Depending on what grade and what words you are working with.....
1. acting out a word (vocabulary charades) 2. memory (matching word with meaning or word with picture or word with synonym) 3. topic specific dictionary created by the class 4. word tally...how many times do you see/hear vocab words during the week at home and school 5. ask me pins....kids wear pins that say "ask me about _________" the vocab words so that people stop to ask them about it.
The students can practice their recall of terms and definitions in a fun way.
1. Teacher can write the terms on the white board.
2. Two students can come up to the white board and face the class. Students can take turns giving the two students clues in the form of the definition. Then, the students can turn to reach for the term on the white board. The one who touches the term first remains in the game and the other students sits down.
3. A new challenger comes up to repeat the game process.
Just until students get the hang of it the teacher can play the role of the moderator. After, a few rounds you can turn it over to the students to run the game. I've used this format in First through Fifth grade. It's fairly engaging for the whole class.
A Few Ideas Found On The Web
Posted by: KP/NH #131236
Flashlight Vocab
I love teaching vocabulary-it can be so fun and innovative. My favorite is the flashlight game. On a 8.5 x 11 paper write all the vocabulary words, and place them around the room. Review definitions or have students find the definitions. Then divide into groups of 3 or 4. Call out the definition. ON 1, students aim their flashlight on the word. Say 2, they shine their lights on the right word (I do this so they don't follow any group--this way they can't copy and think for themselves. If they get it right 1 point. Prize for winning team.
vocab game
I write the vocab on an index card and tape it a a kids back. The kid picks 3 kids to help them figure it out by giving clues. They can not say the word (obviously) or use a form of the word. If the kid can...
Have you checked out the site Florida Center for Reading Research (http://www.fcrr.org/)? There is a source for center activities in all five areas of reading, including vocabulary arranged in K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. There are some really good ideas.
When I introduce my words, we Say the word, Spell the word, and Say the word again. Next, we talk about what the word means, including the word in context or acting it out if needed. Then the students take their dry erase board and dry erase markers (one each of three different colors- usually black, blue, and red). They write the word three times each 2" tall. We repeat that on the next word. I only have five to six words at a week. This is based on Tim Rasinski's work. We finish by choosing one word and writing it in a complete sentence....
how you introduce the vocabulary, as its very meaningful by being part of the read aloud. Something cool I have seen someone do is they have a bean jar. Everytime a student finds one of their vocabulary words.on tv, in a magazine, bullentin board, newspaper, etc they share it with the teacher and class and get to put a bean in the jar! When the jar is full they have a bean party. You can make the jar bigger each time.
Another cool research project your kids can do is Listening to vocabulary in other places. Say you have a cafeteria team, a bus team, a recess team. Each team writes down some interesting vocab they hear in those places. Then you share and talk about it. Its a neat way to get kids to notice words and how we use them and if the words we use seem different in various l...
What I do is play something called "Rivet"...not sure why it is called that, but that's what I've heard it being called. It's basically a game close to Hangman where I put up the certain amount of letters of the word and I choose a student from sticks in a cup to give me a letter. We keep doing this until I get about 4 letters and then I tell them the definition. That gets them thinking of the definition that could go with the word. We continue going until the word is spelled out. The students can not guess the word unless they give me a letter and I have chosen their name from the sticks. To make it more "competitive", I play "me versus you" (the class). I get a point if any one talks out without me calling on them and they get a point when they get the word. They love playing agai...
Okay, I have developed a routine for introducing and working with the words. It works becuase the kids are immersed in the words for the week. When I taught (last year) 35 kids I never had issues of management or boredom when doing this. They enjoyed the work.
Here's what I do:
1. On the first day of the new story I give them the words.
2. I say the words. No one says anything.
3. I say the words a 2nd time. The students repeat them after me one at a time.
4. I ask them to go through and write down definitions for any word they already know.
5. We then go through the words one at a time. I give them the definition (through various ways) and they write it down. Sometimes I just outright say "the word means _____". Sometimes I give them an audio or v...
We play a game called "One versus Twenty (# of students in my class). We use it in lots of different ways. I also let my kids "phone a friend" when they raise their hand and can't remember what they were going to say. I say," Do you want more think time or do you want to phone a friend?" If they choose phone a friend, they can pick someone else with their hand up to answer the question. Everyone Wins!!
