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What is Project Based Learning(PBL)?Project Based Learning is governed by questions

that guide and direct student learning. Students will be completing projects throughout the course of this unit to accomplish the lessons’ goals.

For this unit, students will learn vocabulary strategies to assist them in reading comprehension. Although some of the lessons will be paper-pencil work, students will explore language, and the words they encounter in their daily reading, by “playing” with them until they are able to use and understand them with confidence.

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Why Project Based Learning (PBL)?

Students learn 21st Century Skills through Project Based Learning (PBL).

Students create unique and original ways to demonstrate their learning throughout the year.

Students “own” their learning by asking questions and seeking answers.

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What are 21st Century Skills?

Three categories define 21st Century Skills.They are:

• Life and Career Skills• Learning and Innovation• Information, Media, and Technology

Skills

What does this look like in the classroom? Collaborative work where students are responsible

for their own learning Real world skills such as team work and problem

solving in a group setting Self-reflection on their own learning and controlling

the pace and amount of learning that takes place Use of technology to support and enhance the

project

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Unit Summary – Use of Vocabulary strategies to determine word meaning Welcome to the world of Word Wizards. You and

your teammates are Word Wizards who will research tier 1 and tier 2 words through Literature. By using context clues when reading you will be able to determine the meaning of new words. This unit will help you communicate and collaborate as you discover new words through reading in context and developing a digital story or Newsmaker.

Throughout this unit, you will utilize a variety of strategies to decipher the meaning of new or unfamiliar words and engage in analysis.

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How do you create meaning?

Strategies for vocabulary development

Project based learning unit created by Sandra Toovey

June, 2010

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Essential Question (A broad, overarching question that can bridge several units or subject areas)

How do you create meaning? 

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Unit Questions (Guiding questions for the unit)

When should I use the various Vocabulary strategies to decide on the meaning of a word?

Content Questions (Content area or definitional questions)

What do root words mean?What do prefixes and suffixes mean, and how do they

change the meaning of the entire word?What are context clues and how can they be used to

determine the meaning of a word?Is the author using the figurative or literal meaning of

the word?Is the author using figurative language devices like:

simile, personification or an idiom?Should I use a dictionary to determine the word’s

meaning?Can I think of a synonym or antonym?

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Objectives for this projectTeacher StudentsTeach and guide

students to: work independently work with partners work in small groups

Encourage students to be creative

Ask open ended questions where students come up with their own answers

Provide an opportunity to use technology in projects and presentations

Work independentlyCollaborate with partnerCollaborate in small

groupsCreate original displays“Play” with languageDiscover answers on your

ownEnjoy being creativeUse new words in writingCreate projects with technology

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Student OutcomesVocabulary Box of individual student wordsLearn root word meaningsLearn meanings of affixes Know how to use context cluesDistinguish between figurative and literal

word meanings Identify figurative language: simile, idiom,

personificationBe able to use a reference tool to look

up the meaning of a wordBe able to give synonym and/or antonym

of the target wordDevelop a Vocabulary Notebook of new

words

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AssessmentsStudents will complete a pre-assessment

and post-assessment at the beginning and the end of the unit.

Students will demonstrate comprehension of new words by using them in their writing.

Students will present and teach words to classmates using a variety of technology applications including: Power Point, original stories, games, Smart Board presentations, Word-A-Day Blogs, etc.

• Online games to practice and see different forms of figurative language

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Examples of assessmentsClick on the following to see an example of a

different assessment.

Vocabulary-assessment to gauge student needs.docx

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Questions? Comments?Feel free to ask questions.Please give me feedback throughout your

learning process and let me know how I can help you.