DCMP-ACB STEM Description Vocabulary Project for Early Learners
In 2011, the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) announced a new partnership with the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Our objective was to enhance the educational description guidelines, the Description Key, through results of a "STEM Description Vocabulary Project for Early Learners." This project involved assembling a group of educators, consisting of representatives from educational programs throughout the U.S., who compiled a list of words most commonly and consistently used as grade-level specific vocabulary.
This list, supported by reputable and reliable resources, delivers words to be used in description with a concentration on STEM content. Its focus is to assist describers on an appropriate path in choosing vocabulary words that best help students achieve necessary vocabulary milestones. And since the make-up of today's classrooms reflect the racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the world, this list is also important for English language learners.
SCIENCE
A
Afternoon
Air
Animal
B
Balance
Breathe
Bulbs
Bumpy
C
Change
Cloud
Cloudy
Cold
Color
D
Day
Different
Dinosaur
Down
E
Ear
Earth
Egg
Eyes
F
Far
Farm animals
Feather
Feet
Fish
Five senses
Flower
Food
Fur
G
Garden
Gills
Guess
H
Hard
Head
Hear
Heat
Heavy
Hibernate
Hot
I
Insect
Inside
L
Land
Leaf
Leaves
Light
Lighter
Lightning bolt
Like
Living
Location
M
Magnet
Many
Moon
Morning
Most
Move
N
Nature
Near
Nest
Next
Next to
Night
Nonliving
Nose
O
Observation
Observe
Ocean
Outside
Over
P
Person
Plant
Prediction
Predict
Q
Question
R
Rain
Rainbow
Rainy
Ramp
Rectangle
River
Round
Ruler
S
Sand
Scales
Sea creatures
Season
See
Seeds
Senses
Shells
Similar
Slippery
Smell
Smooth
Snow
Snowflake
Soft
Soil
Some
Square
Stars
Stem
Sun
Sunlight
Sunny
Sunshine
T
Taste
Teeth
Tools
Touch
Tree
Triangle
U
Underneath
Unlike
Up
W
Warm
Water
Water cycle
Weather
Wind
Wing
Z
Zoo
Zoo animals
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TECHNOLOGY
A
Analog clock
Arrange
Arrow keys
Arrows
Audio books
B
Battery
C
Camera
CD player
CD-Rom drive
Change program
Charge
Click
Close program
Computer
Computer lab
Cord
D
Different languages
Doorbell
Down arrow
Drag
Draw
Drop
E
End
Enter key
Eraser
Exit
F
Flashlight
G
H
Has rules
I
Icons
iPod
K
Key
Keyboard
L
LeapFrog
LeapPad
Left arrow
Letters
M
Main menu
Marker
Matching
Microphone
Mouse
Mouse pad
N
Numbers
O
On/off button
Open/program
Outlet
P
Pen
Pencil
Picture
Player
Plug
Plug-in
Point
Printer
Program
Push button
R
Radio
Recorder
Right arrow
S
Screen
Screen saver
Search
Shade
Shift
Slide
Speaker
Start
T
Tab
Tape recorder
Telephone
Touch screen
Type
U
Up arrow
V
Video
Video game
Volume
W
Web page
Wire
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ENGINEERING
A
Air
Aluminum foil
B
Boat
Bottom
Bridge
Build
Building
Bus
C
Car
Cardboard
Carry
Circle
Clay
Cold
Color
Construction
Container
Crayons
Cut
D
Describe
Design
Different
Draw
E
Engineer
Engines
Explore
F
Fix things
G
Glue
Glue stick
H
Hammer
Hands-on
Hard
Heat
I
Imagination
Imagine
L
Large
Larger
Largest
Level
Longer
Longest
M
Machine
Magnets
Make
Markers
Materials
Measure
Medium
N
