Social Studies Lapbooks - Vocabulary Development - Part 4 of 5

This is Part 4 of a 5 Part series. 
You can read other parts by clicking the links below:
SS Lapbooks - Part 1 - The Basics
SS Lapbooks - Part 2 - Alternate Uses
SS Lapbooks - Part 3 - Written Responses
SS Lapbooks - Part 5 - Time Management

Inquiry design is amazing. When crafted and presented properly, your students will be engaged and discussing topics with more depth and critical thinking than you thought possible. To help students dig deeper and think more critically, we need to help them develop the vocabulary necessary to have inquiry discussions. Inquiry topics will have very specific vocabulary that needs to be used with ease and with immediate understanding. For instance, when discussing the Iowa Caucuses, we can't expect students to hold meaningful conversations if they don't know what "primary" and "caucus" means. Content and vocabulary are intertwined and we need to ensure they don't become unraveled.

My inquiry resources include several ways you can develop your students' vocabulary. Each resources contains a set of vocabulary words specifically chosen for the topic. These words will help a student develop a deeper understanding of the inquiry question, lead students to better discussions, and improve a student's overall lexicon.

Primary inquiries will have 4 word per inquiry at the kindergarten level, 6 words for first grade. All other grade levels will have between 8-10 words with most inquiries having 10. Some words are repeated throughout a grade level in order to give students an opportunity to work with that word more than once. For instance, words such as community, culture, or government will be a vocabulary word for more than one inquiry.

Vocabulary Support:
Primary Examples K and 1st Grade (top) and Intermediate Example 5th Grade (bottom)

I've read that students need to hear a word up to a dozen times before learning the word. But, that's just recognizing it though auditory processing. We also expect students to be able to speak, read, and write these words. While repeating and using a word many times for students to create long term pathways in the brain for the word is a great start, we must also create avenues for them to be able to say, read, and write the word as well.

You can read a more in-depth discussion for vocabulary development in this blog post:
4 Steps to Building Vocabulary

Within my inquiry lapbooks there are a few tools that help students master vocabulary:

Flap Books

Every inquiry resource includes flap books for the vocabulary. I usually have the students construct the vocabulary section before reading any text. Vocabulary has its own designated section of the lapbook. Even if I choose to construct a simple folder (without the third panel) I will still have students place vocabulary on a cardstock page and keep it in their folders. The vocabulary section becomes a glossary for the students to refer back to throughout the inquiry.

Picture Front to Back:
Vocabulary Card, Primary Vocab Card, File Folder Vocabulary Section

I will select one color (of copy paper) for the vocabulary flap books. Whichever color I choose in the beginning of the year will be the color I use for the remainder of the year. I rarely use it for any of the other foldable pieces. I want the students to see the color and associate it with vocabulary.

Flap Books Differentiation
To differentiate the flap books, teachers have a few options. You can hand out the definitions in the correct order with the correct books (that is most streamlined and easiest). For a bit more of a challenge, you can cut up the definitions and have the students match the definitions to the terms. The most challenging would be to have the students research the definitions for each term and write the definition in the flap book.

Matching Game

A matching/memory game is included within my inquiry resources; along with a foldable envelope to store the pieces. These pieces are great for earlier finishers or when you have 5-10 minutes to fill in until the next section of your day.  

Matching Game Differentiation
When I print the pieces for the matching/memory game there are a couple of easy ways you can differentiate the pieces. You can use colored paper to help in differentiation  or the numbers of terms you assign the student.

You can print the vocabulary terms on one color and the definitions on a different color.
You can print one half of the terms and definitions on one color and the other half on a different color.

You can give your students half of the pieces (terms and definitions) during one lesson and give them the second half at a later time.

Other Interesting Words

This foldable piece is an opportunity for students to explore and record the words they find interesting. I use a collapsible shape for Other Interesting Words and it is usually the piece that people struggle with the most when constructing a lapbook.

Once students have had an opportunity to record and collect a few words, we talk about them. Oftentimes, students select the same words. If time permits, teachers can group students based on the words they have selected and have them explore them or complete word work activities using those words.

Teachers can also create a classroom anchor chart with Other Interesting Words or place words on index cards and put them on a Parts of Speech Word Wall. 

