Vocabulary Development Strategies for Sixth Grade
1. Synonym/Definition Concentration:
Description: This activity can be used to prepare students for a test over a unit or a chapter. Two or three students can engage in this activity, or a teacher or a tutor can watch and encourage a student as he/she matches the terms.
Purpose: To have students match the word with its definition or synonym.
Directions: First read and discuss with students a story or informational book that includes new vocabulary. During the reading, explain any vocabulary word that students do not understand. After reading the story or informational book, choose 10 to 15 important words from the text and write them on square cards. Create an equal number of cards with a synonym or concise definition of each word. Turn all 20 to 30 cards face down. Have a student turn over the cards one by one and match the words with the correct synonym or definition.
Here is a sample of synonym/definition concentration cards for a unit on mythology.
Achilles Greek warrior who could be killed only by a wound to the heel.
Amazon Female Greek warriors who were powerfully built and ferocious.
Atlas Giant who could hold Earth and sky on his shoulders.
Cassandra Prophet in Troy whom no one believed.
Helen of Troy Daughter of Zeus and Leda.
Hercules Son of Zeus and Alcmene, who showed his strength doing the impossible.
Jason Greek hero who found the golden fleece of a magical ram.
Muses Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, each representing a different art.
Odysseus Greek, also called Ulysses.
Paris He killed Achilles with an arrow.
2. Word Expert Cards:
Description: Each student will have one or two words assigned to them.
Purpose: Encourages students to become an expert in a word and then to teach the word to peers.
*Directions: Before reading a story, novel, or content area passages, teachers choose new key words and assign one or two words to each student. The student looks up each word's definition, states the definition in their own word(s), find synonyms and antonyms, and uses the words in a sentence. The student will then show you their definition of the word(s), the synonyms and antonyms they've found. Once you approve their answers, give each student a 4 X 6 index card and instruct the students to fold it in half so it resembles a booklet. On the cover of the index card they write the word in large print and illustrate it. On the inside of the index card the students write the definition, synonym, antonym, and the sentence. On the back of the index card the students write their name and the title of the story, novel, or content area passage. The students will then teach their word(s) to their classmates.
* An effective model is to form groups of three or four students, with each taking turns teaching their word(s) to their classmates. The students can then rotate to different groups until everyone has taught their word(s) to the entire class. As a review you can create a handout with each student's word, definition, synonym, antonym, and sentence for the class to have.
Description: This activity can be used to prepare students for a test over a unit or a chapter. Two or three students can engage in this activity, or a teacher or a tutor can watch and encourage a student as he/she matches the terms.
Purpose: To have students match the word with its definition or synonym.
Directions: First read and discuss with students a story or informational book that includes new vocabulary. During the reading, explain any vocabulary word that students do not understand. After reading the story or informational book, choose 10 to 15 important words from the text and write them on square cards. Create an equal number of cards with a synonym or concise definition of each word. Turn all 20 to 30 cards face down. Have a student turn over the cards one by one and match the words with the correct synonym or definition.
Here is a sample of synonym/definition concentration cards for a unit on mythology.
Achilles Greek warrior who could be killed only by a wound to the heel.
Amazon Female Greek warriors who were powerfully built and ferocious.
Atlas Giant who could hold Earth and sky on his shoulders.
Cassandra Prophet in Troy whom no one believed.
Helen of Troy Daughter of Zeus and Leda.
Hercules Son of Zeus and Alcmene, who showed his strength doing the impossible.
Jason Greek hero who found the golden fleece of a magical ram.
Muses Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, each representing a different art.
Odysseus Greek, also called Ulysses.
Paris He killed Achilles with an arrow.
2. Word Expert Cards:
Description: Each student will have one or two words assigned to them.
Purpose: Encourages students to become an expert in a word and then to teach the word to peers.
*Directions: Before reading a story, novel, or content area passages, teachers choose new key words and assign one or two words to each student. The student looks up each word's definition, states the definition in their own word(s), find synonyms and antonyms, and uses the words in a sentence. The student will then show you their definition of the word(s), the synonyms and antonyms they've found. Once you approve their answers, give each student a 4 X 6 index card and instruct the students to fold it in half so it resembles a booklet. On the cover of the index card they write the word in large print and illustrate it. On the inside of the index card the students write the definition, synonym, antonym, and the sentence. On the back of the index card the students write their name and the title of the story, novel, or content area passage. The students will then teach their word(s) to their classmates.
* An effective model is to form groups of three or four students, with each taking turns teaching their word(s) to their classmates. The students can then rotate to different groups until everyone has taught their word(s) to the entire class. As a review you can create a handout with each student's word, definition, synonym, antonym, and sentence for the class to have.