By Judith A. Scott

Want to guarantee that students are learning rich vocabulary all day, everyday-and, by doing this, improving their reading and writing? In this lively, research-based book, based on successful classroom practice, the authors offer dozens of strategies, mini-lessons, units , and activities that increase students' exposure to and appreciation of sophisticated language. A sampling of the vocabulary-focused strategies and tools include:
• Using daily read alouds and think alouds during shared reading to gather powerful language from literature
• Organizing literature circles with one student serving as the ³word hunter²
• Engaging in whole class and small group lively games such as gift of words bingo and ricochet
• Using mentor texts as models for writing class books
• Appointing all students to be ³word catchers² and ³word coaches² for each other
• Establishing a classroom community where it is considered normal to ask about word meanings and experimenting with language
• Collecting and displaying words in the ³Bank of Powerful Language²
• Offering rubrics for word learning assessment In addition, the authors offer lively ways to enhance word consciousness by linking reading and writing through step-by-step units on poetry, memoir, stories, and research writing.

192 pages   7-3/8" x 9-1/4"
Grades 4-8