Letter from a Birmingham Jail Vocabulary Activity

Activity Overview

Another great way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that use vocabulary from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” Here is a list of a few vocabulary words commonly taught with the letter, and an example of a visual vocabulary board.

Example Vocabulary Words from “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

negotiation
self-purification
civil disobedience
moral
moderate
oppression
demonstrator
segregate
tension
scintillate
categorize
humiliate
precipitate
commend
relegate
integrating
sanctimonious

In the vocabulary board, students can choose between coming up with their use of the vocabulary word, finding a specific example from the text, or depicting it without words.

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Template and Class Instructions

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Student Instructions

Demonstrate your understanding of the vocabulary words in Letter from a Birmingham Jail by creating visualizations.

Choose three vocabulary words from the story and type them in the title boxes.
Find the definition in a print or online dictionary.
Write a sentence that uses the vocabulary word.
Illustrate the meaning of the word in the cell using a combination of scenes, characters, and items.

Alternatively, use Photos for Class to show the meaning of the words with the search bar.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 9-12

Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)

Type of Assignment Individual

Type of Activity: Visual Vocabulary Boards

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Rubric

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Visual Vocabulary Assignment

Define, illustrate, and give an example sentence for any three vocabulary words.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Word 1 - Sentence	Vocabulary word is used correctly in the example sentence in both meaning and context.	The meaning of the sentence can be understood, but the vocabulary word is used awkwardly or in the wrong context.	The vocabulary word is not used correctly in the example sentence.
Word 1 - Visualization	The storyboard cell clearly illustrates the meaning of the vocabulary word.	The storyboard cell relates to the meaning of the vocabulary word, but is difficult to understand.	The storyboard cell does not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary word.
Word 2 - Sentence	Vocabulary word is used correctly in the example sentence in both meaning and context.	The meaning of the sentence can be understood, but the vocabulary word is used awkwardly or in the wrong context.	The vocabulary word is not used correctly in the example sentence.
Word 2 - Visualization	The storyboard cell clearly illustrates the meaning of the vocabulary word.	The storyboard cell relates to the meaning of the vocabulary word, but is difficult to understand.	The storyboard cell does not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary word.
Word 3 - Sentence	Vocabulary word is used correctly in the example sentence in both meaning and context.	The meaning of the sentence can be understood, but the vocabulary word is used awkwardly or in the wrong context.	The vocabulary word is not used correctly in the example sentence.
Word 3 - Visualization	The storyboard cell clearly illustrates the meaning of the vocabulary word.	The storyboard cell relates to the meaning of the vocabulary word, but is difficult to understand.	The storyboard cell does not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary word.