Making a Difference with Vocabulary

Mary Tweedy, Curriculum Support SpecialistKeisha Kidd, Curriculum Support SpecialistDr. Millard Lightburn, District Supervisor

Department of Mathematics and ScienceOffice of Academics and Transformation

ResearchElementary teachers’ use of language to label and interpret science concepts.

Study: Three teachers examined how vocabulary is used in science lessons.

Purpose: They explored vocabulary as an interpretive system and as a labeling system in the classroom.

Results: The data suggests that labeling is used more extensively than interpretation.

Application: Engaging students in inquiry lessons, interpretative language can help students understand the importance of scientific language and understand the process of science. (5 E’s Instructional Model)

Nicole J. Glen and Sharon Dotger. 2009. Journal ofElementary Science Education 21 (4): 71–83.

Research Conclusion

• Vocabulary knowledge plays a key role in text comprehension. Reference: Nagy and Scott, 2000

• Increases when students (not teachers) make connections between vocabulary terms. (5 E’s)

• Increases when students select their own vocabulary words.• Increases when students create their own images and

actions to represent word meanings. (5 E’s)• Increases when students use new vocabulary terms in

multiple ways (writing, talking, organizing, graphics, etc.) (5 E’s)

Reference: Blachowicz and Fisher, 2000

TraditionalVocabulary Strategies

• Traditional science lessons have often begun with teachers presenting students with science vocabulary words and asking them to write the words, find the definitions in a dictionary or the glossary of the textbook, match the words to definitions, or use the words in a sentence.

• In this traditional model of instruction, words are often presented in isolation and students are tested on the words alone, without application to concepts.

Effective Strategies for Teaching Science Vocabulary

• In order for students to develop scientific literacy, they need to gain a knowledge of science content and practice scientific habits of mind. This is impossible without knowledge of science vocabulary.

• The upcoming content shares research-based strategies for science vocabulary instruction that are effective for all students, including English language learners.

• Adapted from Sarah J. Carrier• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education

Time to Talk (Accountable Talk)

It is important to promote students’ dialogue as they have instructional conversations. (5 E’s - Explain)

Provide students with opportunities to brainstorm ideas about science and encourage them to wonder and talk about the natural world. (5 E’s – Elaborate)

For example, teachers can help students learn about the process of science classification. Provide students with sets of objects with varying features like buttons or dried beans and ask students to work in small groups and discuss properties for grouping the objects. When groups share their categories with each other, students have an opportunity to experience “science talk.”

Vocabulary Instruction for all Learners

Kinesthetic – Visual - Auditory

• Drawings, diagrams, pictures, songs, and video to support the spoken word Mr. Davies Water Cycle Video

• Written instructions on word cards or Whiteboard along with verbal instructions

• Set-up examples to supplement written lab instructions

• Audiotaped instructions alongside written directions

• Pictures with words in stages of lab procedures that students can sequence

lungs

Mix sand and water

pour

stir

Engage with a Song: Heart and Blood

Sung to “The Ants Go Marching One by One”

The heart is pumping blood for us,Hurrah, hurrah!The heart’s a muscle, fabulous,Hurrah, hurrah!The heart is pumping blood for us,It pumps all day without a fuss,And the blood goes roundBecause of our pumping heart!

The blood supplies us oxygen,Hurrah, hurrah!It’s what our body needs to run,Hurrah, hurrah!The blood supplies us oxygen,And that’s a need for everyone, And the blood goes roundBecause of our pumping heart!

Play Introducing the Human Heart: http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=CFAF0941-4C89-40F7-AAB1-B14255BF056F -

Reading Science Text Cards

• Text cards help students interact with words and their meanings. • Teachers can create science text cards by writing statements

about science concepts on index cards and/or using online sites: http://quizlet.com/

• Text Cards are available online: http://www.neok12.com/quiz/SEASON03

• Examples:

– True/false cards– Agree/disagree cards– Matching pairs– Sequencing– Classification

true

Word Lists / Word Banks

• Interactive Science Word Wall• Use the science words as much as possible (repetition). • Students can look at the written words as teachers use them during

class discussions, and teachers should encourage students to use the language of science in their verbal and written communication.

• Work with students to group words into categories.Examples:

• Procedure words: observe, compare, describe, measure, investigate, test, recognize, repeat, support

• Tools: balance, ruler, tape measure, meter stick, graduated cylinder, measuring cup

• Movement words: slide, travel, roll, slow down, speed up, accelerate, sink, float

Trial 1

Science-BasedWord Games

• Jeopardy• Hangman• Charades• Bingo• Scrabble• Trivial Pursuit• Pictionary• Twenty questions, Who am I? or What am I?• Online Games - For example: http://

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/podsmission/bones/annie02.shtml

• Breaking words down into smaller words. For example: – invertebrate — in, brat, tea, tear, rate, vertebrae…– photosynthesis –

sit, sin, thesis, photos…

Word Parts

Teachers can reinforce the structure of words as students identify and interpret prefix, suffix, base word and their meanings:

• photosynthesis — photo (light), synth (make), isis (process)

• metamorphosis — meta (large) morph (change) osis (process)

Multiple Meaning WordsMany words appear in both scientific vocabulary and in everyday speech, including:

• matter• volume• observe• variable• conductor• conservation• living• balance• receiver• communicate

Use vocabulary strategies to help students to identify the different meanings and applications of words with multiple meanings.

Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers can help to present words with a range of contextual information.

weather

rocks Changes

Most EffectiveVocabulary Strategies

• Time to talk (Accountable Talk)• Instructions for all learners (Kinesthetic – Visual – Auditory)

• Graphic Organizers• Word Games• Reading science text cards• Word Lists / Word Banks• Word Parts• Foldables (http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcat2/itemspecs.asp )

• 5 E’s (Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, & Extend)• Interactive Notebooks (IAN)

– Utilizes the above strategies.

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More Strategies• Vocabulary Maps• Concept of Definition Maps• Venn Diagram• Contextual Analysis• Frayer Model• Word Elaboration• Sentence and Word Expansion• On-line Glossaries -

https://mdcpsportal.dadeschools.net/employee/default.aspx

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Vocabulary in ActionSamples from Science and Children Magazine

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Vocabulary SamplesFRAYER MODEL WINDOWPANE EXAMPLE

Foldables

Grade 5 – Kinloch Park ES Gr. 5 Campbell Drive K – 8 Center

Bag-and-Tag Word Walls

Gr. 5 Campbell Drive K – 8 Center Science and Children Magazine

Vocabulary Samples

VOCABULARY MAP VENN DIAGRAM

Grade 5 – Kinloch Park ES

Vocabulary Samples

CLASSIFICATION FOLDABLE -CHARACTERISTICS

Grade 5 – Kinloch Park ES

Authentic Science Vocabulary Samples

HATS OFF TO SCIENCEBy Julie K. Jackson and Nancy Newell

Science and Children Magazine Nov. 2012

Students bring vocabulary to life by creating science-themed hats for a fifth-grade parade.

“Hats Off to Science” Planning Template

• My science vocabulary word is:

__________________

• This word means: _________________________________

• My decorating plan includes: _________________________________

• Materials that I will need: __________________________________

Hat Parade Samples

Hat Parade on Display

Department of Mathematics and Science

Questions ?.

Reflections

Next steps for me include …