3rd Grade Vocabulary -- what do you use???

[mlktwins]

My twins are finishing up second grade and I'm preparing to start purchasing our 3rd grade curriculm. I'm trying to decide if I want to continue with Wordly Wise. We are almost done WW 2. The boys like it ok except for the story and questions exercise. They really dislike that part!!! The other exercises and the crosswords they like to do.

 

What are some other options for vocabulary? Should I continue with WW and just not do that story page -- or do a few of them, but not all? How do YOU do vocabulary?

[2_girls_mommy]

We don't add a separate vocab program in 3rd grade. My 3rd grader does Rod and Staff Spelling and English, Prima Latina, and is doing a test prep booklet from Barnes and Noble. All of which have tons of vocab, roots (from latin,) and skills to help decode using prefixes and suffixes and such. She also learns vocabulary with history and science. For us this is enough at this age.

[SilverMoon]

I've found with that age it's far more effective to enunciate the vocabulary they're already learning in other subjects (history, science, spelling, lit).

 

My current fourth grader has never had a separate vocabulary course. I don't plan on adding one next year either, but I will put more emphasis on the derivative work in his Latin book. (After trying a few vocab programs with my older kids I found studying Latin did more for their English vocabulary than any vocab program ever did.)

[Mrs Twain]

I switched from Wordly Wise to Vocabulary Workshop. I like Vocabulary Workshop much better. Plus my kids watch Word Girl. I think they have learned more words from Word Girl than from their vocab workbooks. :crying: Besides that, we try to explain new words as they come up in read alouds.

[bnwhitaker]

Wordly Wise online :)

[Hunter]

Mcguffey's Readers. The third reader is a bit advanced for some 3rd graders, and as the series moves along, the books match up less and less with grade levels. Book 4 is NOT 4th grade!

 

In the middle of book 3 the phonics switches to vocabulary. I follow Mcguffey's lead in when to switch over and do not teach both at the same time.

 

McGuffey's Third Eclectic Reader

[skeeterbug]

We haven't been doing anything separate for vocab so far, but my son is a huge Garfield fan so I'm planning to order this Garfield vocabulary book soon. It's grade 3-6.

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/sku/027640/16f79c591843d1f469324e13

[Hypatia.]

We use Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop.

[KellyMama]

For those using Vocabulary Workshop, where do you purchase the teacher guide/answer key? That's my only holdup with using it next year.

[raceNzanesmom]

My ds looks up words from his history lessons, writes the definition and uses it in a sentence. Works great, takes little time.

[boscopup]

I read aloud to my kids a lot, so they hear correct pronunciation of big words from classic books. My 3rd grader also reads a lot on his own. He has an excellent vocabulary just from reading good books. Even my K'er with speech and language issues is picking up good vocabulary, just from being read aloud to (he's not able to read classic books himself yet).

 

My 3rd grader is also doing Latin this year, so that will also contribute to vocabulary. And eventually his spelling program (R&S Spelling) gets into roots and vocab around middle school age, I believe. I haven't felt a need for a vocabulary program beyond what he's already doing. I think reading and being read to are the best ways to increase vocabulary. As you come across a new word in the reading, stop and explain it.