Building Vocabulary Strategies
Strategies to increase students’ vocabulary
Introducing Vocabulary
Students generate definitions in their words
Use Background Knowledge
Use Context Clues
Use pictures or other examples, if helpful
Only use dictionary to double check
Vocabulary List #13: The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Vocabulary Word
Part ofSpeech
Our Definition Connotation(+ or -)
puny adj.
wily adj.
fluttered verb
accustomed verb
accurate adj
Context Clues • On page 159, Grandma Sands says that Byron was so puny when he was born that everyone was
worried about him.• Mr. Robert says there aren’t many animals wilier or tougher than a raccoon. (163)• The narrator (Kenny) says the hands of the grown ups fluttered around the little girls who had been hurt
in the church bombing.
VOCABULARY #13: VOCABULARY #13: WATSON’SWATSON’S
wilywily (adj) (adj)
sneaky, scheming, cleversneaky, scheming, clever
VOCABULARY #13: VOCABULARY #13: WATSON’SWATSON’S
punypuny (adj) (adj)
Small, tiny, Small, tiny,
weak, wimpy weak, wimpy
VOCABULARY #13: VOCABULARY #13: WATSON’SWATSON’S
flutteredfluttered (verb) (verb)
Flapped real fast Flapped real fast
Vocabulary List #13: The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Vocabulary Homework Choices for
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
(Choose any of the following for vocabulary homework)
Meaningful Sentences (clues underlined!) Illustrations: with a caption for each word 3 synonyms for each word (besides what we used in our
definition) 2 examples for each word Vocabulary story using all 5 words
Meaningful Sentences
Definition: A meaningful sentence tells the reader something about a word and shows that the
writer understands the meaning of the word
Checking Strategy: Take the starred word out of the sentence. If you can
insert other words (within reason) in its place and the sentence still makes sense, it is not meaningful.
Box and Underline: Place a box around the starred word. Underline all the
words/phrases that tell something about the starred word.
Example Good example: Sally was acting
extremely hostile when she threatened to beat me up after school.
Bad Example: When I wake up in the morning I feel hostile
Frayer ModelDefinition: Everything that makes you who you are.
Characteristics: •style (dress, carry yourself) personalityappearance/looksbehaviorreligionhometownattitudejob
Examples:•New Yorker Construction WorkerRed Sox Fan studentT.I. stalker crossing guard/ mother/ daughterschizophrenic (many personalities)
Non-examples:paper carmarkerSuburban truckmoneyfood
identity
Concept Definition Map
Semantic Feature Analysis
Democrat Republican Former
Governor Former Vice-
President
2 Full Terms in Office
Still Living
L. B. Johnson –— –— –— –—
Nixon –— –— –— –—
Ford –— –— –—
Carter –— –— –—
Reagan –— –— –—
Bush (Sr.) –— –— –—
Clinton –— –—
Bush (Jr.) –— –— –—