[SaraFirst]

Does anyone have any game/activity ideas for helping build students' vocabulary? We have weekly vocabulary words with our reading series, but I'm looking to add more ideas. Thanks.

[joybells]

My children love to write their vocabulary words on their white boards. I went to Lowes and bought a sheet of white paneling that is often used in bathrooms. I had them cut it in half so I could get it home and then my husband cut them up in 9 X 12 boards. I gave them each a board, a piece of wash cloth and a dry erase marker. Most of the vocabulary words can be written phonetically so I usually say the word, we talk about how many sounds it has, then I show them with my fingers how many letters it has. For example cow would have two sounds but I would put up three fingers with the fingers representing the ow sound together. Then we would talk about what makes the "ow" sound. Then they would write it. After we write it once I have them erase it and then tell them to write it again. I have one or two use it in a sentence. Later, I use the words in sentences on either sentence strips or chart paper, covering up the vocabulary words. We read the story or sentences and try to figure out what word is behind the card. One of my centers is to use the words in sentences.
Another teacher just showed me "Sorry" She wrote the words on popsicle sticks and put them in a container along with one stick which has the word sorry on it. The first player takes a stick out of the container, says the word, spells it and then hands the stick to the next player. The next player holds the stick while the first child spells the word on a white board. If the first child spells it correctly he/she keeps the stick. The play continues until one child pulls the sorry stick. When the sorry stick is pulled, the child that pulls it must put all their sticks back in the container. Play continues until time is called.

They also love to play memory with them. We have little booklets that go with our reading series. I distribute them along with a highlighter for the children to find the vocabulary words.

I have also taped word cards to the table and put a clear plastic over the top. I use a die and markers. The children chose their color marker. The first player rolls the die and move their marker that number of spaces. If they can say the word and use it in a sentence they may stay there, if not they have to go back.

Hope this helps. I will be interested to see other ideas.

[SaraFirst]

Thanks! Those games sound good for sight words. What about harder words, that I want students to know the meaning of, rather than how to spell them? Any ideas?

[joybells]

The reading coaches in our county sent out a fact sheet on the topic of vocabulary. They recommend using text talk with read aloud books designed for k - 4th. http:www.scholastic.com Engaging the student in word awareness, in conversation, asking and answering questions, choral reading and word building. Semantic mapping/webbing to help with limited background knowledge of words. Write the key word or phrase from the reading selection. Have students think of as many words as they know that relate to this key idea. Write the words on the sides of the board. Ask students to group words into logical categories and labl each category. Encourage the students to debate/discuss the choce of category for each word. Have the students read the text selection and repeat the process adding new words and categories. Word sorting seems to be mentioned a lot. Antonyms, synonyms, roots, similies, metaphors, Frayer Model Graphic Organizer which is created by placing the word in the center of four squares. In the upper right square write the word definition, in the upper left write characteristics, in the bottom left write examples and in the bottom right square write non-examples.

Stephens Vocabulary Elaboration (SVE) Individual word journals with student words and definitions written in the students' own words.

some websites: http://www.vocabulary.co.il/index_main.php
http://www.how-to-study.com/
httP://www.studygs.net/vocabulary.htm
www.fekids.com/kln/games/wordjungle/
http://www.manatee.k12/fl/us/sites/e...ola/ps2syn.htm
www.freevocabulary.com/

[SaraFirst]

Thanks! I'll check the sites out.

[Starrla]

What wonderful ideas! I can't wait to implement sorry and others!
Thanks!