Vocabulary Study in a Second Grade Classroom

Andrea Edbauer
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
735 Adolescent Literacy: Programs and Practices
Dr. Joan Simmons
December 9, 2014

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Table of Contents

Identification of an Issue or Interest Pages 3-5

Review of Literature Pages 5-8

Plan of Action Pages 8-10

Implementation Pages 10-23

Observations Pages 24-27

Reflections Pages 27-28

Summary Report Page 28

Bibliography Page 29

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Identification of an Issue or Interest

One area of English Language Arts (ELA) instruction in which I would like to improve is

that of vocabulary. I am well aware of the importance of vocabulary instruction in elementary

classrooms, but I struggle with knowing how to teach it in an effective way. My district provides

Harcourt Storytown as a resource for teaching ELA. The vocabulary activities included in the

curriculum consist of worksheets in which students are completing activities such as matching

words with definitions, or writing down the meaning of words that are found in the story of the

week. I have used some of these activities in the past, but did not feel that my students were a)

enjoying the lessons, and b) retaining information learned.

I have also used the Literacy CAFE strategy (Boushey & Moser, 2009) for teaching

vocabulary instruction. Students are introduced to a variety of vocabulary strategies through

large- and small-group instruction. The strategies are posted on a “menu,” where students choose

and use them when appropriate. My concern with using only Literacy CAFE to teach vocabulary

is that my students may not be applying what they have learned when reading independently.

Perhaps some are, but I feel that most of them probably forget about the strategies once they

have been posted on the menu, until I refer to them in a later lesson.

Students in the Howard Suamico School District are required to take the NWEA MAP

test for reading every fall, winter, and spring. During the 2013-2014 school year, the strands on

the test included Literature, Informational Text, and Foundational Skills and Vocabulary. The

following table shows my students’ scores in all areas on the spring 2013-2014 MAP reading

test.

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 Not proficient Proficient or Advanced

Literature 7 15

Informational Text 7 15

Foundational Skills and 12 10

Vocabulary

According to this data, more than half of my class exited second grade with a vocabulary score

that was below grade level. This data helped me realized at the end of the 2013-2014 school year

that vocabulary instruction was an area where I needed to focus more attention.

The strands on the test changed slightly for the 2014-2015 school year. Instead of part of

the test focusing on Foundational Skills and Vocabulary, it now focuses on Vocabulary

Acquisition and Use. The following table shows my students’ scores in all areas of the fall

2014-2015 MAP Reading test.

Not proficient Proficient or Advanced

Literature 4 21

Informational Text 7 18

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 8 17

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Overall, I have a higher-performing class this year. (Most of my students scored above the spring

proficiency score on the fall test.) The table shows that Vocabulary Acquisition and Use is the

strand in which most students scored below grade level proficiency.

Based on the lack of quality instructional resources provided by my district, and student

MAP score data, I decided to focus my research on vocabulary instruction, so that I could

improve my students’ knowledge, use, and understanding of vocabulary strategies.

Review of Literature

According to Ruddell (2008), “Vocabulary knowledge has long been accepted as a

critical component of text comprehension and learning in all subject areas.” Most vocabulary

instruction in schools today is isolated, and not connected to students’ lives. Rather, it is often

memorized for a short period of time, and then forgotten. It is essential that vocabulary

instruction be connected across subject areas, assignments, and to students’ lives. Prereading

vocabulary strategies remove barriers that students may face when reading. Postreading

vocabulary strategies help students with long-term acquisition and use.

One strategy for teaching vocabulary is the CSSR approach (Ruddell, 2008). This

strategy consists of four steps that are in a sequence of descending probability of success:

● Step 1 - Context:​ Students look at how the word is being used in the sentence or

paragraph to determine meaning.

● Step 2 - Structure: ​Students look at the structure of the word (prefixes, suffixes, etc.) to

determine meaning.

● Step 3 - Sound: ​Students listen to the pronunciation of the word to determine meaning.

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 ● Step 4 - Reference: ​Students use some sort of reference, such as a dictionary, to look up

the meaning of the word.