Nails
O
Over
P
Paint
Pipe cleaners
Plan
Plastic wrap
Pliers
Popsicle sticks
Pull
Push
R
Rectangle
Roads
Rock
Rough
Rubber band
S
Safety
Same
Sand
Sandpaper
Scissors
Screw
Screwdriver
Shape
Short
Shorter
Shortest
Shovel
Small
Smaller
Smallest
Smooth
Soft
Square
Stack
Staples
Straight
String
Strongest
T
Take apart
Tallest
Tape
Texture
Thermometer
Tools
Top
Tower
Truck
Tube
Tunnel
U
Under
Unit
W
Water
Wax paper
Wheel
Wind
Wood
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MATHEMATICS
A
Above
After
Alike
Angle
Answer
B
Before
Below
Between
Big
Bigger
Biggest
Bottom
C
Calendar
Circle
Clock
Color
Concrete
Count
D
Day
Diamond
Different
Dime
Direction
Dollar
Down
Draw
Duplicate
E
Equal
F
False
Few
Fewer
First
G
Group
Guess
H
Heavy
Heavier
Heaviest
I
In back
In front
Inside
L
Largest
Last
Left
Less
Lighter
Lines
Longest
M
Match
Measure
Measuring tool
Middle
Money
More
Morning
N
Narrow
Night
Number
Number line
Numbers 0-10
O
Object
Order
Outside
Oval
P
Pattern
Penny
Q
Quarter
Question
R
Rectangle
Right
Round
S
Same
Sets
Shape
Share
Short
Shorter
Shortest
Show
Side
Size
Small
Smaller
Smallest
Sort
Square
T
Tall
Taller
Tallest
Time
Today
Tomorrow
Top
Triangle
True
U
Under
Up
W
Week
Wide
Y
Year
Yesterday
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SCIENCE
A
Across
Add
After
Air pollution
Appearance
Autumn
Axle
B
Backbone
Before
Behind
Between
C
Classify
Climate
Coal
Collect
Combine
Compare
Compose
Condensation
D
Decrease
Desert
Discovery
Dissolve
Dull
E
Electricity
Evaporate
Evaporation
Experiment
Exploration
Extinct
F
Fall
Freeze
Freezing
Fruit
Full moon
G
Gas
Growth
H
Habitat
Hail
Hand lens
Hatch
I
Increase
L
Lake
Landforms
Life cycle
Liquids
M
Magnify
Magnifying glass
Mass
Matter
Measure
Measuring cup
Melt
Metal
Mix
Mixed
Mountain
N
Natural
Natural resources
New moon
O
Oxygen
P
Parts
Pond
Pull
Pulley
Push
R
Rainforest
Record
Record data
Recycle
Reuse
Rock
Root
Rough
Rubber
S
Shadow
Shapes
Shelter
Shiny
Size
Skin
Sky
Sleet
Snowy
Solid
Sort
Sound
Spring
Sprout
Storm
Stronger
Subtract
T
Tadpole
Temperature
Texture
Thaw
Thermometer
U
Under
V
Valley
Vibrate
Volume
W
Weaker
Wheel
Windsock
Windy
Winter
Z
Zigzag
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TECHNOLOGY
A
Access
Active cell
Automatic doors
B
Back button
Backspace
Bicycle
Bookmark
C
Cell phone
Close
Column
Control/key
Cursor
D
Delete
Desktop
Digital books
Digital clock
Digital recorder
Double click
Download
DVD player
E
Earphone jack
Earphones
E-book
Enlarge
Escape
F
Favorites
Font
H
Hand position
Headphone
Home row
I
Input
Insert
Insertion point
iPad
K
Keyboarding
L
Laptop
Left click
Link
Login
Logon/logoff
M
Monitor
O
Output
P
Page
Pointer
Pointing
Portable
Power
Processes
Q
Quit
R
Remote control
Right click
Row
S
Save
Search engine
Shift key
Smart board
T
Thermometer
Toolbar
Tower
U
User name
W
Wallpaper
Webcam
Window
Window key
X
X-ray
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ENGINEERING
A
Airplane
Arrange
B
Back
Balloon
Blocks
Box
Bubbles
C
Carpenter
Center
Chalk
Clean
Computer
Cone
Connecting sticks
Construction paper
Create
Cube
D
Data
Direction
Dirty
Down
Duct Tape
E
Electrical Tape
F
Fabric
Filter
Float
Front
Funnel
H
Heavy
Helicopter
High
Hose
I
Index cards
Invention
L
Layers
Left
Legos
Lever
Light
Load
Logs
Low
M
Marbles
Melt
Mix
Motion
Motor
O
Oars
Object
P
Parachute
Part
Plastic
Poles
Powder
Power
Problem
Propeller
R
Ramp
Right
Roller coaster
Ruler
S
Scatter
Scraps
Shake
Sharp
Solid
Solution
Sphere
Stir
Stopwatch
Straws
Sturdy
T
Team work
Test
Toolbox
U
Up
W
Weak
Weaker
Weakest
Weather
Weigh
Weight
Whole
Windmill
Wire
Wrench
Y
Yarn
Z
Zigzag
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MATHEMATICS
A
Add
Addition
Afternoon
Around
Attribute
B
Backward
Behind
Beside
Bills
C
Cardinal number
Classify
Coins
Combine
Compare
Cone
Count forward
Cube
Cylinder
Cylinder sphere
D
Date
Difference
Digital clock
E
Evening
Extend
F
Far
Forward
Front/back
H
Hour
L
Location
M
Measurement
Minus
Month
Most
N
Near
Next to
Nickel
Numbers 0-20
Numeral
O
Ones
Opposite
P
Pair
Position
Predicting
S
Similar
Skip count
Sphere
Strategy
Subtract
Subtraction
T
Table
Tally
Tally marks
Temperature
Tens
V
Value
W
Weight
Z
Zero
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SCIENCE
A
Adult
Alter
Amphibian
Angle
B
Backward
Balance scale
Battery
Beak
Bird
Boulders
C
Centimeter
Chart
Circular
Cirrus clouds
Claw
Clay
Compost
Conclusion
Cone
Contract
Cumulus clouds
D
Data
E
Earth science
Earthquake
Earthworm
East
Energy
Environment
Exercise
Expand
F
Fins
Float
Forest
Forward
Freshwater
G
Gases
Grass
H
Human-made
Humus
Hypothesis
Hypothesize
I
Infant
Invent
Investigate
Investigation
L
Laboratory
Life science
Lungs
M
Mammal
Material
Microscope
Mineral
Moisture
Model
N
North
P
Physical change
Physical science
Planet
Polar climate
Pollen
Precipitation
Prey
Procedure
Properties
Property
Purpose
R
Reduce
Reproduce
Reptile
Rotates
S
Saltwater
Seed fruit
Seedling
Separate
Sequence
Shrubs
Silt
Simple machine
Sleep
Smog
Solids
South
Spines
Straight
T
Teen
Tropical climate
Tundra
V
Volcano
W
Water pollution
Weather data
West
Wetland
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TECHNOLOGY
A
Arrow key
B
Boot up
Burn a CD
C
Cable
Calculator
Capital
Capitalization
Cash register
Clip art
Code
Command
Connect
Conveyor belt
Crash
D
Data
Disk
Document
E
Electronic
F
File forward
G
Graphics
H
Handheld devices
Hard drive
Hardware
Highlight
Home page
I
Ink cartridge
Input device
Install
Interactive
Internet
Internet safety
K
Key commands
M
Magnify
Mechanical pencil
Memory
Menu bar
Metal detector
Mouse wheel
MP3 player
N
Navigate
Non-print
O
Output device
P
Password
Pause
Photo
Pop-up
Presentation software
Punctuation
R
Record
Recycle bin
Return key
S
Save as
Short cuts
Shut down
Speed keys
Stop
Surfing
T
Tablet
Task bar
Toolbox
Tool options
Tools
Touch pad
Transistor
V
Video camera
Video chat
W
Walkie talkies
Word processor
World wide web
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ENGINEERING
A
Action
Apart
Axle
B
Balance
Beams
Brads
Brainstorm
Brick
C
Close
Column
Communicate
Communication
Connect
Construct
Crane
Cylinder
D
Dial
Distance
E
Energy
Experiment
Explorations
F
Fast
Force
Form
Forming
Friction
G
Gear
H
Hole punch
Horizontal
Hub
Hypothesis
I
Improve
Investigate
L
Living
M
Metal
Method
Model
Mold
N
Non-living
O
Observe
Open
P
Plate
Plow
Pour
Problem solving
Pump
R
Repair
Repel
Results
Reuse
