Academic Vocabulary Six-Step Process
Step 1 – Develop a student-friendly explanation/description of the academic
vocabulary term with multiple examples, both visual and verbal.
Academic Vocabulary Term ___________Voice in Writing ____________________________________
Subject _____Writing/Language Arts __________________________
_______________
Grade _3_________
Dictionary/glossary definition
personal voice- A person’s own special way of expressing himself or herself through words
and ideas
Voice is the golden thread that runs through a piece of writing. It is how the reader knows
it is really you speaking. It is heart and soul, the life and breath, the magic of the writing.
Synonyms-emotion, expression
Antonyms-monotone
Category
Intellectual,
artistic, or
cognitive products
Semantic features
This process is associated with a specific purpose or use.
Real life associations
‘When a friend phones you, how long does it take you to
recognize that person’s voice? Probably not very long
because every voice in the world is different.’
‘We have different voices for different times and places.
Sometimes we must whisper. Other times we talk in
our regular voice. Sometimes we need to shout.’
When I am grumpy or excited, you can hear it in my
voice. You can change your own voice when writing just
like you can change your own voice when speaking.
These changes can be made for different purposes. ‘We
try to match the voice with the kind of writing we will
be doing.’ This is done by using particular words, tones,
levels, and punctuation.
Quotes taken from Write Traits Student Traitbook,
Movie/TV/Music/Literary
associations:
The True Story of the Three
Little Pigs, by Jon Scieszka
Junie B. Jones series by Barbara
Park
Hey World, Here I Am, by Jean
Little
So You Want to Be President,
by Judith George
Cinder Edna, by Ellen Jackson
Click, Clack Moo: Cows That
Type, by Doreen Cronin
Great Source Education Group, Houghton Mifflin
Company
Desert Voices, by Byrd Baylor
Quotes
“Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe shine through
every sentence you write, every piece you finish.” – John Jakes
Illustrations/Pictures/Graphics/Symbols
Show examples of voice in writing by scanning or copying to a transparency students’
writing that contains voice. There are also samples of writing with voice in the Write
Traits Kit.
Student-friendly description/explanation:
Putting voice in your writing is putting your own personality into your writing. Your
personal voice is your own special way of expressing yourself. It means that you use your
own words and ideas. Your goal is to let the reader know how you feel about the subject.
Adding colorful words and emotions that include punctuation can help you do this.
Analogies:
Voice is to writing as flavor is to food.
Academic Vocabulary Six-Step Process
Step 4 – Periodically have students do activities with the academic vocabulary
term/terms.
Activity One
Brief description of the activity:
Directions for the activity:
Activity Two
Brief description of the activity:
Directions for the activity:
Academic Vocabulary Six-Step Process
Step 5 – Have student periodically discuss the academic vocabulary term/terms they
are learning.
Discussion Prompt One:
Discussion Prompt Two:
Discussion Prompt Three:
Academic Vocabulary Six-Step Process
Step 6 – Periodically have students play games with the academic vocabulary terms
that they are learning.
Two category sets with academic vocabulary term:
Four pictures with which to guess the term:
Question and four answers for a Millionaire game with the term:
Answer and question for a Jeopardy game with the term:
Other game idea for this term:
Academic Vocabulary Six-Step Process
Assessment of Academic Vocabulary Terms
Two possible multiple choice questions with answers for assessing this term:
Depth of knowledge:
Performance assessment for this term:
Depth of knowledge: