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• Grades 6-12
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36 Meaningful Vocabulary Activities for Every Grade

These activities are the definition of fun!

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.

1. Write vocabulary stories

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.

Learn more: Vocab Short Story 

2. Put your students in the hot seat

Divide your class into two teams. Choose one student from one team to go to the front of the room and sit in a chair facing the class with their back to the board. This person is “on the spot.” Place a word on the board so everyone can see it except the person in the chair. One at a time, team members give the person a clue about the mystery word. If the word is guessed before two minutes are up, the team gets a point and play turns to the other team.

Learn more: On the Spot at Upper Elementary Snapshots

3. Match up words and definitions

Download these vocabulary words and matching definitions. Distribute one card to each student (either a word or a definition). Allow students to circulate in the room and find their “match.” Switch cards and repeat.

Learn more: Dictionary Sort

4. Sketch up word maps

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.

Learn more: Word Map

5. Create Post-it stations

Post vocabulary words around the room, then have students circulate and write an original sentence using that word on a sticky note. Follow along and make sure students use the words correctly.

Learn more: Post-it Stations

6. Play a game of Pop!

Kids draw cards out of the bag and attempt to correctly spell them. But be careful, you don’t want to draw the Pop! card.

Learn more: Pop!

7. Take a gallery walk

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.

Learn more: Gallery Walk at TeachWriting.org

8. Play a round of Pictionary

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.

Learn more: Pictionary

9. Make a word map

Word maps help deepen understanding of a vocab word by relating it to other words and concepts students already know.

10. Use the Frayer model

Frayer models are a popular way to learn new words and concepts. Kids define the word in their own terms, then list facts and characteristics, examples, and non-examples.

Learn more: Frayer Model

11. Draw vocabulary Sketchnotes

Kids and teachers love Sketchnotes ! Rather than writing out definitions, have students draw a sketch that sums up each word instead. It’s a lot more fun and gives kids an image for visual association to help them remember the meanings.

Learn more: Sketchnotes

12. Bump words along

Group vocab words together with a few other words with similar meanings and one that’s an antonym. Students identify the antonym and “bump” it to the next box, filling in the next group of words. They continue until the worksheet is full.

Learn more: Bumper Words

13. Post a graffiti wall

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.

Learn more: Graffiti Wall

14. Match words to describe character

This is a terrific way to practice vocab words pulled from books you’re reading. Ask students to use various words to describe the different characters in the book and their feelings, thoughts, and actions.

Learn more: Vocabulary Activities

15. Fill in words from A to Z

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!

Learn more: A to Z

16. Try Flip for vocabulary activities

Are you on the Flip (formerly Flipgrid) bandwagon yet? It’s perfect for vocabulary activities! Have kids record a quick video for each word, using their creativity to make it fun and meaningful.

Learn more: Pop-Up Pods

17. Battle it out in Vocabulary Jeopardy

Good vocabulary activities encourage more than just memorization of definitions. That’s why we like this Jeopardy game idea. It explores synonyms and antonyms and how words are used in real sentences.

Learn more: Not So Wimpy Teacher

18. Use RAFTs to write vocabulary stories

Writing a story using vocab words is a perennial favorite, but the RAFT method gives it a new twist. Students are assigned a Role (the point of view from which they’ll tell the story), an Audience, a Format, and a Topic. For instance, they might be an astronaut (Role) writing a postcard (Format) to their friends back home (Audience) about what they’ve seen on Mars (Topic). RAFTs are especially great for kids who claim they don’t know what to write about.

Learn more: RAFTs

19. Discover the power of words

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.

Learn more: Downloadable Vocabulary Activities

20. Create graphic organizers

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.

Learn more: Graphic Organizers at Upper Elementary Snapshots

21. Focus on a Word of the Week

Give really important terms the attention they deserve. Choose a new vocab word each week, then explore it in depth day by day.

Learn more: Word of the Week

22. Join the Million Dollar Word Club

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.

Learn more: Million Dollar Words

23. Explore shades of meaning

This is a cool idea for exploring synonyms and the slight differences that make words unique. Ask for paint sample strips at your local hardware store, or buy a clip art set .

Learn more: Shades of Meaning

24. Personify a word with social media

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.

Learn more: Social Media Vocabulary

25. Create vocabulary cards

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.

Learn more: Index Card Vocabulary

26. Play vocabulary word Taboo

In this game, the goal is for one student to get their partner to guess the word by describing or giving examples of it. The trick? There’s a list of additional words they’re not allowed to use! Let other students see the card in advance to help keep the players honest. (Flash it on a whiteboard and have the guesser face away.)

Learn more: Don’t Say It! Vocabulary Game

27. Roll a die for vocabulary activities

Choose a vocab word, then have a student roll a die ( these virtual dice are handy ) to see which activity they get to complete.

Learn more: Roll a Word

28. Write an acrostic

Write an acrostic poem for each vocab term, using the letters to determine the first word in each line. This can get really challenging when words are longer!

Learn more: Acrostic Poem

29. Play vocabulary board games

Everyone knows that playing games is the best way to learn. Try some of these fabulous board games with your students and watch their vocabularies grow.

Learn more: 11 Vocab Games To Make the Learning Stick

30. Become a Word Collector

This is one of those picture books that grown-up kids will enjoy as much as little ones. Use it to remind your kids that they don’t need a vocabulary list to learn new words—new words are all around them. Encourage them to keep a word list or journal of their own to record new words they want to explore and use more often.

Buy it: The Word Collector

31. Play Vocabulary Headbanz

Make or buy headbands with a notch on the front designed to hold a card. Create cards with vocabulary words on them. To play, each student gets a card but can’t see it. Other students will describe the word, trying to get the one wearing the headband to guess the correct word.

Learn more: Vocab Headbanz

32. Go Fish!

A fun and lively way to practice vocabulary words. Create a deck of vocabulary words with two of each word. Explain the rules of Go Fish to students and let them loose!

Learn more: Go Fish Vocab Game

33. String three-letter words

Using wooden letter beads and pipe cleaners, students will form three-letter words that match vocabulary cards.

Learn more: Three-Letter Busy Bag

34. Play vocabulary charades

Everybody loves an exciting round of charades. Break your students into groups, provide them with a stack vocabulary cards, and watch them learn!

Learn more: Word Charades

35. Make words

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.

Learn more: Make a Word

36. Do a dictionary dig

Send your students on a scavenger hunt … in the dictionary! Exposing kids to the thousands of words in our language is both inspiring and fun. Download the free task cards below.

Learn more: Dictionary Dig

Reading poetry also helps students expand their vocabulary. Check out these must-share poems for elementary school and middle and high school .

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5 Brain-Based Vocabulary Activities for the Secondary Classroom

Trying to find some new practice activities for your existing vocabulary units? These brain-based vocabulary approaches are unique — perhaps just what you need. 

Do your students smile at you when you begin a vocabulary lesson? Do they act interested or ask questions? Are they willing to try using the words in their own speaking and writing? Over the years, I’ve noticed that when I’m “on” with my vocabulary instruction, my students are, too. They’re into it, learning, and motivated. In contrast, when I rush through vocabulary instruction because of time constraints, lack of preparation, or simply lack of enthusiasm, my students can read me like an open book.

Previously, I wrote about increasing vocabulary retention in the secondary classroom. Retention is ultimately the goal of vocabulary instruction, but in order to get there, teachers need to differentiate their instruction and practice activities to reach all types of learners, which includes adding variety through learning styles and critical thinking levels. While I provided a few ideas regarding how students can interact with vocabulary words in the last post, I’d like to get more specific and explore several unique and creative avenues that teachers can incorporate into their curriculums. I teach ELA, but these brain-based vocabulary ideas can apply to word lists from any content area.

BRAIN-BASED VOCABULARY LEARNING

3 truths and a lie.

Games are fun. If your classroom culture calls for games, engagement, and student-directed learning, try out 3 truths and a lie. The best part about this game (other than the fact that it’s enjoyable) is that students create it. Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE making games to use my classroom . Yet, vocabulary is a perfect vehicle for students to be in charge of their learning, to create something meaningful.

