Learning Experience 2 Vocabulary Visits

Michael D. Tomorsky
CIL 604
Dr. Chyllis Scott
University of Nevada Las Vegas

For many students, science is the most exciting subject of the week. They get to learn
about the world around them, plan and execute experiments, and work collaboratively with their
peers. Science vocabulary acquisition is important because much of it is tied tightly to the
content area. Student success depends on being able to use the vocabulary effectively to
communicate, ideas, and content knowledge. Nevada Academic Content Standard (N.V.A.C.S.),
(5)3.2Investigate and describe various meteorological phenomena (flooding, snowstorms,
thunderstorms, and drought), is one area where word knowledge plays a part in the many types
of weather that cause meteorological phenomena, and the vocabulary acquired relates to many
types of weather. There has been increased emphasis on reading in the content area as part of
English language arts instruction, which is a move in the right direction. However, most science
textbooks read at a higher grade level than the students they serve. Struggling readers and
English language learners (E.L.L.) students may find the textbook difficult and not be fully
engaged with the language or topic. Educators need to be flexible in their approach to instruction
and Vocabulary Visits is one way teachers can meet the needs of all students. Using picture
books as part of content area literacy read-alouds helps students go beyond their existing oral
vocabularies and presents them with new concepts and vocabulary. (Blachowicz & Obrochta,
2010, p. 63) Choosing the books is important because a range of difficulty allows for scaffolded
learning and provides for individual differences. (Blachowicz & Obrochta, 2010, p. 64) The
following text were chosen to meet the objectives of N.V.A.C.S. (5)3.2 investigating
meteorological phenomena in accordance to the activities listed in a Vocabulary Visit.
Books and Rational

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Ardema / Pictures by Beatriz Vidal
This text will be used as a Jump-Start. The poetry structure, repeated verse, and pictures
are accessible for all students of any age. The story about the drought and how Ki-pat solves the
problem will serve as an avenue to make and confirm predictions about weather, and how
phenomena like drought occur. A few of the objective vocabulary words are introduced in this
text as well. As students complete their First Write they will be able to speculate what other
vocabulary might be introduced as they study the topic by adding words to the Visit Poster as the
teacher mediates.
Drought and Hurricanes by Michael Woods and Mary B. Woods
Both of these books are rich in text features. These text will not be read in their entirety,
but sections like What Causes Droughts? and The Hurricane That Ate Galveston will be read
to support content development, vocabulary, and aid in students developing their Final Write, a
topic that shows the student has mastered the content area.
Flood written and illustrated by Alvaro F. Villa
Flood is another book that will be used as a Jump-Start. The text is accessible for all
students because it has no words. I would edit a short piece of music to play along with text as
the students follow along to help set the tone of the events. Students would then do a Group Talk
to elaborate on the effect the flood had on the family, house, and landscape, adding words to the
Visit Poster.
Lightning, Hurricanes, and Blizzards: The Science of Storms by Paul Fleisher
This book is a content and vocabulary rich source that explains many topics in weather.
Sections of this text will be read as needed to introduce vocabulary and how different weather
phenomena develops. The Thumbs Up strategy can be used here as students add to their
vocabulary list.
Real World Math: Natural Disasters Floods by Graeme Davis

This text supports vocabulary development and also has some basic math problems with
real world applications. Students will identify and list, drought specific terms as part of the Visit
Poster and to record word growth. Students can also use this text as a support when writing their
Final Write.
Tell Me Why, Tell Me How: Why Does It Thunder and Lightning? By Darice Bailer
This book has large print with clear photographs of storms, thunder, and lightning. This
text will not be read as a read-aloud in its entirety. It will be used a model text to introduce
vocabulary. It contains questioning prompts and an activity students can complete on their own.
Again, students can use this text to support their vocabulary lists, and as part of their Final Write.

These books are just a few of many possible text to use when developing a Vocabulary
Visit unit. I did not add any books involving snowstorms at this time because I could not find any
resource to evaluate and include as part of this project. I found many books online, but did not
have the opportunity to read them. The essential vocabulary words I chose were explicitly listed
in N.V.A.C.S. (5)3.2, or were chosen because of the interrelationship between the various
meteorological phenomena. Essential vocabulary in this unit are: thunderstorm, hurricane,
drought, tornado, snowstorm, flood, condensation, atmosphere, convection current, cold front,
warm front.

