9/30/04

TIMELY WORDS

Here are some TIMELY ADDITIONS to Word Web’s web site. From the Teacher’s page, you can now access the pre- / post-tests for Volumes I & II, plus four documents that will help you utilize Word Web to its fullest, and a letter to parents that explains Word Web to them and asks for their help and support with their children’s work. There is also an enrichment activity, aimed more at students who are not engaged in the full year of Word Web but is obviously available to all. Watch for more enrichment activities in the next months!

The Olympics and the recent tennis matches gave teachers some valuable teaching tools. Of particular relevancy to those of you using Word Web's Volume I was the use of "semi-", as in semifinals, often abbreviated as "semis." Have students describe any semifinal meets they watched on television. Those of you using Volume II will be able to tie in "triathlon," in which the three events of swimming, bicycling and running take place. Ask your students to find the names of the winners, probably available only on the Internet now. (Kate Allen of Austria, women's event; Hamish Carter of New Zealand, men's) Write these names in your teacher's manual for future reference.

Then there are words that are timely because they fit the season. This year, we can consider those that relate to elections, such as these from Volume II:

* canvass (v): To go through an area talking to people so as to gather information or opinions; to ask for votes or orders for a product. In the fall, in addition to politicians who canvass for votes, Girl Scouts canvass neighborhoods in order to sell their cookies.
* dark horse: In racing, a horse whose capabilities and chances of success are not known, hence, an unknown or little-known competitor who unexpectedly wins. Ask your students whether they can identify a local, state or national candidate who might be a dark horse. Canvass your students to find out whether they are familiar with idioms such as these.
* lame duck: An elected official at the end of his last term. Is there a lame duck in your area? Your state?
* grass roots: From the ground upwards; the very foundation or source; composed of ordinary people, not with the leaders or those in power. There may be issues now in your area that began with such a bottoms' up approach, such as organizing an effort for a new library or park. Older students, of course, will likely be more aware of these than younger ones. As I write, the Bush campaign has sent Republicans to Washington state in an grass roots endeavor to win voters in that state. In parts of Africa, there are grass roots efforts to provide AIDS treatment for infected people.

In a few weeks I'll give you seasonal words for Halloween and fall.

Do you remember my promise that Word Web would not be a new or independent subject for you and your students but rather the integrating element of your language arts? Here are some ways you can coordinate Word Web’s words with your other instruction:

* tie words to spelling rules and previous spelling lessons
* show students how prefixes and suffixes help them understand the spelling of some words
* ask students to provide different parts of speech to words, as semiprofessionally (adv) from semiprofessional; monopolize (v) from monopoly; duplication (n) from duplicate; perilous (adj) from peril, etc.
* ask students for synonyms: monopolize (tie-up, dominate); unify (arrange, blend, coordinate) antonyms (share); thrifty (careful, frugal, wise, economical; and homonyms of words whenever applicable, i.e. dual, duel

Please contact me (emiller@seepub.com) with questions or comments. I'd love to know how you are making out with Word Web and how your students are doing!
That's my word for this time, Ellie

Visit Word Web Vocabulary at the ASCD Dallas Conference in October. We'll see you at Booth  514!

Word Web Vocabulary recommended on Heidi Hayes-Jacobs' website, moving vocabulary from the edge of language arts to its center