Suggested Grades

3+

Objective

Students will focus on the key components of a word and will be encouraged to combine what they already know with what they just learned to the word’s definition. This is a good strategy to use when teaching vocabulary.

Method

• Photocopy, or have students draw, the following structure:
• Have student fill it in, first by writing the word out in the middle box.
  eg:
  
  • Word? Cumulus
  • What is it? a cloud
  • What is it like? heaping, flat base, puffy, castle-like tops
  • What are some examples? Cucumber Clouds, Cotton Ball Clouds, Alligator Clouds
• After completing the page, ask students to design their own definition based on all of the information written out.
  eg: A cumulus is a type of cloud that may be flat based, puffy, heaping, and/or have castle-like tops. Some examples of cumulus are Cucumber Clouds, Cotton Ball Clouds, and Alligator Clouds.