Put students in charge.

I simply ask them to select a word from their list and then to write down four statements about that word. I encourage them to think about the word’s part of speech, the definition, related and unrelated words, associations they may have, and the word’s personality. One of the statements they write should be a lie.

Here’s an example:

• Ubiquitous is kind of like the plague. Even if you don’t like it, you can’t get rid of it.
• Ubiquitous is an adverb.
• Ubiquitous is cousins with the words “pervasive” and “universal.”
• If cockroaches were ubiquitous, I’d move to Mars.

Your students can get as creative (or as simplistic) as they want with their sentences. After creating them, collect the statements, and put students in small groups. Have them discuss the words and statements to try to identify the lie ( in the example above, the lie is #2 ). If you’re concerned about the accuracy of your students’ sentences and want to avoid unnecessary confusion, read through them first and have students work in groups to discuss them the next day.

Why this works: 

1. Students are doing the thinking.

2. It can be straightforward (recall) or higher-order thinking (analytical), so it’s differentiated by nature.

3. It’s engaging.

4. Students will remember many of the lies and the truths, so it will help them to retain the word meanings longer.

Bumper Words

Bumper words is a categorizing activity that helps students to learn the relationships between words on their list. If you plan to use a bumper words activity, keep that in mind when selecting your word list so that it’s easier to create the assignment. Here’s how it works. 

Teacher-Directed

You (the teacher) group the words into categories. You can make this into a worksheet or a graphic organizer, or you can just write them on the board to use as a class activity. Another option is to create a manipulative for small groups or station use. When you put the words into groups (of 3 to 5 is best), all of the words should relate  except for one . The students’ job is to figure out which word is  not related, and they  bump it to the next word group. It’s a chain effect. Here’s an example:

As you can see, in the first group of words, abase, demean, and humiliate can all be related, but extol does not fit. So, it gets bumped to group two, where students look for another ill-fitting word that is then bumped to group 3, and so on. When creating this activity, you can use words that are  not on your vocabulary list to complement the ones that are.

Student-Directed

Again, if you want to ask your students to think more critically about their words, you can ask  them to create a bumper words chain using all or some of the words on their list. This works well as a group assignment. Students could create their bumper words combinations on a piece of easel paper or large poster board, and then groups can rotate around the room to try to solve each other’s puzzles. If you choose to have students create their own examples, it would be beneficial to show them how to make one by modeling it together or analyzing an existing example first.

1. Students are thinking about the words and how they relate to other  words, thereby making associations – great for brain-based vocabulary learning!

2. Once again, this activity can be differentiated by ability level.

3. It engages students in meaningful interaction with their words.

4. It’s unique…your students probably haven’t heard of this one before. Ride the novelty wave.  

Personify a Word Using Social Media

Because social media is such a pervasive aspect of twenty-first century learning, I’m always looking for healthy ways to incorporate it in my classroom. One of the things I love about teaching vocabulary is that it can be creative. Words can be given personalities based on their meaning. I often ask students to personify a word in order to get them to think about it differently.

Word Personalities

Here are four of my favorite assignments that include word personalities using social media:

• Facebook : Have students create a Facebook poster based on one of the words on their list.
• Twitter : Ask students to create a Twitter profile and feed for a word.
• Instagram : Students can create a scrapbook or Instagram posts for their word.
• Pinterest :   Give students the task of creating a Pinterest profile for a word, including a list of boards and pins that would relate to that word.

When I give students assignments like these, I find it’s beneficial to allow them to choose a word  they want to learn  after discussing what they will do with it. I always encourage students to select a  new word…one they either have never heard of, or one they have heard of but cannot explain. By discussing the task before selecting the word, students will be able to choose a word they  want to use to complete the assignment, and ownership is key when it comes to creativity.

Some struggling readers and writers might be overwhelmed if we ask them to select any word they want, so it’s a great differentiation / scaffolding option to have a list of suggestions prepared.

Why this works:

1. In order to do any of these assignments WELL, students must think  deeply and  meaningfully about the word.

2. Students will take it upon themselves to analyze the social media outlet more closely than they have in the past. What text structures does it have? What is the common language and culture of the site? These questions must be studied and answered before creating a product.

3. It hooks students by allowing them to utilize their creativity and social natures to learn about vocabulary.

4. It is easy to incorporate technology. While students can create a poster like the one above, they could also use digital platforms to complete the assignment.  

Pictures, Short Films, & Music

A fun way to incorporate writing into your brain-based vocabulary instruction is through the use of pictures, short films, and music. They can all be used similarly for this assignment. Although numerous options exist, these three ideas are a good place to start:

Student Research

1. Simply ask students to do some research and find a certain number of pictures, short films, or songs that relate to words on their vocabulary list. You could have them focus specifically on one word and find a picture, a short film, and a song that relates to it, or you could ask them to choose ten words off the list and find one connection for each word. Either way, students are building onto existing knowledge about a word and using critical thinking skills to make meaningful connections. I like to have my students write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) explaining their connections to the word.

Bell Ringers

Another way to use these elements is to incorporate them as bell ringers. Each day, begin the class by projecting an image, showing a short film, or playing a song for students. After watching or listening, ask students to make connections between the artwork and words on their vocabulary list. To elicit more participation, I have my students write their thoughts first, then talk with a partner, and finally share with the class.

Give your students a sheet of small images (I like to using small pictures they can color), and tell them to match each picture to a word on their vocabulary list. They can then explain in a few short sentences why each picture and word relate. Simple but effective. Here is a resource you can use for any list.

1. Music, movies, and pictures are embedded in our culture. Students appreciate learning opportunities that incorporate media relevant to their lives.

2. This assignment is a simple way to differentiate by learning styles. It appeals to students who are musical and visual by nature.

3. Once again, forming connections to vocabulary words will help students remember them longer.

4. It can be scaffolded for students on various scales of the literacy ladder.  

I use mind maps as choice assignments throughout the year with various aspects of my curriculum. Mind maps are excellent brain-based vocabulary . activities that help students retain the definition of a word instead of memorizing it for a quiz and forgetting it.

When I assign mind maps in relation to vocabulary words, I generally have students select one word from our list instead of several because the connections will be more meaningful for them.

A good tip is to first ask students to circle any words on their vocabulary list that they cannot define on the spot — in that moment. Afterward, have them choose one word they want to study more intentionally, and then introduce the mind map assignment. If you give them the specifics of the assignment  first, they might be more likely to select an “easy” word from the list.

I like to project example mind maps (you can easily find some by googling the term “vocabulary mind maps”). Together, we analyze the structure, design, and content of the example maps to determine students’ options. We also talk about my expectations (what’s acceptable and what’s not). In this way, we essentially develop a student-generated rubric on the spot. Bonus.

What can students incorporate in their mind maps? I encourage mine to use the basics (relate it to synonyms, antonyms, and examples), but I also ask them to stretch their imaginations to incorporate visual components, categories related to the word, colors that symbolize the word, and other symbolic elements.

1. Research shows that mind maps are brain-based learning activities.

2. Thinking symbolically about a word helps students to deepen their understanding of it.

3. Mind maps require students to engage with a word meaningfully from different angles for an extended period of time.

4. It combines right-brain creative style learning with left-brain logic style learning, resulting in a powerful and memorable experience.  

Inspired and wanting more vocabulary ideas? Read this sister post in which I discuss  five more of my favorite, brain-based vocabulary practice activities for the secondary classroom .

Grab a Free Template!

You might find this free, editable vocabulary template to be helpful in getting started.

Before using any of these brain-based vocabulary strategies in your classroom, you will need to establish a solid list of words. For some inspiration regarding how to strategically and effectively select word lists, click on over to Lauralee at Language Arts Classroom . She has some insights to share with you!

RELATED RESOURCE:

This vocabulary bundle contains numerous resources to engage students in meaningful brain-based vocabulary practice with any word list.

