Glossary: Terms Starting with S
282 definitions with links to the lessons that teach each word.
safe
Science
not likely to hurt you
Learn it in: Science safety rules (Grade 1), Basic personal safety (Grade 1)
same denominator
Maths
The same number of equal parts in the whole.
Learn it in: Comparing simple fractions (Grade 3)
sample
Maths
A small group chosen.
Learn it in: Collecting numerical data (Grade 5), Collecting data (Grade 6)
sandpaper
Science
paper with rough grains used to smooth wood
Learn it in: Rough and smooth materials (Grade 1)
scale
Maths
The numbers along the side.
Learn it in: Bar graphs (Grade 2), Measuring mass (Grade 3), Scaled picture graphs (Grade 3)
scale
Science
how big something is compared to real life
Learn it in: Drawing scientific diagrams (Grade 2)
scalene
Maths
No sides equal.
Learn it in: Triangles (Grade 3), Classifying triangles (Grade 4), Triangles (Grade 5)
scene
English
one part of a play in one place and time
Learn it in: Introductory drama (Grade 3), Drama scripts (Grade 4), Drama (Grade 5)
science
Science
finding out about the world by looking, asking and trying
Learn it in: What is science? (Grade 1)
science fiction
English
fiction about imagined science and the future
Learn it in: Comparing literary genres (Grade 5)
script
English
the written text of a play
Learn it in: Introductory drama (Grade 3), Dialogue (Grade 4), Drama (Grade 5)
secondary source
English
a report or book about something by someone who was not there
Learn it in: Primary and secondary sources (Grade 4), Comparing sources (Grade 5), Reliable sources (Grade 6)
section
English
one part of a text
Learn it in: Titles and headings (Grade 2), Summarising complex information (Grade 4), Research reports (Grade 5)
seed
Science
the small part of a plant that can grow into a new plant
Learn it in: Plants as living organisms (Grade 1), Fruits and seeds (Grade 1)
seedling
Science
a young plant that has just grown from a seed
Learn it in: Growth and change (Grade 1), Caring for plants (Grade 1), Seedling growth (Grade 2)
self-correct
English
fix your own mistake
Learn it in: Self-correction (Grade 2), Monitoring reading accuracy (Grade 3), Reading fluency (Grade 4)
semicolon
English
a mark that joins two related main clauses
Learn it in: Compound-complex sentences (Grade 5), Compound sentences (Grade 6)
sense
English
meaning
Learn it in: Blending sounds into words (Grade 1), Multiple-meaning words (Grade 1), Multiple-meaning words (Grade 4)
sense
Maths
Does the answer fit the story?
Learn it in: Addition word problems (Grade 1), Subtraction word problems (Grade 1)
senses
English
sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste
Learn it in: Writing short descriptions (Grade 1), Observing familiar objects (Grade 1), Descriptive paragraphs (Grade 2)
senses
Science
the ways we find out about things: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch
Learn it in: Using our senses to observe (Grade 1)
sensible
Maths
Makes sense.
Learn it in: Estimating measurements (Grade 2), Estimating answers (Grade 3)
sensory detail
English
a detail about what is seen, heard, felt, smelt or tasted
Learn it in: Setting and atmosphere (Grade 4), Descriptive settings (Grade 4), Descriptive techniques (Grade 5)
sentence
English
words that go together to tell a whole idea
Learn it in: Understanding spoken words (Grade 1), Speaking clearly (Grade 1), Listening to words and sentences (Grade 1)
sentence
Maths
A number sentence, like 3 + 2 = 5.
Learn it in: Combining groups (Grade 1), Subtraction using pictures (Grade 1)
sentence clue
English
words around that show which meaning
Learn it in: Multiple-meaning words (Grade 3)
sentence variety
English
using different lengths, openings and types
Learn it in: Sentence variety (Grade 5), Sentence structures (Grade 6)
sequence
English
the order in which things happen
Learn it in: Following multistep instructions (Grade 2), Story sequencing (Grade 2), Summarising narratives (Grade 3)
sequence
Maths
Numbers in an order.
Learn it in: Number patterns (Grade 1), Number sequences (Grade 2), Number patterns (Grade 4)
sequence word
English
a word like first, next, then, finally
Learn it in: Personal narratives (Grade 2), Simple explanations (Grade 2), Explaining information (Grade 3)
setting
English
where and when a story happens
Learn it in: Identifying settings (Grade 1), Story settings (Grade 1), Comparing stories (Grade 2)
shade
Science
a cooler place out of the direct sunlight
Learn it in: Plants in our environment (Grade 1), Uses of plants (Grade 1), Plants and animals in our environment (Grade 1)
shade of meaning
English
a small difference in meaning
Learn it in: Synonyms and antonyms (Grade 4), Synonyms and shades of meaning (Grade 5)
shaded
Maths
Coloured in.
