. Cumulative Review The Transparency is meant to be used cumulatively. That is, when working on Section 1 of a chapter, you can cover up the words for the other sections and concentrate on only the first section. However, when you get to Section 2 and subsequent sections, you can use the words from previous sections. You will be reinforcing and reviewing the words of earlier sections every day. Using the Transparency You can use the transparency in several ways, and vary how you use it. 1. Pretest If you wish to pretest students knowledge of chapter vocabulary, use the transparency. Tell students to number their papers. Read a definition and ask them to write the word from the transparency that fits it (you can see the definitions; they cannot). Or read each word and ask students to define it. 2. Introducing Vocabulary Terms The transparency offers an easy tool for the introduction of vocabulary terms. Discussing the terms and their meanings before students encounter them in the text can help them tremendously in understanding and remembering their meanings. To give students a leg up on the words, do the following: a. Pronounce the words for students. Often students will recognize words they hear that they did not recognize in print. Discuss with students words that they already know. For example, barometer is a word that many will be familiar with but might not recognize on seeing the first time. b. Have students find words they know in other contexts. For example, most students know the word consumer but may not be familiar with its scientific definition. Discuss the meanings of the words they know and point out the similarities of their definitions to the scientific definitions. c. Point out word families. For example, you could point out the similarities between such words as atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere (all related by the word part sphere). SCIENCE TOOLKIT H1

2 d. Point out familiar word parts: prefixes, suffixes, and roots. For example, point out bio in biology, biosphere, and biodiversity. Once students understand that bio means life, they begin to understand part of the meanings of all words that start with bio. Point out words that are offshoots of the same root, such as prey, predator, and predation. 3. Daily Practice Begin each day with a quick vocabulary practice. With a paper, cover up any words on the transparency that students have not yet encountered in the chapter. Have students number their papers. Read the definitions of the words that are in the section you are working on, as well as those that they have learned previously. Have students write the term that fits each definition. As students become more familiar with the terms, they should write the definitions themselves. You can read the term and they can fill in the definition. 4. Chapter/Section Review You can use the transparency as a review of each section, and as a review of the chapter. Before students answer the Section Review questions, have them write the definitions of the vocabulary terms from that section. Use this transparency as a check on their understanding. In addition, as you use the Chapter Review page, keep the transparency on the overhead and have students define the words for each section. 5. Create Copymasters Page H5 is a blank copymaster that you can use for a daily practice without the overhead projector. You can write the definitions in one column, terms in the second column, and have students match them up for a quick practice at any time. You can hand these sheets out as students enter the room for a three-minute warmup; you can give them out at the end of the period for a quick quiz. You can also ask students to copy the terms and definitions to save yourself time. Add Variety All vocabulary practice does not need to be paper and pencil, or the same every day. The more often students use the words, the quicker they will learn them. Use some of the following ideas to help students practice vocabulary. A. Oral practice Administer the Daily Vocabulary Practice orally. Encourage students to define each term orally and give an example. B. Draw the word Throughout the student text, students are encouraged to sketch the meanings of terms that can be shown visually. You can ask them to draw pictures of any terms that lend themselves to sketches. Visual learners and kinesthetic learners may learn the meanings more easily by sketching terms. Some students may benefit from trying to illustrate some of the more abstract vocabulary terms. For example, the term earthquake could be illustrated with a simple fault diagram with circles emanating from a spot along the fault plane. A drawing of a road with a crack running across it would be another good way to illustrate earthquake. The more challenging it is to think of an illustration, the more likely the act of thinking of the illustration will help the meaning of the word stick in the student s memory. H2 SCIENCE TOOLKIT