One way I have used to review the vocabulary meanings, is to have the students write the definitions in their own words on index cards. The definitions ONLY not the words. Hanging around the room are the words on butcher paper. The cards are taken and redistibutated around the room and the groups have to get up and tape it to the word that it goes with. Then we check the def. and see if they all match and make sense.
great method...its a GLAD strategy (Guided Language Acquisition Development) for ELL kids
1) chart paper and markers are needed
2) draw 3 columns and put each vocabulary word on the left column, so it each has its own square(vocab word, prediction , actual meaning)
3) without telling the kids what it means, give them sentences with the word in it(context clues).........then ask the kids to PREDICT/guess what it means....Write the predictions in the 2nd box.(write the students words)....then have the kids look up the word in the dictionary and write down the actual meaning...you can also decide together what symbol/picture/sketch to use and draw it next to the meaning.....then make up a handmotion for it(i make it up with them or think of my own for both drawing and handmot...
Actually, the speech pathologist at my school just showed me two books that I plan to incorporate into my program. The books Hooray for HHH! and Synonyms Galore! by Super Duper publications are an excellent resource. The first book has neat ideas for developing student knowledge of everyday multiple meaning meaning words. The synonym's book has lessons, illustrations and practice exercises to expand student vocabulary from tired, overused everyday words. Since the books come with a CD to print out pages- you could send home the lessons for parents to extend and build vocabulary. I've already started doing this- the kids are enjoying the activities.
I like to type up the vocabulary words that go with the week's story in "I Have, Who Has" format and have kids play in small groups. I have them sit in a tight circle and put the word cards in a pile in the middle. Each child selects a card (until all cards are selected.) One child starts and continues until all students have read their card(s). It can stop there after one round, or I often tell them to put their card back in the middle and draw out a new one to play again. That way they have multiple experiences with the words. They love this game!!!
I have also had kids do "Neverending Sentences". Again, I have a pile of vocabulary word cards and kids play in small groups. I give each group a piece of white construction paper. Children take turns drawing a word card and ...
unit for vocabulary purposes and made it fun by including riddles, poems and songs.
We always have our geometry unit in the spring right before our state testing. My third graders get confused with all the geometry vocabulary. So, this summer I designed a shape of the week unit.
I searched the net and found a riddle for each shape to use on Monday. Then on Tuesday they just copy the definition into their math journals and draw a picture of it. On Wednesday we choral read a poem about the shape. Thursday we sing a song about the shape. I found lots of these online. On Friday I try to give them time to do a craft using the shape. They have to read and follow the directions without help from me, so it is a good reading exercise as well.
Can you post that website of riddles and songs? That sounds fun.
I just started this today: I made a booklet for each student. We are starting geometry and there are alot of terms. So for each term we are doing the following: I made a template for the booklet. It goes off of the 4 square method for writing if you have seen that.
Anyway, take a piece of paper and cut it into 4 equal squares. In the middle draw another square. This is where you put the word you want to define. So for example, we used the word point. Each box they have to do something different. One box they will sketch the word. One box they will write the definition in their own words. One box they will list example of the word. So for point the said things like a period, a dot in the letter eye. ...
This is my first year in 6th too. Essentially she says that the only way that students will retain vocabulary is if there is a frequency of use in their common language, shows importance, and is applicable to their lives. She gave an example of using plethora when a student asked if she had an extra pencil. She said that by simply using the word in a sentence without teaching it, peaked her students' curiosity. She states that kids learn new vocabulary by listening to others, the media, music, and through the books they read. She is a huge advocate of reading as many books as possible. Throughout the book she emphasizes the use of graphic organizers, which become the assessment; she doesn't give vocab tests anymore. Also, she requires teachers to have lessons on word orgins so that student...
Isabel Beck also says students need repeated exposure and gives varied ways to provide exposure depending on the grade level in her book Building Robust Vocabularies. She concentrates on Tier II words which are meatier words.
Two other things that are important are building a word conscious environment and making connections.
What a difference I have seen in classrooms where teachers hook kids onto learning new words rather than skipping over them as they read or are heard. We did a building initiative as well where each class collected awesome words in a box (or jar) all week and then submitted a special one to be posted on an all school bulletin board. We had kids finding words in their reading, on TV, etc.
I teach vocabulary with concept definition maps. I give my kids the new word with a graphic that could represent it (I prepare the pictures on a power point and then print and laminate them. They go up on the word wall after...) anways, the kids get a concept definition map (a graphic organizer - put the new word in the middle, write what it means above, what it is like to the side, and examples of it below). This map is laminated and the kids use the vis-a-vise markers to fill it out. SO basically, they talk about the word for five minutes and come up with a definition for it on their own. THey can use the internet (i have a one-to-one computing classroom) a dictionary, thesaurus, whatever they want to figure the word out.
