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Lesson 2 -- Password--Vocabulary Review (middle school, all subjects)

To generate the list of words to play the original vocabulary game, have students enter single words (at first) as queries into a search engine, looking for related keywords in the snippets. If necessary, Snippet Sleuth or Snowsport II could be used to introduce the idea of reading snippets for important clues.

The original objective, to list words that relate to vocabulary words, is preserved and augmented by gaining experience using a search engine and mining snippets to find targeted vocabulary.

Summary of Changes

Original Lesson: Password -- Vocabulary Review

Adapted Lesson

GRADE LEVEL: Appropriate for all grades and all subject areas.  
OBJECTIVE(s): 1. Reinforce vocabulary. 2. Identify synonyms and antonyms for vocabulary words. 3. List words that relate to vocabulary words. 4. Develop appropriate social interactions. 5. Have fun.  
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: Have students write definitions for vocabulary words used in a unit in any subject area (maybe 5 to 10 words per week). After they have compiled several lists, have them as a group make lists of words that are synonyms, antonyms or relate to each word in some way. This may take more than one day.

Generate a list of words to play this vocabulary game by having students use single words (at first) as queries, looking for related words in the snippets. If necessary, Snippet Sleuth could be used to introduce the idea of reading snippets for important clues.

Example: In a oceanography unit you may have the word current. One definition might be: a large portion of water moving in a certain direction. The following might be a list of words the students generate that relates to the word: CURRENT water stream rip (currents) flow swirl longshore (currents) convection meandering Peruvian undertow wind upwelling surface course Gulf (as in Gulf Stream) wave torrent ocean movement eddy sailing tide surge

Based on the example of CURRENT, here are the results of entering only that word into Google:

• electric, density, ocean, velocity, hydrographic.

The majority of results are for the "now" meaning of current. Words more closely related to science subjects may be found by including a second word, e.g., ocean current. Now the results include:

• mounds, water, flow, basins, Gyres, atmospheric, circulation, surface, warm, motion, wind, tides, gravity, Gulf Stream, climate, temperature

TO PLAY: Put each vocabulary word on a 2 x 1 card. Divide the class in two teams. Have one person from each team sit in a chair at the front of the class. Give them one of the words on the cards. Each student in turn gives a clue to the word on the card to their respective team. Give the team a few seconds to discuss the clue and to come up with the answer. If someone shouts out an answer that is the one that is taken. Continue until the correct word is guessed. If a team guesses on the first try it is worth ten points. Each time there is an incorrect guess the value is reduced by one point. After the word had been guessed change students and give a new word.  
REFERENCE: Landry, Dede. "Password Vocabulary Review ." www.col-ed.org: Columbia Education Center 25 January 2007 < http://www.col-ed.org/cur/lang/lang68.txt >.

 

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