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Vocabulary

QUICK Vocabulary Review & Practice Activities for Students (Handouts Included)

As I prepare my students for their semester exam that will include 80-100 vocabulary words, I feel the need to insert little vocabulary activities to...

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Vocabulary

Last Week of School Activity– 5 Pieces of Advice Using Vocabulary Words

So often we teachers impart advice to students, but they often do not get to do the same. Give your budding sages the opportunity to impart their...

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Vocabulary

Fun Vocabulary Activities for End of the School Year

As the school year comes to a close, I find myself on the struggle bus right alongside my students. While they are anxious for summer, I am anxious to...

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Vocabulary

Using Prezi in the Classroom to Teach Vocabulary, Grades 6–12

One of my favorite vocabulary activities is Present Vocabulary with Prezi. I quickly learned that combining technology with vocabulary instruction...

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Vocabulary

How Word Parts and Context Clues Strategies Can Help Students Become Better Test Takers

So often, teachers tell students to figure out what a word means based on its word parts or on surrounding context clues, but I rarely know how to...

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Vocabulary

2018 Olympic Activities for Students That Will Strengthen Vocabulary

Are you and your students excited for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games? The Winter Olympics are especially exciting for me because they take place when...

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Vocabulary

8 Strategies for Teaching ELL Students Vocabulary Words

I have been friends with each of the three English Language Learner (ELL) teachers that have served my district since I began teaching, but I...

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Vocabulary

8 Ways to Integrate Greek/Latin Roots into Vocabulary Routines

I often get asked about how best to teach Greek and Latin Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes. Today I will share ways I integrate teaching Greek/Latin Roots...

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Vocabulary

Help Struggling Readers Build Vocabulary; 10+ Printables to Get You Started

I love working with our district’s literacy coaches and reading specialists, and I have a special place in my heart for Ms. Long, the reading...

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Vocabulary

11 Vocabulary Homework Ideas And How To Motivate Students To Do It!

As a teacher, I try to concentrate students’ learning on activities done in class, because asking some students to complete work at home can be...

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Vocabulary

6 Things to Include in a Substitute Teacher Binder

One of the hardest things a teacher has to do is plan for a substitute. Likewise, one of the hardest jobs a person can have is to be a substitute...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Assessment and Inventory

One of the most important aspects of vocabulary instruction is vocabulary assessment. Without knowing how many words your students already know, and to...

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Vocabulary

14 Free Back-to-School Printables for Teachers

Although I have been working all summer long, the inevitable school year start date suddenly looms up before me, scary and overwhelming. To honor...

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Vocabulary

3 Vocabulary Activities to Use with In-Class Texts

I make it a priority to integrate vocabulary into every aspect of my English class. I really enjoy having students use their vocabulary to discuss the...

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Vocabulary

Compose Love Notes to Words with a Valentines Day Vocabulary Activity

Valentine’s Day is approaching and you know how much I LOVE words, so I thought it would be fun to compose valentines to vocabulary words!

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Vocabulary

How to Make Vocabulary Improvement and Instruction a Whole-School Endeavor

Students attend multiple classes every day and often don’t connect ideas or concepts from one class to another. By bringing students’ attention to...

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Vocabulary

Vocab Gal Top 10 Best of 2016

As 2016 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting over the best new ideas from the Vocab Gal blog. I love challenging myself to think critically about...

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Vocabulary

3rd Grade Vocabulary Worksheets, Printables, and Resources

Today I'm sharing 3rd grade vocabulary worksheets and printables that will make the word building process more exciting for students! These free...

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Vocabulary

Differentiated Vocabulary Assessment Handout

Now that we've all gotten through the crazy back-to-school season and have established our classroom routines, I thought I'd take the opportunity to...

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Vocabulary

Using Learning Centers to Enhance Vocabulary Instruction

I often find that students need variety and a short time frame to keep them focused on learning; therefore, I really love setting up vocabulary...

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Vocabulary

Setting Learning and Vocabulary Expectations in the Classroom

I am always really excited about learning and teaching vocabulary words, but my students aren’t always as exhilarated as I am. After seeing a poster in...

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Vocabulary

The Top 3 Ways to Integrate Vocabulary Into Your Classroom Routine

Many teachers tell me that they just don’t have time for vocabulary instruction on top of everything else they need to do in the classroom. Of course,...

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Vocabulary

5 Ways to Use Author Interviews to Enhance Vocabulary Instruction

I love how amazingly approachable and kind authors are, especially those who write for children, middle schoolers, and teens. I am lucky enough to...

