Vocabulary, Vocabulary, Vocabulary!

Wow!  We are learning a LOT of new vocabulary this year - especially in our content areas such as science, social studies, and math!  We know that the more words student know and understand, the easier it is for them to comprehend when reading. 

Second grade is a pivotal year in that we begin to learn more and more academic vocabulary - those words that are often heard in the school setting and understanding them is crucial to what comprehending what we are learning about.  Some new academic vocabulary words they have recently learned include:  quadrilateral, polygon, angle, interrogative, declarative, exclamatory, inferring, glacier, landforms, peninsula, and bay.

Whenever possible I try to make vocabulary learning hands on so that the students have a concrete connection with it.  In the photos below you will see them doing some polygon sorting as we worked on our math vocabulary.  First they sorted quadrilaterals from other polygons, then they sorted rectangles (polygons with 4 right angles and 4 sides) from other quadrilaterals. 

How can you help build your child's vocabulary? Take time to review our weekly newsletter to know what vocabulary words we are working on and then use them in your conversations with your child.  Introduce him/her to other situations where they might hear or use that word.  Also, use a robust vocabulary when you are speaking.  They more interesting and exciting words that they hear, they more they will use!