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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Dolphin's First Day (Zoehfeld)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Travel out to sea as scholars learn vocabulary in context through Kathleen Zoehfeld's informational book Dolphin's First Day. Go over the new words scholars will hear before reading: approach, coast, expert, feeble, gaze, murky, propel,...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: It's Pumpkin Time (Hall)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Looking for a Halloween-themed vocabulary lesson? Study words in context using Zoe Hall's story It's Pumpkin Time, an excellent informational text for budding readers. The spooky suggested words are: buds, gather, hollow,...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Icky Bug Colors (Pallotta)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Get to know the bugs around us with emerging readers who use Jerry Pallotta's informative book Icky Bug Colors to learn vocabulary in context. Address terms before reading the text aloud, preparing kids to listen for them later. Here,...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: An Earthworm's Life (Himmelman)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Explore some tier-two vocabulary using John Himmelman's informational text An Earthworm's Life. Recommended words for this slimy text are: bulge, burrow, journey, soil, and underground. After introducing these words, help kids utilize...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: A Picture Book of Abe Lincoln (Adler)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The story of Abe Lincoln serves as the backdrop to this vocabulary-in-context activity as you read David Adler's A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln. Scholars learn these politically themed words before listening to you read the story...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Dinosaur Bones (Barner)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Dig into some prehistoric vocabulary in Bob Barner's informative book Dinosaur Bones. This works best if you introduce the primitive words before reading the story. These are the focus terms in the text: ancient, climate, extinct,...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Cross a Bridge (Hunter)

For Teachers K - 3rd
What does suspension mean? Learn this and other bridge-related vocabulary as scholars listen to Ryan Ann Hunter's nonfiction book, Cross a Bridge. This strategy can be applied to any book. Before reading, acquaint pupils with the new...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Clouds (Bauer)

For Teachers K - 3rd
What type of cloud is that? Explore meteorological vocabulary using Marion Bauer's book, Clouds (although these strategies could be used for any fiction or nonfiction text). Pre-teach the new words before reading the story aloud....
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Lesson Plan
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Introducing Vocabulary: Christopher Columbus (Weinberger)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The story of Christopher Columbus has fascinated young historians for centuries; use this vocabulary-in-context strategy to dive into Kimberly Weinberger's picture book about this classic explorer. Begin by introducing the new words:...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Reading Comprehension 7

For Students 8th - 11th
Use this reading comprehension assessment to prepare for a state test, or to assess your students' reading. After reading a four-paragraph passage, young learners answer seven questions on literary devices, tone, and author's purpose. An...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Clifford the Big Red Dog (Bridwell)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Clifford the Big Red Dog is here to introduce some new vocabulary terms in context to young readers. Although this activity is designed around Norman Bridwell's picture book, the strategies are applicable for any text. Introduce the new...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce: Comprehension Strategy: Comprehension Monitoring

For Teachers K - 3rd
Help readers develop awareness of comprehension issues and employ tools for better understanding. The best way to begin this strategy is to model it through a think aloud. Choose a book scholars will also be reading, preferably one they...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Alexander, Who Use to be Rich Last Sunday (Viorst)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Although this vocabulary-in-context activity is focused on Judith Viorst's book Alexander, Who Use to Be Rich Last Sunday, the strategy can be applied to any book budding learners read with you. First, introduce the three new words you...
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Lesson Plan
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Self-Monitoring Strategies and Vocabulary Games

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Middle and high schoolers identify how to discover a word's meaning by exploring context clues and any pictures, diagrams, photographs, and charts that might be included. They continue this process with other examples and locate one on...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Definitions by Context

For Students 7th - 8th Standards
Use this two-page resource either with your English language learners or your upper elementary native speakers. There are eight questions that test your learners' ability to use the context of a sentence to define an unknown word....
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Smoky Night (Bunting)

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Experience the Los Angeles Riots through the eyes of a child in Even Bunting's poignant story Smoky Night. Use this text as you teach vocabulary in context, using comprehension questions to help scholars make connections to outside...
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Lesson Plan
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Bread in a Bag

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Could the history of bread really be interesting? Yes, it could! An informational text gives scholars wheat production background from 8,000 years ago, discussing different types of bread and the current industry in Oklahoma. Learners...
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Organizer
Curated OER

Banco de Palabras de Contenido

For Students 10th - 12th
Grappling with words in context helps learners build vocabulary skills. As your Spanish class is reading new Spanish literature, have them complete this graphic organizer. They record new vocabulary words and use the context to define...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Red Riding Hood (Marshall)

For Teachers K - 2nd
It's the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood retold by James Marshall; scholars listen for six new words as you read: bouquet, charming, escort, horrid, tarry, and wicked. Introduce the words before reading so they can listen for...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Rap a Tap Tap (Dillon)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Explore the dancing prodigy and Depression-era African-American icon Bill Robinson as scholars learn new vocabulary words in context. As you read Leo Dillon's Rap a Tap Tap they listen for six new words: clatter, greet, passion, pause,...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: My School's a Zoo (Smith)

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Your classroom may feel like a zoo sometimes, but it's nothing like this! Stu Smith's book My School's a Zoo is an excellent way to introduce some fun vocabulary words in context, and it's available on YouTube in case you don't have it....
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin Goes to the Hospital (Bourgeois)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Franklin the turtle is on another adventure in Paulette Bourgeois' book Franklin Goes to the Hospital, and there are plenty of new words for your young readers to explore as they hear this story. Although you can include more, you'll...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: Puff, the Magic Dragon (Yarrow and Lipton)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Puff the Magic Dragon remains a childhood landmark for budding readers (and singers), but did you know it also makes an excellent vocabulary study? By focusing on several in-text words (in this case: billow, cease, fearless,...
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Lesson Plan
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Introduce Vocabulary: How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Priceman)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Ask budding readers, "How do you make an apple pie?" You may get many answers, but Marjorie Priceman takes the cake with her idea in How to Make an Apply Pie and See the World, an adventurous tale full of wonder and new vocabulary. Using...