TLED 408: Vocabulary Activity Assignment

For this assignment you will develop activities to introduce, teach, and reinforce vocabulary for
your unit plan for a specific grade level, discipline, and both content and literacy standards.
Using your knowledge of vocabulary activities and their impact on vocabulary knowledge and
student independence, clearly outline the activities you will use within your unit. Upon
completing the unit, students should be independent users of the vocabulary words.

Grade Level, Content Area, and Theme: Grade 2, Science, Solar System

Standards/Learning Objectives:

▪ English Standard 2.12: The student will write stories, letters, and simple explanations.
 a) Generate ideas before writing.
 b) Expand writing to include descriptive detail.
 c) Revise writing for clarity.
▪ English Standard 2.13: The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
▪ English Standard 2.14: The student will use available technology for reading and writing.
▪ Science Standard 4.7: The student will investigate and understand the organization of the
solar system. Key concepts include
 a) the planets in the solar system;
 b) the order of the planets in the solar system; and
 c) the relative sizes of the planets.

Vocabulary Words and Rationale: List 10-15 vocabulary words and their definitions for your
unit plan. Provide a short rationale for choosing these vocabulary words.

1. Solar System: The Sun together with the eight planets, their moons, and all other bodies
that orbit it
2. Orbit: The curved path of a celestial object or spacecraft around a star, planet, or moon
3. Celestial Object: A natural object which is located in space
4. Planet: A large celestial object that has become rounded due to its gravity and has cleared
its nearby region of other smaller objects; orbits the sun
5. Dwarf Planet: A celestial body that is large enough to become rounded from its own
gravity but has not cleared its orbital region of other objects
6. Pluto: A dwarf planet that was once considered a planet; farthest from the sun
7. Mercury: The smallest planet in our Solar System; closest to the sun
8. Venus: Brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon; second planet from the sun
9. Earth: Only world known to support life; third planet from the sun
10. Mars: Red planet; fourth from the sun
11. Jupiter: Largest planet in our solar system; fifth from the sun
12. Saturn: Planet with large rings; sixth from the sun
13. Uranus: Big blue-green planet; seventh from the sun
14. Neptune: Big blue planet; “gas giant”; eighth from the sun
 15. Size: A thing's overall dimensions or magnitude; how big something is
16. Temperature: The degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object

I chose these vocabulary words because I think it will help the students learn information for
their final project. The students are going to be required to find the size and temperature of their
planet, so I figure they need to know exactly what those mean. Some of the words within
definitions may be difficult for students to understand, so I added those words to the vocabulary
list to help them with definitions. For example, the word ‘celestial’ is in the definition for ‘orbit’,
but some students may not know what it means. Therefore, I added the word ‘celestial’ to the
vocabulary list so they can better understand the definition for ‘orbit’. I will also be teaching the
students that Pluto is no longer a planet, so I think they need to know what separates a dwarf
planet from an actual planet. The “definitions” I have provided for each planet contain the
distance from the sun they are, along with a quick fact that may help the students decipher
between all of them.

Introducing Vocabulary Activity:

Activity Overview & Rationale:

The vocabulary will be introduced through the KIM strategy graphic organizer. Using the
smartboard, I will upload the vocabulary words one at a time and ask the students to fill out their
KIM organizer. The first section is “K.” This means key word. In the first section, students will
write down the vocabulary word that I have posted on the board. “I” is the second section and
means information. In this section, students will write any and all information they know, or
think they know, about the vocabulary word. In the next section, which will be added by the
teacher, the students will need to read through their books to find the actual definitions or facts.
When they are finished, they will complete the last section, “M,” which stands for memory clue.
In this section, students will draw something that reminds them of the vocabulary word. This
activity will present the new words to the students, familiarize them with writing the words, see
what they already know about the words, and allow them to get a head start on learning the
words.

Materials:

• Smart Board
• Books
• Pencils
• Graphic Organizer
• Colored Pencils

Instructional Steps:

1. TTW hand out one KIM organizer to each student.

2. TTW put one vocabulary word up on the board an instruct the students to copy it into the
first section.
 3. TTW encourage the students to write anything they can think of pertaining to that word
in the second section.
4. TTW continue steps 2 and 3 until all vocabulary words have been placed on the board.
5. TSW then search through their books to find information on their vocabulary words and
fill in the third section.
6. When finished, TSW draw and color (optional) an image in the last section that reminds
them of the vocabulary word.

Differentiation:

For those who may struggle with reading and comprehension, or ESL students, the list of
vocabulary words may be given prior to the introduction, as a way for those students to
familiarize themselves with the words a little bit more than just in the short class period.

