Another great way to engage your students is creating a storyboard that uses vocabulary. Here is a list of a few vocabulary words commonly taught with Johnny Tremain and an example of a visual vocabulary board.
In the vocabulary board, students can choose between coming up with their own use of the vocabulary word, finding the specific example from the text, or depicting it without words.
(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 Johnny Tremain by creating visualizations.
Adapt visual vocabulary tasks to suit varied student needs by offering multiple ways to demonstrate understanding. Scaffold with sentence starters, provide word banks, or allow digital and hand-drawn illustrations so every learner can participate confidently.
Invite students to pick vocabulary words that interest them or feel challenging. Empowering choice increases engagement and makes learning more meaningful.
Demonstrate by building an example board together, thinking aloud as you define words, write sentences, and select images. Visual modeling clarifies expectations and supports all learning styles.
Pair students to exchange boards and provide constructive feedback on vocabulary use, sentence quality, and illustrations. Peer review builds communication skills and deepens understanding.
Showcase finished boards in the classroom or digitally. Celebrating student work fosters pride and motivates continued effort with vocabulary activities.
A Johnny Tremain visual vocabulary board is an activity where students choose vocabulary words from the novel and illustrate their meanings using scenes, characters, or images. This helps students understand and remember the words in context.
Visual vocabulary boards let students pick vocabulary words, find their definitions, write example sentences, and create illustrations or select photos that represent the word's meaning. This approach strengthens comprehension and engagement with the text.
Common Johnny Tremain vocabulary words include apprentice, artisan, wharf, seditious, gallows, and tyranny. These words are often used to reinforce historical and literary terms in the story.
Visual vocabulary helps middle school students connect new words to images, making abstract terms more concrete, improving retention, and supporting diverse learning styles in grades 6–8.
Students can use storyboard templates, drawing tools, or online resources like Photos for Class to depict vocabulary meanings visually. Digital or paper methods work for creating effective boards.