Combine vocabulary building with exposure to quality literature and what do you get? Vocabu-Lit! In each of the 36 lessons, a short (half-page) segment of literature is provided. The 10 master words to be studied in the lesson are shown in bold print in the reading selection. Our sample was from the 8th grade book, and featured such authors as Robert Louis Stevenson, Stephen Crane, Jack London, Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Daniel Defoe, and Charles Dickens. Literature selections included segments from Black Beauty, Red Badge of Courage, Robinson Crusoe, Call of the Wild, and A Christmas Carol.
Vocabulary exercises include writing a definition of each word before and after looking it up in the dictionary, choosing synonyms and antonyms from a list provided, filling in the master words in analogies, and filling in the master words in a sentence. The Teacher Edition is a copy of the student book with the answers filled in. Vocabulary words chosen are appropriate for the grade level and to encourage students to increase vocabulary and knowledge of good literature simultaneously.
The folks at Perfection Learning responded to requests for a Vocabu-Lit for younger students. Now available for 2nd through 5th grade. Levels B, C, and D (2nd-4th) have appealing kid-friendly graphics, a larger font, wider spacing, fewer lessons (20-24) and word lists of 8 to 10 words but the same solid vocabulary instruction and activities. Level E (5th grade) contains 32 lessons, but follows the same general format as levels F through L.