Essential Vocabulary

Thunderstorm: a storm with lightning and thunder

Hurricane: an extremely large, powerful, and destructive storm

with very strong winds that occurs especially in the western part of
the Atlantic Ocean

Drought: a period of dryness especially when prolonged; specifically: one that causes extensive
damage to crops or prevents their successful growth
Tornado: a violent and destructive storm in which powerful
winds move around a central point called a funnel

Snowstorm: a storm with

large amounts of falling
snow

Flood: a rising and overflowing body of water especially onto

dry land

Condensation: Condensation takes place when

water vapor in the air condenses from a gas, back
into a liquid form, and leaves the atmosphere,
returning to the surface of the Earth.

Atmosphere: multiple layers of gasses that

surround the earth

Convection Current: Convection takes place when heated molecules move from one place to
another, taking the heat with them.

Cold Front: A front bringing in a cold air

mass.

Warm Front: A front bringing in a warm

air mass.

Works Cited
Aardema, V. (1981). Bringing Rain to Kapiti Plain. New York: Dial Books for Young
Readers.

Arbogast, C. R. (n.d.). Flood Picture. Water filling 2,500 homes in Minot as river rises
in North Dakota. The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento. Retrieved July 22, 2015,
from http://blogs.sacbee.com/photos/2011/06/water-filling-2500-homes-inmi.html
Bailer, D. (2011). Tell Me Why, Tell Me How: Why Does It Thunder And Lightning?
New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.
Davis, G. (2012). Real World Math: Natural Disasters Floods. Ann Arbor: Cherry Lake
Publishing.
Fleisher, P. (2011). Ligthning, Hurricanes, and Blizzards: The Science of Storms.
Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company.
Hill, A. (n.d.). Salina, KS. 10 tremendous tornadoes. Tornado Titans. Retrieved July
22, 2015, from http://www.ustornadoes.com/2014/04/01/10-tantalizingtornadoes-photographs/
Photo. (n.d.). Condensation. Condensation on water bottle. Wikimedia Commons.
Retrieved July 22, 2015, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Condensation_on_water_bottle.jpg
Photo, H. (n.d.). NASA/GSFC. Hurricanes: Engines of Destruction. Nation
Geographic . Retrieved from
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/naturaldisasters/hurricane-profile/
Photo, R. (n.d.). Snowstorm. Winter Storm Pax In Pictures: Snow And Ice Batter US
East Coast [PHOTOS]. International Business Times, New York. Retrieved July
22, 2015, from http://www.ibtimes.com/winter-storm-pax-pictures-snow-icebatter-us-east-coast-photos-1555233
Photo, T. (n.d.). Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 1 a.m. Tuesday for 45 Iowa
Counties. The Perry News. The Perry News, Perry. Retrieved July 22, 2015,
from http://theperrynews.com/severe-thunderstorm-warning-1-m-tuesdayfollowing-iowa-counties/
Photo:. (n.d.). Cold Front. Weather Fronts. Oklahoma Climatological Survey.
Retrieved July 22, 2015, from
http://okfirst.mesonet.org/train/meteorology/Fronts.html
Photo:. (n.d.). How Do Convection Currents Affect Weather? Science Project. Weebly.
Retrieved July 22, 2015, from
http://convectioncurrentscienceproject.weebly.com/weather.html
Photo:. (n.d.). Warm Front. Weather Fronts. Oklahoma Climatological Survey.
Retrieved July 22, 2015, from
http://okfirst.mesonet.org/train/meteorology/Fronts.html
Press, A. (n.d.). California May Have Hit Its Driest Point In 500 Years, And The Effects
Are Frightening. Huff Post Green. Huffington Post. Retrieved July 22, 2015,

from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/30/california-drought-effects500-years_n_4647529.html
Russell, R. (n.d.). Layers of the Atmosphere. Earth's Atmosphere. Windows to the
Universe. Retrieved July 22, 2015, from
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/mesosphere.html
Villa, A. F. (2013). Flood. North Mankato: Picture Window Books.
Woods, M. B. (2007). Disasters Up Close: Droughts. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications
Company.
Woods, M. B. (2007). Disasters Up Close: Hurricanes. Minneapolis: Lerner
Publications Company.