Rubber
S
Shelter
Similar
Simple machine
Sink
Slow
Solve
Speed
Spread
Stadiums
Support
Suspend
T
Tent
Tires
Together
Two-story
V
Vehicle
Vertical
W
Wax
Wind energy
Work together
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MATHEMATICS
A
Addend
Addition sentence
B
Bar graph
C
Cent
Chart
Corner
Count back
Count on
Covers less
Covers more
D
Data
Decimal point
Describe
Digit
Digital
Dollar sign
Double
E
Edges
Equal part
Equal to
Equals
Equation
Estimate
Even
F
Face
Fact family
Foot
Feet
G
Graph
Greater than
Greatest
H
Half
Half hour
Heavy
Horizontal
Hundred chart
I
Impossible
Input
L
Least
Length
Less than
Light
Long
M
Mental math
Minute
Minute hand
Missing addend
More than
Multi-digit number
N
Number sentence
Numbers 0-100
O
O’clock
Odd
One fourth
One-half
One-third
Ordinal numbers
Output
P
Part
Picture graph
Place value
Plane figure
Plus
Positional words
Pyramid
R
Rectangle prism
Regroup
Regrouping
Ruler
S
Sequence
Sharing equally
Solid figure
Solve
Sum
Survey
Symbol
T
Thermometer
Thousand
U
Unequal
Unit
V
Venn diagram
W
Whole
Whole number
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SCIENCE
A
Accumulation
Adaptation
Artificial
Attract
Axis
B
Bar magnet
Beaker
Beaming
Boil
C
Celsius
Center
Change of state
Chemical change
Closer
Communicate
Condense
Conserve
Constellation
Container
Contrast
Cool
D
Diagram
Differences
Distance
Drought
E
Earth resources
Ecosystem
Erosion
Estimate
F
Fahrenheit
Fibrous root
Food chain
Food web
Fossil
Friction
G
Germinate
Germination
Gravity
H
Height
Horseshoe magnet
Hour glass
Humidity
Hurricane
I
Imprint
Infer
L
Larva
Lever
Litter
M
Magnetic
Metamorphosis
Meteorologist
Metric measurement
Migrate
Mirror
Molecules
Motion
N
Nutrient
O
Offspring
Orbit
Organism
P
Parent
Phases
Plastic
Pole
Pollination
Prevent
Pupa
Q
Quart
R
Renewable
Repel
Resource
Rotation
S
Scientific inquiry
Scientist
Silver
Similarities
Solar system
Solution
Stream
Substance
Sunset
T
Tape measure
Taproot
Telescope
Thunderstorm
Tornado
Transform
U
Universe
V
Vibration
W
Water vapor
Weight
Woodland
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TECHNOLOGY
A
Adapter
Alt key
Amplifier
Animation
B
Back arrow
Back up
Bold
Boot
Brightness
Browser
Bug
C
Cell/address
Charging
Clipboard
Color
Column/headings
Contrast
Copy
Cut
D
Debug
Digital camera
Display
Download
Drive
Drop down menu
E
Earbuds
Edit erase
Ethics
F
Folder
Formula
Function keys
G
Glare
H
Hard disk
Help
I
Image
Indent
Italics
M
Mac
Maximize
Minimize
Multimedia
N
Network
Numeric keypad
O
Objects
P
Palette
Paste
PC (Personal Computer)
Personal information
Power cable
Power point
Power supply
Previous
Pull-down menu
R
Research
Resources
Retrieve
Revert
Ribbon
Row headings
S
Scanner
Scanning
T
Table
Thumb drive
Toggle
S
Settings
Surge protector
T
Trackball
Transfer
U
Underline
URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
USB
User friendly
V
Virtual
Voice mail
W
Web address
Wireless
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ENGINEERING
A
Analyze
Assembly line
Attract
B
Battery
Bendable
Boulder
C
Cabinet
Catapult
Centimeter
Ceramic
Checkered
Coal
Coal mine
Collage
Compare
Concrete
Contractor
Conveyor belt
Corners
Creativity
Cutting
D
Design process