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Vocabulary

Can I Get a Quick Review? Practice Vocabulary in 3 Steps!

With final exams in a few weeks I want to do a quick review every day with my students to remind them of all of the 180 words they must know for their...

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Vocabulary

Farewell Message to Seniors; 10 Ways to Succeed in College/Life

What time of year is it? Around my high school, the seniors will tell you it is time for them to leave! Yet each year, I never feel like I have...

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Vocabulary

“I ♥ Vocabulary”—Awards and Recognition for Students Using Vocabulary

Take the time to celebrate learning and provide awards and recognition for students so that they become exhilarated about their increasing lexicons!

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Vocabulary

What Works? How to Motivate Students to Read

Whether you are a librarian or an English teacher, figuring out how to motivate students to read can often be difficult. Here are my top tips for...

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Vocabulary

Persuasive Letter Writing Exercises for Grades 2–12

I can’t wait to present at NCTE 2015 so many educational rockstars including writing goddess Dr. Beverly Chin, grammar guru, Tiffany Rehbein, English...

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Vocabulary

5 Tips for Parent-Teacher Conferences

If there's one part of the school year that can give teachers bouts of anxiety– it's parent-teacher conference time. These tips for parent-teacher...

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Vocabulary

Teacher To-Do List for the New School Year

It’s back-to-school for teachers! I know that each year our school starts earlier, and each year I begin panicking about all the things I want to do in...

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Vocabulary

Student of the Week Vocabulary Activity for Grades 1–12

In the small town where I teach, the local paper runs a “Teen of the Week” article about a promising senior every Friday. I am often interviewed as to...

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Vocabulary

6th Grade Vocabulary Worksheets, Printables, and Resources

Today I'm sharing 6th grade vocabulary worksheets and printables that will make the word building process more exciting for students! As you prepare...

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Vocabulary

5th Grade Vocabulary Worksheets, Printables, and Resources

Today I'm sharing 5th grade vocabulary worksheets and printables that will make the word building process more exciting for students! As you prepare...

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Vocabulary

Summer Soundtrack Vocabulary Activity, Grades 6–12

I got to borrow my dad’s car for one week on vacation and listened to two Sirius radio channels - 90’s on 9 and Pop2K on 10. My son keeps asking me why...

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Vocabulary

4th Grade Vocabulary Worksheets, Printables, and Resources

Today I'm sharing 4th grade vocabulary worksheets and printables that will make the word building process more exciting for students! As you prepare...

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Vocabulary

2nd Grade Vocabulary Worksheets, Printables, and Resources

Today I'm sharing 2nd grade vocabulary worksheets and printables that will make the word building process more exciting for students! As you prepare...

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Vocabulary

A Fun Vocabulary Activity That Will Enhance Students' Social Media Summer Break

I was talking to seniors last weekend at a graduation party who remarked how excited they still get every time they hear a vocabulary word. Their...

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Vocabulary

Building Academic Vocabulary with Virtual Museum Tours, Grades 1–12

Sometimes the best place for students to learn is outside of the classroom. Unfortunately, it's not very often teachers get to take their class on a...

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Vocabulary

Amp up the fun! 6 Printable Classroom Vocabulary Games to Review Words

Its the time of year when keeping students engaged in learning is harder and harder to do. With lessons still needing to be taught, and vocabulary word...

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Vocabulary

Building Vocabulary Skills with a Paint Chips Printable Worksheet, Grades 3–12

I love looking at paint chip strips; each color’s name is so evocative of lovely ideas, foods and places that I always find myself wanting to decorate...

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Vocabulary

Genrifying Your Classroom Library

I love a great library, whether it it’s my school library or my classroom library, and I have found that the best way to get students the books they...

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Vocabulary

Top 3 Tips to Survive the First Week of School

School is back in session! At the beginning of the school year it’s easy to let yourself get overwhelmed with all the planning and prep. You’ve spent...

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Vocabulary

Back-to-School Icebreaker: Create a Name with Vocabulary Words, Grades 3–12

This simple back-to-school vocabulary activity is a great icebreaker and will get students immediately learning new vocabulary words. Also, this...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Strategies: Vocab Workshop Word Walls, Grades 1–6

I love word walls for the simple fact that they are amazing teaching tools. With them, both my students and I have a permanent reminder of vocabulary...

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Vocabulary

Back-to-School Icebreaker: Puzzle Together Your Vocabulary Words, Grades 1–12

Are you looking for a fun AND educational back-to-school icebreaker? With a few minor tweaks, Puzzle Together Your Vocabulary Words makes a great...