It's best to have the kids work in triads - then you have...
My children love to write their vocabulary words on their white boards. I went to Lowes and bought a sheet of white paneling that is often used in bathrooms. I had them cut it in half so I could get it home and then my husband cut them up in 9 X 12 boards. I gave them each a board, a piece of wash cloth and a dry erase marker. Most of the vocabulary words can be written phonetically so I usually say the word, we talk about how many sounds it has, then I show them with my fingers how many letters it has. For example cow would have two sounds but I would put up three fingers with the fingers representing the ow sound together. Then we would talk about what makes the "ow" sound. Then they would write it. After we write it once I have them erase it and then tell them to write it again....
just came across a fact sheet.
Posted by: joybells #130924
The reading coaches in our county sent out a fact sheet on the topic of vocabulary. They recommend using text talk with read aloud books designed for k - 4th. http:www.scholastic.com Engaging the student in word awareness, in conversation, asking and answering questions, choral reading and word building. Semantic mapping/webbing to help with limited background knowledge of words. Write the key word or phrase from the reading selection. Have students think of as many words as they know that relate to this key idea. Write the words on the sides of the board. Ask students to group words into logical categories and labl each category. Encourage the students to debate/discuss the choce of category for each word. Have the students read the text selection and repeat the process adding n...
Some activities I do with vocabulary include having the children make "word art" (to draw a picture to illustrate the word). The kids like this and it forces them to think; the quality I got back from the students varied; some did a great job, others not so much. For instance, for "fragile" one girl drew the letters to look like glass pieces; for "scuffle" a few kids drew the letters fistfighting w/ each other; and for "continuous", one wrote the word continuous a few times, entwined in a sideways "8." My favorite,though, was "solitary". One student wrote all but the last letter, and drew a city around those letters. The "y" was all by its lonesome on the end of the page; around this letter they drew a small house in the woods. (They had to do two words w/ word art). I also have them writ...
I love vocab games. Here are some things I do in class:
1. Vocabulary Bingo -- Students can write their vocabulary words in a bingo sheet and you call out the words.
2. Last week, I had two students sit in front of the class. Their chairs faced the rest of the classroom. On the board behind them (so they couldn't see) I wrote down one of our vocab words. The class was divided into 2 teams. Each time had 5 chances to give clues so the student could guess the word. For example, if the word is frantic--they would say wild, emotional, etc. I only allowed them to give one word clues, which essentially are synonyms. Somtimes I allowed a 3 word clue! But, they loved it.
3. Vocab detective--this takes preparation, but I have parents help out.Write the vocab word on a...
I have a weekly vocabulary plan. The first day they have to try to guess the meaning of the word using context clues. The next day, they make a foldable (it doesn't take too long-they fold their little book (3-5 min. max)) and then we do a whole-class lesson thinking of and writing down synonyms/antonyms. Then, during IWT they have to use the word in a sentence, which they also write into their vocabulary booklet. The next day, I give them a match-up sheet (6-8 min. max, including going over the answers) and on the fourth day I give them sentences and they have to fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word. On the last day, they have a vocabulary test, which is a fill-in the blank with the correct vocabulary word test.
Susie
I usually do some thing different with each story, and like you, having a visual is definitely a part of what the kids do. One activity that seems to be effective with my students is for me to supply the them with about 6 words printed out on small slips of paper, along with the page(s) number where the word is used in a sentence. I have the definitions printed out on a piece of paper.
The students work in pairs to read the sentence in the story and place the slips of paper next the definition they think is the meaning. They must use context clues. I walk around the room to monitor their discussions and choices, as well as ask them to prove their word/definition matches.
Sometimes I have them first draw a visual of the sentence that has the v...
I started using this vocabulary frame for our last story. The kids really enjoyed doing it. I randomly put them in groups with one of the words to focus on and then had them present their word, definition, and a sentence using the word. Next week we're going to add to it and let the kids be more creative in how they present their words.
LindaR thanks for the wonderful ideas. My grade level team is focusing on using context clues this grading period so your ideas will definitly help us out!
