Vocabulary Assignments

[Kizzy Burnworth]

BecauseI teach middle and high school, I like to use words from ACT/SAT word lists to teach vocabulary. Not only will students be more prepared for standardized tests, but also they will encounter the words in life. My favorite word list is from this book.

Have students look at multiple pictures, like this, and select words they associate with those images. Then, have them explain their connection. Or, students can draw pictures or comic strips that relate to the word.

Create stations the day before the quiz using task cards and interactive assignments. Have students move between these different activities as a means of studying for their test during class.

I use white boards and chalkboards and sometimes even notebook paper and set a certain amount of time for students to practice their words in this unconventional way. In order to make sure all words are covered, write them on slips of paper, and have each student draw a slip on his or her turn.

Hi, I'm Melissa. I'm passionate about teaching and learning. As an instructional coach, I'm always asking questions, trying new things, and reflecting. This is the space where I share my learning with others. Learn more.

Learning new words is like adding to your writing toolbox. The more tools available, the more interesting and engaging your writing becomes. Check out these fun and engaging vocabulary activities for kids in grades K-12, and supply your students with the tools they need to build their wordsmith skills.

Using vocabulary words in writing shows mastery. Challenge your students to use all of their vocabulary words in an original short story. Allow students to pair up and share their stories with a partner.

Creating word maps from vocabulary words encourages students to find the relationships between the vocabulary word and other words. Have them include words, pictures, examples, real-world connections, definitions, descriptive words, etc.

Hang six to eight large sheets of chart paper in various places around the room. On each sheet, write one vocabulary word. Have students work in small groups, rotating between stations. At each station, ask students to come up with a different, original way to use each word. Continue the activity until all students have visited every station.

This fun activity requires students to draw a picture for each word to create their own visual dictionary. When students create their own visual representations, they develop an association with the word that they will be able to tap into when needed.

Think of a vocabulary graffiti wall like a collaborative word wall. In the classroom, post the words on the wall and have kids add sticky notes to illustrate the term (they can use words or pictures). Online, try a tool like Padlet or Google Slides.

This vocabulary game is fun and challenging, and it can be played by kids of any age. Choose a word, then challenge kids to come up with related words for as many letters as possible. These could be synonyms, antonyms, examples, and more. Trickier letters are worth more points!

Vocabulary words take on greater meaning when students incorporate them into their daily lives. Challenge kids to use their vocab words in conversation and writing outside the language arts classroom. Use the free printable worksheet here to help them keep track of how often they use them.

Colorful organizers like these are terrific vocabulary activities. Want to go digital? Have kids make a slideshow, one slide per word. They can include the same information, but instead of drawing a picture, have them find one online that illustrates the concept.

Post a list of target vocab words. If a student uses one of the words in class (outside of vocabulary activities), they become a member of the Million Dollar Word Club! You can have them sign their name on a wall in the classroom or award a badge online. You could even develop this into a reward system for homework passes or extra credit.

This is one of those vocabulary activities kids will want to do over and over again! Assign each student a word and have them create a faux Facebook, Instagram, or other social media page for it. They can draw them freehand or complete a template like these from Teachers Pay Teachers. Post the images to a shared Google slideshow so other students can use them for review.

Have students draw a diagonal line across an index card. On the top half, have them write the vocabulary word and definition. On the bottom half, have them draw a picture of the word and use it in a sentence. Cards can be joined together in a strip for easy review.

Use plastic letters, magnet letters, or letter blocks to make words. Play it mentally with older kids, or with paper and pencil. Simply give your children some letters and challenge them to make words from those letters.

A vocabulary twist on a classic game! Most kids already know how to play Go Fish, so this is an easy one to learn. Plus, the focus on root words is an AWESOME way to equip students with the tools to tackle big words!

This is a great vocabulary activity to let students do the teaching and learn from their peers. It is a great confidence boost, and teaching is one of the best ways to learn something in long-term memory!

This is a great motivator for actually USING new vocabulary words learned! And the more they use their new vocab words, the more the meaning will become solidified in their natural language.

With the SpanishDictionary.com Classrooms feature, you can assign two types of assignments to students: vocabulary quizzes and grammar lessons. For information about our grammar lessons, please see this article: Grammar Assignments Overview

If they're ready to finish quizzing on the remaining words, they can click "Continue Practicing" or wait for the quiz to advance automatically after five seconds. If they would prefer to exit and return to the remaining words at a later time, they can click the X in the top left corner. Their progress on the first eight words will be saved, and they can finish the remaining words later.

If they click the X to exit, they will be routed back to their class dashboard, and the assignment will be marked as "In Progress". If the student is working on the quiz after the due date has passed, they will see an "In Progress (Late)" label on this page.

Clicking "View all assignments" will take them to the class dashboard page. The dashboard shows all of a student's vocabulary and grammar assignments, along with whether their statuses are completed, completed (late), in progress, in progress (late), unstarted, or unstarted (late).

This page can also be reached by clicking "Classrooms" in the banner at the top of the page (may need to click the three dots to expand the menu and find this option). Students can click the blue title of an assignment to start the quiz or lesson.

Students also have the option of clicking the three dots at the top of the page and then clicking "Vocabulary", which will take them to a page that combines class assignments with any personal vocabulary lists that they've made or saved for their own study purposes.

The progress bar on the "All My Words" list on this page shows progress for any personal lists they've made. Any assignments that they've been assigned will appear in the section titled "My Assignments". To start an assigned vocabulary list from the Vocabulary page, students must click on the title of the assignment, and then click the "Start the Quiz" button on the list page to start the quiz.

Crossword puzzles are not only entertaining but also effective in enhancing vocabulary and critical thinking skills. By solving clues to fill in the blanks, learners are exposed to new words and are challenged to recall words they already know.

Reading aloud to children is one of the most effective vocabulary building activities. It not only introduces them to new words but also helps in improving their pronunciation, comprehension, and listening skills. When children hear words being used in context, they can better grasp their meanings and nuances.

Encourage kids to craft their own tales. Provide them with a theme or a set of words to incorporate into their story. This not only boosts their vocabulary but also sparks their creativity. Parents can also share folktales or family anecdotes, pausing to explain any complex words or phrases.

Pictionary is one of the most engaging activities to teach vocabulary. It requires players to draw a word without using letters or verbal hints, which enhances word recognition and stimulates creativity. By visualizing and drawing out words, children can form stronger associations and recall them more easily.

Write words down on index cards. Let your kids take turns picking and reading the cards, then acting out the word. Have the rest of your family try to guess what the word is! When they guess it correctly, challenge your kids (especially older kids) to spell the word aloud.

Books are a great way for kids to experience words! You can explore the differences in homophones with books like Chocolate Moose for Dinner. Have your kiddos write and draw their own versions of silly ways to use words that sound or look alike but have very different meanings, like:

Writing poetry is a fun way to explore words and practice spelling. Write an acrostic poem with a word you want them to learn or a vocabulary word from your unit studies. Use unique descriptive words in your haiku.

Cara!!!! I LOVED every moment of your vocabulary session at the Ohio Kindergarten Conference. I have implemented so many of your ideas and have been absolutely BLOWN AWAY at the impact that they have had for my students! THANK YOU so much for sharing your creative ideas. Seriously, you are the best. I just blogged about our vocabulary work!!! ?

This vocabulary revision game requires minimal preparation and is best suited to teenage learners. It is ideal for practising grouped vocabulary sets, such as words related to shopping, sports or free time activities. It also combines creativity and technology.

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