You can read about Parts of Speech Word Walls here:
Word Walls for Big Kids

And ways to use them here:
3 Ways to Use a Parts of Speech Word Wall

Enrichment Options

I am always looking for ways to expand on vocabulary. The more students are exposed to and word with vocabulary, the better that word becomes embedded in their brain. Aside from the activities already included in the inquiry resources, there are several ways you can expand on vocabulary development.

QR Code Scavenger Hunts
My students love anything connected to tech. If it involves using a computer or a gadget, the engagement goes way up. If I add in the ability to be up and out of their seats, then engagement is through the roof! QR Code Scavenger Hunts give the perfect blend of tech and movement.

I hang QR code cards on the walls and students work their way around the room scanning and solving each clue. The design of the hunts enables students to start at any clue, spreading around the room, and helps to avoid a bottleneck. The end result is a cyclical answer key that has the same order of answers regardless of where the student begins.  

QR code scavenger hunts are excellent for enrichment lesson plans, wrapping up a unit, or substitute teacher plans. Once students understand the process they are able to quickly gather materials and begin the hunt. Hunts are flexible enough that students can work with a partner (or independently) to solve clues. I usually walk around and monitor students with an answer key in hand. If a student completes the cycle, I quickly check their work to see if they are correct. If not, I send them back to find their error. Depending on the error (and the student) I might guide them a bit to help them know where their mistake was made.

Word Walls
Word Walls are popular. I stopped organizing my word wall alphabetically years ago. I much prefer to organize by Parts of Speech (see link above).

Invite students to add to your wall! To start, students choose a word from the vocabulary list or their own Other Interesting Words section. Then, have the students write the word on an index card and place it in the proper spot on the wall. This activity works well for any student in your class, but it is especially powerful for students who need additional support with vocabulary. Writing the word themselves and taking ownership of the card creates a firmer understanding of the word.

Making Words
One morning, while I was waiting for a meeting to begin, I was cutting up letters for making words. A coworker asked, "What are those for?" I answered, "We're making words later today." My coworker replied, "Making words in fourth grade? That's awesome."

Making words is well-known for giving primary students an opportunity to create new words by adding or subtracting a letter or two. It fosters a deeper understanding of our language and helps create pathways that will solidify over time and become permanent in the student's brain. 

While most often used in the primary grades, making words with upper elementary students is an excellent way to dive deeper into vocabulary. Students have an opportunity to explore different combinations of letters and put their phonics skills to use when trying to form words with clusters, blends, and the like. Additionally, the manipulation of the letters allows for students to explore the possibilities while providing a challenge for them to figure out a word that uses all of the letters.

Oftentimes, my students know that the word they are seeking is most likely on the word wall. One partner will move letters around making smaller words while the other scouts out the word wall looking for the bonus word.

You can see Making Words resources here:
Fourth and Fritcher Making Words Resources

Parts of Speech 5 Square Organizer

The brain loves to chunk information. Whether it's going into the right side or the left side of the brain, if the information is chunked, it is easier to access and use. One way to help students chunk their vocabulary is to have them use a 5 Square Organizer. I use these organizers for everything. And I do mean, everything.

Keeping the same format for introducing and or exploring information helps keep the students' cognitive load in the proper place. Students will be familiar and comfortable with the format, thus their cognitive load will shift to the actual information itself rather than the presentation.

For vocabulary, I use the center space for the name of the unit or topic. The four outer squares are the parts of speech: noun, verb, adjective/adverbs, and other.

5 Square Organizer for ELA Module 1A

Vocabulary is such a vital part of our language and the ability to access information. In our current education system, it feels as though it is put on the back burner in favor of the content itself. However, without the vocabulary, the content won't make much sense. I'm not suggesting that it is not addressed or accounted for in curricula. But, it is too often taught as an isolated lesson. We need to infuse it more often into our plans while delivering the content. Vocabulary and content should be approached as interdependent entities that when bound together create a lasting educational experience for our students.

You can see a range of grades and topics for social studies in my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking the links below:

IOWA SOCIAL STUDIES INQUIRIES
NEW YORK STATE SOCIAL STUDIES INQUIRIES
SOCIAL STUDIES RESOURCES: K-2
SOCIAL STUDIES RESOURCES: 3-6