Level of Expertise: 5
What is the strategy?
Word Sorts directs students to examine key vocabulary found within the text. Students in my class will use prior knowledge to determine the meaning of familiar vocabulary terms within this math unit on decimals. Students will predict the definition of unfamiliar words using classification and deduction as well as activating prior knowledge to determine possible meanings of new vocabulary (Billmeyer & Barton, 1998).
Why use this strategy?
Word Sorts allow my students to preview key vocabulary terms embedded within the text such as “addend” and “approximate.” By comparing vocabulary words with other key content words, students are able to classify and predict possible meanings of unfamiliar words. This strategy allows these students to exhibit higher level thinking skills as they categorize unfamiliar words and concepts such as “compatible numbers” with vocabulary they already understand like “round” and “approximate.”
How does it work?
1. I will give my students a list of 15-20 vocabulary words found within the textbook from pages 11 – 16 (Charles, Branch-Boyd, Illingworth, Mills, Reeves, & Thompson, 2004).
2. I will provide three categories that groups of two or three students will work on as a group to classify the vocabulary words. This type of strategy is referred to as a ‘closed sort’ where the teacher provides the types of categories for the students. The students then place the vocabulary words in the categories they deem most appropriate.
3. Students will determine which category each vocabulary word should be classified with and then write it in that category.
4. Students will share their findings in a whole group discussion. I will ask students to determine any unknown words they came across and explain how they decided which category to place them. I will ask the rest of the class if they would have made the same decision and if there were any other ways in which they could have been categorized.
Sources Referenced: Charles, Branch-Boyd, Illingworth, Mills, Reeves, & Thompson, 2004; Billmeyer & Barton, 1998
What does it look like?
Adding Decimals | Subtracting Decimals | Estimating |
Properties of Addition Align Addend Sum How many? | Difference Annexing zeros How many are left? How much more? Regroup | Mental math Compatible numbers Round Approximate Compensation |
