Mastering STAAR Reading Test: Building Tier 2 Test Vocabulary Knowledge

STAAR Reading Test Vocabulary: Secret Test Prep Vocabulary 

Mastering STAAR Reading Test: Building Tier 2 Test Vocabulary Knowledge

Mastering the Texas STAAR Reading test requires a strong grasp of Tier 2 academic test vocabulary, which forms the hidden language found throughout passages, question prompts, and answer choices. Unlike basic everyday words or specialized terms, these mature cross-curricular words—such as analyze, infer, and evaluate—frequently trip up students who otherwise possess strong decoding skills. To bridge this gap, educators and parents can utilize a comprehensive four-group word bank covering task verbs, craft concepts, passage terms, and logic signals. Implementing a 15-minute daily study routine alongside structured passage-previewing strategies helps students decode tricky question stems and avoid near-synonym distractors. Ultimately, focusing on precise word knowledge and reading whole chapter books together provides the most effective preparation for academic reading success.

STAAR Reading Vocabulary Hack PRESENTATION SLIDES

How to Study for the Texas STAAR Reading Test: Why Tier 2 Academic Vocabulary Comes First

Reading Sage | Full-stack explainer and text-to-video package | Sean Taylor, M.Ed.

 

Part 0. Package map (what is in this document)

Part	What it is	Use it for
1	Core explainer (the spine)	Blog post, Substack, parent handout
2	Tier 1 / 2 / 3 explained	Quick reference
3	Tier 2 word bank in four groups	Study lists, flashcards
4	Question-type map	Connect words to question types
5	Worked example	Show a question being cracked
6	Study plan (4 weeks plus a 1-weekend rescue)	Parents and teachers
7	Text-to-video script, scene by scene	Paste into your video tool
8	Titles, description, tags, thumbnail, shorts	Publishing
9	Notes on accuracy and updates	Keep the post current

Video spec: 8 to 9 minutes, friendly teacher voice, bright whiteboard and paper-cutout look, large on-screen text, one idea per scene.

 

Part 1. Core explainer

The big idea in one sentence

A student cannot answer a question they cannot understand, and the words that make test questions hard are not the rare science words. They are Tier 2 academic words: infer, evidence, contrast, convey, reluctant, gradual.

What the STAAR reading test is really asking

STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) reading in grades 3 to 8 is not a test of whether a child can sound out words. It is a test of whether a child can read a passage, understand the question, and choose or write an answer that is supported by the text. Two kinds of language are in play at the same time:

1.       The language of the passage: the story, article, or poem, full of grown-up words that real books use.

2.       The language of the test: the words in the question stem and the answer choices, such as best supports, primarily, contrast, convey.

A child who knows the passage words but not the test words misses questions they could have gotten right. A child who knows the test words but not the passage words misses questions about meaning. Tier 2 vocabulary sits in both places. That is why it comes first.

Why Tier 2 comes first: five reasons

1.       Working memory is limited. When a reader has to stop and puzzle over individual words, there is less mental room left for understanding the meaning of the passage. Fluent word knowledge frees the brain for thinking.

2.       Vocabulary-in-context questions test it directly. "In paragraph 3, what does reluctant mean?" is a vocabulary question, and the same words show up in the passage itself.

3.       Question stems are written in Tier 2 language. Analyze, determine, convey, reveal, structure, perspective appear again and again. A child who misreads the verb answers the wrong question.

4.       Answer choices are built from near-synonyms. Wrong answers often use a word that is close in meaning but not exact. Precise word knowledge is what separates a good choice from a tempting one.

5.       Tier 2 words travel. A Tier 3 word like photosynthesis is useful in one unit. A Tier 2 word like consequence is useful in reading, science, social studies, math word problems, and real life.

The honest picture

In spring 2026, about half of Texas third graders met grade level in reading, and fourth through sixth grades sat between roughly half and 57 percent. Many of these children can decode. What many have not had is steady exposure to the richer vocabulary found in whole books, which is the vocabulary tests are written in.

The study formula

Know the test. Know the words. Know the question types. Practice a routine on real passages.

The rest of this explainer unpacks each of the four.

 

Part 2. Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 in plain language

The three-tier idea comes from vocabulary researchers Isabel Beck, Margaret McKeown, and Linda Kucan. It sorts words by how and where they are used.