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Vocabulary Worksheets

Vocabulary is a fundamental learning concept but covers many different areas. We've developed hundreds of practice activities to help your student improve their vocabulary skills. You'll find worksheet activities around the alphabet, dictionary skills, Fry sight words, Dolch sight words, phonetics, homographs, homophones, prefixes, proverbs and adages, root words, shades of meaning, suffixes, synonyms and antonyms! All of our printable worksheets are designed around common core standards and cover a broad range of skill levels from kindergarten through high school.  Feel free to print copies for your classroom or at home.

Alphabet Worksheets

Dictionary Skills Worksheets

These worksheets help students to learn how to effectively use a dictionary. All worksheets are free to use at home or in the classroom. Just print and duplicate!

Fry Word List - 1,000 High Frequency Words

Homograph Worksheets - Learning About Homographs

Homophone Worksheets

Phonics Worksheets | Phonetics

Prefix Worksheets

Proverbs and Adages Worksheets

These worksheets hep students to understand the meaning of proverbs and adages, looking into the deeper meaning of these phrases.

Greek and Latin Root Words

Shades of Meaning Worksheets

These worksheets help students learn to interpret the shades of meaning behind specific words, in order to help with reading comprehension and writing.

Suffix Worksheets

Synonym Worksheets and Antonym Worksheets

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11 vocabulary homework ideas and how to motivate students to do it, by: vocab gal.

Homework is such a valuable formative assessment for both teachers and students, and yet students are motivated* by many different factors when it comes to their desire to actually complete the work. In this article, I'm sharing how to motivate students to do their homework and 11 vocabulary homework ideas and worksheets that work in grades 1–12. Plus, preview and grab my 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework Kit .

Keep scrolling to find vocabulary homework ideas! 

How to motivate students to do their homework.

As a teacher, I try to concentrate students’ learning on activities done in class, because asking some students to complete work at home can be daunting. Many times in my career I have been discouraged when more than half the class does not return to class with their homework assignment complete.

Yet we only have so many minutes with our students, and we need them to practice the concepts and skills they are learning until the knowledge becomes ingrained. Most students have a homeroom, study hall, or other downtime during the day in which they could complete activities, they just have to be motivated to do it.

Many studies cite “student choice” as one of the most important factors in inspiring students to learn. When students have the opportunity to select what questions to answer, what activity to complete or what role to play, they tend to feel more comfortable and confident about performing.

Additionally, research shows that when students are dedicated to a task important to them, like improving their video game scores, or optimizing their success on a playing field, they will go to great lengths to improve. While probably not as meaningful as their video game level, students will be more excited to answer questions about themselves than a generic worksheet.

By providing students with both choice and a topic that is personally meaningful, homework can be a great learning exercise as well as an important formative assessment.

Steps to Ensure Students Complete Homework

There are a few other motivating factors that can help establish homework as a meaningful part of a student’s educational experience. Here are suggested steps a school, parish, department, or teacher might take to ensure successful homework completion.

Step One First, confirm that students have a strong rapport with their teacher(s). While it is difficult to cultivate a deep relationship with each student, teachers should strive to show students that they value their students and are committed to helping them learn and grow to their fullest potential. I would encourage teachers not to assign homework for the first few weeks of school until they develop a classroom community of respect and appreciation for learning.

Step Two Second, once the classroom community has been established, teachers should specifically explain the importance of homework as a way of deeply ingraining knowledge. Teachers should also make it clear that homework is a meaningful formative assessment where both they and their students can understand what students know and where there are knowledge gaps.

Step Three Third, some students may be quite unhappy when being mandated to do specific work. Therefore, teachers should stress the choices a student gets when completing their homework and that students get to complete the work that best reflects their own sense of self.

Step Four Finally, the teacher should praise students individually, as well as praise the class when homework is turned in on time. Many students thrive on positive reinforcement and also many may feel guilt if they let their classmates or teacher down. Additionally, as many teachers know, a word of encouragement or a small sticker can make the difference to many.

How to Respond When Homework is Not Completed

When at last it comes time for homework collection, there will be students who did not complete the assignment, no matter how well it was set up. Teachers can again encourage students who did not complete the homework in time to think about what may motivate them to complete it. If a student seems to dislike direct mandates, providing support such as, “I know that you value your learning and will find a way to demonstrate your abilities,” might be more effective than, “Turn in your paper by Thursday or it’s a zero!”

For others who seem driven by the need to please or help others, teachers might encourage students by stating, “I’m disappointed that you weren’t able to complete your work on time, and I know you will submit your work in order to show us both what you know and understand,” might work better than, “Don’t you want the credit for this assignment?”

Vocabulary Homework Ideas for Students

For this post, I have a few homework assignments that model these ideas. Both in my new It's All About Me vocabulary practice page, and my tried-and true,  7 Options for Vocabulary Homework bundle, students are motivated to continue their learning because they have both choice and a focus on themselves, a topic in which they are already invested.

My new It's All About Me Vocabulary Activity tasks students with answering a series of questions about themselves using vocabulary words in context. On the first page of this download students will list their vocabulary words and write their own brief definitions. On the second page student will answer eight prompts. Each response should include at least one of the vocabulary words from their list in context . In each of their answers students must underline the context clues that would help someone unfamiliar with the word understand what it means.

With the 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework bundle, students can choose from a variety of fun and engaging activities for learning or reviewing vocabulary words. In addition to the homework selection sheet, the bundle includes worksheets for vocabulary homework ideas number five and six. The other vocabulary homework options can be completed on a plain piece of paper or in student workbooks.

Here are the vocabulary activities listed on the 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework handout:

#1 Say Your Words

Do you love the sound of your own voice? Do you tend to learn information by teaching others? Then try saying each of the vocabulary words, out loud and in context, to friends, family, strangers, etc. Use either your flashcards or your list of words, and make sure to get initials from someone who heard you say your vocabulary sentence. If you can’t get a signature, just explain when and how you said the sentences and we will invoke the HONOR SYSTEM! Create two sentences per word.

Do you love to write? Do you copy your notes to help you remember information? Then try writing two sentences for each vocabulary word. These can either be two individual sentences for each word or you can put all of your words together in a story. (If you write a story, you only have to use each word once). Have fun and get creative – amuse me and impress me, but make sure you use your vocabulary words in context!

#3 Write Your Words in Other Classes

As an alternative to the above “Write your Words,” use your vocabulary in your assignments for other classes – social studies essays, science notes, art descriptions, etc. Write down the vocabulary you used for this assignment (For example: On my science test I said “Newton was meritorious,” etc.). You can abbreviate your explanations slightly, as long as I understand you know the word’s meaning; remember to use each word twice.

#4 Become Your Words

Do you gesture when you talk? Is it hard for you to sit still? Then consider creating motions to go along with your words. Cry for lament , raise your arms in praise for approbation , etc. See me during class to “perform” your motions, or write them down, making sure that the connection between word, meaning, and gesture makes sense.

#5 Draw Your Words

Are you an artist? Do you constantly doodle? Then create cartoons or drawings that illustrate each word’s meaning. Create one drawing or cartoon per word and make them neat, using clean white paper (consider using recycled paper that has printing on the other side). Paperclip all your drawings together for the end of the week.

#6 Sing Your Words

Do you love to sing? Are you constantly creating your own raps? Try rewriting the lyrics to a song to incorporate each of your vocabulary words or write your own song, rap, etc. You can also write poetry; regardless of the form you choose, the words should be used in the correct context.

#7 Test Your Words

Do you want to play teacher and write the test as well as take it? Now you can! Create a vocabulary test using all the words in a variety of different types of questions. Make sure to create the answer key to the test as well.

Download the 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework bundle and have students keep the selection sheet in their binders. Now they have seven weeks of vocabulary homework assignments!

Additional Vocabulary Homework Ideas

Ultimately, establishing a culture of community and trust in the classroom, explaining the reasoning behind and the benefits of homework, and providing choice and meaningful topics can make a significant difference in completion rates. Even if homework is not completed on time, teachers can still work to connect with each student to provide motivation to complete the assignments.