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Vocabulary

Back-To-School: Vocabulary Sheet of the Week, Grades 1–12

Every day, my students walk into my classroom and pull out their Vocabulary Sheet of the Week. They record the two vocabulary words that we review...

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Vocabulary

Fun with Synonyms: Guess That Word Vocabulary Card Game, Grades 3–8

When I play party games I always look for a way to tweak them for vocabulary instruction. Recently I updated the game card templates of one of my most...

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Vocabulary

Summer Learning: A Pinterest Board Vocabulary Activity, Grades 6–12

Trying to keep students engaged in learning throughout the summer is never an easy task. Summer learning not only requires students skip out on...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Land Game Board, Grades 4–12

It's no secret that I'm a fan of vocabulary games. So today I am exhilarated to share my latest vocabulary activity-it is a truly magnificent board...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Comic Strip Activity, Grades 2–12

I love reading comic strips; I especially love comic strips that include vocabulary words. I have cut out and posted several around my room, and...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Game: You’re on a Roll, Grades 3–12

Students love to play games and be social. Playing with dice gives students an opportunity to practice their vocabulary in an enjoyable way. The...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Think-Tac-Toe Activity, Grades 6–12

Today I’d like to share a great vocabulary activity entitled, Vocabulary Think-Tac-Toe. This vocabulary game gives students options in regards to their...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Game for Students: Row Races with Words, Grades 4–12

Row Races is a game that encourages students to use their vocabulary and creative writing skills. Divided into teams of four, students will use a Row...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Andrea Cremer

Andrea Cremer is among the amazing number of incredibly kind and talented young adult authors who have graciously allowed me to accost them for...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Lauren Oliver

Yes, I am a HUGE fan of Lauren Oliver ever since I read Before I Fall; it absolutely blew my mind. Essentially it is the story of a snotty...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Vocabulary Pumpkin Patch, Grades 1–12

Pumpkins-to me no vegetable has more connotations associated with it. Pumpkins remind me of Fall and Halloween and Thanksgiving and pumpkin pie and...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Creating Pinterest Vocabulary Boards, Grades 1–12

With the Pinterest Board Vocabulary Activity students draw or cut out images of things that will help them remember their vocabulary words! These...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Brandon Mull

Last spring, my favorite bookseller, Tami, at Fundamentals Bookstore in Delaware, Ohio, called to ask if I wanted to go to dinner with children’s...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Create a Name with Vocab

At this time of year I am desperate to learn students’ names and personalities, as I want students to feel that I value who they are as individuals. ...

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Vocabulary

Back-to-School Vocabulary Icebreaker: Breaking the Ice with Vocab, Grades 4–12

Is anyone else frantically planning, cleaning, or just stressing out as the school year looms over us? I was at a great workshop last week (Wexner...

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Vocabulary

Summer Vocabulary Learning: There's a Word for That Activity, Grades 6–12

I propose we keep great words at the front of our students' brains (and tongues) during summer break by participating in this fun and easy activity!...

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Vocabulary

Puzzle Together Your Words Vocabulary Activity, Grades 1–12

I asked my students this week how they best reviewed their vocabulary words. One of my students, grabbed some cardstock paper and started to draw,...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Bowdlerizing to Vocabularizing Poetic Texts

I love the word bowdlerize-not because I love censoring (to bowdlerize is to censor/expurgate materials), but because I love the story behind this...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: G. Neri

Greg Neri goes by the elusive “G” Neri as an author, but I feel pretty cool that I can now call him Greg. I think Greg’s books are outstanding, and...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Strategies: Using a Vocab Sheet of the Week, Grades 1–12

One of the vocabulary strategies I use to get my students to remember and practice vocabulary words is a Vocabulary Sheet of the Week. With this...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Feeling Lucky with Vocabulary Words

Just when I needed some inspiration for this week’s vocabulary activity, my amazing new friend Becky Amaral, who teaches sixth and seventh grade...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Libba Bray

I just love Libba Bray’s insightful analysis, quirky characters and her ability to write such diverse yet equally fantastic books!

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Vocabulary

Author Interview Recap: Vocab Gal (almost) Interviews President Obama

In honor of President’s Day earlier this week, I’d like to say that I have interviewed President Obama. Unfortunately, he is a bit hard to reach, but...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Create Your Own Award with Vocabulary

As promised, I mused over vocabulary activities involving awards after receiving approbation as a Best Teacher Blogger from We Are Teachers two weeks...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Matt de la Peña

Matt de la Peña comes from humble beginnings and has achieved a modicum of success that would make many authors a bit supercilious, but he remains ...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary In The Lyrics Activity – Exploring Words & Context Clues in Music

So often, we think that students will never voluntarily expand their vocabulary. We think it is only through our constant inundation of vocabulary in...

