The document provides a list of essential vocabulary words for different grade levels that are intended to help students read better, follow directions, and make connections across subjects. It includes over 100 words for each grade level from kindergarten through 8th grade organized by standard. The words cover a wide range of topics including letters, numbers, science, social studies, health, and financial literacy. The document encourages teachers to modify the lists based on individual student needs.

1. Essential Vocabulary
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

2. What is Essential Vocabulary?
Frequently used words in and across subjects.
Understanding these words allows students to read better, follow
directions, and make connections.
It is one of many educational tools.
The following words are some examples. You may wish to add
to, revise, or eliminate from the lists. It is best to keep in mind
the student and their individual needs with vocabulary choices.
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation
Image credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

3. Kindergarden/Nursery School/Pre-Unit List
1. alphabet
13. moral
26. addition
38. air
51. celebration
64. balance
77. background
90. earning
2. author
14. rules
27. afternoon
39. animal
52. family
65. directions
78. color
91. bills
3. beginning
15. law
28. calendar
40. change
53. career
66. health
79. craftsmanship
92. coins
4. letter
16. good
29. classify
41. cloud
54. community
67. wellness
80. texture
93. bank
5. poem
17. thinking
30. compare
42. collect
55. map
68. safety
81. beat
94. allowance
6. story
18. need
31. date
43. color
56. globe
69. partner
82. speaking voice
95. services
7. song
19. want
32. difference
44. day
57. transportation
70. speed
83. pattern
96. businesses
8. print
20. give
33. hour
45. night
58. Africa
71. warm-up
84. theater
97. shopping
21. promise
34. location
46. food
59. vote
72. stretch
85. audience
98. tithe
10. uppercase
22. tease
35. minus
47. growth
60. prime minister
73. heart
86. dancer
99. choices
11. word
23. brave
36. morning
48. moon
61. freedom
74. breathing
87. leap
100. saving
12. read
24. gentle
37. recipe
49. sun
62. leadership
75. skip
88. twist
101. value
50. valley
63. business
76. gallop
89. landing
102. sale
9. rhyme
25. strong
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

4. Standard 1/First Grade
1. blend
2. capitalization
3. character
4. setting
5. consonant
6. vowel sound
7. phonics
8. fantasy
9. sequence
10. punctuation
11. question
12. media
13. honest
25. centimeter
37. classify
49. citizen
62. appropriate
74. film
87. loan
14. must
26. data
38. biome
50. city
63. bones
75. clapping
88. plan
15. trouble
27. digit
39. extinct
51. continent
64. chase
76. stage
89. shopping list
16. duty
28. equal
40. freezing
52. ocean
65. flee
77. brass
90. tipping
17. cruel
29. estimate
41. heat
53. election
66. nutrition
78. lullaby
91. comparison
18. evil
30. even
42. insect
54. equality
67. muscles
79. march
92. savings account
19. better
31. graph
43. invent
55. equator
68. partner
80. collage
93. decision making
20. gift
32. greater than
44. investigate
56. flag
69. rhythm
81. diagonal
94. goods
21. war
33. less than
45. planet
57. history
70. vegetables
82. realistic
95. scarcity
22. should
34. half-hour
46. light
58. responsibility
71. self-space
83. medium/
media
96. careers
23. will
35. horizontal
47. living
59. culture
72. sportsmanship
97. opportunity costs
84. quality
24. self-control
36. number
sentence
48. non-living
60. values
73. throw
85. altar
61. patriotic
86. cathedral
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

5. Standard 2/Second Grade
1. adjective
13. moral
26. associative property
39. Celsius
51. authority
63. competition
77. budgeting
2. adverb
14. rules
27. dimensions
40. Fahrenheit
52. climate
64. cue
78. banking
3. pronoun
15. law
28. distance
41. compare
53. power
65. physical health
79. deposit
4. dictionary
16. good
29. shilling (KES)
42. contrast
54. custom
66. pulse
80. producers
5. encyclopedia
17. thinking
30. equivalent
43. dissolve
55. conflict
67. respect
81. consumers
6. fiction
18. need
31. fraction
44. resource
56. cooperation
68. preferred hand
82. borrowing
7. nonfiction
19. want
32. kilogram
45. energy
57. government
69. sportsmanship
83. loans
8. folktale
20. guilty
33. likely
46. evaporation
58. landmark
70. turning
84. incentives
9. main idea
21. promise
34. unlikely
47. fossil
59. rural
71. twisting
85. buying
10. pre-write
22. fear
35. meter
48. habitat
60. urban
72. game plan
86. trading
11. table of contents
23. brave
36. centimeter
49. infer
61. faith
73. boundary
87. counting
12. plot
24. gentle
37. multiplication
50. investigate
62. religion
74. dribble
88. wants
25. discipline
38. one-fourth
75. hydration
76. sunscreen
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