Key Word Information Text Memory Clue

Information

This is just an example of what the chart would look like. For all vocabulary words
this could be put in a packet on a few sheets of paper and stapled.
Teaching Vocabulary Activity:

Activity Overview & Rationale:

The activity that will be used to teach vocabulary is similar to the game ‘Heads Up.’ Each
student will be given an index card with a vocabulary word written on it. They will be required
to hold the card up to their head so they cannot see their word, but the other students can. Like
inner-outer circle discussions, the class will be split into two groups: one inner circle and one
outer circle. The students in the outer circle will rotate around the inner circle until every person
has seen each other. Before each rotation, students will need to try to describe/explain, or act out,
the word on the other person’s card without using the vocabulary term. The opening activity
should have done a little bit of introducing what the vocabulary is, enough so the students can
attempt to describe the words. This is a learning activity, after all.

Materials:

• Index cards
• Vocabulary List
• Marker

Instructional Steps:

1. TTW write one vocabulary word on each index card and pass one out face down to each
student
2. Using a counting method, TTW create pairs of students
3. TTW instruct one child from each pair to join the inner circle and one to join the outer
circle
4. TTW give each student 1 minute to try and explain their partner’s card
5. When the timer starts, the inner circle students will begin describing the outer circle
students’ cards.
6. When the timer ends after one minute, it will be the outer students’ turn.
7. After two minutes have passed, the outer circle will rotate to the left one time.
8. The process will continue until each student is back in their original pair.

Differentiation:

For those who may be unable to hold their cards up to their head, they may use a makeshift
headband. For those who need to use a makeshift headband because they cannot hold it, and do
not like things to be on their head, they can use a paper clip to clip the index card to their shirt.

Students with limited mobility can be part of the inner circle so they are not required to move
around a lot. Students with hyperactivity can be part of the outer circle so they have more
freedom to move.
Reinforcing Vocabulary Activity:

Activity Overview & Rationale:

The reinforcement activity that will be used is a simple review activity that can be used as a class
warm up. Known as “That’s Me!” this vocabulary activity finds the teacher reading a definition
aloud and the students standing up and shouting “That’s Me” if the term that matches the
definition is on their index card. Each student may be given a different term, or more than one
student can have the same term. In that case, more than one student would need to stand and
shout. If two people stand but have different vocabulary words on their card, it will give the
students a chance to explain why they think their word is correct. This activity tests the students’
knowledge and allows them to review as they listen to their classmates.

Materials:

• Index cards
• Marker

Instructional Steps:

1. TTW write one vocabulary word on each index card. On another set of index cards, TTW
repeat so there are at least 2 cards with the same vocabulary terms on them for each term.
2. TTW hand one index card to each student as they walk into the classroom.
3. If there are extra cards, TTW continue passing them out to those who may need the extra
help or who could really use reinforcement.
4. TTW stand at the front of the class and begin describing or giving the definition of a
term.
5. When a student believes they have that term, they will stand and shout “That’s Me!”
followed with the term on their card.

Differentiation:

Students with limited mobility will still be encouraged to shout, “That’s Me!” even if they cannot
stand. Students who are nonverbal, do not prefer to speak, or have a speech impediment that
makes them not want to shout in front of the classroom can simply stand and hold their card over
their head. Another student can read the term off their card so the teacher can determine whether
it’s correct.

Pictures can also be used aside from simply saying the description aloud. This way students with
hearing impairments can get an idea of what term is being described.
 Vocabulary Activity Assignment Rubric

Points Possible
Grade Level, The student specifies the grade level, content area, and
Content Area, theme the unit will cover. The precise learning objectives
Theme, and that will be addressed by the unit are identified for both
Standards literacy and the discipline. .5

Vocabulary The student lists 10-15 vocabulary words and their

Words and definitions. The student clearly explains the rationale for 1
Rationale choosing these words.
Introducing The student provides a clear overview and rationale for
Vocabulary using this activity. The student clearly outlines the
Activity materials and provides a completed sample. The student 1
outlines all of the steps for the activity. The student clearly
explains differentiation options for this activity.
Teaching The student provides a clear description of the materials
Vocabulary used in this activity. The student creates all of the materials 1
Activity needed for the students to successfully complete the
activity.
Reinforcing The student outlines all of the instructional steps for the
Vocabulary comprehension activity. There is a clear beginning, middle 1
Activity and end to the activity.
Format The assignment is presented using the bold headings
provided. There are no formatting or spelling errors. It is
.5
written in 12pt black font.

Total _____/5
Points
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