Looking for some engaging vocabulary activities for your elementary students? This post outlines my new book and the exercises it contains, which is all about vocabulary practice for upper elementary students. Get a detailed review of the book below!
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Why Upper Elementary Students Need Vocabulary Practice
I love teaching vocabulary!
For most of my teaching career, I’ve been a 4th grade teacher.
When I think back to students who have struggled with reading comprehension, many of them lacked a rich lexicon.
Having a wide range of vocabulary knowledge is still one of the top three predictors of reading success for kids.
Especially for third through fifth graders who are now reading to learn instead of learning to read.
So, I’ve developed a passion for finding creative ways to teach vocabulary skills.
And I’ve put lots of them into my new book for teachers and parents. Allow me to walk you through the details!
The Vocabulary Workbook for Grades 3, 4, and 5
As a certified 4th-8th grade ELA teacher, I wanted this book to help 3rd graders and up.
There are 120 exercises aligned to academic standards to improve students’ reading, spelling, and word usage.
For me, it is so important that students get a balance of challenge and fun when they’re reviewing anything.
This especially applies to vocabulary practice for upper elementary! I know from teaching experience that if something is too hard, students will quit.
But if something is too easy, they will get bored and not stay engaged.
The vocabulary exercises in my book aim in between those points so that your kiddos complete each page independently.
But Why Are There Three Grade Levels In One Book?
Want me to let you in on a little teacher-insider secret?
Not all kids are on the same grade level in each grade or class. π€―
If you’ve been teaching a while, then this not a shocker or secret at all to you.
But it’s something I warn all new 4th grade teachers about; it’s something I also mention often to parents.
Here’s an example from one of my previous years in the classroom:
- I had 22 fourth graders.
- A few were on a 2nd grade reading level.
- Most were right in the middle of a 3rd and 4th grade reading level.
- Some where on 5th grade reading level.
- Three of them were reading much higher levels than 5th.
And I was considered lucky that year because the range of grade levels were close to one another.
That’s why I wanted a multi-grade level book that offered vocabulary practice to all upper elementary levels.
Will It Be Too Easy or Too Hard for My Students?
These vocabulary exercises are designed to supplement what students are learning and practicing in class.
It helps build their Tier 1 and Tier 2 word bank by offering lots of different word work activities.
Each grade level is color-coded, which makes it easier for teachers and guardians to differentiate.
Plus, every five lessons, I included fun vocabulary practice pages like:
- puzzles
- brain teachers
- riddles
- word searches
- drawing vocabulary pictures
There are no tests in the book, and the answer key allows students to check their own work if you want them to do so.
Not only that, but the lessons per grade level are not sequential. This means that your kids can skip around and complete the lessons most needed.
Weekly Vocabulary Mini-Lessons
Could this vocabulary book be used as on-going spiraled review in the classroom? Absolutely!
Since this supports any ELA or reading curriculum, your students can complete these exercises as weekly vocabulary mini-lessons.
With each lesson in the book, I include lots of examples to help kids see how to apply the word skill in different sentences.
Then they get two practice exercises that are quick and targeted towards the joining mini-lessons.
Every single lesson is aligned to Common Core academic standards because I want these activities to enrich as many kids as possible.
What Are Other Ways This Book Can Be Used By Teachers and Parents?
If you’ve spent any time on this site, then you know how much I love literacy centers!
In fact, many of my upper elementary ELA stations include different types of word work for big kids.
This vocabulary practice book is no different. You can use this resource flexibly as a teacher, parent, or tutor.
The image above provides several ideas, but this list gives you even more:
- You can use the exercises for standardized test prep.
- Each page makes excellent summer enrichment practice for kids.
- Intervention work for struggling readers.
- They work well for lesson warm-ups or introduction activities for ELA lessons.
Vocabulary Games and Fun Review
The fun puzzles and riddles included in this book can be turned into vocabulary games with your students.
For example, once students finish the “Vocabulary Pyramid” or one of the crossowrd puzzles, have them work with a partner using Scrabble letters or Banana-o-Gram letters.
One student will say a word’s definition while the other student spells it with their letters.
Then they switch! This adds a hands-on aspect to practicing vocabulary that’s fun for 3rd through 5th graders.
A Detailed Walk Through This Vocabulary Practice Resource
In addition to all the details mentioned in this post, I also have a page-by-page review of the book in this video.
This helps you to see even more examples of how this book has been designed to give effective vocabulary practice for upper elementary students.
Not only will you notice specific vocabulary lessons, but you’ll also see other literacy and grammar lessons.
You can also read these Amazon reviews from other teachers and homeschooling parents who have already used the book.
Helping students become word masters also helps them become life-long readers.
And teaching vocabulary doesn’t have to be hard! You will enjoy this resource just as much as your students / children. π€
