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I have read that not all dictionaries have the Bigger words in them. For those of you that have done Bigger, can you tell me which dictionary you used and liked or the ones you didn't like? Thank you.

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I asked this same question a couple of years ago when I was about to start Bigger.

I got the American Heritage Student Dictionary. It definitely has all the words you need in Bigger and Preparing, but it is rated as for 6th-9th grade so it also has a lot more, smaller print, and is difficult for younger kids to look things up in easily. I kind of wish I had a lower level one, so we will see. Through our HS association kids get a free dictionary in 4th grade so I am going to get that one and see where it fits (she is 4th grade in the fall).

Thank you Melissa.

The small print wouldn't work here. Do you or anyone else have any ideas?

We like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Merriam-Websters- ... 0877796793

I also have the elementary and the high school (kids range from kindergarten through freshman year, so all get used).

StillJulie wrote:We like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Merriam-Websters- ... 0877796793

I also have the elementary and the high school (kids range from kindergarten through freshman year, so all get used).

Have you used this one for Bigger?

In the thread I linked to above there were several suggestions, including one that sounded like it had pictures and was very friendly for younger kids to use. Or the younger version of the American Heritages Children's Dictionary - I know Amazon lets you look inside the book so you could see what that one looks like instead.

I will definitely be in the market for another one for my 2nd born once she starts Bigger, which will be sometime in the fall.

Oh another idea for you: the end of R&S 2 has a few lessons on using the dictionary and looking things up and they have them look up words in the little glossary in the back of the grammar book. This helped my DD so much and I wished we had done that at the beginning of Bigger rather than near the end. Dictionary was a really hard one for us that year!

We have the American Heritage Children's Dictionary as well as the student dictionary. We just pull out the student one if the children's doesn't have what we need, but I am thinking that hasn't happened too often. We start with the children's dictionary and shift to the student's around CTC. Of course, we pull out the student if the children's doesn't have what we need

glperky wrote:

StillJulie wrote:We like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Merriam-Websters- ... 0877796793

I also have the elementary and the high school (kids range from kindergarten through freshman year, so all get used).

Have you used this one for Bigger?

No, I didn't own it the last time we went through Bigger. It's what I'll have my daughter use this coming school year if she can't find what she needs in the Elementary one, though.

I am using A Children's Dictionary by Scholastic. I have had it since 1998 when my oldest needed a dictionary for elementary school. It has pictures and relatively large print. If I can't find a word in the dictionary it is usually in the history book A First Book in American History at the end of the chapter. Using a dictionary is an excellent skill to develop such as alphabetizing, grammar, inferences, idea development, and curiosity. For sure you want a child 's dictionary and not a college level. Although some words can be tough to find it is worth completing. If the definition is only found in the history book it is a great opportunity to develop copy work skills. My daughter is loving this. My son needed more instruction and help. I like finding my daughter pouring over the dictionary for something fun to do.

MelInKansas wrote:In the thread I linked to above there were several suggestions, including one that sounded like it had pictures and was very friendly for younger kids to use. Or the younger version of the American Heritages Children's Dictionary - I know Amazon lets you look inside the book so you could see what that one looks like instead.

Oh another idea for you: the end of R&S 2 has a few lessons on using the dictionary and looking things up and they have them look up words in the little glossary in the back of the grammar book. This helped my DD so much and I wished we had done that at the beginning of Bigger rather than near the end. Dictionary was a really hard one for us that year!

Thank you Melissa. I missed that you shared a link my first read through. I'll look at it. Also, thanks for the heads up on R&S 2. That's good to know.

Thank you for the help ladies.

We got the Merriam Webster Children Dictionary that is white with red words on the cover. Its great. It has pictures and the alphabet down the side so its easy to flip to right letter. My dd uses it well and it had almost all the words we needed in bigger & preparing. If there wasn't a word I would help look it up in regular dictionary.