Transcript Vocabulary Tree PowerPoint - CBest-finalproject

Vocabulary Word
Scaffolding—
the Snow Leopard way!
Visible collaboration in scaffolding
core content vocabulary words
Core Content Vocabulary
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Unique words for each subject –we as
teachers have to scaffold understanding
of them to students in each of our content
areas. It’s difficult, really impossible, to
use the same words in different subjects.
However…
Many of these different words use the
same Greek/Latin prefixes, roots,
suffixes.
Core Content Vocabulary
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As teachers, we now individually point out the
Greek/Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes of
many of our “tough” vocabulary words.
Why don’t we come up with a list of some of
these prefixes, roots, and suffixes that we have
in common—
And show everybody examples of them being
“scaffolded” in our classes?
Core Content Vocabulary Scaffolding
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Research shows that every time that a student is
presented with what common Greek/Latin
prefixes/roots/suffixes mean, the more he/she will
internalize that meaning.
That student will be more able to use that
knowledge on his/her own to accurately assess
other new words that have the same word part.
Since it takes up to 10 times for a student to
internalize, why not display examples for them to
see every day to help them?
Displaying scaffolding examples
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A graphic organizer known as a vocabulary
tree shows the interconnection of very
different words to the same prefix/root/suffix.
Students can see how the vocabulary words
they learn in science, math, language arts and
social studies are interconnected!
Vocabulary Tree
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What is a vocabulary tree?
As you would imagine, it is a diagram that
shows the common word part (prefix, root, or
suffix) on the bottom (the tree trunk) and
words that use that word part on different
branches of the tree.
We could show the word boxes bordered on
different colors to show each core content area.
Vocabulary “Bare” Tree Example
We can put a series of
these “bare trees” up in
our common hallwayeach with a common
word part in the trunk.
A common word &
definition is added in
whatever color goes
with that core subject.
Prefix/
Root/
Suffix:
definition
 Other words are added
in color assigned to core
subject area.
Vocabulary Tree Example
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7th grade Science
textbook, p. C48
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Photosynthesis takes place in
plant cells that have chloroplasts.
Math poster in
Mr. Solendar’s
room
7th grade Social
Studies textbook
PHOTOSYNTHESIS:
process where plant
cells put together light
& nutrients to make
energy.
French colonialists in western
Africa tried to assimilate the
population by forcing all to use the
French language.
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ASSIMILATION: a process by
which a minority group gradually
adopts the customs & attitudes of
the dominant culture
We use “=” in an equation
as a symbol that means “is
equal to”.
SYMBOL: a
letter or sign that
stands for
something else;
means the same
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SYNONYM: A
word with almost
the same meaning
as another
definition
sym/syn:
along with, together;
at the same time
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LA (border in red) adds 1st
word plus definition
Math (border in purple)
adds 2nd word plus
definition plus source
location
Social Studies (border in
gold) adds 3rd word plus
definition plus source
location
Science (border in green)
will add 4th word plus
definition plus source
location
LA will add 5th word
Vocabulary Trees
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Add more vocabulary trees to show examples
of Greek/Latin prefixes AND roots AND
suffixes used in most, if not all, of the content
areas
Why should we bother?
Research has long shown that:
 mastery of the “technical” vocabulary within
content areas is essential to student success in
comprehension of content concepts. (Fisher &
Frey)
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the ability to distinguish morphemes is a long
process for students, starting with early years
and continuing through adolescence—with the
biggest jump being made in the adolescent
years! (Larsen & Nippold)
Why should we bother?
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Students will see the word parts on a more frequent
basis by going by them multiple times in a day, so
they might be more likely to internalize the
meanings.
Team collaboration will be visible—never a bad
thing.
We can foster student participation in recognizing
common Greek/Latin prefixes/roots/suffixes – and
tap into healthy competition between students to
identify common word parts…if we allow them to
add additional words/definitions?
Vocabulary Trees –Where did that
idea come from?...What does it look like,
anyway?
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Diagram for vocabulary tree seen in When
Kids Can’t Read, by Kylene Beers.
Idea for hall display is from class discussion in
ECI 306 class—Middle School Reading in
Content Areas– that Celia Best took this past
summer.
Template will be available on our team shared
directory in a word document.
Vocabulary Tree Hall Displays
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Questions, Concerns?
Do we want to do this?
Some logistics if we do want to do this:
- How do we implement?
- Do we put one teacher in charge… or do as
team… or add as words come up in our classes?
- How long do we keep up individual displays…short
term or long term?
References
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Beers, Kylene, When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can
Do: A Guide for Teachers 6-12, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann,
2003.
Fisher, Douglas and Nancy Frey, Improving Adolescent
Literacy, 2nd edition, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Education, Inc., 2008.
Larsen, Jennifer A., and Marilyn A. Nippold. "Morphological
Analysis in School-Age Children: Dynamic Assessment of a
Word Learning Strategy." Language, Speech & Hearing
Services in Schools 38.3 (2007): 201-212. Academic Search
Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 July 2011.