How to use vocabulary and people lists

[mama23as]

I am wondering if anyone has ideas of how to use the vocabulary and people listed on the overview sheets. Are these meant to be for our reference or are people using them in other ways? I have UG/LG students.

Thanks! Alison

[Pat]

I have used them mostly for reference. I am aware that some folks make flash cards and work with those cards so their children learn all the vocabulary terms. I think a bit is up to you and yours.

[Renaissance Mom]

I've used them various ways throughout my years with Tapestry. I often use the people lists as prompts for casual conversation with my youngers about their (our) readings. "So what did you think about the Wright Brothers? What was most interesting? If you could have helped them, what would you want to do? Who else do you think you would have met?" It's a way to help them narrate to me what they read and what interested them.

In about 2nd/3rd grade, I assign my younger kids 2 words from the vocab list per day to look up in the dictionary. They then write a simple definition and use the words in their own sentences. I do this to reinforce dictionary skills. Once they have firmly mastered using a dictionary, they "graduate" to going over the word list with me at the beginning of the week just to be sure they know the words they will encounter during their readings. It is so much fun when we get to a word from the list when we read -- "Hey, Mom, that's THE word we just learned!" Once in a great while we will play a word game just for fun.

Enjoy,
Monica