As educators, we all strive to make learning exciting and applicable to our students. By setting up clear expectations and providing interesting options, we can make any homework, including vocabulary homework, meaningful and valuable to students.

 *I have recently completed Gretchen Rubin’s audiobook The Four Tendencies about what motivates different groups of people. Many of the ideas about motivating students come loosely from her book as well as my own observations. I highly recommend the book to anyone wanting to learn how to better motivate themselves and others.

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7 Effective Vocabulary-Building Activities

“I love the taste of words. They have a taste and a weight and a colour as well as a sound and a shape.”

—Philip Pullman

A 2008 article from  The   Washington Post showed how “ Students Dig Deep for Words’ Origins .” The article noted that Phil Rosenthal was one of the few high-school instructors in the United States teaching an etymology course. According to Rosenthal, students take the class because they want to brush up on their vocabulary skills before taking the ACT or SAT, and/or because they have a genuine interest in the history of words. (It was also reported that a few students sign up for the course thinking they will be studying insects.)

This article brought to mind my failed attempt at introducing middle-school students to the study of words. I took too much ownership of the unit. If I had approached word study as a process of shared inquiry, my students and I would have had a much more meaningful experience.

Here’s what we know about vocabulary development: There is a strong connection between a student’s vocabulary and his or her reading ability. The same is true for a student’s ability to listen, speak, and write. In fact, we now recognize that each person actually has four vocabularies, one each for reading, listening, speaking, and writing (listed here from largest to smallest). Obviously, there is much overlap, but students will always be able to recognize more words than they can produce.

In addition, giving students long lists of vocabulary words with little or no context is not an effective way to teach vocabulary; students must be actively involved in word study for it to mean anything to them. Simply put, if students don’t use the words they are studying, those words will not become part of the students’ “producing” vocabulary. To develop an effective vocabulary program, consider the following types of student-friendly activities:

Vocabulary-Building Activities

Previewing in context.

• Select 5-6 words from a chapter or selection students are about to read.
• Have students turn to the page in which each word is located. Ask the students to read the word in context and try to figure out its meaning.
• Have students write down what they think each word means.
• Discuss possible meanings and arrive at a definition in this context.

Self-Collection

• Have students collect interesting words from different sources, preferably non-school sources.
• Have students identify each word and the context in which it is used.
• Next, have them analyze the word using its context, word parts, and dictionary definitions.

Language Families

• Divide the class into eight groups, and have each group research one of the Indo-European language groups (Albanian, Armenian, Balto Slavic, and so on).
• Afterward, have each group present their findings to the class. (Let the groups choose how they want to present their findings.)

See minilesson for "Discovering Word Origins (Etymology)."

Prefix, Suffix, Root Study

• Assign students 3-4 word parts (prefixes, suffixes, roots) each week.
• Give students strategies for learning these word parts.
• Assign students one word part daily. As you take roll, have students write the word part, the definition, a sample word, and a sentence using the word.
• Then have them brainstorm for familiar words that will help them remember the meaning of each word part.
• Challenge them to combine the word parts they have studied into as many words as possible (perhaps in 5 minutes’ time or as a challenge assignment for the next day). Special cards can be used for this purpose.
• Also challenge them to create “new” words using the word parts they have learned. To qualify, a new word should make sense and might be actually used.
• Ask students to share their new words; partners should try to guess what each one means.

Special Note: Thoughtful Learning's writing handbooks contain extensive lists of prefixes, suffices, and roots.

Word Sleuthing I

• On a regular basis, present students with a list of five or six mostly familiar words that contain the same root, prefix, or suffix. (Make the last one or two more challenging than the other words.)

Note: For extra credit, encourage students to provide some of these lists of words.

Word Sleuthing II

• Provide students, on their own or in pairs, a word to investigate on the Internet. They should try to find as much as they can about the word, starting with its etymology. Instruct them to find information about the word from at least _________ sources (you determine the number) in addition to online dictionaries.
• After their research, have students present their findings to the class. (Let students choose how they want to present their findings.)

Word Contest

• For an end-of-the-week activity, have students, on their own or in pairs, be ready with pen and paper. Then give them 3-5 minutes to list as many words as they can containing a particular prefix or root. (Suffixes may not work as well.)
• The winner is the individual or team listing the most words. (But make sure that each word is real.)

Reading is far and away the primary way for students to build their vocabularies, so encourage them to read all sorts of print and online materials. Along with that, employ a variety of activities (like the ones above) to help students appreciate the richness of the language. The combination should produce positive results.

Want more vocabulary-building activities?  

• Explore 12 Vocabulary Activities for High School !

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• LAFS.K12.L.3.4
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Vocabulary A-Z 5-Day Lesson Plan

Are you looking for a better way to deliver vocabulary instruction that engages students in understanding context and meaning? With Vocabulary A-Z, you can create your own custom word list and immediately generate a downloadable, printable 5-day lesson plan that includes materials and activities.

How to Create and Use Your 5-Day Lesson Plan

Vocabulary A-Z contains a database of over 14,000 words that you can search according to part of speech, function, and grade level to create a custom word list. After you create a word list specific to your classroom’s needs, Vocabulary A-Z generates a 5-day teaching plan that helps students interact with the various meanings and contexts of the words on your list. The 5-day lesson plan follows a research-proven pattern that immediately captures students’ interest and maintains their focus throughout each lesson. While the content of each lesson plan will differ according to your custom word list, each plan is structured to help students experience new words and concepts in meaningful ways.

Day 1: Introduce Target Vocabulary in Context

This introductory lesson consists of a concept web, a words in context sheet, and a word smart graphic organizer. In this first lesson, students familiarize themselves with new vocabulary through graphic organizers that activate their prior knowledge and encourage them to say the words out loud.

Day 2: Use Vocabulary in Context and Reinforce Meaning

This lesson consists of word cards, definition cards, analogies and cloze sentence activity sheets. Students experiment with understanding the new words in different ways by matching them with their definitions and sorting words according to parts of speech. For at-home practice, the cloze sentence worksheet challenges students to use the words in context.

Day 3: Introduce and Apply Word-Attack Skills

Start the lesson with a review of the cloze activity students completed at home, and then students continue targeted practice by writing the words in their own sentences. Students maintain focused practice with playing one of the word games included in the lesson plan that encourages them to connect word definitions and functions.

Day 4: Review and Apply Words

In this lesson, students build upon their knowledge of word definitions and functions. Students will use the concept completion worksheet to apply what they know about the vocabulary words to complete unfinished sentences. This lesson reinforces word meanings in context and encourages student discussion about words and their definitions.

Day 5: Assess

Begin class by reviewing the concept completion worksheet from Day 4, and then students will complete a multiple choice assessment. To solidify students’ understandings of this set of words, allow students to play another vocabulary game from the Day 3 lesson.

How You Can Contribute to Vocabulary A-Z

In addition to generating 5-day lesson plans and corresponding materials based on your students’ learning needs, Vocabulary A-Z also allows teachers to take part in building our word database. You can add words that are not in our database by using the Add New Word feature on the Vocabulary A-Z main product page.

Want to create your own custom word lists? Try Vocabulary A-Z for free today!

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See a sample 5-day lesson plan here

This lesson plan was generated after creating a custom word list based on irregular verbs.

Irregular Verbs Lesson Plan

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6 Effective vocabulary activities and strategies for teaching

Language is the foundation of everyday communication. Students can clearly communicate if they have a robust vocabulary, which is why teaching with effective vocabulary activities and strategies is so important. Learners can struggle to understand reading passages or math word problems if there are words they do not understand. If a text has unfamiliar words, students will likely focus on trying to understand those words rather than understanding the ideas in a text. Conversely, they may misinterpret the meaning altogether. In their writing, students must have a varied vocabulary to communicate ideas and make readers want to read their work.

