Standard 4: Vocabulary

Students will expand their working vocabularies to effectively communicate and understand texts.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

• Students will use a print or electronic dictionary or glossary to find words.

• Teachers explain that words in a glossary or dictionary are in “abc” order.

• Teacher model how to find a word in a glossary or dictionary.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice this skill in a group, then independently.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to provide feedback as student use a dictionary to find words.

Supporting Resources 

Teacher Insights 

Merriam-Webster Dictionary (website) 

 Dictionary Skills Games (website) 

• The intent of this standard is to focus on only finding words in a dictionary (printed and/or electronic). This objective does not state that students need to clarify the definition of a word. Understandings/skills that are necessary to use a dictionary include:

• Understanding that words are in alphabetical order.

• Understanding that guide words are at the top of the page of a dictionary.  

• Understanding that the guide word on the left represents the first dictionary word on the page, and the guide word on the right represents the last dictionary word on the page.

Due to recursive nature of the standards, it is essential that teachers are aware of how all objectives within and between strands work together for optimal instruction.