Cluster Standards

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Visit the specific benchmark webpage to find related instructional resources.

LAFS.1.L.3.4 : Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
1. Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
2. Use frequently occurring affixes as a clue to the meaning of a word.
3. Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g., look) and their inflectional forms (e.g., looks, looked, looking).
LAFS.1.L.3.5 : With guidance and support from adults, demonstrate understanding, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
1. Sort words into categories (e.g., colors, clothing) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
2. Define words by category and by one or more key attributes (e.g., a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with stripes).
3. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., note places at home that are cozy).
4. Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
LAFS.1.L.3.6 : Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., I named my hamster Nibblet because she nibbles too much because she likes that).

Cluster Information

Number:

LAFS.1.L.3

Title:

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

Type:

Cluster

Subject:

English Language Arts - Archived

Grade:

1

Strand

Language Standards

Cluster Access Points

This cluster includes the following Access Points.

LAFS.1.L.3.AP.4a : Use frequently occurring affixes as a clue to determine the meaning of the word.
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.4b : Use context within a sentence as a clue to determine the meaning of a word or phrase.
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.5a : With guidance and support, identify the category for a given word (e.g., a duck is a bird).
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.5b : With guidance and support, sort labeled objects into categories (e.g., shapes, food) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.5c : With guidance and support from adults, sort words or picture cards with words into categories (e.g., shapes, food) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.5d : With guidance and support, use newly acquired words in real-life context.
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.6a : Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, or when adding captions or simple sentences to illustrations or drawings, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., because).
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.6b : With guidance and support, use newly acquired words in real-life context.
LAFS.1.L.3.AP.6c : Use frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships.

Cluster Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials

Searching for Similarities - Part 4: Synonyms and Shades of Meaning: Explore the small differences in the meanings of synonyms in this interactive tutorial. Join Gemma as she compares, orders, and chooses synonyms based on their shades of meaning.

This is part 4 of a 4-part series. Click below to view parts 1, 2, and 3:
Searching for Similarities - Part 3: Synonyms and Context Clues: Determine the meaning of unknown words using context clues in this interactive tutorial. Join Gemma as she uses synonyms as clues to figure out what words mean in the observations of her family.

This is part 3 of a 4-part series. Click below to view parts 1, 2, or 4:
Observing Opposites - Part 3: Antonyms and Context Clues: Determine the meaning of unknown words using context clues in this interactive tutorial. Join Jake as he uses antonyms as clues to figure out what words mean in the observations of his family.

This is part 3 of a 3-part series. Click below to view parts 1 and 2:

Observing Opposites - Part 1: Adjectives and Antonyms

Observing Opposites - Part 2: Verbs and Antonyms
Cool Context Clues: Help Pat the Penguin use context clues to find the meanings of unknown words and phrases in this interactive tutorial.
The Places You'll Go!: Sort and describe words based on categories and key attributes in this interactive tutorial. Visit a circus, zoo, and fire station as you learn to describe and group people, animals, and objects.

Lesson Plans

It’s Mine! A Book About Sharing and Cooperation: In this lesson students will use details from the story It's Mine! by Leo Lionni to describe story elements, determine unknown words, and understand the moral or lesson of the text. This will be done with teacher support, in pairs, and by working independently. The lessons will conclude with a piece of opinion writing to show students’ perspective on the text.
Be Brave and Fearless: A Closer Look at Sheila Rae, the Brave: In this reading lesson, students will identify and describe story elements and retell the major events in the story Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes. Students will also identify the moral or the lesson learned in the story and write an opinion paragraph about the main characters as they explore the concept of bravery.
Mr. Duck Means Business: A Reading and Writing Lesson: Students will be engaged with the adorably illustrated and written children's book, Mr. Duck Means Business. They will discuss the story elements, practice retelling it, and create an expository writing piece about how the main character changed from the beginning to the end of the book.
Sink or Float?: This lesson helps students explore different objects that may sink or float. The teacher will begin the lesson with two candy bars. The students will be able to touch and feel the weight of the candy bars and make predictions on whether the candy will sink or float. After the teacher performs the investigation students will be broken up into groups of three to four and will look at ten different objects and predict if they will sink or float. The students will record their predictions. Fill out a table with there findings and write about why there predictions were correct or incorrect. By the end of the lesson students should understand what a prediction is. They should also understand that objects with more air float.
Reading with Our Eyes, Fingers, Toes, Ears and Nose: In this lesson, students will practice identifying descriptive words in their reading. Students will identify describing words based on the five senses. Students will create a riddle using descriptive words and add it to a digital class presentation.

