Vocabulary Progression

Author’s Craft can be included, “What did the author use that word?”

Grade K 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

Common CCSS.ELA-LI CCSS.ELA-LI CCSS.ELA-LI CCSS.ELA-LITER CCSS.ELA-LITER CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.

TERACY.RL. TERACY.RL. TERACY.RL. ACY.RL.3.4 ACY.RL.4.4 4 4
Core State
Standard
K.4 1.4 2.4 Determine Determine Determine the Determine the
Ask and Identify Describe the meaning the meaning meaning of words meaning of words
answer words how of words and of words and and phrases as they and phrases as they
questions and words phrases as phrases as are used in a text, are used in a text,
about phrases and they are used they are including figurative including figurative
unknown in stories phrases in a text, used in a language such as and connotative
words in or poems (e.g., distinguishing text, metaphors and meanings; analyze
a text. that regular literal from including similes. the impact of a
suggest beats, nonliteral those that specific word choice
CCSS.ELA-LI feelings alliteratio language. allude to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4 on meaning and tone
TERACY.RI.
K.4 or appeal n, significant Determine the
With to the rhymes, CCSS.ELA-LITER characters meaning of general CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.4
promptin senses. repeated ACY.RI.3.4
found in academic and Determine the
g and lines) Determine domain-specific meaning of words
the meaning mythology
support, CCSS.ELA-LI supply (e.g., words and phrases in and phrases as they
ask and
TERACY.RI.
rhythm of general a text relevant to a are used in a text,
1.4
academic Herculean).
answer Ask and and grade 5 topic or including figurative,
questions answer meaning and CCSS.ELA-LITER subject area​. connotative, and
about questions in a story, domain-speci ACY.RI.4.4 technical meanings.
unknown to help poem, or fic words and Determine
words in determin song. phrases in a the meaning
a text. e or text relevant of general
clarify the CCSS.ELA-LI to a ​grade 3 academic
meaning
TERACY.RI. topic or and
2.4
of words Determin subject area​. domain-spec
and e the ific words or
phrases meaning phrases in a
in a text. of words text relevant
to a ​grade 4
 and topic or
phrases subject area​.
in a text
relevant
to a
grade 2
topic or
subject
area.
I Can . . . I recognize When talking I not only use I speak and write about When I try to figure out
a whole lot about a precise books in academic ways an unknown word or
of words in character, I language to (not only using words phrase, I look first to
a snap and reach for the describe for story elements but see if there are
am always more accurate characters, I also for craft moves, examples or definitions
learning word for a trait. also use e.g., focus, in the text that will help
more literary perspective). me figure out the
“snap” As I read about language—wor meaning. I continue to
words. a topic, I keep ds like genre, I know that learning try to substitute words
*“snap”= track of the narrator, about a topic means or phrases that are
high new words the setting, and so learning the vocabulary similar and check that
frequency text is teaching on—when of the topic. I know they make sense. If
me (the ones talking about there are words that needed, I look up the
I know that that seem most story represent concepts meaning outside the
learning important) and elements. (e.g., revolution, text. I also use all I
about a use them to adaptation). Those know about root words,
topic teach others I know that words require a lot of prefixes, and suffixes.
involves about the topic. learning about thinking to understand
learning a topic means them. As I read, I keep
some of learning the trying to learn more
the words vocabulary of about each concept
that are the topic. I word. I also try to
used by know there are accumulate more
experts in words that technical vocabulary
that topic. I represent associated with the
use those concepts (e.g., topic. I meanwhile take
words to revolution, the risk of using this
 teach adaptation). new vocabulary to talk
others Those words and write about the
about the require a lot of topic.
topic. I thinking to
recognize understand
a whole lot them. As I
of words in read, I keep
a snap and learning more
am always about each
learning concept word.
more I also try to
high-frequ accumulate
ency more technical
words. vocabulary
associated
with the topic. I
meanwhile
take the risk of
using this new
vocabulary to
talk and write
about the
topic.

Student
Example