[MOSAIC] Vocabulary

[BarberDK]

My name is Kim and I am a kindergarten teacher in a suburban school district.  Our district has invested in Scott Foresman Reading Street.  I have worked with Scott Foresman series before and am very pleased with the changes in the new edition.  One thing I have really appreciated is how the vocabulary words are integrated in the song and rhyme charts, the story, and other materials.  The repeated exposure is a plus.  I also encourage students to use these words beyond the reading instruction (ex journal writing), if they get caught using the word and use it correctly they get to put a star on a chart.  At the end of the month students with the most stars gets a prize from my treasure chest.  Initially everyone was excited and tried to use these words.  I now feel like I have to force them into using it by designating particular writing assignments.  I would love any ideas to get the students more "excited" about the words and to use them more.  Prior to my current school I worked in a school where I have seen first hand the effects of poor vocabulary skills as early as kindergarten and its effects in later years.  I feel vocabulary instruction is critical, especially for comprehension-obviously so does Scott Foresman.  I would greatly appreciate any ideas you could pass along.
Kim