TLED 408: Vocabulary Activity Assignment

Grade Level, Content Area, and Theme: 5th Grade Science; Earth’s History and Fossil
Evidence

Standards/Learning Objectives:

Science 5.7 The student will investigate and understand how Earth’s surface is constantly
changing. Key concepts include:
A. Identification of rock types
B. The rock cycle and how transformations between rocks occur
C. Earth history and fossil evidence
English 5.4 The student will expand vocabulary when reading
English 5.6 The student will demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction text

Vocabulary Words and Rationale:

The words below were chosen because of the importance of knowing their meaning to further
understand not only the content but also to understand the storyline of Cruisin’ the Fossil
Coastline. These vocabulary words also help students understand the process of how fossils are
made, where they can be found and the different types of fossils you can find along not only the
West Coast of the United States, but also the rest of the world.

1. Fossil
2. Paleontologist
3. Curator
4. Fossilization
5. Erosion
6. Sedimentary Rock
7. Extinct
8. Cast Fossil
9. Mold Fossil
10. Trace Fossil
11. Petrified Wood
12. Sap Amber

Introducing Vocabulary Activity: Knowledge Rating

Activity Overview & Rationale:

As an introduction to the vocabulary words, I will use the knowledge rating concept. I find this
concept beneficial because it allows me to see how much they remember from the 3rd grade
science SOL on fossils and Earth’s history. This also allows me to see if my students have prior
knowledge on the concepts that we will be going over while reading the text. Furthermore, this
can also show me which words we need to focus more on and which words the students will
need less help with.
Materials:

o Rate Your Fossil Knowledge Chart

o Writing Utensils

Sample

Instructional Steps:

1. Hand out a chart to each student

2. Give students about 15 to 20 minutes to completely fill out chart.
3. Give students another 15 to 20 minutes to go over definitions or descriptions they gave to
each vocabulary word. This step could give hints to students who initially were not
confident on if they knew the definition of a word or not.
4. Collect charts and establish which words need more focus than others.

Differentiation:

For struggling readers or English Language Learners, it would be beneficial to send home the list
of vocabulary words prior to the Introducing Vocabulary Activity. This would allow them to
gain some prior knowledge on the words, which allows them to spend less time struggling with
trying to create a description or definition. In addition to this, for students that may have less
mobility than others, the activity could be done on an electronic device that is approved by me.
Lastly, another way to differentiate this activity would be to allow students who struggle with
spelling or creating sentences to instead draw pictures in the Definition/Description box.
Teaching Vocabulary Activity: Vocabulary Four Square

Activity Overview & Rationale:

For the Teaching Vocabulary Activity, I chose the Vocabulary Four Square concept. I chose this
because I believe that completing these as a class or in small groups can help students better
understand definitions of each of these words. By being able to complete the Four Square as a
class or in small groups, they can use the ideas of their classmates or myself to help create a
working definition of the given vocabulary words. They could also use this chart as a way to
review the vocabulary words throughout the unit.

Materials:

o Fossil Knowledge Four Square Charts

o Writing Utensil

Sample

Instructional Steps:

1. Hand out a chart to each student and dictionaries to each student OR each group
2.
a. AS A CLASS
i. Ask for at least three volunteers to give their definition in their own words
and write them each down on the board. These working definitions can be
used individually or combined to create a working definition for students
who are unsure of how to define the given vocabulary words.
ii. Once a definition is written down by each student, have them complete the
Sentence Using the Word box on their own.
iii. Complete the Synonyms and Antonyms box asking volunteers to help.
Dictionaries would be used for this section.
 iv. Once synonyms and antonyms are filled out, have them complete the One
Word or Drawing to Help Remember Meaning box.
v. Follow above steps for each word. Can be done as the words pop up
throughout the literature.
b. IN SMALL GROUPS; give about 3-5 minutes for each box
i. Have the groups discuss each person’s definition of the given vocabulary
words. These working definitions can be used individually or combined to
create a working definition for students who are unsure of how to define
the given vocabulary words.
ii. Once a definition is written down by each student, have them complete the
Sentence Using the Word box on their own. During this, all students
should be quiet.
iii. Have the groups fill out the Synonyms and Antonyms box using the
dictionaries at their desks/tables.
iv. Once synonyms and antonyms are filled out, have them complete the One
Word or Drawing to Help Remember Meaning box. During this, all
students should be quiet.
v. Follow above steps for each word. Can be done as the words pop up
throughout the literature.

Differentiation:

For students that may have less mobility than others, the activity could be done on an electronic
device that is approved by me. Lastly, another way to differentiate this activity would be to allow
students who struggle with spelling or creating sentences to instead draw pictures in the bottom
left box.

Reinforcing Vocabulary Activity: Writing Activity

Activity Overview & Rationale:

For the Reinforcing Vocabulary Activity, the students will be creating a short 150 word or more
story that uses at least 6 of the vocabulary words. This allows them to be creative while also
forcing them to know how to use the vocabulary words in the right context. By giving them a
prompt, it can help guide them into a specific direction that would make it possible to use as
many vocabulary words as possible.

Materials:

o Writing Activity Prompt Sheet

o Writing Utensils
o Colored Pencils
 Sample

Instructional Steps:

1. Hand out a chart to each student.

2. Give loose leaf paper or computer paper to each student to allow them to complete this
assignment. Give around 45 minutes to complete the prompt. If additional time is needed,
let students complete during the next class period.
3. Collect completed prompts and grade on the vocabulary words being properly used. Do
not deduct points for misspellings.
*Ideally, this activity would be executed once the literature has been completed*

Differentiation:

For this activity, students that may have less mobility than others, the activity could be done on
an electronic device that is approved by me. The activity could also be done in the form of a
comic strip, which requires less words but would still need at least one sentence for each box
where a vocabulary word would be included. For those working on an electronic device, either
the paragraph form or comic strip form can be used.