A funny thing happened when I was creating a new resource for you. About a year ago, I began working on an idea for vocabulary enrichment that would “sneak” advanced vocabulary into activities students enjoy.
I know many students love hidden words, wordplay, and puzzles. I thought it might be fun to create a resource in which students “discover” advanced vocabulary words by solving codes and puzzles and uncovering hidden words.
I spent some time developing the activities, so much time that I decided to send it to The Critical Thinking Company to see if they might be interested in publishing it as a workbook. Shown below is the original manuscript I sent them and a copy of the cover letter I wrote according to their author submission guidelines. (I share these to encourage some of you who have amazing product ideas!)
Now, a year later, I’m excited to announce that Crypt-O-Words is among the new products being offered in the spring catalog.😊 The company asked me to write a version for younger students, so I created Crypt-O-Words Jr. You can read about both books HERE, and see sample pages HERE (Junior level) and HERE (upper grades).
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Crypt-O-Words are unique sets of activities in which advanced vocabulary words are “caught” rather than taught through hidden-word texts, puzzles, poetry, word games, analogies, cartoons, and more. The sets are designed to enrich vocabulary and encourage a love of words and wordplay. As students work through the activities, they will encounter famous quotes, historical references, science, etymology, and a variety of word puzzles.
Your puzzle-loving students will benefit from the vocabulary enrichment. The sets might also be used with younger students who already have extensive vocabularies or with older students who need the reinforcement of PSAT and SAT vocabulary words. While I always favor teaching vocabulary in context, I do believe these supplemental activities would enhance any teacher’s language arts program.
If you’ve read this far, I want to thank you for the support you’ve given me as I’ve created and shared resources these past two and half years. This “happy accident” is a result of your positive feedback and encouragement. I hope some of you are inspired to create and share as well!
| Creating these books has been an exciting process, and I’m grateful for the staff at The Critical Thinking Company, in particular Heather Hiveley, editor of both Crypt-O-Words workbooks. She kept me posted during each stage of the development. frequently invited my input, and worked hard to address all the little details that I now know go into producing workbooks! |
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YES!!!!!! First off, congratulations!!! This is wonderful! I have to tell you that your resources, activities, scope and sequence, etc., have been the lifeblood of my elementary G&T program. Being the only G&T teacher in my district is so isolating and overwhelming, I was barely keeping my head above water for years. Once I discovered all of your amazing ideas and resources, I was inspired to restructure what I do and have given a whole new life to my program. This year my students have been more engaged than ever and are achieving unlike ever before! As soon as I saw this post I purchased the e-book immediately. No surprise it is just as amazing as everything else that you have created! Even though I have purchased just about everything in your TPT store and this book, I still feel as though I am indebted to you forever! THANK YOU for all of your incredible work!
Kelley! I cannot express how much this comment means to me. Like many teachers, I’m familiar with that “overwhelmed” feeling and my main goal in creating this site was to help alleviate some of that. To know that some of the resources here have made a difference for you- that is truly the BEST reward for me. THANK YOU, thank you- for all of your purchases and for this incredibly kind feedback!