Isabel Beck
Posted by: Lynetteapo #128167
I use activities from Isabel Beck's book "Bringing Words to Life"
For example: making choices if any of the thigns I say might be examples of voyage, say voyage. If not, don't say anything. -going to the grocery store (NO) -traveling around the world (yes) -taking a long trip across the country (yes) -walking to school (no)
word associations Give definitions for the words. Then ask students to associate one of their new words (conductor, platform, satchel) with a presented word or phrase. Such as: -Which word goes with train? (conductor) -Which word goes with stage? (platform) -Which word goes with bookbag? (satchel)
Applause, Appplause Students are asked to clap in order to indicate how much they would like (not at all, a little bit...
We use GLAD strategies to make a vocabulary chart together.
1. We read the vocabulary introduction in the book. 2. I give each group one word that they have to use context clues to try and guess the definition. 3. We practice reading each word. And vote on who has heard it before or not. (this can help them practice a little math) 4. They give me the student definitions. 5.We look it up and add the real definitions. 6. The students and I draw a simple picture to illustrate the definition. 7. I also try to use a hand motion or action to show the defnitions as well.
The charts go up on the wall and are used during centers. They are left up during the whole 6 weeks to refer to.
Here are a few books. You can get them from Amazon. I bought the second book and am using it. Great book!
Vocabulary Cartoon of the Day: 180 Reproducible Cartoons That Help Kids Build a Robust and Prodigious Vocabulary (Paperback)
by Marc Tyler Nobleman (Author)
Vocabulary Cartoons: Building an Educated Vocabulary With Visual Mnemonics (Paperback)
by Sam Burchers (Author), Max Burchers (Author), Bryan Burchers (Author)
Fly Swatter game and others...
Posted by: talgirl #127054
I know it sounds weird but here goes...
Write vocab words all over the chalkboard (scaatered and arranged in no specific order). Divide the class into two teams. 1 person from each team gets a fly swatter. You read the definition or clue to them and they race to the board. Whoever swats the correct word first gets a point for their team. You would have to make specific rules depending on your class, such as no contact/bodychecking each other, no running, etc. My kids loved playing this last year!
Another good review game is "Who/What am I?" The kids get divided into groups or partners, depending on how many vocab words there are. I assigned each group a word and they had to come up with 4 good clues for that word and write them down on a sheet of paper. When everyone ...
Okay....the first is wild...and is really only good once in a while. Assign partners one word. On one piece of paper they write the vocab. word and on the other they write the definition. Then they crumple the papers up into a ball. When everyone is done and you've been very specific about rules..you have a snowball fight with the papers. They don't hurt or break anything. After a minute or so, everyone gets one "snowball" and they have to find their partner.
The second is not a game but is a consistent activity in my room. We call it a four square. Divide a piece of paper into 4ths (sideways/hamburger)Put a circle in the middle and write the vocab word. In the first box they write the definition, the second- use it in a sentence, 3- opposite or synonyms whatever you're focusing...
Vocabulary Center Resources
Posted by: KP/NH #127344
This site has activities to print out and use in centers. Scroll down to the vocabulary section. There are games and activity sheets you can print out and use. Even if you don't use them for the exact purpose, it's a good resource for ready made stuff to use as you want. For example, there's Contraction Bingo. Even if you didn't want Bingo as a center, you may have a great use for the ready-made cards.
I have "Red Hot Vocabulary", but there is a catch :rolleyes: If students use one of these words in their writing, or find one in their independent reading, they earn a red-hot. It is amazing how those little tiny cinnamon candies motivate students to incorporate those words / read carefully, and 1 bag goes a long way. (That is the one of the few times I use candy as a motivator .... the other one is M & M's = Math Motivators) :D
Here are some ideas I gathered and saved from the web. Hope they help.
Flashlight Vocab
I love teaching vocabulary-it can be so fun and innovative. My favorite is the flashlight game. On a 8.5 x 11 paper write all the vocabulary words, and place them around the room. Review definitions or have students find the definitions. Then divide into groups of 3 or 4. Call out the definition. ON 1 students aim their flashlight on the word. Say 2 they shine their lights on the right word (I do this so they don't follow any group--this way they can't copy and think for themselves. If they get it right 1 point. Prize for winning team.
vocab game
I write the vocab on an index card and tape it a a kids back. The kid picks 3 kids to help them figure it out by giving ...
I have not taught Latin or Greek Roots in GT but I did in the regular classroom with groups of higher readers. Each week we would choose a new root and they would create some symbol that could represent it (i.e. star=aster). They would create a graphic organizer ( on 12 x 18 const. paper) with the root in the center within the symbol and examples of the words containing the root around it. I also let them look words up on encarta online (which gives the origin of words). My students really liked when we did the word studies. They had a chance to "discover" new words, find those same words in their readings, and work collaboratively. I would choose a high quality chart to hang around the room. The lessons were done very casually and I really love word origins so they may have also been feed...