Students should recognize that, although the surest method for determining meaning, using an

outside reference is most disruptive to their reading. They must understand that the goal of the

system is to spend the least amount of time possible determining meaning. The best way to teach

the CSSR approach is by telling students how to use it, demonstrating, and then giving them time

to practice.

Another approach to teaching vocabulary instruction is the Vocabulary Self-Collection

Strategy (VSS) (Ruddell, 2008). The goal of VSS is for students to develop long-term retention

of important content-area vocabulary, and increased interest and curiosity in words. Students

work in groups of two to five. After reading a selected text, each team nominates one word for

the class vocabulary list. Each group must state the following:

● Where the word was found, and the context in which it was used.

● The definition of the word.

● Why the word is important for the class to learn.

Teams take turns sharing their word with the class. The definition of the word can and should be

discussed. Students may wish to change the definition, or add more. When a final word list has

been determined, students record the words, and practice them throughout the week.

Another way to build vocabulary is by teaching Latin and Greek roots. According to

Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton (2011), studying Latin and Greek roots is important for the

following reasons:

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 ● Most of the more challenging multisyllabic words in English have origins in Latin and

Greek.

● Knowing a single Latin or Greek root or affix and help students understanding 20 or

more English words.

● Because Spanish is also Latin-based, Spanish-speaking students can make connections

between their native language and English.

● Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton also state that “Research in content area vocabulary

has demonstrated the effectiveness of teaching Greek and Latin word roots, especially for

struggling readers.” When students are engaged in structural word study, they can make

connections between familiar words and new vocabulary.

There has never been a scientifically-based study reporting which prefixes and suffixes

should be taught at which grade level, or a specific order in which they should be taught.

Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton (2011) developed a list that is based on the identification of

which roots and affixes elementary and secondary students would find most useful. According to

Diamond and Honig (2007), the prefixes un-, re-, dis-, and in- are the four most common, and

account for 97% of prefixes words in printed school English. The suffixes -ed, -ly, -ing, -s, and

-es account for 97% of suffixed words in printed school English.

In the article ​The Latin-Greek Connection: Building Vocabulary Through Morphological

Study,​ Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton (2011) suggest that elementary teachers focus on one

or two roots per week by teaching three to five ten-minute sessions. The article offers many

suggestions for instructional methods, three of which I will discuss.

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 One method is ​Divide and Conquer,​ which is intended for grades 1-5. The purpose of this

activity is for students to recognize the structure, sound, and meaning of a word. During the

lesson, students are given a list of words with the same prefix. Students identify the two basic

units of the word, and speculate about what it means. The word parts and definition are recorded

by students. Another instructional method is ​Word Spokes​, which is intended for grades 1-5.

During this activity, students are creating an anchor chart for reference. A prefix is written in the

center of a circle, with spokes coming out in all directions. In each spoke, the teacher writes a

word and its definition (all generated by students). Students then illustrate the word. The chart

should be posted and referred to throughout the week.

A third instructional method introduced in the article is ​Be the Bard,​ which is intended

for grades 3-5. This activity is based on the idea that William Shakespeare invented about 8% of

the words that he used. Students create their own words, based on their knowledge of affixes.

They must give a definition of their word, as well. When students are actively engaged in making

meaning of words, they are more likely to retain the meaning of the affixes.

Vocabulary instruction is an essential component of English Language Arts instruction. I

have discussed only a few research-based, highly-effective instructional approaches. It is

important that all vocabulary instruction contain integration, repetition, meaningful use, and

connectedness (Ruddell, 2008).

Plan of Action

I decided to use a combination of lesson ideas from ​Teaching Content Reading and

Writing ​and ​The Latin-Greek Connection: Building Vocabulary Through Morphological Study​ in

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my second grade classroom. ​This unit addressed the following Common Core Language

Standards:

● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4​ Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and

multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing

flexibly from an array of strategies.

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.A​ Use sentence-level context as a clue to the

meaning of a word or phrase.