6. Standard 3/Third Grade
1. although
13. appropriate
25. angle
37. atmosphere
49. agriculture
61. activity level
73. wants
2. analyze
14. bad
26. area
38. barometer
50. artifact
62. calorie
74. needs
3. causes
15. consequences
27. array
39. cirrus
51. ancestor
63. drug abuse
75. tradeoffs
4. discuss
16. character
28. change (money)
40. cumulonimbus
52. barter
64. fitness program
76. taxes
5. information
17. cruel
29. decimal
41. cumulus
53. cardinal directions
65. fiber
77. charity
6. label
18. manners
30. denominator
42. decomposer
54. economy
66. growth cycle
78. foundation
7. reasons
19. better
31. dividend
43. heredity
55. exports
67. health goal
79. tithe
8. process
20. gift
32. division
44. mixture
56. geography
68. resolution
80. savings account
9. recall
21. war
33. divisor
45. orbit
57. hemisphere
69. parenthood
81. decision making
10. research
22. should
34. product
46. physical change
58. imports
70. poison
82. goods
11. review
23. will-power
35. quotient
47. predator
59. primary source
71. refusal skill
83. scarcity
12. sequence
24. delayed gratification
36. gram
48. prey
60. weapons
72. mental health
84. careers
85. opportunity costs
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

7. Standard 4/Fourth Grade
1. academic
14. ethics
27. diameter
39. adaptation
52. revolution
65. cardiovascular
78. payment
2. assess
15. commandment
28. obtuse
40. camouflage
53. civilization
66. cooperate
79. fines
3. clarify
16. love
29. prime
41. carnivore
54. colony
67. defense
80. bonuses
4. judge
17. healing
30. probability
42. cell
55. constitution
68. intensity
81. transactions
5. vary
18. positive attitude
31. quadrant
43. condensation
56. republic
69. offense
82. income
6. caption
19. acceptable
32. radius
44. eclipse
57. checks and
balances
70. working heart rate
83. planning
7. author’s purpose
20. unacceptable
33. remainder
45. erosion
71. peer pressure
84. spending
72. physician
85. investing
60. entrepreneur
73. prescription
medicine
86. compound
interest
61. judicial
74. protective equipment
87. ledger
62. supply and
demand
75. psychological health
88. rent
76. abuse
89. delayed
gratification
58. merchant
8. genre
21. proper
34. vertex
46. food web
59. capitalism
9. metaphor
10. simile
11. transitional words
12. quoting
13. misconception
22. hard work
23. conduct
24. brave
25. psychology
26. theme
35. mile
36. parallel
37. divisor
38. multiples
47. metamorphosis
48. omnivore
49. reflection
50. refraction
51. uncertainty
63. taxes
77. tobacco
64. bias
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8. Standard 5/Fifth Grade
1. advantage
15. etiquette
29. divisibility
43. chemical properties
57. tariff
71. balance
2. cite
16. chivalry
30. exponent
44. constellation
58. boundary
72. conflict
3. debate
17. consequences
31. formula
45. data collection
59. civil war
73. dribble
4. emphasize
18. character
32. line graph
46. core
60. debt
74. eye-hand
coordination
5. evaluate
19. cruel
33. model
47. crust
61. historian
6. expand
20. manners
34. order of operations
48. earthquake
62. industrialization
75. eye-foot
coordination
7. focus
21. better
35. outlier
49. gravity
63. urbanization
76. overhand
8. inference
22. gift
36. prism
50. hurricane
64. marketplace
77. underhand
9. persuade
23. corruption
37. surface area
51. inherited traits
65. oral history
78. physical fitness
10. characteristics
24. should
38. volume
52. parasite
66. chronology
79. serve
11. affix
25. will-power
39. radius
53. photosynthesis
67. presentation
80. set
12. hyperbole
26. delayed gratification
40. range
54. plate movement
68. evidence
81. team work
13. personification
27. bandwagon
41. improper fraction
55. food
69. elites
82. warm up
14. clause
28. stereotype
42. diameter
56. epidemic
70. effects
83. healthy relationship
84. mood swing
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

