Vocabulary is taught within a daily routine and teaches students to use morphemes and context clues to determine the meaning of words. A vocabulary handbook is provided for each student. Providing explicit instruction of these key vocabulary words will be critical to a student's ability to understand and respond to the text.

Vocabulary handbooks are found at the back of every teacher's guide, as well as online on each grade level resource page. A morpheme glossary is included in the handbook. A blank example can be found HERE. A 10 minute vocabulary routine is taught at the beginning of almost every lesson (see below).

There are no answer keys for the vocabulary packet. They should be student driven as much as possible.

For the morphemes and their meanings students will use the morpheme glossary that is part of the vocabulary handbook to find those answers.

For the context clues, identify synonyms and antonyms within the context paragraph, as well as words and phrases that hint at the meaning. As students find them, model how to underline one, double underline another, circle another, box another, squiggle underline another, etc. in order to keep them all straight.

For the "what it is" and "what it is not" students need to again identify synonyms and antonyms. Before the lesson there is the option to look in an online thesaurus, write several down on a sticky note, put in the teacher's guide. Use this to prompt students if necessary. It can also very valuable to take the kids to an online thesaurus during the lesson and teach them how to use it. Students should come up with as many as they can on their own so that they take ownership...as long as they are accurate to the meaning of the word.

The above parts of the routine are the must do's of the routine. If there isn't time to get to anything else in the 10 minutes, make sure to get to these before the read aloud lesson.

The two sections where students are asked to make connections are may do activities. These are valuable if there is still time. Students enjoy coming up with connections to their own lives and things they know (text-to-self, text-to-text, text-to-world, text-to-Bible). If there is not enough time during the routine to complete these sections, assign them as may-do options if they finish work early.

Would you like to see the vocabulary routine in action? Watch Sarah teach the word "injustice" using the vocabulary routine to a class of students.

TIP: In order to stay within the 10 minute timeframe for the routine, have students hold off on stories until the end, if there is time.

FAQ: Is there an answer key for the vocabulary routine?

I'm not sure exactly what it is asking for.