What Are Extensions?

Vocabulary is a thread woven throughout the day, so extensions are a way to use new words beyond ELA time. Extensions are a way for students to practice using target vocabulary words and definitions using interesting, engaging, and contextualized activities. They also provide ways to make your read aloud multitask.

Learning a new word is not a one and done thing. It’s not a know it/don’t know it thing either. Multiple exposures are needed to truly learn a new word. Use word games to make this repetition JOYful. Knowing a word moves across a continuum of knowledge:

How does a student move across this continuum of knowing? Researchers tell us learning a new word requires multiple exposures. How many? That is different for each person. Most of us need between 10 - 20 exposures, but some may need as many as 50!

We use extensions in two ways: to get more practice with new words or to use your read aloud to support other content areas. In our lesson plans, you may see extensions such as word sorts or degrees of intensity. You might connect two new words of similar (or opposite meaning). You can separate words under each character in the book you have read to think about feelings, traits, and character change. Each lesson has an extension that fits that particular read aloud.

Other extensions fall under other content areas. You can use the read aloud as a mentor text for writing; studying the author’s craft moves, use of punctuation or formatting within the text. Informational texts can often be used to extend knowledge in science or social studies. Text sets can be formed to build and deepen knowledge, so related books are often listed.

Planning a read aloud with intention does take time. Giving you back time with pre-planned lessons is part of the mission of JOYcabulary. The challenge for teachers is to provide these multiple exposures without drill and kill practice. Worksheets and workbooks are not the answer. Make the learning thoughtful and JOYful by using vocabulary learning games. We have a whole post about them here.

Examples

Here are some examples of extensions we’ve used in our Lesson Plans:

• Lesson Plan: Swashby and the Sea

  • Phonics: counting syllables

  • Comprehension: character change, character relationships, part-to-whole synthesis, author’s message/ theme

  • Writing: “Magic 3”

    P. 3 salty, sandy, serene

    P. 5 planted, scattered, boarded

    P. 6 nosy, nuisance, annoying

    P. 14 grumbled, mumbled, hurried

    civilized, friendly, neighborly

• Lesson Plan: Francis Discovers Possible

  • Comprehension: author’s message

  • Writing: dialogue tags (P. 5-6)

• Lesson Plan: Knight Owl

  • Comprehension: author’s message

  • Writing: ellipsis (P. 6, 16, 36)

  • Word Web: confidence, confident, confidently, confidential, confidentiality

• Lesson Plan: Over and Under the Waves

  • Writing: see-saw structure

  • Animal Science: camouflage, prey