9. Standard 6/Sixth Grade
1. accuracy
15. ethics
29. circumference
43. abiotic
57. ancient
71. adolescence
2. analysis
16. commandment
30. Equilateral
44. asteroid
58. irrigation
72. abstinence
3. characteristic
17. caring
31. experimental
probability
45. bias
59. document
73. alcohol abuse
4. contribution
18. procrastination
46. biome
60. republicanism
74. cancer
47. biosphere
61. feudalism
75. denial
48. criteria
62. caste
76. depression
49. design constraint
63. cultural diffusion
77. emergency plan
50. prototype
64. philosophy
78. Heimlich maneuver
51. tides
65. polytheism
79. cardiac muscle
52. variable
66. dynasty
80. conditioning
53. ocean current
67. classical
81. fad diet
54. discovery
68. bureaucracy
82. rule infraction
55. investigation
69. misconceptions
83. safety
56. communication
70. note-taking
84. stress management
32. integers
5. credible
19. independent
6. elaborate
20. acceptable
33. isosceles
34. negative
7. essential
21. unacceptable
35. odds
8. strategic
22. proper
36. percent
9. mnemonic devices
23. hard work
37. pi
10. propaganda
24. conduct
11. thesis statement
25. brave
38. poll
39. power
12. rhythm
26. critical thinking
40. interest
13. point-of-view
27. trust
41. random
14. figurative language
28. self-reliance
42. rate
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

10. Standard 7/Seventh Grade
1. assertive
16. etiquette
30. box and whisker plot
44. discovery
56. Cornell Notes
70. anemia
2. consideration
17. chivalry
31. Greatest Common Factor
45. investigation
57. colonization
71. anorexia
3. design
18. consequences
32. Greatest Common Divisor
46. communication
58. impact
72. bulimia
4. illustrate
19. character
33. Least Common Multiple
47. cell division
59. International Date Line
73. CPR
5. draft
20. cruel
34. Scientific Notation
48. chromosome
60. Time Zone
74. dental health
6. factor
21. manners
35. Slope
49. epigenetics
61. socialism
75. hygiene
7. impact
22. better
36. square root
50. metamorphic
62. communism
76. injury prevention
8. imply
23. gift
37. base (of an exponent)
51. organ system
63. free enterprise
77. malnutrition
9. unify
24. corruption
38. exponent
52. respiration
64. capitalism
78. plaque
10. paraphrase
25. should
39. circumference
53. rock cycle
65. Magna Carta
79. self-examination
11. summarize
26. will-power
40. integers
54. synthesize
66. feudalism
80. weight training
12. connotation
27. delayed
gratification
41. scalene
55. velocity
67. theocracy
81. lifetime fitness
42. repeating decimal
68. Middle Ages
82. pacing
43. statistics
69. republics
83. line of scrimmage
13. pitch
28. bandwagon
14. tone
29. stereotype
15. foreshadowing
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11. Standard 8/Eighth Grade
1. allusion
16. moral
30. absolute value
42. acid
54. Cornell Notes
67. risk factor
80. artistic choice
2. bias
17. rules
31. adjacent angles
43. base
55. socialism
68. domestic
violence
81. audience
response
3. debate
18. law
32. infinite
44. atom
56. communism
69. diabetes
82. costuming
70. CPR
83. ensemble
71. dental health
84. Baroque
72. hygiene
85. Classical
73. injury prevention
86. finale
74. malnutrition
87. unison
75. self-examination
88. repertoire
76. weight training
89. harmony
77. lifetime fitness
90. concerto
78. range of motion
91. Renaissance
79. endurance
92. parables
4. persuade
5. pitch
6. thesis statement
7. sensory details
8. mood
9. assert
10. depict
11. analogies
12. specify
13. subsequently
14. phonics
19. good
20. thinking
21. need
22. want
23. give
24. promise
25. tease
26. brave
27. gentle
28. strong
33. Pythagorean Theorem
34. vertical angles
35. perfect square
36. scientific notation
37. unit rates
38. quartile
39. cube root
40. coefficient
41. histograms
45. compound
46. epigenetics
47. synthesize
48. genus
49. magnetic field
50. order
51. phylum
52. class genus
53. species
57. free enterprise
58. capitalism
59. feudalism
60. theocracy
61. republicanism
62. epics
63. autocracy
64. dictatorship
65. map projection
66. oligarchy
29. metacognition
15. reliable
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

