The document proposes a vocabulary center for students based on 5 activities to be done throughout the week. The activities are: 1) a vocabulary concept map, 2) an affix game, 3) identifying words while reading, 4) sorting words by relationship, and 5) completing sentences with vocabulary words. Research shows that learning vocabulary helps reading comprehension. These activities incorporate strategies like teaching affixes, using words in context, and making connections between words, which research supports as effective vocabulary instruction. The centers provide independent practice of vocabulary in an engaging way to benefit all students, including English learners.

1. Theoretic framework is based on the theory that students need to know vocabulary to better
understand what they read.
Days of the week Name of Center Objective of the Description of the center
center
Monday Vocabulary Helps students 1.Students create a frayer map
concept map become familiar 2.In one box students write the
with vocabulary definition of the word
words 3. In box #2 students write the word in a
sentence
4. Box #3 Students write the synonym or
antonym of the word
5.Box #4 students draw a picture of the
word
6. In the middle goes the word
Tuesday Affix Action The student will 1. Place game board and game pieces at
Pages 13-18 identify the the center. Place sentence cards face
meaning of words down beside the game board.
with affixes. 2. Working in pairs, student one selects
the top card from the stack (without
revealing it) and reads the sentence,
saying the word “blank” at the underline
(without the answer) to student two
(e.g., If you are full of hope, you are
blank ).
3. Student two attempts to provide the
word and identify the affix (e.g.,
hopeful, ful).
4. Student one checks the answer that
is provided on the bottom of the word
card.
5. If correct, student two moves game
piece to the next space on the game
board that has the identified affix. If
incorrect, no move is made.
6. Return card to the bottom of the
stack and continue until both students
reach the end.
Wednesday Word Wise The student will 1. Place text at the center. Provide the
Pages 1-3 produce the student with a Word Wise bookmark
meaning of words. and student sheet.
2. Students read the text, find, and
discuss words that are interesting, new,
different, unusual, funny, difficult, or
important.
3. Write the book title, author, words of
interest, and page numbers on the
Word Wise bookmarks.

2. 4. Choose five words from the Word
Wise bookmark and complete the Word
Wise student sheet. Write sentences
using the words on the back of the
page.
Thursday Word Wake Up The student will
Pages 10-16 identify the
relationship
among words.
7. Record information on a student sheet.
Friday Word Filler The student will 1. Place sentence strips in a stack at the
Pages 1-3 identify words to center. Place word cards face up in
complete rows.
sentences. 2. Taking turns, student one selects a
sentence strip and reads the sentence,
saying “blank” for the missing word.
3. Student two finds the word, places it
on the blank, and reads the sentence. If
the sentence doesn’t make sense,
chooses another word until the correct
word is found.
4. Reverse roles and continue until all
the words are matched to
corresponding sentences.
For my final project I have chosen to make a vocabulary center based on 5 different activities
(one for each day of the week). All five of these activities I have used in my classroom before. I know
that my students benefit from them and enjoy doing them. Four of the five were taken from the FCRR
resource guide for teachers. These activities can be independent or done with a partner or group.
Embedded to this page are the links to the resources and directions of each center. These activities can
be created with different words, you don’t have to use the words that are already on it, and you can
recreate new ones. As a Narrative I will explain how all 5 activities connect to the research and
information I learned in this class.

3. Centers are important for children in every grade to practice what they learned during
the lesson. Vocabulary is one of those important subjects that get over looked. But it is
important for students to know and learn vocabulary. According to Davis there’s a connection
between vocabulary knowledge and the readers ability to understand what they read (Davis,
1944, 1968). Students that are learning vocabulary words are more likely to understand what
they are reading.
Vocabulary can be learned in many ways, one strategy is having the students practice in
a center. The following five strategies have been used in my third grade classroom before. My
test scores have shown that my strategies have helped extensively and my students all enjoy
doing these. The first one is a vocabulary concept map. Students are to complete a graphic
organizer, which includes the word, a definition made by the student, a sentence using the
word, the words synonym or antonym and finally a picture. Using this model students are
making connections to the vocabulary words, instead of just learning them they are putting
them into context. It also fits under the Guideline #2 of teaching vocabulary effectively which
states: students become word learners independently, because it scaffolds to different
learners.
The second strategy Affix Action, in this game students are looking for the vocab word
and its affix. It is a fun board game in which students are learning bound morphemes (prefixes
and suffixes). According to Blachowicz and Fisher book Teaching Vocabulary in all Classrooms,
teaching morphology helps students learn the meaning of words (p.125). The game also helps

4. students learn how prefixes work. Bilingual students benefit from this game when common
affixes in both English and Spanish are used (p.128).
Word Wise involves learning the meaning of vocabulary words while reading. The
students get to read the words in an expository or narrative text and then they define the word
using the context clues. Knowing the words previously to them reading the passage helps the
students develop background knowledge and could make predictions before reading. This is
also the first time they get to see their vocab words in a story. Learning new vocabulary is like
the process of strategic reading, they go hand in hand (Blachowicz & Fisher p.49), which is why
this center is beneficial to students.
The fourth center is Word Wake-up; this center involves students making connections
with similar words. This center is great for English Language Learners; it develops word
consciousness between words. This also can be used in many different ways. Cognates which
are similar words in a different language can be used in the sorting so that students can easily
make connections with their vocabulary words.
The last center is Word Filler; this center lets students use everything they learned
throughout the week. The objective is to insert the vocabulary words correctly in the right
sentences. This is a great activity because the teacher can create these for any words. Also
different types of sentences can be used, so that the words may use different affixes.
All these centers have strategies which support vocabulary and reading learning.
Students of all levels may benefit from them, including ELL students who may struggle with
vocabulary. They are also great because students enjoy doing them. All the students in my

5. classroom looked forward to centers because they knew that it wasn’t just reading and
answering questions. I never used the same 5 centers weekly; I changed them when I could to
keep the students engaged. In this class I enjoyed learning about all the research that supports
a lot of the things that I do in my classroom and these centers are examples of them.