Vocabulary Activities

Word Power

Word ________________________________________ Page ________I nominate this word as a word good to know. It is important to use because ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Nominated by _________________________________ Date __________

Word PowerNominate words for vocabulary. Choose words that would be good to know

the rest of your life. Complete a nomination form for each word you wish to select.

Word Power

Word ________________________________________ Page ________I nominate this word as a word good to know. It is important to use because ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Nominated by _________________________________ Date __________

Word Power

Word ________________________________________ Page ________I nominate this word as a word good to know. It is important to use because ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Nominated by _________________________________ Date __________

Bigger Idea

Key Word

Non-Examples Examples

Essential Characteristics

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Word Pyramid

Word

Synonyms

Antonyms

Write a sentence using the word.

Adjectives describing the word.

Vocabulary MatchingMatch the words in the left column with their

synonyms in the right column.

Compound Words

Classify the compound words into boxes above.

greenhouse sandbox doorbell roommate pineapple workman

baseball footsteps pancake busboy headlight driveway

keyhole football keyboard oatmeal undertaker goldfish

newspaper dollhouse icebox airplane homework basketball

snowman spacesuit fireman lifeguard mailman yourself

breakfast fisherman volleyball meatballs grasshopper

basketball

People Sports

Food Animals

Objects

Compound Words

How many compound words can you find to fitinto the categories above?

People Sports

Food Animals

Objects

Word Study

Concept

What it is What it is Not

Illustration or Logo representing the concept

Caption for Illustration _________________________________

Vocabulary Web

Word

Sentence Definition

Synonym

Antonym

Example

Word Families Origin

Stems

Part ofSpeech

Analysis

Word Study

Word to study The sentence from the book in which the word was found

Student’s guessed definition

Definition Definitionin student’s

words

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Greek or Latin Stem

Part of Speech

Other places Imight find word

Illustration

Caption forIllustration

Word Study

Word What is it? What is it like? Examples

Word What is it? What is it like? Examples

Word What is it? What is it like? Examples

Word What is it? What is it like? Examples

Word Study Pre-Assessment

Word List

I have never heard of this word.

I have heard of thisword but do notknow what it means.

I think I know a meaningfor this word.

I am sure I know whatthis word means.

Write each word or phrase in the list below in the shape that best describes how well you know the word.

Word

Synonyms Antonyms

People Whodo This orWho Are This

Bingo Vocabulary

Free

Space

Vocabulary Tic Tac Toe

Vocabulary EnricherName_________________________________________________________________________ Name of Book ____________________________________________Pages ______ to _______

You may also run across familiar words that stand out somehow in the reading words that are repeated a lot, used in an unusual way , or are important to the meaning of the text. mark these special words too, and be ready to point them out to the group. When your circle meets, help members find and discuss these words.

Page Number/

Paragraph

Word Definition

Write down any figurative language you found in the selection. Discuss the meaning of each.

1.________________________________________________________________________

Super Sentences• Place one or two sentences on the board. You can use two different

level super sentences, one for advanced learners and one for average students. Leave them for at least a week. Work on pronunciation.

• Each student works with a dictionary, thesaurus (book or on-line) to translate the sentence into a version easy enough for others in his/her grade level to understand. Each student must also be able to give a clear, brief definition of each difficult word in the sentence.

• Students then work in pairs or threes to smooth out their proposed translations.

• During the week(s), read the sentence(s) chorally. Have the students close their eyes and chorally recite the sentence.

• At the end of the week(s) the teacher will go over translations and definitions.

• To test, leave the current sentence(s) on the board and circle several words in each. Students copy their sentences perfectly, define each circled word, and write smooth and appropriate translations for their sentences.

• Sample Super Sentences:• Level One- • We live near a grotesque, hideous, deteriorated old house, filled with

tortuous, impenetrable hallways which give me eerie, ghastly feelings of claustrophobia and trepidation, especially when I hear the formidable cacophony of babbling voices when no one is there.

• Level Two-• The caitiff usurper, accoutered for marauding with his junta, sought

imperium for the mobocracy, unaware of the animus of the impuissant, lumpen demurrers ready to immolate themselves.

• Enrichment Idea:• Give students a simple sentence and have them use a thesaurus to

create their own super sentences.• Allow the students to create their own super sentences from beginning

to end.• For additional sentences use Super Sentences by Susan Winebrenner

Meaning:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sentence: _____________________________________ _____________________________________________

Usage

Root

Prefix Suffix

Endings

Word

Related WordsRelated Words

Cruising ThroughVocabulary

Analyzing Vocabulary

PrefixA prefix change the meaningof a word

RootWord

EndingEndings changetense or singularto plural

SuffixA suffix changeswhat type of wordit can be(adjective, noun,verb, adverb)

Frayer DiagramThe Frayer Diagram can be used for a pre or post assessment.

Definition Information

Examples Non-Examples

Word

Definition Information

Examples Non-Examples

Word

Primary Frayer DiagramThe Frayer Diagram can be used for a pre or post assessment.

Word

Draw Picture Write Words You Know

Word

Draw Picture Write Words You Know

Exit CardsUse Exit Cards as a post-assessment.

List three words you learned.

List two words from the story you like to know more about.

Write one question you still have.

List three things you learned.

List two things from the story you like to know more about.

Write one question you still have about today’s learning.

What’s in Your Mind?Draw pictures or write words to show what’s in your mind about this word.

Word

Now using the ideas in your mind, write a definition and a sentence for the vocabulary word.

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Pre-assessment or post-assessment exercise

Vocabulary BuildersAcronyms: Words made from the first letters of a list of words you want to remember. http://www.acronymfinder.com

Homes for the Great Lakes

Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior

Palindromes: Words and phrases spelled the same forward and backward.

Otto, Madam, “Madam, I’m Adam”

Coined Words: Words created to fill a

need that no existing word serves. Many

trademarks are coined words.

Kleenex, Xerox

Portmanteaus: Words made by blending parts of other words.

“Brunch” from “breakfast” and “lunch”

Daffynitions: Crazy definitions that make some sense. http://www.vaxxine.com/steveb/daffy.htm

Grapes grow on divine.

A police uniform is a lawsuit.

Pun Stories: Stories that include as many puns as possible. Puns are plays on words.

The pancakes were selling like hotcakes because they didn’t cost a lot of dough.

Entymologies: The histories of words, including tier origins and changes through time and other languages.

Slide Words: Words slid together from abbreviations.

“Jeep” from “GP” (a general purpose vehicle during World War II)

Euphemisms: More gentle ways of saying things that sound too harsh.

He passed away instead of He died.

Tom Swifties: Statements that combine a word with its related adverb.

“I just cut my finger!” cried Tom sharply.

http://www.webcom.com/~watka/html/swifties.html

Figures of Speech:

Expressions that mean something different as a whole than if you take each word literally.

There are many skeletons in our family closet.

Transmogrifications: Simple thoughts expressed insophisticated or challenging words

“Scintillate, scintillate, asteroid minific” for Twinkle,twinkle, little star.

Malapropisms: Words misused on purpose or by accident. They sound like the words you mean to say but have different, often contradictory meanings.

“Complete and under a bridge

Complete and unabridges.

Roots: Study of Latin roots of 10 words. Find words in other sources that have those roots.

From Teaching Kids in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner, copyright 2001. Free Spirit Publishing Inc.