Diagram
Dimensions
Dome
Dowels
Driver
Durability
E
Edge
Elastic
Elasticity
F
Faces
Feet
Forward
Frame
Function
G
Geometric shapes
Glass
H
Hydraulic
I
Inches
J
Jagged
L
Labor
Liquid
M
Magnetic
Magnetic field
Manufacturing
Meters
Modify
N
Natural
Needle and thread
Nonmagnetic
O
Original
P
Paddle wheel
Paper clip
Parallel
Permanent
Perpendicular
Pipes
Plane shapes
Pneumatic
Pollution
Position
Predict
Process
Process layout
Processed
Properties
Property
Pyramid
R
Recycled material
Resource
Rigid
Rod
Rotate
S
Saw
Screen
Separate
Shaping
Slope
Sound
Sound wave
Spring
Stability
Steel
Straight edge
Strength
Symmetry
Synthetic
System
T
Tag board
Teeth
Tooth
Timing
Travels
V
Variables
W
Weathering
Wheelbarrow
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MATHEMATICS
A
2-dimensional
3-dimensional
Area
Array
Associative property
B
Base-ten
Base-ten system
Borrow
C
Capacity
Carry
Celsius
Centimeter
Clock hands
Combination
Commutative property
Coordinate graph
Cup
Currency
Customary
D
Denominator
Dimensions
Distance
Divide
Division
E
Edge
Elapsed time/time interval
Equal groups
Equivalent
Estimation
Event
Expanded form
F
Fahrenheit
Fourths
Fraction
G
Gallon
Gram
H
Half dollar
Halves
Hexagon
Hundreds
I
Inch
Interpret
K
Key
Kilogram
L
Leap year
Likely
Unlikely
Liter
M
Meter
Metric
Milliliter
Multiplication table
N
Nonstandard unit
Numbers 0-1,000
Numerator
O
Ounce
Outcome
P
Parallelogram
Pentagon
Perimeter
Pie chart
Pint
Pound
Q
Quart
Quarter-hour
R
Recall
Reflect
Rotate
Rounding
S
Second
Second (time)
Standard form
Symmetry
T
Three-dimensional
Thirds
Transformations
Trapezoid
Two-dimensional
U
Unknown
V
Vertex
Vertical
Volume
W
Width
Word form
Y
Yard
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SCIENCE
A
Absorb
Acceleration
Acid
Alternate energy resource
Anemometer
Aquatic habitat
Arctic
Arthropod
Asteroid
Atmosphere
B
Bar graph
Barometer
Base
Behavior
Bulb
C
Carnivore
Cell
Chemistry
Chlorophyll
Chrysalis
Cleavage
Community
Conduction
Conductor
Conifer
Conservation
Consumer
Control
Core
Crater
Crest
Cross section
Crust
Crystalize
Cumulonimbus
D
Decomposer
Density
E
Ecology
Endangered species
Environmental impact
Equator
Estuary
Evidence
Extinct species
F
Filter
Force
Forest floor
Fossil mold
Fracture
G
Graduated cylinder
Grams
H
Herbivore
Heredity
I
Ice wedging
Igneous rock
Individual
Inertia
Inner plants
Insulator
Invertebrate
K
Kinetic energy
L
Landform
Latitude
Length
Light energy
Load
M
Magma
Malleable
Mantle
Map
Metamorphic rock
Millimeters
N
Netted veins
Newton
Nonrenewable resource
O
Omnivore
Ore
Outer plants
P
Pan balance
Parallel veins
Particles
Phases of the moon
Physical property
Pitch
Plates
Pollution
Population
Position
Potential energy
Predator
R
Rain gauge
Reflect
Refract
Renewable resource
Research
Revolve
S
Satellite
Savannah
Screw
Sedimentary rock
Solar energy
Sound waves
Space probe
Steam
Stratus
Streak
T
Technology
Temperate climate
Terrestrial habitat
Theory
Thermal energy
Threatened
Thriving
Tissue
Transfer
Trough
V
Variable
Vein
Vertebrate
Volcanic eruption
W
Wave
Weather vane
Wedge
Wind vane
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TECHNOLOGY
A
Accessibility
Application
B
Blog
Buffer
C
Centering
Chip
