Vocabulary in a SNAP. Angela B. Peery

current events, or literature on your interactive whiteboard, poster paper, and so on. Students can refer to this list to help them with the think-pair-share and when writing their sentences. Use the following examples if you wish.

       Benefactors: Paul Revere, Mother Teresa, Bill Gates, Malala Yousafzai

       Malefactors: Adolf Hitler, Osama bin Laden

       Acceleration

      Challenge advanced students to use all four words within their writing during the next week or so. Have them think about ways they can use the words in conversation with teachers or other adults.

Root: bio

      The Greek root word bio means “life.” Some common English vocabulary words that come from this root word include biological, biographical, and even amphibian and symbiotic. The root can appear anywhere in a word but is most often at the beginning.

       Lesson R9: biome, biology, biography

      In this minilesson, teachers will teach the root bio, such as in the words biome, biology, and biography.

      Difficulty level: 2

       S

      The following lists target words students should see and say for this minilesson.

       Biome (n.): A large community of plants and animals that occupies a specific region

       Biology (n.): The study of life or living matter

       Biography (n.): A person’s written account of someone else’s life

       N

      Consider saying something like the following to your class.

      These three words are very common academic words. Biology is a branch of science, and biome is actually a term that is often used in biology or other life science classes. Biography, although used in literature and not science, also has a meaning directly based on the root. Biology is the study of living things; a biome is a home for living things; and a biography is a life story.

       A

      Form pairs. Ask each pair to discuss the following.

       Do people live in biomes? Explain.

       Would you like to study biology? Why or why not?

       Have you read a biography? Explain.

       P

      Have each student write a short summary of his or her discussion in step A, being sure to use every word in context.

       Scaffolding

      Share the following sentence stems with students if needed.

       A biome is a place where _______________.

       Biology is a type of _______________ about _______________.

       A biography is the story of _______________.

       Acceleration

      Biodiversity and autobiography are words that are related to the target words. Accelerated students may want to explore these. Ask them what connections they see to the other words.

       Biodiversity (n.): The variety of life in a particular biome or other area

       Autobiography (n.): A person’s written account of his or her own life

Roots: cand, cend

      These roots both originate in the Latin word candere, which means “to glow,” “to glisten,” or “to shine.” They are the basis of the words candle, incandescent, and incendiary and even chandelier, where the spelling is slightly different.

       Lesson R10: candle, incandescent, incendiary

      In this minilesson, teachers will teach the roots cand and cend, such as in the words candle, incandescent, and incendiary.

      Difficulty level: 2