Groovy Educator

YouTube Video Teaching Writing Skills and Vocabulary Through Conversation In this relatively short video, I model how you can use conversations to build your child's vocabulary.  Through questioning and rephrasing, you are modeling appropriate language skills.  This in turn improves your child's ability to write because usually if a child can say it, he/she can write it (even if words are sounded out). In the video, I begin by asking what my daughter wants to talk about and she replies "fans."  Then she goes on to say "So today we will be talking about fans."  She automatically went into an introduction without even realizing she was stating the topic (probably because her mom's a teacher).  By giving her a choice on the topic, she is more interested in the conversation.  This builds engagement. A little while later in the video, I state "Apparently my daughter is a fan of fans."  I am intentionally modeling another way to use ...

A fun way for kids to learn new vocabulary is to have them make a classroom museum .  Basically each child is given a word and they have to make a model of that word using clay (or play-doh).  They also make a sign for their exhibit with the word and an explanation of what the word means.  Once everyone completes their exhibit the class goes on a museum tour and the children read and discuss the clay models as they walk around the room. If you want to take grade or document the activity, you can have them fill out the Museum Exhibit Report form.  The report form is a useful tool for the children to help them maintain focus while sharing with the class or their buddy.  It's only one dollar on Teachers Pay Teachers! Afterwards, the children buddy up and discuss their word and their thought process behind the model.  The children then take pictures of each "exhibit."  The teacher loads the pictures into a slide show or a PowerPoint and then the cla...