Another great way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that use vocabulary from A Raisin in the Sun. Here is a list of a few vocabulary words commonly taught with the play, and an example of a visual vocabulary board.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Demonstrate your understanding of the vocabulary words in A Raisin in the Sun by creating visualizations.
Set up your classroom for vocabulary board work by arranging materials and grouping students appropriately. Clear structure helps students stay focused and engaged while working on their projects.
Demonstrate how to choose words, write sentences, and make illustrations. Visual examples clarify expectations and inspire student creativity.
Encourage students to link vocabulary words to central ideas or characters in A Raisin in the Sun. This deepens understanding and makes the words more memorable.
Have students present their boards to each other and offer constructive comments. Peer feedback promotes confidence and builds community.
Lead a class discussion highlighting effective examples and addressing common mistakes. Whole-group review reinforces learning and ensures clarity for all students.
A vocabulary board for A Raisin in the Sun is a visual tool where students define, use in a sentence, and illustrate key vocabulary words from the play, helping reinforce understanding through creative engagement.
To create a visual vocabulary board, select key words from the play, have students find definitions, write example sentences, and illustrate each word using drawings or images—either by hand, digitally, or with resources like Photos for Class.
Vocabulary boards make abstract terms concrete, support diverse learning styles, and encourage students to engage with the play’s language, deepening comprehension and retention of key concepts.
Some key vocabulary words from A Raisin in the Sun include assimilationist, doggedly, catastrophe, furtively, bastion, defer, exasperated, vindicated, permeate, stupor, fester, disheveled, slur, erratic, muffle, vengeance, and feeble.
The best way is to have students create scenes or find images that show the word’s meaning, pairing visuals with definitions and example sentences, so abstract words become relatable and memorable.