Vocabulary Word A Day Cards - Grades 3 - 4

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© Scholastic © Scholastic
0-439-50614-X Vocabulary Word-A-Day Cards! Grade 3-4
o c a b u l a r y
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VA - D a y Ca r d s !
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a Scholastic Company.
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Wo r d Complete list (answer key)

of all 158 words and
definitions is included! Guide!
The vocabulary we use is fundamental to communication and our ability to be understood. Increasing
a student’s vocabulary is essential in helping him or her to become confident in using the English lan-
guage to effectively speak, read and write. The Vocabulary Word-A-Day cards contained in this set
have been designed to help students’ knowledge and control of their language. As a student’s vocab-
ulary increases, his or her ability to communicate and comprehend the English language will be great-
ly improved.
The words in this set were chosen because they best represent the type of vocabulary third and fourth
graders will most certainly come across in their personal and school life. We have been careful to
include words that the children can easily find in their science, math and social studies curriculum as
well as any classroom dictionary. We also chose words that provided interesting, creative ideas to
motivate students in creative writing assignments.
S t e p s t o Vo c a b u l a r y P r a c t i c e !
The words can be used in any order. On any specific day, we suggest that you select a word that
may be included in your classroom curriculum or perhaps represents a topic you wish to discuss with
your students. For example: if it’s election time, you may choose the word candidate. If the class is
studying geography select the word continent. If you wish to emphasize a healthy classroom work
ethic choose the word dally or avoid. After you have selected your word for the day, follow these
simple steps to Vocabulary Practice!
1. Display the word on the board.