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.B​ Determine the meaning of the new word formed

when a known prefix is added to a known word (e.g., ​happy/unhappy, tell/retell)​

○ CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.E​ Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both

print and digital, to determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases.

The following is an outline of the instructional methods that were used over a three-week period:

Week one:​ ​During the first week of implementation, I focused on the prefix re-.

● Monday:​ ​Divide and Conquer​ activity; Introduce Word Detective activity, which will be

practiced throughout the week.

● Tuesday:​ ​Word Spokes​ activity

● Wednesday: ​Be the Bard​ activity

● Thursday: ​Art project involving the prefix re-

Week two:​ ​During the second week of implementation, I used the CSSR strategy with a guided

reading group. I also used the VSS strategy with the entire class during a social studies lesson.

● Monday:​ Introduce CSSR strategy to one guided reading group.

● Wednesday: ​Meet with the same guided reading group to review and practice CSSR

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 ● Thursday: ​VSS lesson during social studies.

● Friday:​ Complete VSS lesson during social studies, and meet with guided reading group

to review and practice CSSR.

Week three:​ ​During the third week of implementation, I focused on the prefix un-.

● Monday:​ ​Divide and Conquer​ activity

● Tuesday:​ ​Word Spokes​ activity

● Wednesday: ​Be the Bard​ activity

● Thursday: ​Card game reviewing the use of the prefixes un- and re-

● Friday: ​Assessment on the prefixes un- and re-

I introduced CSSR to my highest reading group only. This group consists of six students who are

reading at Guided Reading Levels R-U. Because these students are reading at a much higher

level than their peers, they are often faced with difficult vocabulary words when reading. They

can usually decode the words, and will continue reading, without stopping to realize that they

don’t actually understand the meaning of the word(s) that they have just read.

Implementation

Week One

Monday: ​I chose to begin with the Divide and Conquer activity. Prior to Monday, I prepared a

handout (see page 12) that contained 10 words with the prefix re-: replay, rewrite, recycle, redo,

review, reread, remake, replant, resell, and repaint. I prompted students to look for word parts,

and modeled how to divide the words in component parts (prefix and root). I then prompted

students to determine what the word means by looking at the two parts. We worked through the

first seven together, and then I allowed them to complete the last 3 independently. Next, I guided

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students in drawing a conclusion about the meaning of the prefix re-. I emphasized the

importance of the prefix in determining the meaning of the word, and that adding the prefix

changes the meaning of the word.

I then introduced a Word Detective activity, which extended throughout the week. (This

activity was not mentioned in the article; rather, I came up with it on my own.) The purpose of

this activity was for students to realize that word study is not an isolated skill, and that knowing

the meaning of prefixes can help them determine the meaning of words they come across in

literature. For this activity, students were to write down words with the prefix re- in books that

they were reading. We discussed non-examples, such as ​really​ and ​ready​. Students determined

that they would know if re- was being used as a prefix by covering up “re.” If the rest of the

word was a real word when standing alone, then “re” was most likely being used as a prefix.

Throughout the week, students were very excited to find words with the prefix re- in their stories.

Every day I would empty out the jar, and we would read through the words together. There were

quite a few non-examples, which was a good opportunity to have a discussion about whether or

not the word could go on our poster. Students were even finding words at home, and bringing the

books in to share with the rest of the class.

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Name: ______________________________________________

1. replay = _____ + _________ ________________________

2. rewrite = _____ + _________ _______________________

3. recycle = _____ + _________ _______________________

4. redo = _____ + _________ _________________________

5. review = _____ + _________ ________________________

6. reread = _____ + _________ ________________________

7. remake = _____ + _________ _______________________

8. replant = _____ + _________ _______________________

9. resell = _____ + _________ ________________________

10. repaint = _____ + _________ _______________________

*** The prefix “re-” means: ____________________________

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Tuesday: ​On Tuesday I did the Word Spokes activity with the class. Prior to the lesson, I

prepared a poster board that contained the prefix re- with sections, or spokes, around the word. I

began the lesson by reviewing the prefix re- and its meaning (“back” or “again”). Students then

generated words that contained the prefix re-, and I wrote one word in each section. They were

also responsible for telling me the definition of the word. I then allowed them to buddy read,

while looking for words with the prefix re- to add to our Word Detectives poster. While they

were reading, I called pairs up to illustrate the words on our word spokes poster. The poster was

displayed, and referred to throughout the week.

