SESSION 5  |  Grades K-12  |  Handout

Construct grade-level vocabulary lists

Prioritize important words

Identify core vocabulary for each subject area or course.

Develop core vocabulary for each academic area.

STEPS 1-2 | Build grade-specific lists

Begin list-making using standards, assessments, and curriculum materials.

Omit examples from core vocabulary lists.

STEPS 3-4 | Align lists across grades

Add “sheets” to the same Google doc so that all teachers can access and revise for overlap.

Grades K-5
Math Example

After finalizing the list as a staff, resume individual grade-level conversations.

Example list of functional terms
by Grade 4 teachers at New Castle Schools (New Castle, IN)

Julie Meitzler, principal at Bluffton Harrison Elementary (Bluffton, IN) shared the lists her teachers created.

Academic/Functional
K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4