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Vocabulary

2012 Vocab Gal Blog in Review

It has been quite the exhilarating year as Vocab Gal. From the Vocabulary Relay Game in January to the Vocabulary Playlists in December, I’ve been...

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Vocabulary

Create A Vocab Playlist Vocabulary Activity, Grades 6–12

My students love music-they walk in to class with earphones in or t-shirts blazoned with their favorite bands. One day last week, I was reviewing...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Games: Banned Words, Grades 3–8

Yesterday I realized I could tweak one of my favorite games to play in college for classroom vocabulary instruction!

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Vocabulary

How to Use Author Interviews to Meet Common Core Standards

Since the beginning of the year, I have been showing my students the Vocab Gal videos where I interview young adult authors about their favorite words...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Words Make The Man

I’d like to think that words make the man, rather than clothes (I also want to say human rather than just man). When it came to making my own...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: James Dashner

My students are obsessing over James Dashner right now. If one of them picks up The Maze Runner, as soon as they finish, they must grab the sequel...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Veronica Roth

All of my students and I have been talking nonstop about the Divergent trilogy. The second book in the series, Insurgent, was recently released, and...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Practice: The Writing on the Classroom Walls

I will admit to being a high school English teacher with a word wall. Okay three word walls to be precise-one for each level of vocabulary I teach. I...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Laurie Halse Anderson

Seminal. Touchstone. Bellwether. These are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Laurie Halse Anderson; she is in my mind, the...

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Vocabulary

Summer Learning: Oranges to Oranges Vocabulary Game

I never tire of playing Oranges to Oranges, and as this post has been the most popular post to date on Vocab Gal, I think there are a few other...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: AS King and Jackie Morse Kessler

A.S. King and Jackie Morse Kessler are not only amazing authors, but also speak out against bullying. Plus, their books send an anti-bullying message...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Word Girl Skits, Grades 2–12

Inspired by the PBS show, Word Girl, I've created a vocabulary activity where students teach vocabulary words to each other by creating a performing...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Deborah Hopkinson

Deborah Hopkinson writes great children’s books! I was amazed by the vast number (over 40) of picture books and chapter books she has written.

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Allan Wolf

I want to bring Allan Wolf to my school-his energy and enthusiasm are catching. Not only is he is a great writer who can discuss all the books he’s...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Ned Vizzini

Ned Vizzini is a literary rockstar; his three books are HUGE! His first book, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, was just released as a movie, Be More Chill ...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: There’s a Word for That

I propose to get great words at the front of our and our students’ brains (and tongues) by participating in this fun and easy activity. The Word for...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Ally Condie

I was so excited when I learned that Ally Condie was coming to St. Louis, as I loved her book Matched and couldn’t wait to read its sequel, Crossed....

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Sara Zarr

Sara Zarr is AWESOME! I interviewed her in St. Louis and then saw her at NCTE and she was so cool-she introduced me to her husband, and we chatted...

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Vocabulary

Author Interview: Jarrett Krosoczka

Jarrett Krosoczka is awesome! His kid’s book Punk Farm and the sequel, Punk Farm on Tour, are hilarious (farm animals rocking beloved kid’s tunes) –and...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Activity: Branding with Vocabulary

Have you ever noticed how many vocabulary words are in brands? Every year, my kids will walk up to me with a blank CD, DVD or jump drive and say,...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Games: Memory With Words, Grades K–8

My friend Misty shared with me a game she created as part of her work in brain studies at Johns Hopkins –yes, she’s that awesome! I am grateful for...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Games: Celebrity Throw-Down with Vocabulary

I have been asking my students about their favorite celebrities lately-not because I want to keep up with Kim Kardashian or obsess over Kelly Osbourne,...

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Vocabulary

Vocabulary Practice: Improv + Vocabulary = Kinesthetic Vocab Vim!

I had grand aspirations of becoming an integral member of my college’s improv comedy troup[1] but I just cannot be funny so spontaneously and so...

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Vocabulary

Teaching Vocabulary: Quizzes with Multiple Purposes

One of my favorite activities is to combine a writing assignment with a vocabulary test. I get two to three grades with one “opportunity” and not...

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Vocabulary

Teaching Vocabulary– Getting Students to 'Reach for the Stars'

How can you motivate students to do extra work without extra credit? This has been the newest discussion question around the departmental coffee pot[1]

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