Educators can increase students’ word knowledge through effective vocabulary activities. Teachers know their vocabulary instruction is effective when students apply words and their meanings in various contexts. Providing students with multiple representations of new vocabulary and opportunities for multimodal inputs and outputs will help students learn and remember vocabulary. They can also learn to discern the meaning of unfamiliar words independently.

1. Explicitly teach vocabulary within content-rich instruction

Effective implementation of a vocabulary strategy begins with a well-planned lesson. Research suggests that direct instruction through instructional routines is more effective and efficient than allowing students to discover word meanings independently (Birsh, J. & Carreker, S., 2018). It takes repetition and frequent use for new vocabulary terms to “stick” and become a part of students’ everyday language and academic conversations.

Nearpod has ready-made core subject lessons (math, science, English and language arts, and social studies) explicitly teaching vocabulary terms. Education.com lessons also pre-teach vocabulary before content instruction.

The Nearpod English Learners Program * provides teachers with the content, tools, and organization to create daily differentiated learning experiences that maximize language acquisition for all learners. While the lessons were written for students learning English, they are also helpful in general education classrooms. In the lessons, students learn content-specific information and vocabulary simultaneously! Students also use the new vocabulary in the same lesson, helping them remember the word’s significance and meaning.

*The Nearpod EL program is available to users with a Nearpod school/district account that can access the add-on lesson program.

2. Create a vocabulary and content-rich lesson with a few clicks

Don’t see a ready-made lesson on a topic you want to teach? That’s okay. You can use Nearpod’s Slide Editor to create your own vocabulary-specific slides and embed interactive vocabulary activities and assessments for students.

Here’s an example of a vocabulary instructional process you can follow in your teacher-created slides:

• Prepare your Nearpod lesson by adding a video with the word pronunciation as Reference Media in a Collaborate Board . You can embed a video from YouTube or upload your own video. You can also enable Immersive Reader for students to have them see the definition and other properties of the vocabulary word.
• Start your instruction by saying the new word aloud and having students repeat it. Have students type or record their answers on the Collaborate Board.
• Provide a student-friendly definition of the word. Insert images and example sentences into the slide. (Read more about student-friendly definitions in vocabulary activity #3!)
• During instruction, connect the word to other vocabulary terms students already know. Add a Matching Pairs activity to have students connect words to definitions.
• Ask students to use the word aloud and in their writing. Allow them to submit their responses on an Open-Ended Question or Collaborate Board.

3. Provide student-friendly definitions

The vocabulary strategy of using student-friendly definitions is essential for learners to understand new word meanings. Dictionary definitions can be hard for students to understand, and they do not always fully capture the word’s meaning. Additionally, there is often more than one definition. When improving vocabulary, multiple definitions can make it difficult for students to know which is correct given the context of the lesson or reading passage (Beck et al, 2013).

To write student-friendly definitions, use everyday language in the context of a relatable example. For example, take the word “commend.” Here’s how you can share student-friendly definitions:

If I “commend” a student, I give them compliments or praise because they probably did something that impressed me. The “praise” I give would be in public. An example sentence is, “I commended Eli for his efforts during the spelling bee.” The word “commend” implies that I praised Eli publicly for his work at the spelling bee. Can you think of something someone did that you would commend them for?

In this example:

• I introduced the word’s definition. 
• I provided context and an example sentence. 
• I asked students to use the word immediately after learning its meaning.

If the class is reading a book with the word “commend,” using a book excerpt to connect the student-friendly definition is another avenue you can pursue.

4. Use interactive videos in your vocabulary instruction

Along with providing a student-friendly definition, have students interact with the word in various ways. Students can better remember and understand new meanings by bringing in other modalities (Birsh, J. & Carreker, S., 2018). You can use videos and music to provide auditory and visual communication. Videos and songs can model how students can use newly learned language!

Nearpod Original (NPO) videos are helpful when teaching students about specific topics. Adding an NPO video to a lesson can add a multimodal dimension. Videos often show real-world representations and offer further examples of the word in context. To check students’ comprehension, you can add questions in the video. The video will pause at specific points and prompt a  question to check students’ understanding and keep them engaged in the video lesson.

The Personification Nearpod Original perfectly explains the meaning of personification and provides context for the word, as seen in the two poems. Consider using Nearpod Original videos when vocabulary activities to teach your students.

If you want to use a video from YouTube, you can create your own Interactive Video by adding the video and your questions to the lesson. YouTube videos embed into Nearpod so students can watch a video about the water cycle or any other topic without navigating away from Nearpod or viewing pop-up ads.

5. Strategically choose which vocabulary words to teach in the classroom

There is only so much time in the day for instruction and student practice. When teachers decide to teach vocabulary explicitly, the terms should give students the biggest bang for their buck. Teachers can efficiently use instructional time by introducing academic vocabulary students frequently encounter in multiple subject areas (Beck et al, 2013; Birsh, J. & Carreker, S., 2018).

Teaching tier two words is one way to introduce new vocabulary strategically. Tier two words appear in multiple subjects and can sometimes have multiple meanings. This distinction is helpful for students to improve their vocabulary.

How to teach Tier 1, 2, and 3 vocabulary words

Understanding the tiers can help you choose which words to teach in your vocabulary activities. Students encounter tier-one words in everyday language. They will likely learn words such as “like,” “swim,” and “run” through hearing and participating in conversations. Tier two words appear in multiple domains and written text, making them high-utility words. Since students would not typically encounter them in conversation, they would benefit from explicit instruction of words like “contradict” or “maintain.” The most infrequent terms are tier-three words. These words are subject-specific words learners would infrequently use, such as “economy” or “counterclaim.” Keep in mind that even though general guidelines differentiate the different tiers, there is some overlap between the types of terms.

Nearpod EL’s academic vocabulary lesson series contains many tier-two words. The word “ Energy ” is an example of a tier two word.

Ask yourself these questions when selecting words for vocabulary activities:

• Can students comprehend the process, reading passage, or concept even if they do not know this word? If they cannot meet any of those criteria, teach the word!
• Will learners encounter this word in other subjects or later grade levels? If they meet one of those criteria, teach the word!
• Can learners make connections between the new words and words they already know? The term may be worthy of a direct instruction moment if the answer is yes.

After instruction, practice newly-acquired words in a competitive, fun way with a Time to Climb ! The gamified activity allows for photos or text as the answer option.

6. Get students involved in choosing the vocabulary words they want to learn

Let students select fascinating words for a book the class reads aloud or from their independent reading time. If there is no time to teach student-chosen words, encourage them to learn the new words. Then they can teach the class the word through a vocabulary presentation!

For their vocabulary presentation, students can use a Draw It interactive activity in Nearpod to draw a picture or create a diagram. As they present the new word, they can reference the drawing.

The presentation will help the presenter remember the word, and the audience may learn a new word too! Using a simple Frayer Model Draw It template to share the word is one vocabulary-sharing visual presenters can use. Frayer Models bring in the multimodal aspect of communicating through drawing and writing.

Use these vocabulary activities in your classroom

This list of vocabulary strategies is by no means comprehensive. There are many more effective strategies available to improve vocabulary retention. Choose the method that will meet your students’ needs and time constraints. This list can inspire some ideas and show you how easy it is to implement vocabulary activities with Nearpod.

With Nearpod, you can create interactive lessons and activities in one place. You can also use our premade standards-aligned resources across all subjects and grade levels. Sign up for free now to use these tips and explore the power of Nearpod!

Interested in reading more about this topic? Check out this blog post: 6 tips for teaching reading and writing skills in any classroom

References and Further Reading

Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., Kucan, L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2013a). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction (2nd ed). The Guilford Press.

Birsh, J. R., & Carreker, S. (Eds.). (2018). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills (Fourth Edition) . Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.

Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read. (n.d.). ww.Nichd.Nih.Gov/ . Retrieved September 22, 2022, from www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/smallbook

Wexler, N. (2019). The knowledge gap: The hidden cause of America’s broken education system–and how to fix it . Avery, an imprint of Penguin Randon House, LLC.

