Test Prep: Vocabulary Games
 Vocabulary Word of the Day Pocket Chart While you may not be able to predict exactly which vocabulary words will be on the tests your students will have to take, you can expand their vocabulary to help better their chances. Take the words that you have been studying all year and use them in the following activities. The vocabulary review games below are perfect to use with your entire class, or with small groups.
Class-Libs Playing off of the familiar fill-in-the-blank concept, create Class Libs for your students. Fill it with as many creative blanks as you can. Students’ knowledge of adjectives, adverbs, nouns, verbs, and pronouns can all get a workout as they work with a small group, or individually to complete their story. Create a list of all of the words used and link the ones that have the same meaning. Students will quickly be able to see how there are many different ways to describe something. This is a great filler activity for those days when rain keeps everyone indoors.  Antonym Card Game Level 1 Opposites Attract Create a list of antonym pairs. You will need one word for each student. Write the words on index cards and tape one to each child’s back. The students must then ask yes or no questions to figure out what their word is. Once they have discovered the word, they must find the student who has the word that means the opposite of theirs. Use easier words for lower grades, and more challenging words for middle school students. Try pairs of action verbs, adjectives or nouns to add variety to the activity. If your students are strong with antonym recognition, use synonym pairs instead. Vocabulary Jeopardy Begin by grouping words in ways that you can ask questions about them. For example, you could have a category called “Words That Begin with Bl-” and include only vocabulary words that begin with those letters. The clues would then by the definition of the word. If you do not have a Jeopardy style board, you can use a pocket chart to hold the index cards that have the clues written on them. Let students play as individuals or as teams. This is a great, fun Friday activity that will keep vocabulary words on their minds all weekend long. Making sure your students are well prepared for tests is a huge responsibility and undertaking. How do you expand and reinforce their vocabulary throughout the school year? Share your ideas with us below! Check out the really good vocabulary materials at Really Good Stuff! |
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Commented On March 16th, 2011 12:32 pm
Great ideas! I’m always looking fir fun ways to jazz up vocabulary lessons and these fit the bill!
Commented On March 16th, 2011 4:37 pm
Great ideas!
Commented On March 17th, 2011 9:33 pm
Vocabulary is definitely something that I think every classroom can improve on! That pocket chart is one of my FAVS and is totally on my wish list!!
Commented On March 20th, 2011 9:31 pm
Since I teach the state mandated ESL 4 Hour block (for 1st grade), I have to teach 1 hour of vocabulary every day. o_O (I can understand where vocab is important … but by the end of the week, teachers have to get creative to teach it for 1 hour – especially to the little ones … AND if you don’t have an interactive whiteboard!
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For those teachers that have an interactive whiteboard, you can play Jeopardy with the vocabulary words: hide the word and show the definition. For those that don’t have the interactive whiteboards, you can make a jeopardy board on a thick poster board. Use library pockets (placed in columns) to hold index cards that have the clues on them. (clues on 1 side, answer on the opposite side)
Since I have 1st grade, we make flash cards each week so they can quiz each other before taking them home. Word on one side, picture on the other. (And I use Google images to find the pictures.) I cut 3×5 index cards in 1/2 to make the flash cards. The students write the words and glue the pictures. Then I go around and hole punch the cards and they use a chenille stick (cut in 1/2) to put through the holes and make a “ring”. Then their flash cards are together, on a “ring”, and ready to practice for the week.
I also make memory cards using the vocabulary words (like the game) – and (we work on a 5 day week with our reading program) on days 3 and 4 the students play memory with the vocabulary words. (On day 5, I mix in the previous weeks words to the game.)
We also do Vocabulary Frames. It’s a way of using their vocabulary word in a complete sentence.
) and they plug in their vocabulary word and what it’s used for. Then they draw a matching picture. (Kagan strategy! 
) Then they find a partner, read their sentence, and show their picture. I let them walk and share for approx. 5 minutes.
Ex: “This is a _____ and it is used for ______.” or “You can tell this/that is a ______ because it has _____.” I have the “frame” of the sentence on the board (remember that I have 1st graders
I also have my students draw pictures to match the word (This is on day 1 or 2). That shows me if they understand the word. (For those of you using Kagan – this also works well with shoulder partners or face partners. They work together to draw the pictures – students are working together AND using verbal skills.)
Commented On March 21st, 2011 2:47 am
I also have my students draw me a picture of the word and write a sentence. The picture really helps them understand the meaning. We also play bingo. I read the definition and they mark the word. My students really like this game.