Vocabulary Development

The words in these lists are the focus of vocabulary development throughout this theme's oral language, listening comprehension, and small-group activities. The list includes a wide variety of academic and content area words as well as everyday conversational words that children add to their vocabularies through interactions with families, teachers, and peers.

Theme Vocabulary

Core Words

  • catch
  • chase(d)
  • climb
  • follow, following
  • hop
  • jump
  • leader
  • play
  • playground
  • run
  • sit
  • slide
  • swing

Basic Words

  • directions
  • game
  • ingredients
  • recipe
  • rules
  • steps

Story/Poetry Vocabulary

  • bending
  • bounces
  • drink
  • fast/slowly
  • jumps, jumping
  • paddle
  • pull
  • reaching
  • skipping
  • stop
  • stretching
  • tugged
  • waddle
  • walk
  • zip

Basic Words

  • back and forth
  • begged
  • cave
  • dough
  • ducklings
  • flute
  • follow
  • gingerbread
  • grass
  • head
  • hold
  • hunt (n.)
  • join
  • jungle
  • knees
  • lake
  • lucky
  • sack
  • shoulders
  • sink (v.)
  • smart
  • strong
  • supper
  • tasty
  • toes
  • trick (v.)
  • tug of war

Challenge Words

  • escape
  • scientists
  • scuttle
  • shade trees
  • strut
  • swamp
  • webbed

Math Vocabulary

Position Words

  • above/below
  • behind/between
  • beside/next to
  • bottom/middle/top
  • down/up
  • far/near
  • first/middle/last
  • in back/in front
  • inside/outside
  • off/on
  • over/under

Time Words

  • afternoon
  • before/after
  • morning/night

Number Words

  • one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
  • first, second, third, fourth, fifth

Number Concept Words

  • combine/separate
  • fewer/more
  • how many/in all
  • same/equal

Science Vocabulary

Oral Language Card 52

  • fly
  • hop
  • slither
  • swim
  • trot

Oral Language Card 54

  • cymbal
  • drum
  • instrument
  • march
  • music
  • play
  • sound

Oral Language Card 56

  • follow
  • game
  • hop
  • leader
  • skip

Social Studies Vocabulary

Oral Language Card 50

  • climb
  • play
  • playground
  • run
  • slide
  • swing

Oral Language Card 51

  • celebration
  • costumes
  • dance
  • holiday
  • music

Oral Language Card 53

  • around
  • hold
  • play
  • sing

Oral Language Card 55

  • directions
  • draw
  • game
  • hop
  • toss
Core Words
Teach and reinforce these words with all children.
Basic Words
Three-year-olds, English language learners, and children with limited vocabulary experience may need reinforcement of these words.
Challenge Words
Introduce these words as children's interests indicate.