Students from high-poverty environments often exhibit lower vocabulary levels compared to their higher socioeconomic peers. Addressing this vocabulary gap is crucial for their academic success. This ethnographic case study explores the effectiveness of the Vocabulary Self Selection strategy in motivating fourth-grade students from high poverty environments to develop a sense of word consciousness. Using a mixed methods approach, data was collected through a Likert-style pre- and post-instructional motivational survey, transcribed instruction, and student interviews. The quantitative aspects of the study were mixed with three participants showing no change in motivation to learn vocabulary, and three participants demonstrating a significantly positive increase in their motivation after implementing the Vocabulary Self Selection strategy. However, the qualitative findings demonstrate that this strategy not only improves students' enthusiasm for learning words but also fosters curiosity beyond the confines of classroom vocabulary instruction. By emphasizing word consciousness, educators can help bridge the vocabulary gap and empower students from high-poverty backgrounds to become more autonomous in their vocabulary development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]