2. Discuss the word’s pronunciation and syllabication. Have students say the word orally.
3. Note the parts of speech represented by the word. (n. noun, v. verb, adv. adverb, adj. adjective)
4. Point out the “root” word and any prefixes or suffixes. Explain how these might change the
meaning of the “root” word.
5. Ask students to “educationally guess” the word’s meaning.
6. Display the definition and read each definition to the class. Show students how the definitions
change if the part of speech is changed. An example might be the word coast. As a noun it
means “the land near the shore.” As a verb it means “to slide, run or glide.”
7. Have each student write the word three times.
8. Ask students to look up the word in the class dictionary. Have them note any additional informa-
tion and record the page number on which they found the word.
9. Instruct students to write a sentence using the word. Encourage them to read their sentences
aloud to the class.
10. At the end of the week, have students write a paragraph or short story using all five words.
Vocabulary Word-A-Day Cards! Grades 3-4 41 © Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company
Vocabulary Word-A-Day Cards!
aardvark n. an African mammal known for its piglike snout, a long, sticky tongue and very strong claws. It feeds on termites and ants.
abode n. a house or home.
acquire -quired, -quir ing. v. 1. to get by one’s own efforts or actions. 2. come into possession of.
aide n. 1. helper; assistant. 2. military officer who acts as a secretary to a superior officer.
altitude n. 1. height above the earth’s surface. 2. a high place; height.
amaze -ed, -ing. v. to overwhelm with wonder; to greatly astonish; to astound.
amber n. 1. a hard, translucent, yellow or yellowish-brown fossil resin, easily polished and used for jewelry. —adj. 2. yellow or yellowish brown.
ambulance n. an automobile, boat or aircraft equipped to carry sick, injured, or wounded people.
analogy -gies. n. 1. a partial or limited similarity or in some special qualities, circumstance, etc., of two or more things that are in other respects
essentially different. 2. likeness of one thing to another or others; similarity.
annoy -ed. v. to cause uneasiness, especially by repeated acts; make somewhat angry; trouble; vex.
anxious adj. 1. uneasy because of thoughts or fears over the possibility of coming misfortune; troubled; worried. 2. causing uneasy feelings or
troubled thoughts.
aquarium n. 1. pond, tank, or glass bowl in which living fish, other water animals, and water plants are kept alive for observation and study.
2. building used for showing collections of living fish, water animals, and water plants.
argue v. 1. put forward reasons selected so as to support or refute a proposal, etc.; to discuss with someone who disagrees. 2. to bring forward
reasons against anything; dispute.
assemble -bled, -bling. v. 1. to gather together; bring together. 2. to put together; fit together.
assurance n. 1. a making sure or certain. 2. statement intended to make a person more sure or certain.
athlete n. a person trained to compete in contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a trained competitor in a sport, exercise, or game
requiring physical skill.
atmosphere n. 1. the masses of gas that surround a planet and are held to it by gravity; the air. 2. air in any given place.
attract v. 1. to cause to approach or adhere. 2. to pull to or toward itself. 3. to draw by appealing to interest or feeling.
auction n. 1. a public sale in which each thing is sold to the person who offers the most money for it. —v. 2. to sell at an auction.