Wednesday: ​The Be the Bard activity is intended for grades 3 to 5, but I decided to give it a try

with my 2nd graders, because it sounded like a lesson that they would really enjoy (and I was

right!). I began by reviewing the meaning of the prefix re-. I then modeled how to use the prefix

to created new words that weren’t actually real words. I showed them how to look the word up

on dictionary.com to see if it was a real word. They recorded their new words, and the

definitions. They really enjoyed this activity, and came up with some interesting words, such as

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“re-trick-or-treat.” Some of the words they wrote down were, in fact, real words. However, this I

wasn’t concerned about this, because they came up with the words on their own, and they wrote

down the correct definition of the word.

Thursday: ​I wanted to do something fun on our last day of the unit, and we hadn’t done a crafty

project in quite a while (which they love). I decided to have students choose a real word

containing the prefix re-, and write the word parts on two different mitten cutouts. Then they

glued the mittens to a piece of construction paper, and wrote the word and definition below.

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Their artwork is proudly displayed in the hallway outside our classroom for other classes to read

and learn from.

Week Two

CSSR: ​On Monday I introduced the CSSR strategy to my most advanced guided reading group.

As mentioned earlier, ​these students can usually decode most words when reading

independently. However, they often continue reading, without stopping to realize that they don’t

actually understand the meaning of a word that they have just read. My first goal was to help

these students recognize ​when​ they read a word that they did not know the meaning of. I did this

part of the lesson the previous week. I had them read ​The Great Kapok Tree​ and write down

words on a sticky note that confused them. When they came to the guided reading table on

Monday they already had a handful of unknown words to use try out CSSR.

I began by introducing CSSR, and explaining why it was an important strategy. We had a

discussion about why it was important to not only be able to read the words, but to understand

what they mean. All of the students in the group agreed that knowing the meaning of words in a

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text will help them understand the text. Next, I described each step in the process, and explained

that it is important to start with step one. I had introduced dictionaries to the class a few weeks

prior to our vocabulary unit, and many of them were on a dictionary kick. They wanted to use the

dictionaries for ​everything​! I discussed with the students that dictionaries will always help them

find the right definition, but it’s most disruptive to their reading.

Next, I asked students to find some of the words that they wrote down from ​The Great

Kapok Tree.​ Many of the students found the same words. We practiced going through the steps

of CSSR to determine the meaning of the words. Most of the time we were able to stop with step

one; looking at the context clue helped us determine the meaning right away. A few times we did

continue to steps 2 or 3 just to be sure our inference about the meaning was correct. We also

looked a few words up in the dictionary to verify that their inference of the definition was

correct.

I then assigned students a new picture book to read: ​Polar Bear Math: Learning About

Fractions from Klondike and Snow.​ They were to practice the CSSR strategy, and write down

any words that they used the strategy for. I provided each student with a reference sheet, which

was written in the form of a parent letter, so that families could support students at home (see

page 17).

I met with students on Wednesday and Friday of the second week, as well. During this

time, we reviewed the steps of CSSR, why it was important, and then practiced the strategy. By

Wednesday, all students could explain the steps of CSSR, without using their reference sheet.

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Dear Families,

Your child is working on a new vocabulary strategy called CSSR, which is a process for students
to follow when determining the meaning of a word. The steps of the process are in order
beginning with the highest probability of success. When your child is reading and comes across
a word that s/he does not know the meaning of, s/he should use the guide below:

Step 1: Consider the ​context

● When you are faced with an unknown word, your first step should be to look at the
context in which it is being used.
● Can you guess the meaning?
● Are there clues in the sentence or paragraph that can help?
● If the meaning of the word is still unclear, move on to step 2.