Tier	What it is	Examples	Who teaches it	Tested how
Tier 1	Everyday spoken words most children know by age 5 to 7	happy, run, table, friend, big	Learned at home and in daily talk	Rarely a problem, though English learners may need support
Tier 2	Academic words that mature readers use across many subjects; common in books and tests, rare in casual talk	analyze, reluctant, gradual, evidence, contrast, vast, hesitate	Needs deliberate teaching and wide reading	In passages, question stems, and answer choices
Tier 3	Subject-specific or literary terms	simile, stanza, protagonist, photosynthesis, perimeter	Taught inside a unit or lesson	Often named directly in questions, such as "Which literary device..."

A quick test for Tier 2: Does the word show up across many subjects? Would a good writer pick it over a simpler word? Does a child need it to understand a textbook, a novel, or a test question? If yes to all three, it is probably Tier 2.

Why Tier 2 is the sweet spot: Tier 1 words arrive on their own. Tier 3 words get taught with the lesson. Tier 2 words are the ones that fall through the cracks, which is why children who read widely pull ahead and children who read only short excerpts or screens fall behind.

 

Part 3. Tier 2 word bank for STAAR reading (four groups)

These groups are mutually exclusive on purpose, so a student knows where each word lives on the test.

Group A. Task words: the verbs in question stems

What the question is asking the child to DO.

Word	Kid-friendly meaning	Where it shows up
analyze	break something into parts to see how it works	"Analyze how the author develops..."
compare	tell how things are alike	"Compare the two characters..."
contrast	tell how things are different	"Contrast the setting in..."
determine	figure out	"Determine the meaning of..."
explain	make clear with reasons	Short constructed response
identify	name or pick out	"Identify the main idea..."
infer	use clues plus what you know to figure out what is not stated	"What can the reader infer..."
interpret	explain what something means	Poetry and figurative language
summarize	tell the most important parts briefly	"Which sentence best summarizes..."
support	back up with proof	"Which detail best supports..."
evaluate	judge how well something works	Informational and argument texts
predict	say what will probably happen	Narratives

Group B. Craft and structure words: what the question is asking ABOUT

Some of these are Tier 2 that bridge into Tier 3.

Word	Kid-friendly meaning
purpose	the reason the author wrote or included something
perspective / point of view	whose eyes the story is seen through
central idea	the big point the whole passage is about
theme	the lesson or message about life
evidence	facts or details from the text that prove a point
detail	a small piece of information
excerpt	a short piece taken from a longer text
sequence	the order things happen in
structure	how the text is organized
effect / impact	what happens because of something
convey	to communicate an idea or feeling
reveal	to show something that was hidden
tone / mood	the author's attitude / the feeling the reader gets
relationship	how two ideas, people, or events connect
development	how an idea or character grows or changes

Group C. Passage words: Tier 2 words that appear in the reading itself

Pick words you would find in a Newbery-quality novel or a good informational article.

Word	Kid-friendly meaning
reluctant	not wanting to do something
gradual	happening slowly, step by step
eager	very excited to do something
hesitate	pause because you are unsure
vast	extremely large
scarce	hard to find; not much of it
abundant	plentiful; more than enough
obstacle	something in the way
persistent	keeps trying and does not give up
bewildered	very confused
flourish	grow well and thrive
plead	beg
ancient	extremely old
distinct	clearly different or separate
accomplish	succeed in doing
frantic	wildly rushed or worried

Group D. Logic and answer-choice words

The small words that quietly change which answer is correct.

Word	Why it matters
primarily / mainly	asks for the biggest reason, not just any reason
most likely	the answer is an inference, not a stated fact
best	more than one choice may be true; pick the strongest
except / not	flips the question; read twice
both	the answer must be true for two things at once
however / although / despite	signal a contrast or twist in the text
therefore / as a result / because	signal cause and effect
similarly / likewise	signal a comparison

Bonus group: multiple-meaning Tier 2 words

These trip up readers who know only one meaning. Teach both meanings, and teach the context clue that picks one.

bank, current, plot, draft, point, light, charge, fair, branch, run, trunk, season, bark, firm, spell

 

Part 4. Question-type map: which kinds of questions use which words

The Reading Sage post sorts comprehension questions into two overlapping families. The first family describes the level of thinking. The second describes the job the question gives the reader.

