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Vocabulary has been described as “all the words known and used” by a person.
Having a rich and varied vocabulary has been empirically linked to academic achievement. Research supports that to retain words and comprehend meaning in text, students need repeated exposure to words in a variety of contexts. The CCSS clearly identifies three “tiers”—or types—of vocabulary:
- Tier 1 Vocabulary: everyday speech usually learned in early grades
- Tier 2 Vocabulary: general academic words which are more likely to appear in text than in speech
- Tier 3 Vocabulary: “domain-specific” words unique to a field of study
Kid Scoop News supports all three tiers of vocabulary. Cartoon characters guide students using everyday speech and direct quotations. Activities are introduced with directions that repeatedly include general academic words. Most exciting is the constant exposure to domain-specific words that are part of every lesson.
Comprehension is the reason for reading. Good readers have a purpose for reading and think actively as they read.
Kid Scoop News supports comprehension in multiple ways including:
- reading to gather information about the theme for the week
- presenting information about how to complete a task using multiple steps
- directing students to use the newspaper to extend learning and understand its structure
- asking students to make sense of what they read by locating evidence to support responses
- providing students with a weekly writing prompt related to the theme
- understanding directions for activities across content areas including math, science, social studies, history, health and art
- using engaging questions and puzzles to generate curiosity to read and learn more about a topic
Teachers can use Kid Scoop News to teach previewing, reviewing, critical thinking, summarizing, identifying main idea and supporting details, problem and solution, or simply to gain new information about an interesting topic.
Kid Scoop News Supports the 4C’s of 21st Century Classrooms
Critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration—referred to as the “4C’s”—have been identified as essential core skills for success in 21st century work environments.
Kid Scoop News provides an excellent venue to develop and practice the 4C’s. Students may collaborate in teams to complete core tasks or projects. Writing prompts hone communication skills. Activities allow opportunities for creative application of learning, and puzzles and games exercise critical thinking.
Kid Scoop News, Newspapers, Standards and Improved Test Scores
Research by the University of Minnesota finds that schools using the newspaper weekly or more often demonstrate an average gain of 10% on standardized tests. Schools with high minority and at-risk populations score as much as 30% higher. In short, when newspapers are used effectively in the classroom to support standards-based learning, test scores improve.
Standards
In addition to positively impacting student achievement, Kid Scoop News supports standards-based instruction. Each activity is linked to a particular content area and Common Core Standard. Since all CCSS are based on Anchor Standards, students are constantly previewing or reviewing skills no matter the grade level.
What if Kid Scoop News Features a Topic I am Not Currently Teaching?
While the topic and activity on the page may be different from what a teacher is teaching right now, students are provided an opportunity to work with new vocabulary and practice previously mastered skills in context.
There are two important reasons to use Kid Scoop News no matter what you are teaching. Research supports the importance of (1) previewing information to build background knowledge; and (2) revisiting learning through multiple exposures.
With Kid Scoop News there is access to previewing and reviewing content to promote greater retention. In addition, the “big ideas” of CCSS include supporting inferences or claims with “close reading” and evidence in whatever text students are reading.