Learn it in: Representing simple fractions (Grade 2), Representing non-unit fractions (Grade 3)
shape
Science
the outline of a thing, like a circle or a square
Learn it in: Describing colours, shapes and sizes (Grade 1)
shell
Science
the hard outside of some seeds and nuts
Learn it in: Fruits and seeds (Grade 1), Chicken life cycle (Grade 2)
shelter
Science
a safe place to live
Learn it in: Basic needs of living things (Grade 1), Animal shelters (Grade 1), Weather safety (Grade 1)
shoot
Science
a new young stem that grows up
Learn it in: Plants as living organisms (Grade 1), Seed germination (Grade 2)
short story
English
a brief fiction with few characters and one main event
Learn it in: Short stories (Grade 5), Short fiction (Grade 6)
short vowel
English
the quick sound a vowel makes
Learn it in: Short vowel sounds (Grade 1), Long-vowel spelling patterns (Grade 2)
shorter
Maths
Less long than.
Learn it in: Longer and shorter (Grade 1), Comparing measurements (Grade 2)
shortest
Maths
The least tall of three or more.
Learn it in: Taller and shorter (Grade 1), Comparing lengths (Grade 1)
show, do not tell
English
showing traits through actions instead of naming them
Learn it in: Characterisation (Grade 5)
show, don’t tell
English
showing traits through actions, not stating them
Learn it in: Character development (Grade 4), Characterisation (Grade 6)
side
Maths
A straight line that makes the edge of a shape.
Learn it in: Triangles (Grade 1), Squares (Grade 1), Properties of 2D shapes (Grade 2)
sight
Science
seeing with our eyes
Learn it in: Using our senses to observe (Grade 1), The five senses (Grade 1)
sight word
English
a word you know without sounding it out
Learn it in: Common irregular words (Grade 2), Accurate word recognition (Grade 2)
signal word
English
a word that shows a link, such as because
Learn it in: Cause and effect (Grade 3), Text structures (Grade 4), Text organisation (Grade 5)
significant
English
important or large enough to matter
Learn it in: Advanced academic vocabulary (Grade 5)
signpost
English
a word or phrase that tells the audience where you are
Learn it in: Presentation organisation (Grade 4), Formal presentations (Grade 6)
silent e
English
an e at the end that you do not say
Learn it in: Common long-vowel patterns (Grade 1), Long-vowel spelling patterns (Grade 2)
silent letter
English
a letter that is written but not heard
Learn it in: Spelling conventions (Grade 5)
silent-e syllable
English
a syllable with the vowel-consonant-e pattern
Learn it in: Syllable patterns (Grade 3)
similar
English
almost the same
Learn it in: Connecting stories to experiences (Grade 1), Synonyms (Grade 2)
similarity
English
a way things are alike
Learn it in: Comparing characters (Grade 3), Comparing literary texts (Grade 4)
simile
English
a comparison using like or as
Learn it in: Literary language (Grade 3), Descriptive vocabulary (Grade 3), Similes (Grade 3)
simple growth
Science
growing bigger without changing shape much
Learn it in: Comparing life cycles (Grade 2)
simple sentence
English
a sentence with one independent clause
Learn it in: Complex sentences (Grade 4), Sentence structures (Grade 6)
simplify
Maths
Write with smaller numbers.
Learn it in: Simplifying fractions (Grade 4), Adding fractions with like denominators (Grade 4), Subtracting fractions with like denominators (Grade 4)
skip count
Maths
Count in jumps of the same size.
Learn it in: Number patterns (Grade 1), Number sequences (Grade 2), Skip counting (Grade 2)
slide
English
one page of a presentation
Learn it in: Visual presentations (Grade 4), Multimedia presentations (Grade 5)
smoke
Science
a cloud of tiny particles from burning
Learn it in: Clean and dirty environments (Grade 1)
smooth
English
even and easy
Learn it in: Reading decodable sentences (Grade 1), Reading connected sentences (Grade 2)
soft
Science
easy to press or squeeze
Learn it in: Hard and soft materials (Grade 1), Loud and soft sounds (Grade 1)
soil
Science
the loose earth where plants grow
Learn it in: Roots (Grade 1), What plants need to grow (Grade 1)
solid shape
Maths
A shape you can hold, not flat.