3 C. Use graphic organizers The Pupil Edition offers a variety of graphic organizers as ways of having students learn vocabulary words. One is recommended on each Getting Ready page, and the Student Handbook contains instructions on how to fill them out. These are usually more effective than simply copying definitions, because students interact with the words and make them their own by using drawings, synonyms, categories, examples, and other connections. Tab Section B of this binder includes transparencies and examples of how to use these graphic organizers. You can use these transparencies to model the strategies for student, or you can photocopy the transparencies and give them to students to use as worksheets. Pages Strategy Description B1, B18 19 Word Triangle Triangle with definition at bottom, term used in a sentence in the middle, and a drawing of the term at the top B2, B20 21 Description Wheel Term in circle in middle with details about the term written on spokes emanating outward B3, B22 23 Four Square Term in middle of square divided into four sections: definition, characteristics, examples, nonexamples B4, B24 25 Magnet Word Term written on a magnet with other terms or phrases that are conceptually related on lines around it B5, B26 27 Frame Game Term framed on four sides by definitions, pictures, examples, formulas, or anything else that helps to elucidate the term D. Play Charades Set up game days and have students act out the words while their classmates guess the terms. This is very effective for a chapter review that offers a variety of terms. Again, it will help kinesthetic learners and also reinforce the meanings for both watchers and performers. E. Vocabulary Bee For a review of a number of terms, set up a vocabulary bee just as you would a spelling bee. Students form two or more teams. You read the vocabulary term and they define the word correctly. Incorrect definitions result in the student having to sit down; the last student standing is the winner. This is an effective way to review a whole unit. F. Science Dictionary You may want students to keep their own personal science dictionaries in which they write the meanings of each new vocabulary term and draw a picture of it if possible. They can also use the methods provided in the student edition, such as description wheels, four-square diagrams, frame games, magnet words, or word triangles. G. Science Word Wall You can devote part of your bulletin board for a science word wall. Have students put new terms and their definitions on the wall for the duration of a chapter. Encourage other students to draw pictures or use other graphics concerning each vocabulary term to add to the wall. This is especially effective way for low-level learners or English learners to reinforce their understanding of these terms. SCIENCE TOOLKIT H3

4 H. Vocabulary Flip Cards Students can make vocabulary flip cards with the definition on one side and the term on the other. They can test each other in pairs by having one student read the card and the other guess the definition, or they can work by themselves to review terms. Electronic versions of flip cards are available at ClassZone, McDougal Littell s interactive Web site. Have students go to ClassZone for Science, vocabulary flip cards. I. Science Text Game For an interactive classroom vocabulary game, make sure all students have their books. The object of the game is to have students find the term in the chapter where it is introduced and defined. Divide the class into two teams. When you read a word, students flip through their books to find the term (glossary not allowed). The student stands up next to his or her desk once he or she has found the term. Wait until one of the teams has two students standing. Then, call on the second person to find the term, not the first, in order to allow teams to operate as teams. If the student reads the term and definition correctly, his or her team gets a point. J. Vocabulary Bingo Distribute photocopies of page H6, which consists of a ninesquare bingo card. Write 12 to15 vocabulary terms on the board, and ask students to randomly fill in the squares on their game sheet. Read the definitions of the terms in a random order, and instruct students to place a paper marker on each square with a term that matches the definitions you are reading. When a student gets three in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, he or she calls bingo. However, the student needs to read the terms out loud and paraphrase their definitions in order to win. You can continue the game until a student gets a full card. K. Vocabulary Hangman Distribute photocopies of page H7, which consists of a template of four hangman games. Students play hangman with a partner using the vocabulary terms in a section or a chapter. Instruct students to draw blanks in the bottom of the square to show the number of letters in the term. L. Vocabulary Tracking Sheet The copymaster on page H8 is designed as a template that can be used in various ways. Students can fill in the Must Learn column with the vocabulary terms listed on the first page of the section. They can fill in the Should Already Know column with terms that they recognize from previous sections and that are used again the current section. In the Could Learn column, students can write additional words that are not listed as vocabulary but that are unfamiliar and would be potentially helpful to learn. For students who need more help, you can fill in the table and photocopy it for them. You might use the Could Learn column as a way to show students material that you plan to use for extra-credit on an exam. H4 SCIENCE TOOLKIT

5 DAILY VOCABULARY SCAFFOLDING Vocabulary Matching Match the vocabulary term with the correct meaning. Vocabulary Term Meaning 1. a. 2. b. 3. c. 4. d. 5. e. 6. f. 7. g. 8. h. 9. i. 10. j. SCIENCE TOOLKIT H5

6 DAILY VOCABULARY SCAFFOLDING Vocabulary Bingo H6 SCIENCE TOOLKIT

7 DAILY VOCABULARY SCAFFOLDING Vocabulary Hangman Guesses: Guesses: Term: Term: Guesses: Term: Guesses: Term: SCIENCE TOOLKIT H7

8 DAILY VOCABULARY SCAFFOLDING Vocabulary Tracking Sheet Section Number and Title: Pages: Must Learn Should Already Know Could Learn Section Number and Title: Pages: Must Learn Should Already Know Could Learn H8 SCIENCE TOOLKIT