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Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan
Internalization of Vocabulary Through the Use of a Word Map
Grades | 6 – 8 |
Lesson Plan Type | Standard Lesson |
Estimated Time | One or two 45-minute sessions |
Lesson Author |
Churchville, Pennsylvania |
Publisher |
Student Assessment/Reflections
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
To strengthen vocabulary acquisition skills, the student will
- Complete a word map for vocabulary, following the eight prescribed steps
- Increase retention of selected vocabulary by making a personal connection to the word
- Demonstrate internalization of vocabulary by writing an original sentence using the word
- Reflect upon various vocabulary methods and the feasibility of independently using this method
Instruction and Activities
1. | Activate students' prior knowledge by discussing big game hunting. Do students know anyone in their families who consider hunting a sport? Have they seen any television shows or movies where hunting is portrayed in a positive or negative way? How do they feel about hunting? Do they think of it as a sport? |
2. | Inform students that they will be reading a short story about hunting. While reading, they will have an opportunity to use and assess a new way of learning vocabulary—by using a vocabulary word map. |
3. | Have students list (on the board or overhead) familiar approaches to learning vocabulary. Approaches may include flash cards, crossword puzzles, acting out word meanings (kinesthetic approach), or writing definitions from the dictionary. Using tally marks, survey the class about their comfort level with these methods and their attitudes toward vocabulary activities. |
4. | To demonstrate the importance of a strong vocabulary, ask two teams of students to describe a big game animal. Team A may use only five words to describe the animal. Team B may use an unlimited number of words. |
5. | As teams collaborate, point out the use of various senses in approaching this task. The choice of only five words for Team A will be more challenging and require strong sensory vocabulary words. |
6. | Bring the whole class together, and have groups compare their experiences while working on this activity. Team collaboration will play a key role, particularly for Team A, because each student in the group will have contributed different associations and examples of descriptive words for the big game animal before reaching a consensus. |
7. | Review with students the possibility of categorizing vocabulary words in two ways: words that are brand new and familiar words with new meanings. |
8. | As an example, present the word harbor, which should be a familiar word for students. Ask students to write a brief definition of the word and use it in their own sentences. |
9. | Then direct students to page 9 of the printed copy of "The Most Dangerous Game." Ask students to locate the word harbor on that page. After reading the sentence and paragraph in which the word appears, ask students if their written definitions fit this context. |
10. | Using the overhead word map template and the think-aloud method, model the eight steps by completing a word map for harbor. [The sample word map can be used as reference.]
|
11. | Elicit critical thinking skills by asking students why the sequence of these steps is important. |
12. | Determine if additional modeling of the approach is necessary. |
13. | When students grasp the procedure, have them create their own word map for another preselected vocabulary word (see sample vocabulary words from "The Most Dangerous Game") or a student-selected word encountered while reading the text. Be available to assist students who are struggling and provide verbal prompting if necessary. |
14. | Have students pair-share their completed maps and engage in a discussion particularly about step #7, their personal connections to the words. As students explain, they will be activating and verbalizing their background knowledge and reinforcing their understanding of the words. |
15. | For closure, ask students to generate a journal response to the following prompt:
"Describe the vocabulary word map method, and reflect on how and when you might use this method." |
EXTENSIONS
- Students could work on self-selected vocabulary, using their word maps to create vocabulary booklets.
- Particularly for those middle schools that employ the teaming approach, this method could be used and reinforced in other content areas, such as science, health, and social studies using expository text.
- Explore online dictionaries (e.g., Dictionary.com or Word Central) for their ease-of-use. Students who have difficulty locating entries in a traditional dictionary may be more motivated to use an online version. Students with visual perception difficulties are sometimes overwhelmed by "all the words on a page" in traditional dictionaries. Online dictionaries eliminate this factor.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT/REFLECTIONS
- Word map rubric for self-assessment, peer-assessment, and teacher-assessment
- Students' use of vocabulary during discussions and other follow-up activities related to the short story "The Most Dangerous Game"
- Student reflection through journaling