Vocabulary+Activities

Students need to understand the vocabulary that is used in the curriculum to excel academically. They need to hear the new words frequently in context and understand their meaning before they will incorporate the vocabulary in their everyday use. For each literacy packet, I have selected vocabulary words for each unit that students should be familiar with. Listed below, I have also provided different types of vocabulary activities that can be used to help students feel successful using the new vocabulary. The objective is for students to be exposed to new words, practice using them, and feel a level of confidence.
 * Vocabulary Card Activity Ideas **

Each unit has a set of vocabulary cards that can be downloaded. The set of cards has vocabulary words written on the left side of the page with a double border and the definitions written on the right. There are many different ways to use these cards, depending on the language level of the students and how much exposure the student has had to the content and vocabulary. There are several ways to provide levels of support to students so they have success. For example, if you make two copies of these vocabulary cards and provide one either in front of students or on the wall to use as a reference, rather than cutting it, students can use this informal vocabulary chart or word wall as the tasks become more complex in nature.

Listed below are ten activities to encourage student use of academic vocabulary either on a receptive or an expressive level. These activities also require different levels of thinking skills from basic matching to those that require comparing and contrasting. After gauging how comfortable your students are with the particular vocabulary words, you can decide which activities are most appropriate.

__** VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES: **__

1. ** Matching side by side ** - Student matches all of the vocabulary words and definitions.

2. ** Which word means? ** Spread out all of the vocabulary words so that they can be seen and gather the definitions into a separate pile. Then, using the definitions, ask the question, “Which word means ? ” (you say the definition). Student gets to keep the cards of those words that he/she knows in a pile. Review those that are needed.

3. ** Say it in a sentence- ** Put all of the vocabulary words into a pile. Student rolls a die. If he can use that word correctly in a sentence, he gets that many points.
 * 4. **** They are alike/different because….. ** -This is best played with two sets of vocabulary word cards. Shuffle the cards and give each player 5 cards. Put the others in a pile. From those five cards, the player needs to find two and either be able to say how the two words are the same or different. If she can do this, then the next player takes a turn. If she can’t make a sentence describing how they are the same or different, she needs to draw another card, with a limit of two. The game is over when one player goes out. Duplicates cannot be used in the same sentence.
 * 5. **** Twenty Questions- ** Put the vocabulary cards in a pile. The first player takes a card and other students ask yes/no questions about the word. See how few questions students can ask to get the vocabulary word correct.
 * 6. **** Charades- ** Put the vocabulary cards in a pile. Students take turns drawing vocabulary words and acting them out for the group.
 * 7. **** Pictionary- ** Put the vocabulary cards in a pile. Students take turns drawing vocabulary words and drawing them for the group to guess. Perhaps have extra points for abstract or very challenging words.
 * 8. **** Cluster- ** Have student group vocabulary words based on particular characteristic that they decide or you can give them the characteristics if needed.
 * 9. Tell a Story- ** Put the vocabulary words face up so students can see all the cards. The first student takes a card and starts a story using at least one of the words in a sentence. Each student takes a turn adding a sentence to the “story” until all of the cards are used.
 * 10. True/False- ** Pass out vocabulary cards. Students make sentences using the vocabulary words that can be either true or false. Collect all of the sentences, read them and then see if students can guess if the sentences are true or false.