Cloud
Copyright
Cyberspace
D
DAISY files
Database file
Digitized speech
E
eBook
Electric guitar
Ethical use
Excel
F
Field
Files
Flash drive
Format
Freeze
H
Hacker
Handheld computer
Hard copy
Headings
HTML files
I
Icon
IM (Instant Message)
L
Labels
Landscape
M
Mac OS
Memory stick
Modem
N
Netbook
Network card
Networking
Not reliable
Notebook computer
O
Operating system
Optical mouse
P
PDA
Pedometer
Podcast
Port
Power strip
Processor or CPU (Central Processing Unit)
Protocol
Public domain
R
RAM (Random Access Memory)
Rebus
Reliable
Rename
S
Server
Smartphone
Sound card
Spreadsheet
Storage device
Storage media
T
Treadmill
V
Values
Video card
Virus
Voice thread
W
Watermark
Web-based
Webcast
Windows operating system
Wireless router
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ENGINEERING
A
Absorb
Accelerate
Acoustical
Accuracy
Aeronautical
A-frame
Agricultural
Alloy
Architect
Axis
B
Bioengineering
By-product
C
Casting
Cement
Centripetal
Chemical
Chemical change
Chemical property
Circuit
Circular
Civil
Coil
Collaborate
Compact
Compound machine
D
Decibel
Diversity
E
Easel
Effort
Electric circuit
Electric current
Electricity
Eliminate
Environmental
Evidence
Extend
F
Force of gravity
Forklift
Fossil fuel
Framework
Fulcrum
G
Gauge
Gears
Genetic
Geothermal energy
Goods
Services
Gravity
Guitar
Guitar fret
H
Hydroelectric energy
I
Inclined plane
Industrial
Innovation
Insulator
Interact
Interdependence
L
Levity
Limit
Location
Lubricant
M
Magnetic force
Maraca
Mass
Matter
Mechanical
Mechanical engineer
Membrane
Meter stick
Molding
Momentum
Mortar
Muffle
N
Natural material
Newton’s laws of motion
O
Observable
Oscillatory
P
Packing
Pan pipe
Peak
Percussion instrument
Physical change
Physical property
Pillar
Pitch
Pitched roof
Plug
Potential energy
Project
Pulley
R
Reason
Reflect
Relative position
Residue
S
Scale
Screw
Sculpture
Sequence
Shaft
Shearing
Sketch
Skyscraper
Spin
Spiral
Stethoscope
Stress
Stretched
Stringed instrument
Structure
Submerge
Support column
T
Temperature
Tension
Thermal
Thickness
Tiles
Transmit
Transportation
V
Velocity
Vibration
Volume
W
Wedge
Wheel and axle
Wind instrument
Work
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MATH
A
Analog clock
Analyze
C
Chance
Change (money)
Clockwise
Compatible numbers
Complex figures
Compose
Composite figures
Conclusion
Congruent
Congruent figures
Conjecture
Coordinates
Counter
Clockwise
Cubic unit
D
Decimal
Decompose
Decrease
Degree
Distributive
Distributive property
Dividend
Divisor
E
Equivalent fractions
Expression
F
Factor
Frequency table
H
Height
Hundredths
I
Increase
Intersect
Intersecting lines
Inverse
Inverse relationships
K
Kilometer
L
Line graph
Line plot
Line plot graph
Line segment
Line
Lines of symmetry
Liquid measures
M
Mass
Median
Mile
Millimeter
Mixed numbers
Multiple
N
Numbers 0-10,000
O
Octagon
Operation
Order of operations
Ordered pairs
Organize data
P
Parallel lines
Period
Perpendicular
Pictograph
Place figure
Polygon
Prediction
Prism
Probability
Properties
Q
Quadrilateral
Quality
Quotient
R
Range
Ray
Reasonableness
Relative
Rhombus
Right angle
S
Scale
Solution
Square units
T
Tenth
Ton
V
Variable
Vertices
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