Robin in TX or others re: Vocabulary for Achievement

[Caia]

Saw your recommendation for this, but since there don't seem to be any online samples available, I can't tell if the Teacher's Manual is at all helpful or even necessary. What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[Robin in Tx]

I'm so sorry for not seeing this message before now!! Someone else asked me this recently, and this is basically what I said to her:

 

The TM is a copy of the student workbook with the answers filled in, and a suggestion for discussing the lesson's word list. I have actually referred to the answer key a time or two, I am ashamed to say... eek ! But I probably could have done without it.

 

At the back of the TM, though, are reproducibles that are not in the student text: Tests for each lesson, crossword puzzles, word search puzzles, additional fill in the blank exercises.

 

I like the TM for the tests and activity sheets, but it certainly isn't necessary if you don't mind thinking through the answers to the workbook and if you don't think you'd get much use out of the puzzles or tests.

 

HTH! Please let me know if you have any other questions!

 

Robin

[Caia]

Thank you for your response. I have been looking for a vocab program that I like and that my kids will actually show retention in instead of being just busy work. I had never heard of this one, but it sounds promising. I appreciate your recommendation from another post and look forward to trying this one soon.

[happykids]

I also have been wondering about this and have found no samples anywhere.

How does this program work? What are the exercises like?

What would a week look like?

 

Thank you!

Sabrina

[Robin in Tx]

I'll describe the 6th grade book:

 

It is workbook format. There are 30 lessons (a full year, assuming one week per lesson). There are ten words per lesson, and the lessons are either theme-related or root-centered. The introduction to the lesson gives the full pronunciation, definition, etc. (dictionary style) for each word, including example sentences and related words and derivatives. For some words (usually just a few per lesson) there are side bars that give interesting information about the word or tips for remembering it. At the end of the introduction, there is a word enrichment that gives interesting and unusual word histories/usage.

 

Exercises are divided as follows:

 

1. Write the corect word. Student has to write the correct word next to a given definition.

 

2. Complete the sentence. Give a multiple choice answer for the best word that completes a given sentence. There is always one "challenge exercise" in the two blank format found on SATs (for practice with that format).

 

3. REading comprehension. Reading passage with the words used in context (and they have all been very interesting so far- this has been our favorite part!). Follow up exercises test the student's understanding of the words used in context (multiple choice and a few true/false).

 

4. Writing response. Opportunity to assign a writing activity to the student using the word list. WE haven't done this, but I have sometimes led her through an oral discussion in response to the prompt.

 

5. Write the derivative. A setence is given with a word left blank and a vocabulary word written in parentheses. Student must use a derivative of a lesson word to complete the sentence, and write it in the blank.

 

6. Find the example. Choose the word that best describes the action or situation. Lesson words are used in a sentence or phrase, and the student has to choose which of the given words best fits the context of the given sentence/phrase. This uses context/description not previously used in the lesson, and the student can not get this right if they do not clearly understand the meaning of the lesson word.

 

At the end of every five lessons, there is a skill feature activity. In 6th grade, this covers dictionary usage, antonyms/synonyms, prefixes and suffixes.

 

Here are a few examples of what a particular lesson contains:

 

Lesson 17 - Theme is music. Word list is: ballad, rhythmically, chord, serenade, lyrics, shrill, opera, symphony, resonant, vocal. One of the side bars points out that a ballad tells a story, while a serenade simply expresses emotion. The word enrichment discusses the latin root ballare, which means to dance, and explains that ballads were a form of entertainment since medieval France and that people probably used to dance to ballads; and how this is the same root for ballet and ball (formal dance party) and the spanish verb bailar which means to dance.

 

The "complete the sentence" exercises go like this (with multiple choice answers):

"I could feel the sleeping puppy's heart beat ________ as I held him." (answer is rhythmically)

"The tuba's deep sound ________in the empty concert hall." (resonanted)

 

The reading comprehension passage is a biographical essay on Andrea Bocelli.

 

Write the derivative exercises go like:

"Her poem was so ________ it made the whole class cry. (lyrics)" Answer is lyrical

"The _______ piece was written for string, wind and percussion instruments. (symphony)" Answer is symphonic.

 

Find the example exercises:

"Most likely title for a serenade: a) World Peace b) My Country c) I Love You d) Big Bad Ben"

"A resonant sound: a) cricket chirping b) thunder c)squeaky hinge d) cat's meow"

 

This biggest difference about this program, I think, is the focus on using related words in context as opposed to word lists always being grouped by roots. It doesn't ignore roots, but it is not solely a roots based program. Here are some examples of what the themes of other lessons are:

 

Lesson 14: Stops and delays: adjourn, prolong, cease, repel, decisive, shackle, detain, tarry, hinder, undermine. Reading comp is biography of Nelson Mandela.

 

LEsson 19: Certainty and Uncertainty: approximate, illusion, assumption, inevitable, certifiy, inquire, contend, presume, hypothesize, vague. Reading comp is on dactyloscopy: the science of fingerprints.

 

And here's an example of a root centered lesson:

 

Lesson 25: The roots vid and vis: improvise, visible, revision, visionary, video, visor, viewpoint, vista, visa, visualize. Reading comprehsion is on the history/inventory of the interet.

 

There are lessons on the suffixes -logy, -meter; on the prefixes non, un, pre, post, sub and super; and on the roots mis/mit, vid/vis, man/ped, and sta.

 

Some of the other themed lessons are: honesty, fairness and openness, agreement and disagreement, words from spanish, literature, health and illness, government.

 

Okay, this went really long... hope all this information is helpful to you! I only have the 6th grade book so I can't answer specific questions about the other levels. Barb F in AZ knows more about the upper levels. I'm definitely continuing with this course next year, and I will buy the TM again. The interest level has been very high and rentention has been good. I like the tests and extra activities and teaching tips in the TM (and the answer key sure makes grading easy!).

 

Robin

[happykids]

It sounds very comprehensive. I will definitely think about using this.

Thank you!

Sabrina

[Caia]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of this information. I have one more quick question if you do not mind. Did you find that the work was grade appropriate i.e. 6th grade book challenging enough for 6th grader or was it too hard or easy. Thanks again.

[Robin in Tx]

I thought it was right on. I started to buy the 7th grade book last year because my dd is one year older than most 6th graders, and she was starting 7th grade level work in many of her subjects, but the 7th grade book looked challenging for her, and there was a LOT of info in the 6th grade book that she had not been exposed to. It's been a good fit for us. Just the right amount of challenge, and looking back, I can see measurable growth.

 

HTH,

Robin