Happy Monday! It’s time for the Vocabulary Building link party! Click here for an intro, or just read on and join in!

Our root words of the week are “lum/luc” and “photo” (light)

To build background knowledge about the word meaning…

• Gather some background knowledge by experimenting with light: Light: Shadows, Mirrors, and Rainbows (Amazing Science), by Natalie M. Rosinsky, Tabletop Scientist — The Science of Light: Projects and Experiments with Light and Color, by Steve Parker or Scholastic Science Supergiants: What Makes the Light Bright, Thomas Edison? by Melvin Berger.
• Brainstorm some words that contain the lum/luc or photo word part. Talk about their meaning. The goal is to focus on age-appropriate words. Pick words that will help kids stretch their ability to use interesting language in writing and speaking, and to understand what they read.
• Think about who might frequently use words with this word part in everyday life. (photographers, power company employees, artists…)

Now it’s time to build! We brainstormed lum/luc and photo words, (photograph, translucent, illuminating). Technically we didn’t build this one, but found an old picture of a lamp post taken on a walk last spring. It’s a great representation of the word illuminate.

Ok, it’s your turn! Please join the fun!

1. Take a picture of your kids’/students’ representation of a lum/luc or photo word, OR just link to ANY great idea you’ve blogged about related to building vocabulary!
2. Share it somewhere. (Blog, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest…) If you want to connect and help me spread the word, please provide a link back here in your post. You can use the image below. (Or just a text link is fine too.) If you’re posting in places where hashtags are cool, you can use these: #vocabularybuilding and #homeliteracyblueprint
   I’ll pick a few to share on my Building + Learning or Literacy Activities Pinterest boards, so make sure you add a clear image and a direct link.
3. Link up here.
4. Check out the other links and show them some love.

And…if you like to plan ahead and want to play along next time, here is the root word coming up on April 7: “geo” – earth.

Note: I’ve decided to make this a monthly post instead of weekly. Feel free to add your links anytime during the month!

Please join me!

This post contains affiliate links.