Hands On Approach To Vocabulary

Hands on learning tasks are perfect for this time of year. The closer we get to New Year's Day, the more distracted our students become. Here are three ideas for teaching vocabulary through movement and interactive activities. 

Have students go on a vocab hunt around the room! Hide the pictures or words high and low to get students moving in different ways.

Once students have found all of the pictures, we do a group sorting activity. We use multiple pictures to illustrate the word. Using multiple images for a vocab word helps students be flexible in their thinking about a vocabulary word. 

Another way to keep students engaged is to have them stand. We use pocket charts tasks and centers to get students up.

Students at this center are matching the picture to the correct verb.  Students are also able to read the book that works on the same verbs. Being able to decide which activity and the pace of the task, encourages students to participate and attend.

Another way to keep students interested in learning is make it interactive. Have students go on a vocabulary word hunt in a magazine or ad. Students then cut and glue the picture or word on to a board. This activity is extremely easy to customize to best fit your classroom. 

Ideas to customize the task:

1. Have students with poor fine motor or attending skills work to make a group collage of the words or vocabulary. This will cut down on the amount of cutting and pictures each student needs to find. 
2. Increase the rigor by having students finding pictures to illustrate multiple meanings of a vocabulary word.
3. After students find the pictures or words, have students sort them by type. For example, noun, verb, adjective, etc. 

I hope you have found some new ideas on getting students engaged in learning vocabulary!

Here are links to the sets used in the pictures above:

Group sort picture: Apples & Pumpkins Unit

Pocket chart & book picture: Winter Verbs Set