audience n. 1. people gathered in a place to see or hear. 2. any persons within hearing.
avoid v. 1. keep away from. 2. have nothing to do with.
azure adj. the color of sky blue.
bouquet n. 1. a bunch of flowers. 2. fragrance; aroma.
bracelet n. band or chain worn for ornament around the wrist or arm.
brand n. 1. the quality or kind (of goods) as indicated by a mark, stamp, or label; a certain kind, grade, or make. 2. an iron stamp for branding.
—v. to mark by burning the skin or hide with a hot iron.
brief adj. 1. lasting only a short time. 2. using few words; concise. —n. a short statement: summary.
brisk adj. 1. quick and active; lively. 2. keen; sharp.
burden n. 1. something carried; load (of things, care, work, duty, or sorrow). 2. a load too heavy to carry easily; heavy load.
cactus n. a plant, chiefly native to dry, hot regions of America that has thick, fleshy stems and clusters of spines.
calculate v. 1. find out by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing; compute. 2. find out beforehand by any process of reasoning; estimate.
candidate n. 1. person who seeks, or is proposed for, some office or honor. 2. person applying for a position.
canoe n. 1. a light boat often tapered at both ends and moved with a paddle. —v. 2. to paddle a canoe; go in a canoe.
caution n. 1. great care; regard for safety. 2. a warning.
chisel n. 1. a cutting tool with a sharp edge at the end of a strong blade, used to cut or shape wood, stone, or metal. —v. 2. to cut or shape with
a chisel.
clamor n. 1. a loud noise or continual uproar; shouting. 2. a shout; outcry.
coach n. 1. person who teaches or trains athletic teams, etc. 2. a large, four-wheeled, usually closed carriage with seats inside and often on top,
formally used in carrying passengers and mail. —v. 3. to teach or train; to instruct.
coast n. 1. land along the sea; seashore. 2. region near a coast. —v. 3. to ride or slide without the use of effort or power.
compensate -ted, -ting. v. 1. make an equal return to; give an equivalent to. 2. pay.
competition n. 1. effort to obtain something wanted by others; rivalry. 2. contest.
composition n. 1. the make-up of anything; what is in it. 2. a short essay written as a school exercise.
continent n. 1. one of the seven great masses of land on the earth. 2. mainland.
convenient adj. 1. saving trouble; well arranged; easy to use. 2. easily done; not troublesome.
core n. 1. the hard central part, containing the seeds of fruits like apples and pears. 2. the central of the most important part.
course n. 1. the act of moving in a path from point to point. 2. a direction taken. 3. an ordered process or succession.
coward n. 1. a person who lacks courage or is easily made afraid; person who runs from danger, trouble, etc. —adj. 2. lacking courage; cowardly.
crater n. 1. a bowl-shaped depression around the opening of a volcano. 2. a bowl-shaped hole.
creative adj. having the power to create; inventive.
cymbals n. pair of brass or bronze plates, used as a musical instrument.
daily adj. 1. done, happening, or appearing every day, or every day but Sunday. —n. 2. newspaper printed every day, or every day but Sunday.
deed n. 1. thing done; act. 2. a brave, skillful, or unusual act; feat. 3. a written or printed statement of ownership.
depot n. 1. a railroad or bus station. 2. storehouse; warehouse.
deuce n. 1. a playing card marked with a two. 2. the side of a die having two spots.
develop v. 1. to come into being or activity; grow. 2. change in character through successive periods; evolve.
devour v. 1. eat. 2. to eat like an animal; eat very hungrily. 3. to consume, waste, or destroy.