Our 7th grade teacher (has 120 students) does something similar to this and his kids do amazing on standarized tests. Each evening the kids pick 2 words that are unfamilar or interesting to them. They write their own definition, part of speech and a sentence. They share it with their cirlce group. They also keep a log. For the assessment piece, the student or a peer has to pick 5 words from his log for the quarter. The teacher then picks 2 or 3 of the words, and the student has to map it out by answering various questions.
I do quite a bit with vocab too. I have a few games that were inspired by Kagan strategies. My version- Vocabulary Freeze- I use sentence strips and write brief definitions of the vocab we are currently studying. I give the kids the words (printed off computer, index cards, cut up sentence strips, whatever is easier) Once I give them the word they move anywhere in the room. When I say MIX, they move around the room quielty and switch with whomever they pass. Then I will say FIND. They have to find the deffinition of the word that they now have and FREEZE in to a pose by the deffinition. They can not talk or move until I move to them. I act like I have a magic spray and pretend to unfreeze them. Usually there is more than one student at a spot so I point to who gets to talk. I say WORD and...
I teach reading and vocabulary. I choose 5 words per week that I think my kids need to know. I pull from 4th grade word lists, vocabulary instruction books, words they don't know that appear on our state assessments or words associated with what we are learning about. They turn out to be mostly verbs and adjectives. I compose my own simple, concise definitions using www.dictionary.com. I post the weekly words on a poster and print out clip art pictures to go with each word.
Monday - introduce the words, part of speech and definition. We "squat" (the syllables)and "move" (act each word out in some way).
(I usually choose the action. We practice the action all week.) Students write the words, part of speech and definition in their vocabulary journals and take a list home. (Jour...
We play Rivet sometimes. Other times we have dictionary or glossary races to try to find words and definitions. We do word sorts. Sometimes we make picture dictionaries for words (they really like this) for a particular basal story or chapter. We've also done some graphic organizers like these.
Wow! So far, there are some great vocabulary ideas on this post. I hope that other teachers will continue to add their ideas on how they introduce and teach vocabulary in their classrooms.
I also want to contribute by sharing how I have addressed vocabulary instruction in the past. Since everyone has shared something, I want to do the same...this way I may help someone else.
Well, my district has provided us with this great vocabulary resource full of activities you can use to teach vocabulary. It's called the Wild About Words Vocabulary Handbook. If anyone is interested in viewing it or downloading it, please follow this link (please note that it takes a little bit for it to load):
Matching #1: --Draw a picture or write words on a 12" x 12" piece of construction paper (clown face, alphabet letter, "You are Special!"). (You could also use a calendar picture or some other picture and just mount it on a piece of construction paper. It needs to be glued a lot so when it is cut apart, the edges stay together. That makes this step so much easier!) --Now turn the paper over and draw 2" x 2" or 3" x 3" squares. In each square, write an antonym. Laminate and cut apart. --On a second piece of 12" x 12" piece of construction paper, draw another set of squares. Write the correct answer in the squares. Laminate, but do not cut apart. --Students place the smaller squares on the larger square. They can then check their answers by turning over the smaller squares to for...
Research states that students have to hear/use a word at least 14 times before they actually understand that word, so I don't do a word a day.
We have 7 story words a week, and a reading first vocabulary program of 7 words for the week.
Things I do with vocabulary are:
Pictionary: Block off your paper (front and back to give nice sized blocks for words). Write each word in a block, write a sentence with the word, and draw a picture of the sentence.
Group Word Work Each table gets a word. They discuss it and how they can act it out for the class.
More Group Word Work: Each group gets a different word. I give them an index card and it tells them what they are doing. For example: Word: responsible Make a list of ways you can be responsible. W...
you can create vocabulary and spelling puzzles. You gave me some great ideas.
spelling tic tac toe is not really a game but assignments that students can do either at home or maybe in class. I don't have time in class so it's HW.
I got this from someone on PT:
Spelling Tic Tac Toe Contract
Using ALL of your spelling words, please complete three activities in a row. All assignments must be kept within your SPELLING SPIRAL. All assignments and test me be due on Thursday.
Type your words in different fonts or colors.
Write your words with vowels in one color and consonants in another.
CURSIVE
Ransom words. Cut out words (or the letters to make the words) from newspapers or magazines.