Family 1. Levels of comprehension

Level	What it asks	Typical stem words
Literal (explicit)	Answer sits right in the text: who, what, when, where	identify, according to the passage, state
Inferential (interpretive)	Answer is not stated; read between the lines	infer, imply, suggest, most likely
Opinion (applied)	Form a reasoned opinion backed by text	evaluate, support, best reason, agree
Affective	Understand characters' feelings and social motives	feel, motive, reaction, why did the character
Holistic (universal)	See the whole text: summary, theme, main idea	central idea, theme, summarize, mainly about

Family 2. Question jobs

Job	What it asks	Typical stem words
Specific	Find a detail the text states, often paraphrased	according to, the author states
Vocabulary in context	What does this word or phrase mean here?	mean, refer to, most nearly means
Function	Why did the author include or arrange this?	purpose, in order to, contributes, structure
Inference	What is implied but not written?	imply, suggest, conclude, infer
Application	Use an idea from the text in a new situation	replace, best describes, example of
Tone	What is the author's attitude or viewpoint?	tone, attitude, would most likely agree

Answer-format note

The original 2015 post lists the response formats students met on PARCC-era tests. Texas STAAR now uses its own online formats, including multiple choice, multiple select, hot text, drag and drop, inline choice (drop-down), match table grid, text entry, and short and extended constructed response. The skills are identical: know the words, label the question, find the proof.

 

Part 5. Worked example: cracking a question with Tier 2 words

Mini passage (original, for teaching):

Maya stood at the edge of the stage, her fingers tightening around the program. The audience was vast, and every seat seemed filled. She was reluctant to take another step, but the persistent voice of her teacher echoed in her mind: One step. Then another. Slowly, Maya walked into the light.

Question: Which detail from the passage best supports the inference that Maya feels nervous?

Step	What the student does	Tier 2 words that make it work
1	Circle the task words	best supports, inference
2	Translate: "Which clue PROVES something not stated?"	support = prove; infer = figure out from clues
3	Label the type	Inferential + evidence
4	Find the clues	fingers tightening, reluctant, one step, then another
5	Test each answer choice	Check that each choice names a clue, not just an event

Notice what happened: the student who does not know infer and support cannot even begin Step 2. The student who does not know reluctant has one less clue to find. Vocabulary is not a side skill. It is the front door.

Distractor trap: An answer choice might say Maya felt bewildered. That is close to nervous, but it means confused. A child with precise Tier 2 knowledge rules it out.

 

Part 6. Study plan

The daily 15-minute routine (parents and teachers)

Minutes	Activity
3	Meet 3 to 5 new words. Say it, clap the syllables, define it in kid words
4	Define before dictionary. Student guesses the meaning from context first, then checks. This builds the habit of using context clues
4	Use it. Say one sentence that uses the word about the child's own life
4	Read together. Read a page or two from a real book with rich vocabulary and notice Tier 2 words as they appear

Four-week plan

Week	Focus	Goal
1	Know the test. Look at a released STAAR passage together on TEA's website. Learn Group A task words	Child can say what each stem verb is asking
2	Learn Group B craft words and the five levels of comprehension	Child can label a question as literal, inferential, opinion, affective, or holistic
3	Learn Group C passage words and Group D logic words; practice vocabulary-in-context	Child uses context clues and rules out near-synonym distractors
4	Full practice: one passage a day using the reading routine below	Child talks through each question before answering

The reading routine for every passage

1.       Preview the questions and label each type.

2.       Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph to find the main idea.

3.       Read the whole passage, circling Tier 2 words, and use context clues for unknown words.

4.       Read each question again, circling task words, and restate it in kid language.

5.       Find the proof in the text before looking at the choices.

6.       Eliminate wrong choices, and say why each is wrong.

7.       Check that the answer matches the question stem, especially words like except or best.

One-weekend rescue plan

•         Saturday morning: learn the 12 Group A task words with hand motions.

•         Saturday afternoon: practice labeling question types on two released passages.

•         Sunday morning: learn 10 Group C passage words and 8 Group D logic words.

•         Sunday afternoon: one passage, full routine, talk-aloud.

Quick wins that do not cost anything

•         Read whole books aloud together. Chapter books carry far more Tier 2 vocabulary than abridged excerpts.

•         Use the word in conversation all week.

•         Keep a word detective notebook: word, kid definition, original sentence, a small drawing.

•         Ask: "What kind of question is that?" before asking: "What is the answer?"

 

Part 7. Text-to-video script (scene by scene)

Working title: How to Study for the Texas STAAR Reading Test (Start With THESE Words) Runtime: about 8 to 9 minutes. Voice: warm, encouraging teacher. Style: whiteboard and paper-cutout, big bold on-screen text, gentle music.