disposal n. 1. a getting rid (of something). 2. a giving away or selling. 3. power or authority to get rid of or use something; control.
disturbance n. 1. a disturbing. 2. confusion; disorder.
domestic adj. 1. of the home, household, or family affairs. 2. of one’s own country; not foreign. —n. 3. servant in a household.
donate v. to give (money, help, etc.), especially to a fund or institution; contribute.
doubtful adj. 1. full of doubt; not sure; uncertain. 2. causing doubt; open to question or suspicion.
drench v. 1. to wet thoroughly; soak. —n. 2. a thorough wetting; soaking.
duet n. 1. a piece of music for two voices or instruments. 2. two singers or players performing together.
dungeon n. a dark underground room or cell to keep prisoners in.
election n. 1. a choosing or selecting for an office, appointment, etc., by vote. 2. choice; selection or preference.
embroider v. 1. to make an ornamental design, pattern, etc. on cloth, leather, etc., with stitches. 2. to add imaginary details to; exaggerate.
enrich v. 1. to make rich or richer. 2. to raise the nutritive value of (a food) by adding vitamins and minerals in processing. 3. make fertile; fertilize.
exhibition n. 1. a public show. 2. thing or things shown publicly; exhibit.
exotic adj. 1. from a foreign country; not native. 2. fascinating or interesting because strange or different.
extract v. 1. to pull out or draw out, usually with some effort. 2. to obtain by pressing, squeezing, etc. 3. to derive; obtain.
fertilize v. 1. to make able to bear seeds, fruit, young, etc.; make able to produce much. 2. to put fertilizer on.
fictional adj. 1. type of literature that tells about imaginary people and happenings. 2. something imagined or made up.
filthy adj. 1. very dirty; foul. 2. vile; obscene; corrupt; indecent.
foal n. 1. a young horse, donkey, etc.; colt or filly. —v. 2. to give birth to (a foal).
glum adj. -mer, -mest. gloomy; dismal; sullen.
grasp v. 1. to seize and hold firmly with the fingers, claws, etc. 2. to hold firmly as with the hand; grip. 3. to clutch at; seize greedily.
hail n. 1. small, round pieces of ice formed in thunderclouds and falling like rain; hailstones. —v. 2. to shout in welcome to; greet; cheer.
heartless adj. 1. without kindness or sympathy; unfeeling; cruel. 2. without courage, spirit, or enthusiasm.
hickory n. 1. a North American tree of the same family as the walnut, bearing a hard nut with an edible, sweet kernel. 2. the tough, hard wood of
any of these trees.
hoard v. 1. to greedily save and store away (money, goods, etc.) for preservation or future use. —n. 2. what is saved and stored away for
preservation or future use; things stored.
humane adj. 1. not cruel or brutal; kind, merciful. 2. tending to humanize and refine.
hyena n. a wild, carnivorous, wolflike mammal of Africa or Asia, which feeds at night.
incinerate v. to burn to ashes.
incredible adj. hard to believe; seeming too extraordinary to be possible; unbelievable.
indelible adj. 1. that cannot be erased or removed; permanent. 2. capable of making a permanent mark.
industrious adj. working hard and steadily; diligent.
ingest v. to take (food, etc.) into the body for digestion.
instance n. 1. a person or thing serving as an example; illustration; case. —v. 2. to give as an example; cite.
instantaneous adj. coming or done in an instant; happening or made in an instant.
inundated v. 1. to overspread with a flow of water; flood. 2. to overflow; deluge.
kindle -dled, -dling. v. 1. to set on fire; light. 2. to stir up; arouse. 3. to light up; brighten.
literature n. 1. the body of writings of a period, language, or country, especially those kept alive by their beauty or effectiveness of style or thought.
2. printed matter of any kind.
loaf n. 1. bread shaped and baked as one piece. —v. 2. to spend time idly; do nothing.
loyal adj. 1. true and faithful to love, promise, duty, or other obligations. 2. faithful to one’s king, government, or country.
magnify -fied, -fying. v. 1. to cause to look larger than the real size; enlarge. 2. to make too much of; go beyond the truth in telling; exaggerate.
3. to increase the apparent size of an object.
manipulate -lated, -lating. v. 1. to handle or treat, especially skillfully. 2. to manage cleverly, sometimes using personal influence, especially unfair
influence.
mare n. 1. a female horse, donkey, etc. especially when mature. 2. any of certain dark regions on the surface of the moon.
maximum n. 1. the largest or highest amount; greatest possible amount; highest point or degree. —adj. 2. largest or highest; greatest possible.
meteor n. mass of rock or metal that enters the earth’s atmosphere from outer space with enormous speed; falling star; shooting star.
minimum n. 1. the least possible amount; lowest amount. —adj. 2. least possible; lowest.
mongoose n. a slender, carnivorous mammal from Asia, Africa, or India, especially a species native to India, that resembles a ferret.
mosquito n. a small, slender insect with two wings. The females have mouthparts that can pierce the skin of humans and animals and draw blood,
causing itching.
museum n. building or rooms where a collection of objects illustrating science, art, history, or other subjects is kept and displayed.
novel adj. 1. of a new kind or nature; strange; new; unfamiliar. —n. 2. story with characters and a plot, long enough to fill one or more volumes.
object n. 1. something that can be seen or touched; thing. 2. person or thing toward which feeling, thought, or action is directed. 3. thing aimed at;
end; purpose; goal. 4. (in grammar) a word or group of words toward which the action of the verb is directed. —v. 5. to make an objection or
objections; be opposed.
oboe n. a woodwind instrument in which a thin, high-pitched tone is produced by a double reed.
opossum n. a small, omnivorous, marsupial mammal that lives mostly in trees and is active chiefly at night.
orbit n. 1. the curved, usually elliptical path of a heavenly body, planet, or satellite about another body in space. 2. the curved path of an electron
around the nucleus of an atom. —v. 3. to travel in an orbit around.
ordinance n. 1. rule or law made by authority, especially one adopted and enforced by a municipal or other local authority; decree. 2. an
established religious ceremony.
ordinary adj. 1. according to habit or custom; usual; regular; normal. 2. not special; common; everyday; average.