Jennifer is a forever educator with over 10 years of experience in education. Her mission is to create research-informed educational experiences that engage students and inspire learning.

Jennifer Sobalvarro

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21 Ideas for Teaching Vocabulary

I’m sharing 21 ideas for teaching vocabulary. You may not be able to use all of them, but I hope you can find some ideas that will work well for you!

I’ve shared books about vocabulary instruction , as well as the theory and techniques . This post is a lot more practical. We’re all about ideas today!

I’m sharing the bare bones of the ideas here.

I’m adding lengthier explanations for some of them with more tips and fleshed-out instructions on my website devoted just to vocabulary instruction, VocabularyLuau .

You’ll see that option at the end of the idea if it’s available. 

IDEA #1: Semantic Maps

In this activity, the teacher chooses a word and displays it for the class on a whiteboard, etc.

Students read the word and then think of words that come to mind when they see that word (this is awesome because it activates prior learning).

A list is created of all of the words that come to mind, and then those words are categorized.

This can be done as a whole class or in small groups.

Students then create a “map” using a graphic organizer and discuss it. Additional or substitute categories can be suggested.

As students read through the text, they can add related words to the map.

Want more details on this strategy? Get the step-by-step on VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #2: Eye Spy

Give students a list of words to search for in a text or have them find unfamiliar words.

You can award points to the words based on different criteria (longest new word, word with most consonants, etc.).

Invest in a set of inexpensive dollar store magnifying glasses to make this more game-like.

This is a great pre-reading activity.

Want more details on this strategy? Get the step-by-step on  VocabularyLuau.

IDEA #3: Making Choices

Students show their understanding of vocabulary by saying the word when it applies, or remaining silent when it doesn’t.

For example: “Say radiant if any of these things would make someone look radiant.” -Winning a million dollars. -Earning a gold medal. -Walking to the post office. -Cleaning your room. -Having a picture you painted hung in the school library. 

(This idea is from the book Bringing Words to Life , recommended in the books section.)

This is one of the key strategies teachers need in introducing new vocabulary. Because of that, I’ve written extensively and given a dozen examples from different texts for Kinder through 12th grade on VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #4: Sorting Hat

Use a Harry Potter theme to have students sort words into categories. They can pull them out of a hat.

If you give them the categories, it’s called a “closed sort.” If they come up with their own categories, it’s called “open sort.”

This one is so, so fun. I explain lots more about how to do it on VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #5: Word Pairs

Give students words in pairs and have them evaluate if the words are the same, opposite, go together, or are unrelated.

This strategy is terrific for building critical thinking skills along with the vocabulary.

Get even more details and variations at VocabularyLuau .

(adapted from Word Power: What Every Educator Needs to Know about Teaching Vocabulary )

IDEA #6: Linear Array

In this strategy, students use a graphic organizer that is a rectangle, three ovals, and then another rectangle, all in a line.

The word in question goes in the rectangle on the far left.

The rectangle on the far right is filled in with a word that is the opposite.

The center three ovals are filled in with words that go from the far left to the far right, gradually become less similar until they reach the opposite.

For example, microscopic, tiny, small, bigger, large.

You can see examples of the graphic organizer, more details, and lots of variations on VocabularyLuau .

(adapted from Words, Words, Words: Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4 – 12 )

IDEA #7: Games

Many “real” games work well for vocab play and practice. Games such as Balderdash , Taboo , Scrabble , Blurt , Bananagrams ,  word bingo, and others are fun.

There are online games as well, such as Scholastic’s Synonym Toast .

[Note: I am a notoriously horrible Scrabble player, and every time I play I think, “English teachers should be better at this.” It’s not my favorite.]

IDEA #8: Scavenger Hunt

Have a word scavenger hunt in books, magazines, articles on the net, or in the school or home.

Don’t just go for numbers; go for unusual words, academic vocabulary, weird spellings, homophones, etc.

IDEA #9: Word Wheel

Copy and paste this image onto a sheet of cardstock and make a vocab spinner game. EisforExplore shares the whole idea here.

IDEA #10: Vocabulary Photo Album

Using a simple, inexpensive photo album, students create a visual glossary of key words.

I’ve got pictures of examples, details, and more ideas at VocabularyLuau , if you’d like to read more.

IDEA #11: Tally

Use tally marks to track words you’re trying to practice.

Mark whenever the teacher says the word in context, and mark twice when a student does.

Alternatively, you can have the tally marks be even, but play the teacher versus the class.

There’s so much more to this strategy. Learn more about how tally marks can help you teach vocabulary at VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #12: Vocabulary Relay

Print out words on one set of cards (copy this set a few times) and definitions, context, or sentences in which they could be used (fill-in-the-blank) on another set (just one set).

Jumble up the words in a pile in the middle of the floor, and jumble up the definitions, context, and sentences to keep with you. Break students into teams of five-ish.

Call out the definition/context/sentence and give students some think time (8 – 10 seconds) to talk about what word it might be.

After the discussion time, call out “Word!” One member from each team runs to the center and tries to find the word in the pile.

I like having multiple sets of the words so more than one team can get it.

Check to make sure they’re correct, and then discuss it briefly before the next round.

Note: I got this idea from another teacher’s site, but I cannot for the life of me remember where. I have searched Google for it, and can’t find it. A small prize to the person who can figure out the originator of the idea!

I’ve written quite a bit about it here, but I’ve written more (and have lots of pictures of it in play) at VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #13: Vocabulary Category Relay 

This is a different relay activity than the one above, even though the names are so similar.

In this version, teams of students race to fill in words responsive to a category that start with the letters of the alphabet in order.

This can be done individually, in groups, or even as a whole class. It’s also a good one for both digital and in-person instruction.

When I wrote about it on VocabularyLuau , I shared these score sheets for digital use, as well as printable versions.

IDEA #13: Comic Strip Word Activity 

I got the idea for using comic strips from This Reading Mama .

In some ways, it’s really a modified Frayer model. 

I loved it so much that I started making them like crazy. It turns out that they let me get a clear glimpse into how well the students had mastered the word. 

I have an entire article about this, filled with loads of ideas and resources at VocabularyLuau .

You can check out that article here (or click the image below).

IDEA #14: Paper Plate Vocab

I love this inexpensive matching game  from Finding Joy in Fifth Grade , and I think students could create it themselves.

IDEA #15: Heads Up Vocabulary Game

Students hold a word on a card in front of their foreheads. The students don’t know what words they have.

Students ask each other a series of questions to determine the meaning of their word. Or, students can give students clues to the person with the word to help that person guess the word.

This is a review activity, and it’s not for initial instruction.

It’s such a favorite that I wrote a very comprehensive article about it on VocabularyLuau . There’s even a hack for printing on Post-it notes!

IDEA #16: Word Sneak

Word Sneak is a game invented by Jimmy Fallon that he plays with guests on the Tonight Show.

In the game, Jimmy and the guest each get a stack of cards with words on them that they have to work into the conversation naturally (without sounding forced or stilted).

It’s hysterical to watch and fun to play.

It’s also a great way to learn different ways to approach a word.

It’s so much fun that when I wrote the article about in on VocabularyLuau , I also included a Tonight Show backdrop you can use in class to give it an even more “real” feel.

IDEA #17: Frayer Model

The Frayer Model is an oldie-but-goodie vocab activity model in which student work in multiple ways in a specifically laid out graphic organizer to engage with words.

This is such a must-know that I wrote a (very lengthy and detailed) plan for how to use it at VocabularyLuau .

It includes downloads and printables and digital versions, as well as exactly how (and why) to use this strategy.

If you are not familiar with it, please do yourself a solid and read more .

IDEA #18: Tweet

Have students create a “tweet” that a word would send out or with the word in the tweet in context.

You can use a tool like PrankmeNot or Siminator  to make it look real.

This strategy is so fun and so useful!