#	Time	Narration (voiceover)	On-screen text	Visual direction
1	0:00	"Your child can read every word on the page, and still miss the question. Why? Because the test is written in a language nobody ever taught them."	The hidden language of the test	Child at a desk looking at a test; question marks float above
2	0:20	"I'm Sean, and I taught for twenty-six years. Today you'll learn what Tier 2 academic vocabulary is, why it matters on the Texas STAAR reading test, and exactly how to study it."	Tier 2 Vocabulary + STAAR	Teacher avatar at whiteboard; title card
3	0:45	"First, what is the test really asking? Not just 'can you read the words.' It asks: can you understand the question, find proof in the passage, and choose the best answer?"	Understand the question. Find the proof. Choose the best answer.	Three icons: question bubble, magnifying glass, check mark
4	1:20	"There are three kinds of words. Tier 1 words are everyday words, like happy or table. Tier 3 words belong to one subject, like simile or perimeter. And Tier 2 words are the grown-up words that show up in every subject and in every test."	**Tier 1	Tier 2
5	2:05	"Tier 2 words hide in four places. First, in the question itself: analyze, compare, contrast, determine, infer, support."	Group A: Task words	Question card with verbs circled in marker
6	2:35	"Second, in what the question asks about: purpose, perspective, central idea, evidence, convey, structure."	Group B: Craft words	Magnifying glass over a passage with words highlighted
7	3:05	"Third, in the passage itself: reluctant, gradual, hesitate, vast, persistent. These are the words in real books."	Group C: Passage words	Book pages flip; words pop out in color
8	3:35	"And fourth, in the answer choices: primarily, most likely, except, however, therefore. These tiny words can flip an answer."	Group D: Logic words	Two answer choices side by side; one word glows
9	4:15	"Here is why this matters. Imagine this question: 'Which detail best supports the inference that Maya feels nervous?' If your child does not know support and infer, they cannot even begin."	Support = prove. Infer = figure out from clues.	Mini passage appears; clues highlight one at a time
10	5:05	"Wrong answers love near-synonyms. Bewildered looks a lot like nervous, but it means confused. Precise word knowledge turns a guess into a smart choice."	Nervous ≠ Bewildered	Two word cards with meaning bubbles; one gets crossed out
11	5:45	"Now let's learn the question types. Some are literal, and the answer is right in the text. Some are inferential, and you read between the lines. Some are about feelings, some about opinions, and some about the whole passage."	**Literal	Inferential
12	6:30	"Here is a simple daily routine. Fifteen minutes. Meet three to five words. Guess the meaning from context before you use a dictionary. Say a sentence of your own. Then read from a real book."	15 minutes a day	Clock face with four colored slices
13	7:15	"On test day, use the reading routine: preview the questions, read the first and last sentence of each paragraph, circle the Tier 2 words, find the proof, eliminate wrong choices, and double-check the question stem."	Preview. Read. Circle. Prove. Eliminate. Check.	Seven-step path with a child avatar walking along it
14	8:00	"One last tip. Read whole books together. Chapter books are full of Tier 2 words, and there is no workbook that beats a story you read side by side."	Read whole books.	Parent and child with a chapter book, warm light
15	8:25	"Grab the free word lists and practice sets on Reading Sage. See you in the next lesson."	ReadingSage.blogspot.com	End card with subscribe button and two suggested videos

Narration word count: about 800 words, which fits an 8 to 9 minute pace.

Text-to-video tool notes

•         Use a single consistent teacher avatar and color palette across all scenes.

•         Keep on-screen text to 8 words or fewer per scene whenever possible.

•         Animate one idea at a time: appear, highlight, then fade.

•         Add captions for accessibility and for English learners.

•         Offer a Spanish voiceover version for families, since Texas has a large Spanish-speaking community.

 

Part 8. Publishing kit

Title options

1.       How to Study for the Texas STAAR Reading Test (Start With THESE Words)

2.       Tier 2 Vocabulary Explained: The Secret Language of Reading Tests

3.       Why Smart Readers Miss STAAR Questions (and How to Fix It)

Video description

Most children who struggle on end-of-grade reading tests can decode. What they are missing is Tier 2 academic vocabulary: the grown-up words that appear in passages, question stems, and answer choices. In this video you will learn what Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 words are, see 60 high-value Tier 2 words grouped by where they appear on the test, learn the question types, and get a 15-minute daily plan and a four-week study plan you can start tonight. Perfect for parents, teachers, tutors, and homeschoolers preparing for the Texas STAAR in grades 3 to 8.