Step 2: Consider the ​Structure

● Look at parts of the word.
● Are there prefixes or roots that you know the meaning of?
● If the meaning of the word is still unclear, move on to step 3.

Step 3: ​Sound
● If you do not know how to pronounce the word, ask an adult to pronounce it for you.
● Hearing the word can sometimes help you figure out what it means.
● If the meaning of the word is still unclear, move on to step 4.

Step 4: Use ​Reference​ materials

● As a last resort, you can look the word up in a dictionary.
● Using a dictionary is the surest way to figure out what a word means, but using
reference materials is the most disruptive to your reading.

Please keep this reference handy, and assist your child in using the CSSR strategy when reading
at home.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Mrs. Edbauer

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VSS: ​I implemented the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy at the beginning of our social

studies unit on maps. The lesson consisted of two 30-minute class periods. I had two main

priorities in mind when searching for a text to use with this lesson:

1. I wanted the text to introduce students to the vocabulary that I thought was important for

them to know. I also did not want the definitions to be right on the page for students to

see, because part of VSS is that students are using context clues to determine meaning.

2. The text had to be at a grade 2 reading level.

I displayed and read the eBook ​Map Parts: Discover the Fascinating World of Maps,​ by Katie

Torpie, on the Smartboard. Prior to reading the book, I told students that they would be picking

out the words that they thought were important. I wanted them to have a purpose for listening as

I read. I then distributed copies of the book to students. They worked in groups of three to

complete an organizer (see page 19).

Once all students had chosen their words, we gathered at the carpet, and groups took

turns nominating their word, giving the definition, and explaining why it was important. I then

gave the rest of the class an opportunity to express their thoughts on the definition, prompting

them by asking: Would you like to change anything about the definition? Is there anything else

you want to add? Do you agree that this word is important to learn?

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Word: _______________________

Where did you find the word? (If possible, write down the sentence.)
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

What does this word mean?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

Why is this word important? Why should we learn it?

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

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Week Three

Monday:​ The first three days of week three were identical to the first three days of week one,

except that instead of studying the prefix re-, I introduced students to the prefix un-. On Monday

I introduced ten words that begin with un-: unreal, uneven, unfair, unload, unhook, unkind,

unsafe, unhappy, unlock, uncover (see page 21). Just as in week one, we worked through the first

few together, and then I let them complete the rest independently. I also shared that we would

continue the word detectives activity, but this time students were challenged to find words that

began with the prefix un-.

Tuesday:​ On Tuesday we completed the word spokes activity. Students generated the words and

definitions while I recorded them on the anchor chart. I had students illustrate the word meanings

throughout the week.

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Name: ______________________________________________

1. unreal = _____ + _________ _______________________

2. uneven = _____ + _________ _______________________

3. unfair = _____ + _________ ________________________

4. unload = _____ + _________ _______________________

5. unhook = _____ + _________ _______________________

6. unkind = _____ + _________ ________________________

7. unsafe = _____ + _________ _______________________

8. unhappy = _____ + _________ _____________________

9. unlock = _____ + _________ ________________________

10. uncover = _____ + _________ _______________________

*** The prefix “un-” means: ____________________________

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Wednesday: ​Students repeated the ​Be the Bard​ activity, this time creating words that contained

the prefix un-.

Thursday: ​On Thursday I wanted to do an activity that would involve some review of both

prefixes that students had learned. There are many fun review games that can be purchased and

printed online, but I chose to have students create their own card game. By creating it

themselves, they are more likely to be excited about the game, and to play it outside of the

classroom.

To create their card games, I gave each student 12 index cards. On one index card they

wrote the prefix re-, and on another they wrote the prefix un-. On five of the index cards they

wrote root words that could be paired with re- to make a real word. On the remaining five they

wrote root words that could be paired with un- to make a real word. To play, one player took the

re- card, and the other took the un-. Players took turns turning over the root words. If the word

they turned over could be combined with their chosen prefix to make a real word, they would

keep the card. The player with the most cards at the end of the game was the winner.

