Thirty-Second+Vocab

Kristina Kautz #12


 * //Strategy name//**: Thirty-Second Vocabulary

(can be adjusted to fit any grade level)
 * //Student appropriate grade levels//**: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12


 * //Tags//**: pre-reading, vocabulary, linguistic, kinesthetic, interpersonal, spatial, musical

(can be used with any content area's word lists, lists generated from literature circles, and/or lists taken from published vocabulary books)
 * //Content areas//**: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science


 * //Type of Strategy//**: reading, vocabulary


 * //Types of Students//**: General, linguistic, kinesthetic, interpersonal, spatial, musical, ELL, high achievers, low achievers

First, the teacher introduces each word to ensure correct pronunciation and context. The students then select a word from the list that they must teach to their classmates in no fewer than thirty seconds and no more than three minutes. Students will teach the word by preparing an artifact or perfomance that they think will best portray their word. For example, a student can choose to do any of the following: song, dance, game, banner, debate, list, photgraph, experiment, poem, illustration, video, costume, puppet show, sculpture, time line, skit, joke, demonstration, chart, rap, newscast, musical piece, riddle, pantomine, advertisement, scrapbook, painting, story, etc. Students are allowed to have others help them in their presentations but only the student presenting the word will be graded. In order to ensure accurate use and pronunciation of the word, each student must, at some point in his/her presentation, pronounce the word correctly, give the word's definition, and tell what part of speech the word is.
 * //Strategy Description//**:

As a pre-reading strategy for //The Great Gatsby,// create a list of words (which can be found on the internet or using your own judgement) that you find to be imporant and/or challenging. Present them to the class and explain their significance, then let the class free. This activity can take a few class meetings to complete because the amount of time given to prepare is up to your discression. The results will vary but will always be intriguing, which will help the students remember the words. For example, a student could have the entrire class doing the Hokey Pokey in //unison;// another student could have us watching a Barbie Doll //plummet// off a cliff; and the class could meet a student's pet goat that he brought to school and //tethered// to my desk.
 * //Strategy implementation example//**: