Vocabulary Idea for 5th Grade Common Core RL5.4 Objective

Okay, so I just recently realized I haven't posted many ideas about literacy lately.  Honestly, I've been so wrapped up with making sure I cover everything in math before our state testing next month; my creative juices haven't been focused on literacy. Something that I've been doing the past few months that has helped tremendously with student achievement is with the use of QR codes, thinking maps, and padlet.com.  Obviously, every teacher and school uses a different basal series, news magazine, or novel study to teach Literacy with.  I choose to use StoryWorks Magazine by Scholastic.  You can check it out here.  I enjoy this publication because it's aligned with the common core and has a variety of genres with each magazine.  The children really seem to enjoy it as well.  I don't use the worksheets very much, but turn what the worksheets are asking into different thinking maps.  My reading scores have jumped significantly after transitioning to this as my primary resource for whole group mini lessons.  I do still keep a variety of novel studies going on within my different reading groups each week.  

Vocabulary QR Code Examples

Now, back to the QR codes.  I randomly group students each week to look at the vocabulary before reading the article, play, poem, or story for the week.  Each group is given a sheet of quotes with the bolded vocabulary words.  The students look at how the word is used in the quote and discuss what it could possibly mean using context clues.  After an agreed upon word meaning has been established with the group they scan the QR code to check and see if they were correct with the word meaning.  After checking the word they add the word to a tree map of vocabulary words and list the definition below the word.  After all vocabulary words have been discussed, checked, and written on the tree map; students make a prediction with the information they have on the tree map as their frame of reference.  Next, the group members share their predictions and decide upon the strongest prediction.  Students then go on www.padlet.com to post their groups prediction for the story.  After all groups have posted we meet together to review predictions.  Finally, students read the story within their groups and discuss what they've read.  Groups are given specific questions to discuss and post their answers on padlet.com.  It's fun, engaging, and an interactive way to kick off a new story for the week.    Below are screen shots of a set of QR codes and www.padlet.com.  

Example of Groups Posting Predictions After Vocabulary QR Codes

Examples of Groups Posting Answers to Discussion Questions