Book of Knowledge: A one-stop personal world wall.

Keeping track of vocabulary is an old strategy that proves useful for many. However, being proactive with vocabulary actually helps learning.

Enter my Book of Knowledge, and the BOK vocabulary pages. Students keep a set of pages in one section of their binder. Each page is a resting place for vocabulary words, and their definitions. I further divide pages by part of speech: Math nouns, Math verbs, Math adjectives, History nouns, History verbs, etc.

The real key to this though, is not simply having kids write out their definitions once. Rather, we start each lesson by pulling out the new vocabulary first. Then, during the lesson, they know what the subject-specific language actually means. This helps comprehension and engagement during class. It creates an atmosphere where incredible specific content-based language is the norm. Students can also review vocabulary as a way of studying for tests and quizzes. Finally, the students are able to use their BOK as a reference when they’re working, looking up subject-appropriate verbs, nouns, and linking words, to encourage the use of content-specific language rather than casual language in their classwork.

Try it tonight! Look ahead to the next lesson in the text, on the website, or in the handouts. Find any new vocabulary, and add it to your book of knowledge. Define each word, and determine it’s part of speech. Then, see how much better you understand the lesson.