Student Center Activities

Vocabulary: Spin Sort: In this activity, students will identify and sort contractions, synonyms, antonyms, abbreviations, homophones, and homographs.
Vocabulary: Affix Match: In this activity, students will match affixes to their meanings by playing a memory game.
Vocabulary: Opposites Attract: In this activity, students will identify antonyms by playing a card game.
Vocabulary: Synonym Dominoes: In this activity, students will identify synonyms by playing a domino game.
Vocabulary: Word Fill-In: In this activity, students will choose words to complete sentences.
Vocabulary: Another Word: In this activity, students will exchange antonyms for the underlined word in sentences.
Vocabulary: Semantic Feature Analysis: In this activity, students will identify the features that distinguish one word from another by completing a semantic feature analysis grid.
Vocabulary: Word Connections: In this activity, students will identify connections between words and record their shared attribute/category.
Vocabulary: Semantic Map: In this activity, students will brainstorm words related to a topic and use books and/or reference materials to answer questions about unknown words on a semantic map.
Vocabulary: Four Square Vocabulary Map: In this activity, students will describe a vocabulary word using a four square map.
Vocabulary: Multiple Meaning Bugs: In this activity, students will identify the multiple meanings of words.
Vocabulary: Action Word Ring Sort: In this activity, students will sort verbs related to a picture.
Vocabulary: Choose and Chat: In this activity, students will use adjectives to describe and identify objects.
Vocabulary: About Me: In this activity, students will complete a sentence using descriptive words (adjectives).
Vocabulary: Go Fish for Homophones: In this activity, students will match and correctly use homophones while playing a game.
Vocabulary: Synonym Spider: In this activity, students will match synonyms.
Vocabulary: Memory Word Match: In this activity, students will match words to corresponding meanings (symbols, contractions, abbreviations) while playing a memory game. As an extension, students can sort matched words into categories.
Phonics: Base Word Sort: In this activity, students will identify word components (base word and affixes) by doing a sort.
Phonics: Parting Words: In this activity, students will decode words and segment them into the base word and inflectional ending.
Phonics: Covering the Bases: In this activity, students will decode words with inflectional endings and identify the base word and inflectional ending (-ed, -ing, -s, -er, -est). Target words include one and two-syllable base words, some with variable vowel teams (e.g., ea) and vowel diphthongs (e.g., ow).
Vocabulary: Affix Action: In this activity, students will produce words with affixes to complete sentences while playing a board game.
Vocabulary: Alike and Different: In this activity, students will compare and contrast the attributes of words using a Venn diagram.
Vocabulary: Ask-Explain-List: In this activity, students will demonstrate understanding of words by applying them to a variety of contexts.
Vocabulary: Attribute Analysis: In this activity, students will distinguish one word from another by completing an attribute analysis grid. As an adaptation to this activity, teachers may create attribute analysis grids that reflect units of study.
Vocabulary: Build-A-Word: In this activity, students will add affixes to base words to make new words, then use the new words in sentences.
Vocabulary: Categor-Ring: In this activity, students will identify and sort words by categories.
Vocabulary: Category Creations: In this activity, students will produce categories and corresponding words. As an adaptation to this activity, the students may sort teacher-selected words into categories and produce a category heading based on shared attributes OR produce words that belong in teacher-selected categories (based on units of study).
Vocabulary: Category Cube: In this activity, students will produce and categorize words by rolling a category cube and writing corresponding words.
Vocabulary: Category Sort: In this activity, students will brainstorm categories and corresponding words. As an adaptation to this activity, students can sort teacher-selected words and identify the category title based on shared attributes.
Vocabulary: Category Tag: In this activity, students will state words that correspond to specific categories by playing a board game. NOTE: A blank game board is provided to allow teachers to create categories relevant to classroom instruction. As an extension, students may choose the word that does not belong in a set of words and name the category for the remaining words.
Vocabulary: Compare Extraordinaire: In this activity, students will identify similarities and differences between the meanings of words using a Venn diagram.
Vocabulary: Concept Connection: In this activity, students will compare four words, determine the one that does not belong in the set, and produce a category title for the remaining words based on shared attributes.
Vocabulary: Cube Word Sort: In this activity, students will sort words by categories.
Vocabulary: Extreme Words: In this activity, students will identify the relationship among words by placing them on a continuum.
Vocabulary: Inside Information: In this activity, students will write simple definitions, sentences, and examples of target words in a graphic organizer.
Vocabulary: Meaning Exchange: In this activity, students will identify the meaning of words in context by playing a matching game.
Vocabulary: Meaning Maker: In this activity, students will identify unknown words, determine their meaning, and rewrite sentences to demonstrate their understanding.
Vocabulary: Meaning Map: In this activity, students will identify attributes of words and record them on a graphic organizer.
Vocabulary: Multiple Meaning Match: In this activity, students will identify the multiple meanings of words in context.
Vocabulary: Now Featuring: In this activity, students will distinguish one word from another by completing an attribute analysis grid. As an adaptation to this activity, teachers may create attribute analysis grids that reflect units of study.
Vocabulary: Oh My Word!: In this activity, students will write simple definitions, sentences, and synonyms of words on a recording sheet.
Vocabulary: Same and Different: In this activity, students will compare and contrast words using a Venn diagram.
Vocabulary: Transportation Key Sort: In this activity, students will sort transportation words into categories (air, land, water).
Vocabulary: What-A-Word: In this activity, students will identify words to complete text.
Vocabulary: Word Express: In this activity, students will identify the meaning of words in context.
Vocabulary: Word Filler: In this activity, students will identify words to complete sentences.
Vocabulary: Word Wake-Up: In this activity, students will identify more precise alternatives (synonyms) for overused words.
Vocabulary: Word Web: In this activity, students will identify the multiple meaning of words by constructing a web.
Vocabulary: Word Wise: In this activity, student will determine the meaning of words. NOTE: To fully meet the expectations of the aligned standards, students will need to identify unknown words in text they are reading and use strategies to determine the meanings of the unknown words.
Vocabulary: Word Wizard: In this activity, students will determine the meaning of words of interest in text.
Vocabulary: Word Wrap: In this activity, students will describe a target word using a graphic organizer.
Vocabulary: Word-O-Nary: In this activity, students will write simple definitions, sentences, and synonyms of targeted words found in content-area text.

Teaching Idea

Learn New Words: This is a sample lesson that can be applied to any book to help students learn new vocabulary words.