I’ve written about five different ways to do this (with examples) on VocabularyLuau , and I even have this free template for you there:

IDEA #19: Brain Power Words

This is a strong academic vocabulary activity that takes a little bit of time, but would really help get the words past the superficial level of understanding.

• Ask small groups of students to preview sections of a text and identify difficult words.
• For long chapters, assign different sections to different groups.
• Students place a Post-it next to the words in the text they identify as potentially difficult.
• Clues of substitution: A known word would make sense in the context and is probably a good definition.
• Clues of definition: The word is defined in the text (many textbooks do this).
• Clues of opposition: Words “not, unlike” etc. are excellent clues to what a word is not and thus help define the words.
• After the Brain Power Words list is identified and definitions sought, the students check their work with the teacher.

This strategy is from Becky McTague and Margaret Richek (it’s in the book Reading Success for Struggling Adolescent Learners  by Susan Lenski and Jill Lewis).

IDEA #20: The Concept Cube

A concept cube is a  pattern that is printed on paper or cardstock, cut out, folded, and taped into a three-dimensional cube.

Students write, type, or draw on the pattern prior to assembling the cube, and then  they “play” with the cube to explore concepts.

Depending upon the way you choose to use it, they can be similar to a three-dimensional  Frayer model .

You can print out a blank cube and have students print the responses below, or complete it online and then print it out.

Before folding, students write clearly in each square following the directions below.

Each student is given one challenging vocabulary word from a recent reading and asked to:

• Write the assigned vocabulary word in one square.
• Write a synonym (word or phrase) in another square.
• Write an antonym (word or phrase) in another square.
• Write a category or categories it could belong to.
• Write the essential characteristics of the concept of this word.
• Give one example.

Cut, fold, and tape the cube.

Roll the cube and read what comes up on the “top”; the student must tell the relationship of that word or phrase to the original word.

After students know their own cube without any errors, they exchange with a peer.

You can get more ideas and details, as well as a free printable, at VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #21: Phone a Friend

Search TeacherspayTeachers or Teachers Notebook for vocabulary activities you can use or adapt.

The beauty of this is that you can search by grade level and subject, so you can focus on what you’re studying.

A caveat to this is that if you create something grade level or content specific, you can share it with other teachers, too.

The Importance of a Variety of Activities

You want to have a variety of activities so that vocabulary instruction doesn’t become routine or boring.

Keeping it fresh with lots of different ways of learning will help students (and the teacher) avoid getting burned out or tired of working with vocabulary.

There’s been so much interest in this that I created an entire website just for vocab ideas called VocabularyLuau .

These 21 activities for teaching vocabulary are just a start. I’d love to know your ideas!

The Vocabulary Series

This post is Part 3 of a four-part series on teaching vocabulary. If you would like to check out the rest of the series, visit the posts below

• Teaching Vocabulary: The books
• Theories & Techniques that work (and don’t)
• 21 Activities for Teaching Vocabulary (this one)
• Ideas for English Language Learners

There’s even a great book for teaching vocabulary!

These ideas work for all vocabulary words.

If your students need to learn vocabulary words and terms that are specific to your content (words like acute angle or latitude or simile or biome ), have I got a book for you!

You know how I know it’s great? I wrote it! I wrote it for teachers just like you from the method I created in my own class with my own students and tested over and over.

You can learn more about it by clicking on the picture of it, or you can read more and see loads of examples here .

If you already know you want it, you can grab a paperback version on Amazon .

Or, if you want a digital copy, you can use the coupon code GIFTEDGURU for 20% off you can…

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Activities for teaching vocabulary.

We take our vocabulary instruction seriously over at Rooted in Reading! And not just because we’re creating full ELA curriculums. We know that to be effective at improving the language habits, reading levels, and comprehension of our students, having an effective vocabulary strategy is one of THE most important components.

Today, I want to talk specifically about the importance of vocabulary in the classroom. We will have a look into the strategy we use for our resources AND I’ll be sharing vocabulary activities that we use to put it into action inside the classroom.

Speaking of vocabulary activities, you’ll snag a FREE sample week of our newest 2nd Edition Rooted in Reading resource for 2nd Grade ! {You can click HERE if you want to know more about our Rooted in Reading curriculum.}

Vocabulary in the Classroom

When it comes to the vocabulary activities and plans in our reading curriculum, we follow Marzano’s 6 steps for Vocabulary Instruction. One of the main reasons we focus heavily on using a read-aloud for our Rooted in Reading units is to model the behavior in step #1. Students need to hear words spoken over and over again and within context to effectively learn new meanings. As they get older, this strategy becomes even more apparent. But in the classroom, we often move away from that strategy as students begin to progress. We think, based on our research, that students should be continuously exposed to this “read-aloud” way.

In our research, we found this information from Isabel Beck, Professor of Education at the University of Pittsburgh,

  “The source of later vocabulary learning shifts [as students get older] to written texts–what children read [as opposed to what they hear]. The problem is that it is not so easy to learn [vocabulary] from written context. Written context lacks many of the features of oral language that support learning new word meanings…”

With that in mind, we made it a point to focus on classroom discussions around the text we read, including vocabulary, making it a collaborative experience. This allows for students to explain vocabulary in their own words (like step #2) and speak openly about the words with each other (step #5).  

We’ve mentioned this before but, during a read-aloud, we are able to offer support to students with the tone of our voice, the pace of our reading, and our facial expressions. None of this is present when students are reading on their own. This is why vocabulary is processed at a better rate through the read-aloud. 

But we don’t just leave it all up to the read-aloud to carry the weight. It’s important to incorporate engaging vocabulary activities to reinforce what’s been discussed, too.

Activities for Vocabulary

When we began creating the 2nd edition of our 2nd Grade Rooted in Reading resource, the one thing we knew we had to do was revamp the vocabulary section! It is important to us that we keep abreast of the latest strategies in vocabulary instruction and model that across our resources. With that in mind, here are a few vocabulary activities that we incorporate that you should consider for your classroom.

Incorporating Pictures

For our newest resource, we decided that 2nd graders could benefit from picture vocabulary cards and posters, too! It is proven that using images helps influence comprehension and rightfully so since we tend to think in images. We use them as triggers or to associate things so we can remember them later. We like to think that the definition may not stick at first, but the image sure will!

As suggested in step 3 of Marzano’s 6 steps of Vocab Instruction, you can use vocabulary cards with images to guide students in picturing, representing, or acting out the words! We take that a step further with our draw and write printables in which students are tasked with creating their own images for words and providing a definition. Speaking of printables, that’s the other important part of vocabulary instruction I want to discuss.

Vocabulary Printables

Your vocabulary activities should always include a set of printables or worksheets that allow students to show what they know. We decided this would be a great opportunity to incorporate printables that didn’t just hone in on meanings, but also in questioning what that looks like in reality. This is step 4 of Marzano’s vocabulary instruction, allowing students to engage in activities with their words.

For example, we have students complete sentences with their vocabulary words to ensure they understand how to use them in context. To deepen comprehension, we’ve added vocabulary writing prompts to assist students with seeing how the words fit in the world around us. We ask questions about the words that go beyond meaning so students can see what they would look like in use in real life! 

But we also want students to see words relative to other things.`So, we make sure to include playful activities that test the limits.

Playing with Vocabulary

In addition to students applying what they’ve learned, they need lots of practice in recognizing and playing around with their vocabulary words. We incorporate vocabulary activities or games that show students how their vocabulary words relate to others. We apply this by recognizing antonyms, playing with opposites, and putting the words in ABC order . As step 6 suggests, this gives the students a hands-on experience with their vocabulary. 

While using their bodies to manipulate the words, they are also memorizing and familiarizing themselves with them. Vetting new vocabulary against other words deepens understanding by having a trigger to look back on, similar to those of images. 

But wait, there’s more….

FREE 2nd Grade Rooted in Reading 2nd Edition Sample Week!

We’ve included all of these strategies in the newest edition of our 2nd Grade Rooted in Reading resources. It was important to us to incorporate our best vocabulary activities to ensure your classroom can effectively teach new words. 

