In my last blog post, I mentioned that Vocabulary Mats are the one go-to science vocabulary strategy that I cannot teach without. Because I LOVE this vocabulary strategy so much, I wanted to spend a whole blog post sharing more about them and how I implement them in the classroom.
WHAT ARE VOCABULARY MATS?
A vocabulary mat is a simple study tool. Each mat is printed with the key terms for a science unit, and it comes with a matching set of definition cards that students cut apart. To study, students place each definition card onto the term it matches. It’s a hands-on, self-checking way to practice vocabulary, and because you can see their matches at a glance, it’s just as easy for you to check understanding as you move around the room.
That simple format, match the definition to the term, is what makes the mats so flexible: they work for pre-assessment, ongoing practice, and test review, and students can use them independently, with partners, or at home.
WHY VOCABULARY MATS?
Vocabulary mats came out of a real problem. Science became a tested subject for my 5th graders with the NC Science End-of-Grade test, and I realized something uncomfortable: my students could love science, engage fully in every activity, and be great collaborators, and still risk bombing that test. Loving science wasn’t going to be enough.
Whether or not they’d truly mastered the key vocabulary of each unit was often the deciding factor in whether they passed. Honestly, it was the test that put vocabulary mastery on my radar as a content-area priority in the first place. I wanted a fun way for students to practice their words and a way for us to see growth over time.
I believe in these mats because I’ve watched students master their science vocabulary with them, including students with learning disabilities and English language learners, simply because of the focused time spent practicing and using the words.
HOW TO PREPARE VOCABULARY MATS
A few prep choices make a big difference:
- Cut the definitions apart, not the words. You could leave the definitions on the mat and cut apart the word cards instead, but cutting the definitions apart forces students to read each one carefully and makes it less likely they just memorize card placement.
- Use a different cardstock color for each unit. If you use mats across multiple units, color-code them (Landforms on yellow, Ecosystems on green, and so on). Cardstock holds up to repeated use, and matching the definition-card color to its mat keeps sets from getting mixed up, so students can quickly grab the unit they want to study.
- Store each set in a sheet protector. Slip the mat and its definition cards into a sheet protector that lives in a binder or folder. It keeps everything together and the cards from wandering off.
HOW TO USE VOCABULARY MATS
To use the mats for vocabulary mastery, students place the definitions over the matching words face up, so you can see their matches as you circulate and give feedback.
As I move around the room, I check each student’s matches and turn all the correct answers face down, that’s the signal to the student that those are right. I leave incorrect answers face up (sometimes circled) so the student knows that one needs to change, or I move the wrong card off the mat for them. It’s quick, visual feedback that students can act on immediately.
I use the mats as a prior-knowledge check at the start of a unit, so I can see what students already know, and so they can feel their own growth as we repeat the activity and they place more words correctly, more easily, each time.
USING VOACBULARY MATS FOR TEST PREP
Is science a tested subject at your grade level? When 4th quarter rolls around, I turn my word study block into a science vocabulary review period. Students pull out their mats and choose which concepts they most need to study, 15 minutes of class time goes a surprisingly long way. As the test gets closer, students take their mats home to study too.
MORE SCIENCE VOCABULARY IDEAS
This is part of a short science vocabulary series. You may also want to read:
→ A Process for Identifying Your Tier 3 (KEY) Content-Area Vocabulary
→ The BEST Activities for Launching Science Units
→ Interactive Ideas for your Science Word Wall
Watch the video below to see how Vocabulary Mats can be used in your own classroom!
If you are interested in adding VOCABULARY MATS to your SCIENCE routines, you can check out the Vocabulary Mats I have available.
These resources not only include vocabulary mats but another strategy I call “study slips,” multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank vocabulary quizzes, Google Slides versions of the vocabulary mats, and a Google Form quiz.
