Vocabulary Activities
Teacher Vocabulary Activity Guide
6 Words in 60 Seconds
Prepare: Choose and randomly arrange six vocabulary words into a pyramid. See the example below.
Play: Students work in partners. Partner One cannot see the words in the pyramid, while Partner Two can. Partner Two gives Partner One hints about each word until the word is guessed correctly, moving on to the next word. The goal is to get through all six words before the 60-second timer runs out.
Adjust: Teachers can adjust the time to make guessing or hint-giving more challenging. Teachers can also set hint parameters to make the game more difficult. For example, students could be limited from giving hints like number of letters or starting letter. As students become more familiar with the vocabulary, students could create the pyramids themselves with a common theme. Then, when playing the game, students must guess the words and figure out the connection.
Example:
Annotated Visual Slides (AVS)
Prepare: Create a set of slides with enough pre-generated numbered blank slides for words and students in class. Give students access to edit the AVS. Prepare vocabulary words with an assigned number that matches a numbered slide on the AVS for distribution at the beginning of class.
Play: As students enter class, give them a word and matching number, tell them not to share their word with anyone. Students will go to the numbered slide assigned to them in the AVS and describe their word with clues and images. Give students a time limit to complete the assignment. When the time limit has elapsed, switch access to view only or have students close their devices and present the AVS to students. Give students individual time to guess as many words correctly as possible. Go through with students and clarify as needed. The final product can be used as a review guide.
Adjust: Teachers can adjust the time given, the number of words allowed, or the types of visuals allowed to be used in the description to be more challenging.
Emoji Vocabulary
Prepare: Create a set of slides comprising a collection of emojis for each selected vocabulary word. Add animations to reveal each emoji one at a time on the screen.
Play: Reveal the emojis one at a time until the complete set is revealed or until students can guess the vocabulary word. For example, a farmer, fire, money, and military could be revealed to represent Shays’ Rebellion.
Adjust: This activity can also be completed by assigning students a set of words and having them create their own emoji collection slides. Teachers would need to review the picture banks before showing them to the class, but those could be used as a formative assessment to gauge student understanding.
Hot Seat
Prepare: Have a slideshow of words ready to be displayed or a board to write them on.
Play: Have a student sit in the front of the room with their back to the display or board where a word will be shown. This “hot seat” player should be the only student unable to see the word displayed. Other students take turns, one at a time, giving this “hot seat” student clues to guess the word. Clues for federalism might be “reserved powers,”, “concurrent powers,” or “state and federal.” for example. Give students a time limit (such as two minutes depending on the size of your class or if they are splitting into teams). Parameters can be given to make clues such as “rhymes with” or “opposite of” off limits.
Meet Your Match
Prepare: Make pairs of matching notecards of the words students have struggled with the most. For example, two cards that say, “categorical grants.”
Play: Distribute the cards, ensuring students cannot show their cards to anyone. Students are given a set time frame (based on their skill level or prior performance) to find the student with the matching word. However, they cannot use any part of their word. For example, students with the “”categorical grant”“ cards cannot use “category” or “grant.” Once students find their match, they can verify their word pair.
Word Bump
Prepare: Separate words into sets of three words. Each set of words must have a connection for students to find. Students do not need to find the same connection the teacher made, but at least one connection should be available.
Play: Students start with one set of words. They must “bump” one word out of that set, and explaining why they bumped it. This explanation should show why they keep the other words together and kick out that word. For example, students kept the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments together because they are both about voting, but “bumped” the Eighth because it banned cruel and unusual punishment. If the “bumped” word does not fit with the next set of words, they can “bump” it again, but it goes in the “bump lot.” Any word “bumped” more than once (or twice if teachers prefer, based on the number of word sets) during play goes to the “bump lot.” Since these words have been bumped multiple times, students might avoid them.
Adjust: Teachers can choose what happens to “bump lot” words. It might be possible for these “bumped” words to be grouped and explained. Have students illustrate these words, create emoji vocabulary hints, play Hot Seat, create Annotated Visual Slides, or whichever activity works best for these “bumped” words.
Group Think
Prepare: Have a slideshow of words ready to display or a board to write words on. Provide mini whiteboards, markers, and erasers for students. Split the class into multiple groups of three to five students.
Play: One member of each group faces away from the displayed word, which is shown to all others. Without conferring, all other group members write down one word (on their mini whiteboard) related to the corresponding vocab word displayed. For example, if the word was “executive branch,” possible related words might be “president,” “cabinet,” or “Article II.” All students reveal their mini-whiteboards to their group, except the guessing student, who still has their back turned. If two students have written the same word, both words get erased (this encourages students to think beyond the most apparent links). Finally, the first student turns around to view the remaining words and has one chance to guess the original word the teacher displayed. Repeat the process with a new student guessing and a new word.
Illustrated Telephone
Prepare: Divide the class into groups of equal numbers. Arrange desks into columns so that each group is seated in straight lines, and unable to see what the person in front of them is doing. At each desk, place a piece of paper, colored pencils, and a vocabulary card face down. Each group should have the same set of words, but each group member has a different word.
Play: Students will flip the card over to see the word and place it back face down, Player One at that desk will be the only player to know what word is at the desk to begin. While students work, pick up the cards. Give students a time limit (three to five3-5 minutes is a suggested start time, depending on your students) for each student to illustrate their original word. Only illustrations are allowed, no words or letters. At the end of the time, students rotate to the next desk in their group, continuing the drawing from where the previous student left off.
For each round, give students less time to illustrate since they are building off an already started piece. Once students have rotated to the final desk in the rotation, which would place them one desk away from where they started, they will guess the word based on the final illustration.
Build-A-Bingo
Prepare: Divide words evenly into groups based on the number of students.
Play: Assign students a set of vocabulary words to create 3-5 bingo clues for each word. The clues should not just be a definition but should, when read together, lead someone to the right “answer.” For example, clues for “formal powers” could be: “in the Constitution,” “”things the president has,” and “examples include vetoing legislation.” While “in the Constitution” is not especially helpful on its own, when paired with the other two clues, it becomes more useful.
Adjust: Once teacher-reviewed, students could play bingo with these clues. On a blank Bingo game board, each student writes enough vocabulary words without hints. The teacher calls out the student-created clues, and each student matches the hints with the correct word on their sheet.
Five Questions
Prepare: Create stacks of vocabulary cards or a digital spinner with vocabulary words displayed. Divide students into groups of 3-4 students.
Play: One student from each group draws a word from the stack or spinner. They do not share the word with the rest of the group. The other group members ask questions about the word to try to guess it. If they guess it correctly within five questions, they get a point. The number of questions allowed can be modified depending on the desired level of difficulty. Teachers can also set parameters for the types of questions allowed to be asked.