Closing the Vocabulary Gap:Vocabulary Building Strategies in Action

Presented by:

Sandi YellenbergScience Coordinator

Santa Clara County Office of Educationsandra_yellenberg@sccoe.org

AgendaVocabularyPre-Planning Lesson

◦Front-loading some vocabulary◦Building Prior Knowledge◦Identify Content Standard(s)◦Identify Language Objective(s)

Agenda Teaching the lessonso Pre-assess for prior knowledgeo Teach Concepto Structure Recording in Notebooko Discuss Sentence Frameso Support Concept with Accessible Reading

Vocabulary knowledge is the single greatest contributor to reading comprehension and thus a strong predictor of overall academic achievement.

--Kate Kinsella, Isabel Beck, Robert Marzano, Doug Fisher, et. al.

Schools Often Have To Build Vocabulary With StudentsAverage child from a low-income family

hears about 3 million words a year vs. 11 million from a professional family (Hart & Risley, 1995)◦By age 4, the gap in words heard grows to 13 vs. 45 million

◦Children from a professional family spoke more words than parents in a low-income family

What is meant by academic vocabulary?Thank-Pair-Share:

Think (30 sec.)PairShareChoose partner “A” and “B”“A” shares (30 sec.)“B” shares (30 sec.)

Academic VocabularyThe language necessary to succeed in school. Academic Vocabulary falls into two major categories:

•content specific vocabulary• transportable vocabulary (words

that are used across the curriculum in multiple disciplines)

Vocabulary

To front load, or not to front load? That is the question.

And the answer is

It depends on the vocabulary.

Identify VocabularyDefined Tier I, II, & III words

Determine what to front-load

What is academic vocabulary?

Tier I Tier II Tier III

Some people call them brick and mortar words

As you’ll see, sometimes the mortar words can get messy.

Tier 1: The most basic words Survival English

Examples—tablehamburgerwalkdancehappyredhomework

These words tend to be simple nouns, verb, and adjectives.

These words should be front loaded before the lesson.

Tier 3: Low frequency words specific to a discipline

Examples—omnivoreCongress oxymoronsquare rootlongitudeigneous rock

Some people call these the brick wordsThese words should NOT be front loaded.

Tier 2: High frequency words found across a variety of disciplines

Examples—conductclassifymonitorinvestigatedeclarationharmonyanalyze element

Some people call these the mortar or functional mortar wordsIn science, these words CAN be front loaded.

Larry Bell’s 12 Power Words

Words that Help Students Take Tests•Trace•Analyze•Infer•Evaluate•Formulate•Describe

•Support•Explain•Summarize•Compare•Contrast•Predict

We teach too many Tier I words, not enough Tier 2 words, and we’re just about right-on with our teaching of Tier 3 words.

--Doug Fisher, “Secondary Literacy Conference Spring 2007”, Anaheim CA

What do you think Doug Fisher means?Do you agree or disagree?

Identify Vocabulary WordsTier I Tier II Tier III

light observe retina color conclude retinal cells eye predict white light white cones wavelength

rodscells- learned in previous lesson

Identify Vocabulary WordsTier I Tier II Tier III

light observe retina color conclude retinal cells eye predict white light white cones wavelength

rodscells- learned in previous lesson

= words can be front loaded

Front-load Appropriate VocabularyTier I Tier II Tier III

light observe retina color conclude retinal cells eye predict white light & white cones wavelength

rods learned in cells- learned in previous lesson

previous lesson

= words can be front loaded = words not normally front loaded – but previously taught

A Notetaking Guide to Facilitate Active Listening and Retention

Word Meaning Examples1. predict(pre*dict) (verb )Spanish: predecir

2. prediction(pre*dic*tion) noun)Spanish: predicción

affix-pre-before

1.To say that something will happen _______ it happens.

2. The fortune teller made a _________ about who I would marry.

1. The weatherman said, “I predict a _____day tomorrow.

2. Please make a careful prediction before you ________ what the winning lottery number will be.

Writing Task: I have a _________ about which team will win the World Series.

This Vocabulary Notebook strategy was developed by Kate Kinsella

Frayer ModelDefinition (in student’s own words)A living unit that can eat, and reproduce that can be a plant, animal, or joined together to make bigger plants and animals.