12. Standard 9/Ninth Grade
1. attribute
16. honest
29. unit rates
41. data
53. research
65. risk factor
79. tempo
2. beneficial
17. must
30. quartile
42. observation
54. bibliography
80. choral
3. hence
18. trouble
31. cube root
66. domestic
violence
43. experimentation
55. capitalism
4. notion
19. duty
32. coefficient
44. order
56. entrepreneurship
5. sequential
20. cruel
33. histograms
45. phylum
57. outlining
6. verify
21. evil
34. irrational
numbers
7. allegory
22. better
67. diabetes
46. class genus
58. socialism
59. communism
48. allele
60. free enterprise
49. biomass
61. interest
50. DNA
51. enzyme
62. monopoly
63. opportunity
cost
52. RNA
24. war
25. should
26. will
13. revise
27. self-control
64. usability
28. metacognition
14. style
15. figurative language
40. Greatest Common
Factor
87. portfolio
73. goal setting
39. range
12. fallacy
86. plagiarism
72. fatigue
38. real numbers
11. point of view
85. commission
71. dodge
37. quadratic formula
10. bibliography
84. calligraphy
70. endurance
36. Pascal’s Triangle
9. protagonist
83. motif
69. range of motion
47. species
23. gift
82. abstract
68. CPR
35. outlier
8. audience
81. canon
88. Apocalypse
74. hand washing
89. atrium
75. metabolism
90. doric order
76. protein
91. basilica
77. refusal skills
92. acrylic
78. self-confidence
93. archive
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

13. Standard 10/Tenth Grade
1. acronym
16. appropriate
30. unit rates
42. data
55. research
69. slide
81. oil pastel
2. argumentation
17. bad
31. quartile
43. observation
56. bibliography
70. refusal skills
82. sepia
3. prose
18. consequences
32. cube root
44. experimentation
57. entrepreneurship
71. self-confidence
83. varnish
4. juxtaposition
19. character
33. outlier
45. DNA
58. outlining
72. stressor
84. lens
5. persuasion
20. cruel
34. median
46. enzyme
59. interest
73. vitamin
85. panorama
6. rhetorical device
21. manners
35. mode
47. RNA
60. monopoly
61. opportunity cost
74. workout
86. zoom
7. reasoning
22. better
36. radicand
48. brain
development
75. abdominals
87. carving
76. bicep
88. diorama
77. femur
89. figurine
78. flexibility
90. finial
79. aerobic
91. mobile
80. muscle fitness
92. monument
8. audience
23. gift
37. real numbers
49. glaciers
9. protagonist
24. war
25. should
26. will-power
27. delayed
gratification
65. de facto
40. polygons
52. heterogeneous
12. nevertheless
64. anarchy
39. central angle
51. plate tectonics
11. point of view
63. capital
38. Fibonacci
50. Mohs scale
10. bibliography
62. usability
66. impeach
41. compound interest
53. homogeneous
67. propaganda
93. plaster
13. verify
28. metacognition
54. Kelvin
68. treaties
94. scale
14. nuance
29. misconceptions
15. specify
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