Learn it in: Spheres (Grade 1), Identifying shapes in everyday life (Grade 1)
solution
English
how the problem is fixed
Learn it in: Retelling stories (Grade 1), Story problems and solutions (Grade 2), Story structure (Grade 3)
solution
Maths
Value that makes it true.
Learn it in: Unknown quantities (Grade 5), Simple equations (Grade 6), Algebraic word problems (Grade 6)
solve
Maths
Find the answer.
Learn it in: Addition word problems (Grade 1), Subtraction word problems (Grade 1), Simple equations (Grade 5)
sort
Science
to put things into groups
Learn it in: Sorting and grouping objects (Grade 1), What are materials (Grade 1), Organising observations (Grade 2)
sound
English
something you hear
Learn it in: Recognising environmental sounds (Grade 1), Identifying beginning sounds (Grade 1), Identifying ending sounds (Grade 1)
source
English
where we find information
Learn it in: Gathering simple facts (Grade 1), Finding facts (Grade 2), Research questions (Grade 2)
source
Science
where something comes from
Learn it in: What is light (Grade 1), Sources of sound (Grade 1)
sources list
English
a list of where you found information
Learn it in: Short reports (Grade 3), Research reports (Grade 5)
space
English
a gap between words
Learn it in: Words and sentences (Grade 1), Spacing between words (Grade 1)
speaker
English
the person who is talking
Learn it in: Listening attentively (Grade 1), Active listening (Grade 2), Dialogue (Grade 4)
speaker tag
English
words that tell who is speaking
Learn it in: Dialogue in stories (Grade 2), Dialogue (Grade 3)
speech tag
English
words such as she said that name the speaker
spell
English
write the letters in a word
Learn it in: Segmenting words for spelling (Grade 1), Spelling simple words (Grade 1), Common irregular words (Grade 2)
split
Maths
Divide into parts.
Learn it in: Area of composite rectangular figures (Grade 4), Area of composite figures (Grade 6)
square
Maths
A shape with 4 equal straight sides and 4 corners.
Learn it in: Squares (Grade 1), Shape patterns (Grade 1), Perimeter (Grade 4)
square unit
Maths
A square with sides of one unit.
Learn it in: Square units (Grade 3), Area of rectangles (Grade 4), Area (Grade 5)
stage
Science
one step in a series of changes
Learn it in: Growth and change (Grade 1), Plant life cycles (Grade 2)
stage direction
English
a note about what to do or how to speak
Learn it in: Introductory drama (Grade 3), Dialogue (Grade 4), Comparing literary genres (Grade 4)
stage directions
English
instructions for actions and settings, often in brackets or italics
Learn it in: Drama scripts (Grade 6)
standard form
Maths
The usual way to write a number, like 345.
Learn it in: Expanded form (Grade 2), Expanded form (Grade 3), Expanded notation (Grade 4)
standard unit
Maths
A unit everyone agrees on.
Learn it in: Introduction to centimetres (Grade 1), Measuring length (Grade 2), Standard measurement units (Grade 3)
stanza
English
a group of lines in a poem
Learn it in: Poems and rhythm (Grade 2), Poetry (Grade 3), Poetry forms (Grade 4)
statistic
English
a number used as evidence
Learn it in: Supporting evidence (Grade 5), Identifying claims and evidence (Grade 6), Evidence and opinion (Grade 6)
stem
Science
the part of a plant that holds up the leaves and flowers
Learn it in: Stems (Grade 1), Reviewing plant parts (Grade 2)
step
English
one small part of a job
Learn it in: Following simple instructions (Grade 1), Following multistep instructions (Grade 2), Simple explanations (Grade 2)
step
Maths
One part of a problem.
Learn it in: Two-step word problems (Grade 2), Multistep word problems (Grade 3)
story
English
a tale of what happens
Learn it in: Reading familiar stories (Grade 1), Listening to stories (Grade 1)
story map
English
a chart showing the parts of a story
Learn it in: Story planning (Grade 3), Narrative planning (Grade 5)
storyboard
English
a sequence of sketches planning a visual piece
Learn it in: Digital communication projects (Grade 6)
straight angle
Maths
Makes a straight line (180°).
Learn it in: Introduction to other angles (Grade 3), Angles (Grade 6)
strategy
English
a plan that helps you do something
Learn it in: Reading unfamiliar words (Grade 3), Academic vocabulary application (Grade 6)
strategy
Maths
A plan for solving a problem.