Friday:​ On Friday students took an assessment on the prefixes re- and un- (see page 23). The

main goal of the unit on prefixes was for students to use their knowledge of known prefixes to

determine the meaning of a word. The first part of the assessment tested this skill. The second

part of the assessment required students to list words that contain a given prefix. This skill set is

above and beyond what is required of second-graders, but since it was practiced in the unit, I

decided to assess the skill.

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Name: ___________________________________________________________

Write the definition of each word:

1. recount​: ​____________________________________________________

2. replay: ______________________________________________________

3. reteach: ____________________________________________________

4. unhappy: ____________________________________________________

5. unclean: ____________________________________________________

6. unorganized: _________________________________________________

Write 3 ​real​ words that have the prefix “re-”

1. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

Write 3 ​real​ words that have the prefix “un-”

1. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

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Observations

When completing the ​Divide and Conquer ​activity, students needed quite a bit of

direction in the beginning. They often tried to define a word by using it in a sentence. For

example, when I asked what ​uneven​ meant, one student said, “When something is uneven, like a

picture frame.” After I guided them through a few examples, they started to catch on, and were

able to complete the last few words successfully without my help. Most students were engaged

during the lesson, and enjoyed trying to infer the meaning of the words.

Students also seemed to enjoy the ​Word Spokes​ activity. They all wanted to add a word to

the poster, and were eager to suggest words that were not part of the ​Divide and Conquer ​activity

the day before. We verified all words were real by searching for them on dictionary.com.

Students also enjoyed illustrating the words. I will continue to do this activity whole-group,

because it allowed me to clear up misconceptions as students suggested and defined words.

The ​Be the Bard​ activity was a little more difficult for students. In week one I modeled

how to make up a word using the prefix re-, and then I let students try it out on their own. Some

groups struggled a bit with the activity. Some words that they wrote down were, in fact, real

words, and others just didn’t make sense. In week three I decided to do the first two with

students, so that they would hopefully have a better understanding of the directions. I think it

also helped that the activity was more familiar this time. Some students only created a few words

in week one, but in week three all pairs created at least 8 words.

When completing the mitten craft in week one, all students could successfully come up

with one word that used the prefix re-, split it apart, and write the definition. Some students

needed help with spelling. All students successfully completed the game-making activity in week

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three. Most students used the word spokes and/or word detectives charts as a reference when

writing down the 10 root words.

Students really enjoyed completing the word detectives activity. Some students found

more words than others, and almost every student participated. Many students found words at

home, and were excited to bring the books in to show us where they found the word. One student

even found ​reheat​ on a Pizza Hut box. When reading books to the class, I project them on the

Smartboard, using a document camera. During read aloud lessons, students have been pointing

out words that begin with re- and un-. They are even noticing the use of the prefixes when

speaking. For example, when I used the word ​repeat,​ one student exclaimed, “You just said

REpeat!”

We have also had some great class discussions on whether or not the words that we find

are actually using re- or un- as a prefix. For example, one student found the word ​university.​ As a

class, we had a discussion about how to pronounce the word, and students noticed that the ​un

was not being pronounced with a short ​u​ sound. Some students knew what the word meant, and

pointed out that it doesn’t mean “not iversity.” I pointed out that ​uni​ is actually a prefix that

means three, and ​university​ is considered the third level of education. The word detectives

activity lead to some very interesting discussions about syntax and using context clues.

Students scored very well on the prefix assessment. As mentioned earlier, the goal of the

unit was for students to be able to determine the meaning of the word by looking at known

prefixes. The first part of the assessment tested that skill, and all students were able to define

every word successfully. The bottom portion of the assessment asked students to list words that

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included a given prefix. Twelve out of 23 students did this part successfully. Nine students wrote

down words that were not real words.

Using the VSS lesson to begin our social studies unit on maps worked really well.

Students were excited to choose a word to nominate. Only two groups chose the same word, so

we ended up with seven words total. The most difficult part was when students were trying to

define the word. A few groups needed my help with this. Here are the words and definitions that

students wrote down:

● Legend:​ A legend is a key that has symbols to help you find stuff on a map.