original adj. 1. belonging to the beginning; first; earliest. 2. new; fresh; novel. 3. able to do, make, or think something new; inventive.
—n. 4. thing from which another is copied, imitated, or translated. 5. a new written work, picture, etc. that is not a copy or imitation.
panic n. 1. sudden unreasoning fear that causes an individual or entire group to lose self-control and take wild flight. 2. outbreak of widespread
alarm, as in a community. —v. 3. be affected with panic.
panther n. 1. leopard, especially a black leopard. 2. puma. 3. jaguar.
pecan n. 1. an olive-shaped, edible nut with a smooth, thin shell, that grows on a hickory tree common in the southern and central United States.
2. the tree that it grows on.
pelican n. any very large, web-footed water birds with a huge bill and a pouch on the underside of the bill for scooping up fish.
perch n. 1. bar, branch, or anything else on which a bird can come to rest. 2. a rather high seat or position. 3. a small freshwater fish with a spiny
fin. —v. 4. alight and rest; sit.
permit v. 1. to allow (a person, etc.) to do something. 2. to let (something) be done or occur; authorize. —n. 3. a formal written order giving
permission to do something.
pity n. 1. sorrow for another’s suffering or distress; feeling for the sorrows of others; compassion; sympathy. 2. cause for regret; thing to be sorry
for. —v. 3. to feel pity.
plump adj. 1. rounded out; attractively fat. —v. 2. to make or become plump.
poison n. 1. drug or other substance that destroys life or injures health by its action inside the body or on its surface. 2. anything dangerous or
deadly. —v. 3. to kill or harm by poison.
poultry n. birds such as chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, etc., raised for their meat or eggs.
probability n. 1. quality or fact of being likely or probable; good chance. 2. something likely to happen.
public adj. 1. of, belonging to, or concerning the people as a whole. 2. known to many or all; not private. —n. 3. the people in general; all the
people.
purchase v. 1. to get by paying a price; buy. 2. to get in return for something. —n. 3. act of buying.
require v. 1. to have need for; need; want. 2. to command; order; demand.
royalty -ties. n. 1. a royal person or royal persons; king, queen, or other member of a royal family. 2. payment for the use of any of various rights.
An author receives royalties from the publishers of his books.
ruse n. scheme or device to mislead others; trick.
sapphire n. 1. a clear, hard, bright-blue variety of corundum. Sapphires are valued as precious stones. —adj. 2. bright-blue.
sausage n. chopped meat, most commonly pork or a combination of pork, beef, or other meats, seasoned and usually stuffed into a very thin casing.
scale -led, -ling. n. 1. a devise for weighing; the pan of a balance. 2. one of the thin, flat, hard, overlapping plates forming the outer covering of
many fishes and reptiles. 3. a series of steps or degrees; scheme of graded amounts. 4. (in music) a series of tones ascending or descending in
pitch.
scarlet n. 1. a very bright red, much lighter than crimson. —adj. 2. very bright red.
scorpion n. an arachnid belonging to the same class as the spider and having a poisonous stinger at the end of its tail.
sensitive adj. 1. receiving impressions readily. 2. easily affected or influenced. 3. easily hurt or offended.
shabby -bier, -biest. adj. 1. much worn. 2. wearing old or much worn clothes. 3. poor or neglected; run-down.
solution n. 1. the solving of a problem. 2. explanation or answer. 3. (in mathematics) any number which makes an open sentence a true statement.
sprout v. 1. begin to grow; shoot forth. 2. develop rapidly. —n. 3. a shoot of a plant.
spry adj. full of health and spirits; active; lively; nimble.
squall n. 1. a sudden, violent gust of wind, often with rain, snow, or sleet. —v. 2. to cry out loudly; scream violently.
squawk v. 1. to make a loud, harsh sound. 2. to complain loudly.
stallion n. a male horse, especially one kept for breeding purposes.
stampede -peded, -peding. n. 1. a sudden scattering or headlong flight of a frightened herd of cattle, horses, etc. 2. any headlong flight of a large
group. —v. 3. to scatter or flee rapidly in a large group.
style -led, -ling. n. 1. manner or custom that prevails; mode or fashion. 2. manner, method, or way. —v. 3. to make in or conform to a given or
accepted style; stylize.
tackle n. 1. equipment; apparatus; gear. —v. 2. to lay hold of; seize or attack.
temporary adj. lasting for a short time only; used for the time being; not permanent.
thorough adj. 1. being all that is needed; complete. 2. doing all that should be done and slighting nothing; painstaking.
threat n. 1. statement of what will be done to hurt or punish someone. 2. sign or cause of possible evil or harm.
twinkle -kled, -kling. v. 1. to shine with quick little gleams; sparkle; glitter. 2. to move quickly.
university -ties. n. institution of learning of the highest grade, usually including schools of law, medicine, teaching, business, etc., as well as (in the
United States) a college of liberal arts and a graduate school.
urgent adj. 1. demanding immediate action or attention; pressing; important. 2. insistent; persistent.
urn n. 1. vase with a foot or pedestal. 2. coffeepot or teapot with a faucet, used for making or serving coffee or tea at the table.
