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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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Introduce Vocabulary: For You are a Kenyan Child (Chunnane)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Discover that Kenyan children aren't much different from your young scholars as they read Kelly Cunnane's story For You are a Kenyan Child. This story is an excellent resource for vocabulary in context, and introduces new words...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin Goes to School (Bourgeois)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Join Franklin the turtle at school as youngsters learn new vocabulary in the context of Paulette Bourgeois' story (or apply this strategy to any book). Scholars are acquainted with new words before reading and raise hands when...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin's New Friend (Bourgeois)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Franklin the turtle makes a new friend as youngsters learn vocabulary in context using Paulette Bourgeois' story (tip: this strategy can be applied to any book). Brief kids on the new words so they can raise their hands when they...
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Introduce Vocabulary: From Tadpole to Frog (Pfeffer)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Take an amphibious journey with budding readers as you explore vocabulary in Wendy Pfeffer's informative book From Tadpole to Frog. This text is the backdrop of a vocabulary exercise based on six words: fertilize,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Giggle, Giggle, Quack (Cronin)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Farmer Brown has his hands full with a tricky duck in Norah Cronin's book Giggle, Giggle, Quack, the context of this vocabulary study. This text is available on YouTube if you can't find it. Before reading, introduce the high level...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Happy Birthday, Moon (Asch)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Can you wish the moon a happy birthday? Beginning readers contemplate this as they listen to Frank Asch's book Happy Birthday, Moon, the context for a vocabulary study. There are three words outlined here: chat,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? (Yolen)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Dinosaurs don't go to school...but what if they did? Use Jane Yolen's book How Do Dinosaurs Go To School to explore vocabulary in context. Find this on YouTube if you don't have the text on hand. These in-text words give some...
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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....
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Introduce Vocabulary: How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? (Yolen and Teague)

For Teachers K - 3rd
If you are reading Jane Yolen's fun story How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, use these strategies to enhance the experience for budding readers. What new words will they learn? Find detailed comprehension questions for these...
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Introduce Vocabulary: I Am Planet Earth (Marzollo)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Explore the world's beauty with Jean Marzollo's colorful book I Am Planet Earth, the context of a vocabulary study focused on the following in-text words: globe, jungle, paddy, planet, and valley. Discuss the...
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Introduce Vocabulary: I Hate To Be Sick (Bermiss)

For Teachers K - 3rd
No one likes being sick; use Aamir Bermiss' book I Hate To Be Sick as the context for a vocabulary study of illness-related words. Acquaint pupils with this unhealthy vocabulary (dizzy, faint, fever,...
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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....
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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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Introduce Vocabulary: Jonathan and His Mommy (Smalls)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Go on a walking adventure through Irene Smalls' touching book Jonathan and His Mommy, an excellent resource to practice vocabulary in context. Go over the walking-themed terms (humongous, pace, leap, and zigzag)...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Julius, the Baby of the World (Henkes)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Lilly is jealous when her new little brother is born; explore vocabulary in context through Kenvin Kenkes' story Julius the Baby of the World. Suggested words for this text are: constantly, disguise, disgusting,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Kindergarten Count to 100 (Rogers)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Combine counting and vocabulary in context using Jacqueline Rogers' Kindergarten Count to 100. Suggested words for this text are: first, fountain, salute, second, and third. By introducing the terms before reading the text,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: My Chinatown: One Year in Poems (Mak)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Beautiful illustrations and tender memories of cultural identity make Kam Mak's story My Chinatown an ideal resource for budding readers learning four vocabulary words in context: fortune, scraps,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Night Shift Daddy (Spinelli)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Do any of your budding readers have parents who work the night shift? Eileen Spinelli's book Night Shift Daddy, which can be found on YouTube if you don't have it, examines this family dynamic in a positive light and is an...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story (Peters)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Lisa Peters presents macroevolution as a large-scale family tree in her book Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story. She suggests the process from single-celled organisms to modern-day humans, and learners explore new vocabulary...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Over in the Meadow (Keats)

For Teachers K - 3rd
If you're reading the classic story Over in the Meadow, consider this strategy to cover vocabulary in context with budding readers. After a brief introduction, listeners raise a hand when they hear each word (bask,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship (Hatkoff & Kahumbu)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The heartfelt true story of Owen the hippopotamus and Mzee the 133-year-old tortoise will have budding readers engaged as they practice vocabulary in the context of Isabella Hatkoff's nonfiction story. Although you could include more,...
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Introduce Vocabulary: Pinkalicious (Kann)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Although the title of Elizabeth Kann's story Pinkalicious isn't a real word, the book is an excellent way to explore some new vocabulary in context: acute, mushy, rare, steady, and surrounded. Find the...
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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,...