I created this sample week for our 2nd Grade RiR 2nd edition resource so you can put it to the test in your classroom. We all know that we have to be intentional with each new resource we introduce to ensure they are exactly what the students need.

Just use the form below to have this full week of Vocabulary instruction delivered straight to your inbox! We use the book, Me, Frida by Amy Novesky, for this sample but you can still use it without the book!  If you don’t have access to the book, you can probably find a helpful read-aloud video online. Check out THIS one! 

Don’t want to forget these Vocabulary activities? Pin the image below to save for later!

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The Big List of Engaging Vocabulary Activities for Science (Interactive Science Series)

Vocabulary is essential in learning new things. The more vocabulary a student knows, the more they can assimilate new information. You have probably noticed a few words that are repeated quite often when reading through content area standards. Name, identify, describe, and terms are all words that indicate a student will be using vocabulary to demonstrate understanding of that concept. Vocabulary is an important aspect to schema or background knowledge.

There are four types of vocabulary practice that I have found to help students commit vocabulary to memory and use it correctly:

In Context – Using vocabulary in context is the best way to learn the definition, correct usage, and real life application of each vocabulary word. This can be utilized by having students use context clues to define the words from their reading. You can assign words for students to locate everywhere the words are used in a text. And most importantly, you can assign words for students to find used in hands-on learning. They can report on how they used each word in their lab. More specific ideas are found in the bist below.

Writing – I have read several articles lately explaining that hand-written notes are more effective at helping people remember information. I know that throughout college, I would remember just about anything that I wrote out while I was studying. So, my studying sessions involved me rewriting  everything that I had learned. I am not suggesting plain ole boring writing out everything for vocabulary practice in the classroom because its not fun or engaging. However, there are some ways we can change up presenting hand-written vocabulary practice to make it fun and engaging.

Movement – Just like with writing, study after study shows the benefits of movement in the learning environment. I have taught 8th grade Advanced Science, 7th grade Science, 5th grade (ELA, Science, & Social Studies), and pre-k. No matter what the age, turning a lesson into a move around the room activity or a game makes engagement skyrocket. And engagement equals more learning! I have some fun ways in the list that incorporate movement.

Games – Games are fun and boost engagement levels. But, even more amazing than simply raising engagement, I have seen kids learn incredible amounts of information without even knowing that they are learning! I love when I can sneak learning into a game. Its a win for everyone.

Creative Output – I love this one the most because it incorporates the student output of writing (or drawing or designing) with the fun level of movement and games. Creative output activities are a fun way to sneak in some serious critical thinking!

Now let’s get to the good stuff!

My BIG List of Vocabulary Activities for Science (or any content area)

1.Word Wall Cards – Posted around the room by category or alphabetical as a reminder or reference, and a tool for some fun games.

2.Word Wall Builder Chart  – Guide students through building a knowledge of their vocabulary words using prior knowledge, context clues, and real life experiences.

3.Write the Room – Send students around the room, or word wall, looking for each hint in their chart. Use your word wall or hide words around the room.

4.Writing with Key Terms – Add vocabulary from the lesson and have students write an informational text, summary, or story using the words.

5.Vocab Boxes – Students can complete the boxes to demonstrate understanding of the words.

6.I Have…Who Has?

7.Science Says – Game played like Simon Says using content words and actions to remember what the words mean.

8.Vocab Practice Page

9.Vocab Matching Cards

10.Memory Game with Vocab Matching Cards

11.Go Fish with Vocab Matching Cards

12. Word Art

13.Movie Poster

14.Vocab Roll & Review

15.Vocab Spin & Review

16.Vocab Bingo

17.Vocab Comic Strips

18.Spin-A-Hint Guessing Game

19.Vocab Thumb Ball – Using a wet erase marker, write hints for your vocabulary words (definitions or illustrations) all over a beach ball. Throw the ball around the room and when someone catches it, they have to define the word that is described under their right thumb.

20.Vocab Tumbling Tower – Paint then ends of blocks from a tumbling tower game with dry erase or chalkboard paint. Write vocab words on the end of the blocks for each game. To pull a block out of the stack , students must define the word.

21.Vocab Treasure Hunt – Spread vocab word coins around the room so students can take turns (or racing in two groups) picking up coins. They have to define the word to keep the coin.

22.Vocab Choice Board

23.Crossword Puzzle (with definition or illustration as hints)

24.Doodle Notes

25.Word Sorter Pockets

26.Quick Draw (Dry Erase Game) – Print and Laminate the board for multiple uses. Students will use dry erase markers to write the word you define. Say “show me what you know!” and students will hold up their board for you to see who knows the word.

27.Character Quote Clouds (use the word)

28.Board Game (roll and define to move)

29.Vocab Song Creation

30.Vocab Puzzles

31.Vocab Flower

32.Stoplight Vocab Self Assessment – use small sticky notes with the vocabulary words and move them to green as they are learned. Laminate the stoplight and use dry erase marker for the words.

33.Picture Word Wall – Type or write the words on the cards and add an image, print, and post on your classroom word wall.

34.Draw the Room – Send students around the room to find and draw the correct image for each hint on their paper. Use your word wall or hide picture word wall cards around the room.

35.Vocab Dominoes

36.Vocab Mini Books – Works for Interactive Notebook or as stand alone mini books.

37.Vocab Review Sort Pocket Folders – Works on their own, but can be glued into a notebook.

38.Anchor Chart with Labeled Parts – (ie: parts of an insect) Use the vocabulary words to label the picture. Make the picture something that encompassed all the grouped vocabulary words.

39.Word Search with definition or picture as hint.

40.Act It Out! Guessing Game

41.Interactive Read and Act – (Act out Word when you read it in a text!) Printable reference chart template will help students plan their actions and remember what to look for.

42.Word Poem (Haiku)

43.Classifying with Vocab Words – have students sort a selection of objects or observations between two or three vocabulary words. This gives a hands-on approach to applying vocabulary words to what they are learning. (i.e. sorting Living/Nonliving or Reflection/Refraction)

44.Vocab Strips – Works great for an exit slip or homework activity!

45.Letter Tile Game – played like a simple version of Scrabble.

47.Mnemonic

48.Vocab Reader

49.All About the Word – Chart

50.Vocab-oo Game – (Played similar Taboo)

51.Vocab Character (Personify the Word) – Basher Books are great for a read aloud that will help with this activity! They are a must have on my bookshelves, and they are available in all sorts of subjects.

I hope having this list helps you plan and prep without having to search for ideas!

Don’t miss out on the FREEBIES below!

Want some fun freebie templates from this list? Click the image below!

In case you want all 55 templates from the 51 activities on my list, I put them together in a really BIG Bundle of editable templates. Click the image below to grab them!

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Students access Vocabulary A-Z assignments from the student portal on Kids A-Z .

Students must successfully finish at least one practice activity to unlock the Vocabulary TestMe quiz. To complete the assignment, students must pass the Vocabulary TestMe with a score of 80% or better.

Once the student has completed the assignment, it will disappear from their assignment section. If they have no current assignments, their vocabulary section will be grayed out.

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Bell Ringer: New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Delivers Remarks

New british prime minister keir starmer delivers remarks.

Labour Party leader and newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered remarks in London. He said, “our country has voted decisively, for change, for national renewal, and a return of politics to public service. ... From now on, you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interests.” After his remarks, he and his wife, Victoria Starmer, entered 10 Downing Street, the residence and office of the prime minister. This was the first time in 14 years that the Labour Party gained control of the United Kingdom’s Parliament.

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Bell ringer assignment.

• In an effort to “rebuild Britain,” Prime Minister Starmer outlines several goals that he would like to accomplish with the newly elected legislature. Identify three of those goals.
• Prime Minister Starmer said that the British people “have given us a clear mandate, and we will use it to deliver change. What does he mean by “mandate?”
• Based on this address, how does Prime Minister Starmer distinguish the Labour Party from the Conservative Party that was led by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak?

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