utensil n. 1. container or implement used for practical purposes. Pots, pans, etc., are kitchen utensils. 2. instrument or tool used for some special
purpose. Pens and pencils are writing utensils.
variety n. 1. lack of sameness; difference or change; variation. 2. number of different kinds. 3. kind or sort.
violet n. 1. a leafy-stemmed plant with purple, blue, yellow, white, or multicolored flowers. 2. the flower of these plants. —adj. 3. a bluish purple.
visible adj. 1. that can be seen. 2. readily evident; apparent; obvious.
waddle -dled, -dling. v. to walk with short steps and an awkward, swaying motion, as a duck does. —n. 2. an awkward, swaying gait.
wander v. 1. to move here and there without any special purpose. 2. to go from the right way; stray. 3. to be delirious; be incoherent.
wrench n. 1. a violent twist or twisting pull. 2. injury caused by twisting. 3. tool for turning nuts, bolts, etc. —v. 4. twist or pull violently.
wrinkle n. 1. an irregular ridge or fold; crease. —v. 2. to have or make wrinkles.
yearn v. 1. to feel a longing or desire; desire earnestly. 2. to feel pity; have tender feelings.
yogurt n. a kind of thickened, slightly fermented liquid food made from milk acted upon by bacteria.
Questions?
How Many Words? - In most cases you will find that there are ample word cards and definitions in
this set to teach one word a day throughout the school year. This takes in account school holidays,
parent-teacher conference days, testing days, teacher in-service days, etc. Each time there is a break
in the scheduling, you can resume your introduction of the words where you’ve left off.
How Do I Display the Words and Definitions? - For best results, we recommend covering a
bulletin board with felt to create a hands-on, classroom activity center. Word and definition cards
can then be displayed on the board using velcro™. In this way, students can easily match and org-
anize the word cards with their definitions. Cards can be arranged in alphabetical order or as
pertaining to parts of speech.
M o r e Vo c a b u l a r y I d e a s !
There are many classroom and learning center activities that can be created using the words and their
definitions. Here are a few simple ideas:
• Dictionary Work - Encourage students to look up the word in the class dictionary, thesaurus or
computer program to better determine its meaning, uses and tenses. Ask them to list the
antonyms, synonyms and homophones of each word.
• Five Words - As you begin to accumulate words and definition, designate a bulletin board for
their display. Encourage students to select “five” words and write a short story, poem or
paragraph using the words.
• Vocabulary Bee - Every few weeks, challenge your students to a vocabulary bee using the
vocabulary words they have been learning. Have each student define the word or use it properly
in a sentence.
• Definition Match - Designate a bulletin board for displaying the Vocabulary Word-A-Day cards.
Separate the definitions from the words and let students match them together correctly. The list
of words and definitions found in this guide can be used as an answer key for self checking.
• Vocabulary Bingo - Give each student a blank bingo card and ask them to write one vocabulary
word from the words they have been learning in each square. (There should be at least 25 words
on the board from which they can choose.) Read at random the definitions to the vocabulary
words. Students circle the words on their card that matches the specific definitions until someone
reaches “Bingo!”
• Use or Lose - Ask students to use the word at least six times during the day. Instruct them to
record how they used the word each time.
• Bonus Spelling Points - Add the five new vocabulary words to your weekly spelling lesson.
When you give the final test, award extra points for spelling the vocabulary words correctly.
• Word Tenses - Ask students to write the day’s word using different tenses or its plural and/or
singular form. Instruct students to use the various words in different sentences.
• Word Clues Game - Divide the class into two or more teams. Randomly select a vocabulary
word and give the teams clues about the word until one of the students correctly guess it. Award
that team one point. Teams continue playing until one team is announced the winner by receiving
ten points.
• Vocabulary Word Wall - The word cards can be used as a Vocabulary Word Wall weekly
activity. Display five words each week emphasizing each word's spelling and definition. Have the
students practice writing the words and using them in a sentence each day of the given week. At
the end of the week, quiz the students on their comprehension and ability to spell the words
correctly.

Name Date
My Vocabulary Practice!
Write the word three times.
Write the definition.
Page in Dictionary
I Know My
a b u l a r y
Vo c r d s !
Wo
Name
Teacher Date

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Wo r d Complete list (answer key)

1. Display the word on the board.

Vocabulary Word-A-Day Cards! Grades 3-4 42 © Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Vocabulary Word-A-Day Cards! Grades 3-4 43 © Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Vocabulary Word-A-Day Cards! Grades 3-4 45 © Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

Write the definition.

Vocabulary Word-A-Day Cards! Grades 3-4 46 © Teacher's Friend, a Scholastic Company

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