● City:​ It is a big community where people live.

● Longitude: ​The imaginary lines that go up and down the earth. They help us see where

things are on a map.

● Latitude:​ The lines of latitude go around the earth west to east.

● Equator: An imaginary line that goes around the center of the earth. It is the warmest

place on earth.

● Compass rose: ​A compass rose is part of a map that is used to show the positions of

north, south, west, and east.

● Compass rose:​ It’s a part on the map that shows you the directions east, west, south, and

north.

● Projection maps:​ A projection map is an oval shaped map that has parts of Antarctica

cut out and also makes things look closer together or further apart than they really are.

Students in the advanced guided reading group had a strong understanding of the CSSR

strategy by the end of week two. This was evident by the fact that they were able to explain each

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step of the process. During our small group time, they were practicing the strategy with the

books that they were reading, and all students could successfully use the strategy.

Reflections

Now that students understand how to complete the activities used in this unit, I will

continue to use them again, and they should take less time to complete. I will also allow more

independent and partner work. For example, the next time I do the ​Divide and Conquer ​activity,

I will probably do the first two with students, and then allow them to work independently or with

a partner to complete the rest. I liked doing the ​Word Spokes​ activity as a whole group, and I

think I will continue to do it that way for now. It was a great opportunity for students to come up

with words that were different from the ones I provided on Monday. It also allowed me to clear

up any misconceptions.

I think the most difficult part of the prefix study is helping students identify when a word

is in fact a real word. They will hear a word like ​unresponsible​ and think “That’s a real word; it

means not responsible!” If they can justify what the word may mean, they think it is a real word.

Because of this, the ​Be the Bard​ activity was a bit challenging both weeks. However, I think

students will continue to improve as they participate in the activity more frequently. I am going

to keep the Word Detectives posters up, and continue to allow students to add words that contain

the prefixes re- and un-. I think this is a great way to keep them thinking about the use of

prefixes, and noticing them in literature.

I will continue to use VSS when introducing new science and social studies units. In the

past, I have always chosen the vocabulary words for my students. Since they chose the words for

the mapping unit themselves, they are referring to them more often. As we are completing other

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social studies lessons, I hear students saying things like, “That’s my group’s word!” I predict that

VSS will be particularly helpful when we study human body systems later this year. That unit

involves many difficult vocabulary words, and students often struggle to understand the words.

The CSSR guided reading group picked up on the use of the strategy much more quickly

than I had anticipated. I will continue to model and encourage students to use the strategy

throughout the year. I would eventually like to introduce CSSR to the whole class. Since this

guided reading group is doing so well understanding CSSR, I would like to use them as guides or

teachers in some way. It would be neat to have them help the rest of the class learn about CSSR,

and help support their classmates when using the strategy.

Summary Report

According to Ruddell (2008), vocabulary instruction must include connectedness, which

includes integration, repetition, and meaningful use. The lesson that were implemented

throughout this unit contained all of these elements. Word study became a part of our day. It was

not something we did at 2:45 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Students were engaged in

finding, analyzing, and using rich vocabulary during reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

They were applying their new learning to all subject areas. This was the first time in seven years

that my students have been truly excited about words. This type of passion and engagement is

what has been missing in my classroom as far as vocabulary study is concerned. When teachers

used highly-engaging, hands-on vocabulary activities that demonstrate connectedness, students

will retain and apply vocabulary strategies across the curriculum, and in their everyday lives.

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 Bibliography

Boushey, Gale and Moser, Joan. (2009). ​The CAFE book: Engaging all students in

daily literacy assessment & instruction​. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Diamond, L., Honig, B. (2000)​. ​Teaching reading sourcebook: Sourcebook for kindergarten

through eighth grade.​ Novato, CA: Academic Therapy.

Rasinski, T. V., Padak, N., Newton, J., & Newton, E. (2011). The latin-greek connection:

Building vocabulary through morphological study. ​The Reading Teacher,​ ​65(​ 2), 133-141.

Ruddell, M. (2008). ​Teaching content reading and writing​ (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &

Sons.

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