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A resource center for teachers to enhance learning through integrating movement, exploration and mindfulness into classroom lessons. Many of the activities can be adapted to be used on a playground, at home, in the boardroom and beyond.
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Vocab Zoom
Short description of activity: Create a story sentence-by-sentence using information from the person before you and vocabulary words
Type of activity: Energizer, Content review
Minimum Time Needed for Activity: 15 Min
Grade Level: 1st – 12th
Subject Area: ELA
Materials:
- Vocabulary words on index cards or posted in a place where everyone can see.
- For lower grades, use sight words or Top 150 written words list
- Optional: Cards with images or drawings on them (clip art, Pictureka © , Apples to Apples © Picture Version, etc.)
Set up:
- If using vocabulary words on cards and/or picture cards, distribute to each student.
Play:
- Have students stand in a circle or semicircle. Teacher or volunteer student begins a story, one to two sentences, that incorporates at least one correctly-used vocabulary word (and image if using images). Sometimes using images helps a student with story creation.
- Next student continues the story in a logical sequence using their vocabulary word and/or image.
- Play continues until each student has used their word or until all words from the list of vocabulary words have been used.
Variations:
- Words and images can also be posted on a “word wall” so that students can choose as it is their turn.
- Words/images can be moved once used so they are used. Decide together if they can be used again or if they are “one and done.”
- Students may remain at their desks to make transition time shorter
- Instead of images, have a bag of small objects or parts of objects to be incorporated into the story.
- Have students retell the plot of the book the class is reading or the lesson just taught using vocabulary words.
- Visit https://sightwords.com/ for resources to generate downloadable tools.
Standards:
ELA Standards > Speaking and Listening> Comprehension and Collaboration; Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
ELA Standards > Language> Conventions of Standard English; Knowledge of Language; Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
ELA Standards > Standard 10: Range, Quality, & Complexity > Staying on Topic Within a Grade & Across Grades