Facts/Characteristics Smallest part of living organ Can be a 1 celled plant or animal Has smaller parts inside it It can divide to make 2 new cells It can eat It can poop

Examples Muscle cell

Nonexamples

Blood cell Nerve cell

Cell

Upper Grade adaption of FrayerVocabulary

WordDefinition Examples Non-

examples / metaphors

Image / Icon

cellA single unit of life – plant or animal

MuscleBloodnerve

Cell phonePrison cell

Science NotebookA connection to real science researchers:Table of ContentsNumbered pagesEach page datedGlossary in the back

Science Notebooks 

Sample Science Notebookfrom

Using Vocabulary Strategies to Maximize Students’ Learning in

Science 

NSTA PresentationMarch 11, 2011

 

Table of ContentsVisible Light = white light 4Reflection . . . . . . . . . 6Refraction & rainbows . . .9How we see colors . . . . 12

 

Glossary cell - a living unit that can eat and reproduce can be animal or plant has organelles – like human organs

wavelength – the distance between 2 peaks or troughs  white light – light from the sun contains all the colors of the rainbow

Activate/ Build Prior Knowledge

Activate/ Build Prior KnowledgeAnticipatory Set1. Everyone sees any given color as

the same color as everyone else.

2. Seeing colors is caused by a chemical reaction.

3. Our eyes can adjust to what we see at the speed of light.

Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Chart

Word Rating What I Think This Word Means

Rating Scale: 4 = I can teach the word. 3 = I have some understanding. 2 = I have seen or heard it before.

1 = I have never seen or hear it before.

a part of the eye

This Vocabulary Notebook strategy was developed by Kate Kinsella

retina 3cone cellrod cell

Start with the Standard 7th grade – California State Standard 6.e.

Students know that white light is a mixture of many wavelengths (colors) and that retinal cells react differently to different wavelengths.

Simplify Standard to a Learning Objective /Learning Goal

Students will be able to explain how our eyes see colors.

Define a Language Objective Students will use at least 3 vocabulary words in their explanation of how people’s eyes see colors.

Kits for experiment's spinners available at RAFT ($4.00 for 20)

Thanks to the volunteers at RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching) for assembling this spinners for today.

www.raft.net

Materials Wall

InvestigateMake Preliminary Observations – in your

notebookPredictions – When you spin your disc, what

do you think you are going to see? – draw or write it in your notebook. - Sentence frames:I think I will see _______ .

When I spin my disc, I predict that I will see _____ .

Spin your Black & white top in your plate.

What do you see?

InvestigateConduct Investigation

◦Spin and draw what you see in notebooks (Record results)

◦When I spun my disc, I saw ________◦When I spun my disc, I observed _____◦Share results with an elbow partner.

Investigate

Teach concept to explain observations. Can be taught:◦From students inquiry and observations◦Through additional experimentation◦Through direct instruction

Learning & Language Objectives Students will be able to explain how our eyes see colors.

Students will use at least 3 vocabulary words in their explanation of how people’s eyes see colors

Vocabulary Cards cell

cone

retina

observed

predicted

concluded

white light

wave length

InvestigateExtend and deepen knowledge – posters around the rooms

Discourse Objective Scientific Language StructureMake Predictions I think ________ will _______ .

Based upon the evidence, I believe that ___________, is most likely to occur.

Discourse Objective Scientific Language StructureGive and Support Opinions I think ________ is _______ because of ______.

My hypothesis is supported by _________, __________, and _________.

Make Predictions I think_________ will ________. Based upon the evidence, I believe that _______ has a substantial probability of occurrence.

Draw Conclusions The ________ is ________ because____________.A logical conclusion of ___________ may be drawn from the experimental data.

Retell First, _______, next_______, and then _______.The main point is__________, and _________, _______, and ______ are key supporting points.

Station 1:1. Stare at the yellow dot in the middle of the flag for 20-30 seconds.2. Then look at a blank white paper, and blink your eyes.3. What do you see.4. Discuss what you think just happened in your eyes.5. Knowing what you do about how the eyes see color, please give your

hypothesis of an explanation for what you just experienced.6. Vocabulary to include:

• retina• cones

• cell• wavelength

• observation• conclusion

Primary Colors vs Secondary Colors

Activate/ Build Prior KnowledgeAnticipatory Set

1. Everyone sees colors the same way.

2. Seeing colors is caused by a chemical reaction.

3. Our eyes can adjust to what we see at the speed of light.

RememberProvide multiple opportunities to practice vocabulary using oral language

Provide time to process information OFTEN

Teach new concepts BEFORE having students read about them at an appropriate reading level for the student.

Questions?

Thanks for coming.Have a great rest of the conference!