Bringing Words to Life Building Academic Vocabulary While

Bringing Words to Life: Building Academic Vocabulary While Leveling the Playing Field for All Students Elementary Science Summer Camp Vocabulary Presentation

LEARNING GOALS Participants will develop a basic understanding of the following: • Academic vocabulary instruction must help students: üdevelop an initial understanding of terms, and üstore understanding in permanent memory. • Building background knowledge can enhance students’ learning and their capacity to learn. • Specific strategies that can be used in all content areas.

Think-Pair-Share The Best Way to Teach Vocabulary Is …

Carving is appropriate for most green and blue slopes and even some black slopes. However, if you try to carve through moguls, especially in packed powder or corn snow, you are going to face-plant.

Building Background Knowledge at School Direct Approach: Indirect Approach: -mentoring -wide reading -field trips** -direct instruction -Internet Academic Vocabulary From Building Academic Vocabulary by Marzano, R. J. & D. J. Pickering.

The Research n n n Confirms the relationship between background knowledge and student achievement. Students who have a great deal of background knowledge are more likely to learn new information readily. Research shows that vocabulary is correlated to background knowledge and linked to academic achievement.

Leveling the Playing Field Our students come with different levels of background knowledge. What steps can we take to build academic language and help level the playing field?

Six-Steps for Teaching New Terms First 3 steps – introduce and develop initial understanding. Last 3 steps – shape and sharpen understanding.

Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term Suggest synonyms Compare Examples and Non-examples Use Analogies Shape or design words to give meaning and description ELL Support: Add a non-linguistic representation, word map, or cognate strategy First 3 steps – introduce and develop initial understanding.

Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words. The Academic Notebook or Journal ELL Students: Encourage students to use their native lang. . First 3 steps – introduce and develop initial understanding.

Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phrase. ELL Support: Encourage students to come up with their own representation, not just the one provided by the teacher in Step 1. First 3 steps – introduce and develop initial understanding.

Step 4: Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks (journals). ELL Students: Highlight a pre-fix or suffix that might help them remember the meaning. List related words. Last 3 steps – shape and sharpen understanding.

Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another. ELL support: Allow students to discuss the new terms in their native language. Last 3 steps – shape and sharpen understanding.

Step 6: Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms. ELL support: Games are great for all students. Last 3 steps – shape and sharpen understanding.

Science… Pictures coupled with great hands -on lessons are worth a thousand words.

Provide descriptions, explanations, or examples of new terms in age appropriate language and pictures. Common Words Scientific Terms A push or pull force

Use interactive notebooks to construct meaning using student pictures, symbols, or graphics.

Play with new terms to add knowledge and build the student’s working vocabulary. Students use arrows to connect the words to real-life science.

Kagan Strategies Stand up! Hand up! Pair up! 1. Teacher says: “Stand up! Hand up! Pair up!” 2. Students stand up, put one hand in the air and keep it up until they have a partner who is not on their original team. 3. Teacher asks a question or uses vocabulary cards for each student. 4. Teacher provides think time. 5. Each partner shares the question or definition and gives their partner time to answer or think of the word. Partners take turns answering using timed method or given a teacher cue.

Play with Terms Mile-a-Minute n Classifying Terms n Pyramid n

Things Associated with the Water Cycle n n n n water vapor / vapor de agua evaporation/ evaporación condensation/ condensación precipitation / precipitación water cycle / ciclo del agua cloud / nube atmosphere / atmósfera

Things Associated with Ecosystems n n n n producers /productores consumers /consumidores herbivores /herbívoros carnivores /carnívoros omnivores /omnívoros scavengers /come-carroña decomposers /putrefactores

Classify These Terms heat calor wire alambre Solar solar light luz light bulb bombila foca push empuje water vapor de agua cell pila circuito conductor force fuerza liquido

Vocabulary Terms & Phrases Reptiles/ Reptiles 200 POINTS Machines/ Plants/ Maquinas Plantas 100 POINTS Weather terms/ 100 POINTS Birds/ Terminos del tiempo Aves 50 POINTS Insects/ Insectos 50 POINTS

Reflection n Words are learned best…

Leveling the Playing Field… Now, what non-negotiables will you take back from this presentation for immediate implementation during Science Camp?