Chapters: 0:00 Hidden language | 1:20 Three tiers | 2:05 Four places Tier 2 hides | 4:15 Worked example | 5:45 Question types | 6:30 Daily routine | 7:15 Test-day routine

Tags

STAAR reading, Texas STAAR test prep, Tier 2 vocabulary, academic vocabulary, how to study for STAAR, reading comprehension questions, end of grade reading test, vocabulary in context, reading strategies for kids, test prep for parents, Reading Sage

Thumbnail

Image: child looking at a test page, thought bubble reading "Infer?" in gold. Text overlay: "THE HIDDEN WORDS" with a green check mark. Colors: gold, deep blue, white.

Pinned comment

Which Tier 2 word surprised you most? Drop it below and I'll turn it into a Word Detective lesson.

Shorts and clips (30 to 45 seconds each)

1.       What is Tier 2? Scene 4 plus one example

2.       The 12 task words Scene 5

3.       Nervous is not bewildered Scenes 9 and 10

4.       15 minutes a day Scene 12

Calls to action

Link to the Word Detectives 3rd grade vocabulary series, the Reading Boot Camp pages, and the original 5+2 question types post on Reading Sage.

 

Part 9. Accuracy and update notes

•         Test name: the Texas test is called STAAR, pronounced "star."

•         Upcoming change: under House Bill 8, signed in September 2025, STAAR is being replaced beginning in the 2027-28 school year by three shorter tests given at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. The study method in this document does not change, because the skills being tested are the same. Update the opening and the closing as the new tests get named and described.

•         Formats: check TEA's released tests for the current list of question formats before publishing, since Texas has been changing item types.

•         The 2015 source post says there are seven question types but lists six under that heading. Consider adding a seventh (for example, Detail/Evidence) or changing the number to six in the next revision.

 

Part 10. More Tier 2 examples and fun, memorable ways to teach them

The memory rule behind every activity

A word sticks when a child hears it, says it, sees it, moves with it, draws it, uses it, and meets it again later. Every game below hits at least three of those. A word taught once on Monday and never revisited is gone by Friday. A word met in five playful ways across two weeks becomes part of the child.

Tier 2 examples by grade band (with a silly sentence to teach each)

Band	Word	Kid-friendly meaning	Silly example sentence
3-4	reluctant	not wanting to	The dragon was reluctant to take a bath.
	gradual	slow, step by step	The ice cream melted in a gradual, sticky puddle.
	eager	very excited	The puppy was eager to meet the mailman, again.
	scarce	hard to find	Socks that match are scarce in our house.
	vast	huge	The cafeteria line was vast, like a pizza-scented snake.
	obstacle	something in the way	A sleeping hippo was the obstacle on the stairs.
	frantic	rushed and worried	The frantic chef lost his hat in the soup.
	persistent	keeps trying	The persistent squirrel tried the bird feeder 47 times.
5-6	abundant	more than enough	Mosquitoes were abundant at the picnic.
	reveal	show what was hidden	The magician will reveal what is under the hat.
	distinct	clearly different	Each cat had a distinct meow.
	anticipate	expect and get ready	Anticipate a pop quiz after a surprise party.
	elaborate	detailed and complicated	He built an elaborate sandwich with nine layers.
	consequence	what happens because of an action	The consequence of no umbrella was one soggy goat.
	mundane	ordinary and boring	Brushing teeth is mundane until the toothpaste explodes.
	vivid	bright and clear	She painted a vivid dragon in neon green.
7-8	ambiguous	could mean more than one thing	"Time flies like an arrow" is ambiguous.
	inevitable	sure to happen	Homework is inevitable, like gravity.
	reluctantly	in an unwilling way	He reluctantly shared his last fry.
	substantial	large or important	A substantial breakfast fed the whole team.
	perspective	a point of view	From the dog's perspective, the vacuum is a monster.
	credible	believable	A credible witness saw the cat knock the vase.
	bias	an unfair leaning for or against	The referee's bias was obvious: he loved the red team.
	significant	important	The blue footprint was a significant clue.