14. Standard 11/Eleventh Grade
1. denote
14. ethics
27. factorial
40. metalloid
54. reliable resources
66. anaerobic
78. solder
2. hubris
15. commandment
28. logarithm
41. fission
55. sanctions
67. wellness
79. statue
3. omnipotent
16. love
29. standard deviation
42. fusion
56. mercantilism
68. self-confidence
80. tactile
4. symbolism
17. healing
30. outlier
43. plasma
57. genocide
69. pacing
81. weld
5. underlying
18. positive attitude
31. mean
44. tsunami
58. opportunity cost
70. hydration
82. fresco
6. shades of meaning
19. acceptable
32. median
45. data
58. usability
71. exertion
83. minaret
7. acronyms
20. unacceptable
33. mode
46. observation
59. capital
72. game play
84. pediment
8. footnotes
21. proper
34. radicand
47. experimentation
60. elite theory
73. bobbing
85. floor plan
9. mood
22. hard work
35. real numbers
48. heterogeneous
61. de facto
74. range of motion
86. blueprint
10. climax
23. conduct
36. Fibonacci
49. homogeneous
62. impeach
75. strategy
87. tempera
11. double-negative
24. brave
37. central angle
50. Kelvin
63. propaganda
76. pathways
88. woodcut
12. text features
25. psychology
38. polygons
51. solar flares
64. treaties
77. levels
89. Postmodernism
13. analogy
26. theme
39. compound interest
52. DNA
65. tribal systems
90. glaze
53. brain
development
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

15. Standard 12/Twelfth Grade
1. gist
15. etiquette
29. hyperbola
43. cloning
57. wellness
70. infrastructure
84. wabi-sabi
2. caveat
16. chivalry
30. undefined
(dividing by zero)
44. homeostasis
58. pathways
71. topography
85. bust
3. denote
17. consequences
45. homologous
59. levels
72. geology
86. codex
46. meiosis
60. training
73. governance
87. sanctuary
47. modes of
inheritance
61. physiology
74. bankruptcy
88. hologram
62. ethics
75. budget
89. copyright
63. initiative
76. income
90. Gothic
64. biomechanical
principles
77. predatory
lending
91. iconography
31. factorial
4. dogmatic
18. character
32. logarithm
5. create
19. cruel
33. standard deviation
6. epiphany
20. manners
34. outlier
7. formulate
21. better
35. mean
8. vilify
92. critique
65. nutrition
78. loan sharking
93. palette
52. plasma
66. creative skills
79. reliable resources
25. will-power
94. bravo/brava
39. real numbers
12. drama
51. fusion
24. should
38. radicand
11. diction
50. fission
23. corruption
37. mode
10. fallacy
49. metalloid
22. gift
36. median
9. questioning
48. periodic table
26. delayed
gratification
40. Fibonacci
53. tsunami
54. data
13. analogy
27. bandwagon
41. polygons
67. cardiovascular
endurance
55. experimentation
80. republicanism
95. proverbs
81. elite theory
68. manipulative
movements
96. half note
82. mercantilism
14. misconceptions
97. quarter rest
28. stereotype
42. compound interest
56. presentation
69. circuit training
83. tribal systems
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

16. Strategies for Learning
Essential Vocabulary
Essential Vocabulary
1. Visuals: pictures, drawings, diagrams, realia (real objects), video
clips. Drawings may be created on paper and/or placed on a nice wall
display.
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation
Image credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

17. 2. Roman Room System: Imagining a well known room and mentally
pegging vocabulary terms and their meanings to objects in the room.
Students draw the mental picture on paper.
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation

18. 3. Frayer Model: Writing the term, its description and facts, examples
of the term, and non-examples/opposite terms. You may also add an
additional box for drawing a picture or diagram. These may be created
on paper or larger sizes for nice wall displays.
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation
Image credit: http://www.tantasqua.org/

19. 4. Songs and music: Students
create songs using essential
vocabulary and their meanings.
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Image credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

20. 5. Etymology: Learning the origins of a word.
Students use a database, such as
http://www.etymonline.com/ to research
essential vocabulary.
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation
Image credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

21. 6. Breaking-Up the Words: Looking for
prefixes, root words, and suffixes in the
terms. You may wish to have this activity
done on paper or a creative classroom
bulletin board.
* You may also provide students the choice of
one of these six strategies. Choice in work
often increases interest to do it.
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation
Image credit: http://www.alinasadventuresinhomemaking.com/

22. Garcia Sports Foundation
© Jesse Bluma, Garcia Sports Foundation