Learn it in: Addition within 20 (Grade 1), Subtraction within 20 (Grade 1), Mental addition strategies (Grade 2)
strength
English
something you do well
Learn it in: Reflective communication (Grade 6), Comparing arguments (Grade 6)
strong verb
English
an exact, lively action word
Learn it in: Descriptive paragraphs (Grade 2), Descriptive vocabulary (Grade 3), Descriptive settings (Grade 4)
structure
English
how a text is arranged
Learn it in: Author’s choices (Grade 5), Formal presentations (Grade 6)
sub-question
English
a smaller question that helps answer a big one
Learn it in: Research questions (Grade 6)
subject
English
who or what the sentence is about
Learn it in: Action words (Grade 1), Simple sentence construction (Grade 1), Subject and predicate (Grade 2)
subordinate clause
English
a clause that depends on a main clause
Learn it in: Clauses (Grade 5), Complex sentences (Grade 6)
subordinating conjunction
English
because, when, if, although
Learn it in: Conjunctions (Grade 3), Subordinating conjunctions (Grade 4), Complex sentences (Grade 5)
subordination
English
making one clause depend on another
Learn it in: Compound-complex sentences (Grade 6)
subplot
English
a smaller story within a larger one
Learn it in: Longer literary texts (Grade 5), Extended literary texts (Grade 6)
substitute
Maths
Replace by a number.
Learn it in: Variables (Grade 6), Evaluating expressions (Grade 6)
subtract
Maths
Take away some from a group.
Learn it in: Meaning of subtraction (Grade 1), Subtraction within 100 (Grade 2), Subtraction within 1,000 (Grade 2)
subtrahend
Maths
The number we take away.
Learn it in: Multidigit subtraction (Grade 3), Large-number subtraction (Grade 4), Subtracting decimals (Grade 5)
suffix
English
a word part added to the end
Learn it in: Common suffixes (Grade 2), Prefixes and suffixes (Grade 3), Prefixes and suffixes (Grade 4)
sum
Maths
The total in an addition.
Learn it in: Addition within 20 (Grade 1), Expanded form (Grade 2), Addition within 100 (Grade 2)
summarise
English
to tell the main points briefly
Learn it in: Summarising spoken information (Grade 3), Summarising complex information (Grade 4), Conclusions (Grade 4)
summary
English
a short retelling of the important parts
Learn it in: Summarising short texts (Grade 2), Summarising narratives (Grade 3), Summarising informational texts (Grade 3)
superlative
English
the most, such as biggest
Learn it in: Adjectives (Grade 2), Adjectives and adverbs (Grade 3)
support
English
to give evidence for an idea
Learn it in: Main idea and theme (Grade 3), Themes (Grade 4)
supported claim
English
a claim backed by evidence
Learn it in: Identifying claims and evidence (Grade 6)
supporting detail
English
a fact or example that tells more about the main idea
Learn it in: Supporting details (Grade 2), Supporting details (Grade 3), Supporting details (Grade 3)
supporting point
English
a fact that backs up the main idea
Learn it in: Summarising oral presentations (Grade 4), Central ideas (Grade 6)
supporting sentence
English
a sentence that gives a detail
Learn it in: Topic sentences (Grade 3), Paragraph organisation (Grade 4), Main ideas (Grade 5)
surroundings
Science
the things and places around us
Learn it in: Living things in our surroundings (Grade 1), What is the environment (Grade 1)
survey
Maths
Asking many people the same question.
Learn it in: Collecting data (Grade 2), Collecting data (Grade 3), Collecting numerical data (Grade 5)
syllable
English
a beat in a word
Learn it in: Recognising syllables (Grade 1), Syllable division (Grade 2), Multisyllabic word decoding (Grade 3)
symbol
English
a thing that stands for an idea
Learn it in: Literary interpretation (Grade 4), Symbolism (Grade 5)
symmetry
Maths
Both sides match when folded.
Learn it in: Introduction to symmetry (Grade 2), Symmetry (Grade 3), Symmetry (Grade 5)
synonym
English
a word with the same or almost the same meaning
Learn it in: Synonyms (Grade 2), Synonyms and antonyms (Grade 3), Synonyms and antonyms (Grade 4)
synthesis
English
combining ideas or skills into one
Learn it in: Academic vocabulary application (Grade 6), Research-based writing (Grade 6)
synthesise
English
to combine information from several sources
Learn it in: Synthesising information (Grade 6)