The standard five-step routine (Say, Define, Example, Interact, Say again)

1.       Say it. Everyone says the word aloud twice and claps the syllables.

2.       Kid-friendly definition. One short phrase, never a dictionary paragraph.

3.       Example in a story. A short, silly sentence or mini story.

4.       Interact. Use one of the games below.

5.       Say it again. End by saying the word with the definition, and bring it back the next day.

Fifteen novel and memorable ways to teach Tier 2 words

#	Activity	How it works	Good for
1	Word Detective Case Files	Each word is a "suspect." Students gather clues (sentence, picture, synonym, opposite) and write a case file stamped CASE SOLVED. Extends the Word Detectives series.	All Tier 2 words
2	Act It Out	Students silently act the word while teammates guess. Reluctant is a slow shuffle with crossed arms. Frantic is a hair-on-fire dash.	Emotion and action words
3	Gesture Library	The class invents one hand motion per word and uses it every time the word appears. Infer is two fingers walking from a clue to a conclusion. Analyze is magnifying glass hands.	Task words (Group A)
4	Word on Trial	A word is "in court." One team defends it with true sentences and evidence, the other team tries to catch misuse. A judge decides.	evidence, support, claim, credible, bias
5	Silly Sentence Duel	Two teams race to write the silliest sentence that still shows exact meaning. A sentence that could fit any word loses.	Any word
6	Which Is More...?	Ask forced-choice questions. "Which is more gradual: a snowman melting or a balloon popping?" Children must explain why.	gradual, scarce, abundant, vast
7	Picture the Word	Children draw the word so it looks like what it means. VAST is huge and stretching across the page. scarce is tiny letters with lots of empty space.	Vocabulary notebooks
8	Three-Panel Comic	A three-panel strip: problem, the Tier 2 word in action, outcome. Great for artistic and reluctant writers.	Narrative words
9	Word Upgrade Jar	Ban boring words (said, good, nice, big, sad). Whenever someone says one, they pay a "fine" with an upgrade (declared, superb, vast, despondent).	Writing and speaking
10	Roots Lab	Break words into parts. fer means carry, so infer, refer, transfer, prefer all "carry" a meaning. spect means look, so inspect, perspective, spectator.	Upper grades
11	Cognate Treasure Hunt	Spanish speakers find the hidden "twin" words: evidence/evidencia, contrast/contraste, analyze/analizar, persistent/persistente, abundant/abundante, vast/vasto, obstacle/obstáculo, distinct/distinto.	English learners and bilingual classes
12	Stand Up, Sit Down	The teacher reads a sentence. If the word is used correctly, stand up. If not, sit down and fix it.	Quick checks
13	Mystery Box Escape Room	Locked boxes open when teams solve vocabulary clues, such as "I mean very large. Which lock am I?" Combine with a short passage.	Review days
14	Debate with Stems	Use sentence stems like "My evidence is..." and "A different perspective is..." in a Structured Academic Controversy (Batman vs Iron Man works well). Points are awarded for using Tier 2 words correctly.	Oracy and evidence words
15	Dinner-Table Word	Families get one word a week and a challenge: use it at dinner three times. Kids tally each use on the fridge.	Home practice

Four-minute mini lesson using one game: "Reluctant"

Minutes	Step
1	Say it twice, clap the syllables (re-LUC-tant). Definition: not wanting to do something.
1	Story: "The cat was reluctant to leave the sunny window."
1.5	Act It Out: show reluctant (slow feet, arms crossed). Partners guess, then each says a sentence.
0.5	Exit question: "Name something you are reluctant to do."

A five-day rhythm for five new words

Day	Activity	Purpose
Mon	Meet the words: routine plus gestures	First exposure
Tue	Picture the Word and Silly Sentence Duel	Visual and creative memory
Wed	Which Is More...? and Stand Up, Sit Down	Precise meaning, checking
Thu	Read a passage that uses the words and hunt for them	Context
Fri	Escape room or Word on Trial, then a quick quiz	Retrieval and celebration

Keep the words alive: review old words every week or two with a quick round of charades or a Stand Up, Sit Down. Revisiting is what turns "learned" into "owned."

Make-it-stick checklist

•         ☐ The child said the word aloud.

•         ☐ The child moved or drew something to show the meaning.

•         ☐ The child used the word in a sentence about their own life.

•         ☐ The child met the word in a real book, not only on a list.

•         ☐ The word comes back for review within a week.

Bonus: tie it to the STAAR video

Add a closing scene to the video: "Pick one game today and teach three words in four minutes." Show a quick split-screen of a child doing Act It Out. It turns the explainer from information into something a parent can try tonight.