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Vocabulary mastery, Pictionary

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Activity Type: Build Fluency
Activity Form: Game
Grade: K, 1, 2, 3
Group Size: Small Group, Whole Class
Length:
Materials:
Goal: Given a clue (in this case a picture), the student can recall a recently learned vocabulary word
Items: Vocabulary words you have explicitly taught students this week

What to do

  1. Do you want to play a game? All right. I'm thinking of a new word we learned this week. I'm going to draw a picture of it and you have to guess the word. Whoever guesses first goes next. Ready?
  2. Select a vocabulary word that students have learned recently such as slender and draw a picture that represents the word. If students can't guess the word, say the sound of the first letter. If they still can't get the word, give them other clues such as: My aunt is very thin. If you saw her you might say she was...
  3. When a student guesses say: Right! Now can you tell me what slender means? Okay. Now it's your turn. Come here and I'll whisper a word for you to draw. Whisper a word to the student and ask them if they know what that word means. If not, tell them the child-friendly definition for that word. If they have trouble thinking of something to draw, give them a suggestion. If they have trouble drawing, ask them to act the word out.
  4. If a student offers another word that fits but wasn't the word you were looking for--eg, skinny--say: Great word! This picture does look like skinny. Can anyone think of another word it looks like? If you have a Word Wall or if students have a journal containing words they have learned, have them refer to it.
  5. Once they get the idea, ask students to think of their own words but tell you the word first (so you can make sure it is a recent vocabulary word). If a single student is very fast, appoint that student as Pictionary Leader and have them choose the words other students draw (so as to give other students a chance to guess).


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