Another great way to engage your students is with storyboards that use vocabulary from the Out of my Mind book. Have students research the definition using online dictionaries. Once the proper definition for the context in which it is used in the book is found, create a three-cell spider map. One cell will contain the definition. A second cell will show how the word might be used/seen in the real world. The last cell will show how the word is depicted or represented in the book.
Here are a few vocabulary words commonly taught with the book, and an example of a visual vocabulary board.
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Student Instructions
Demonstrate your understanding of the vocabulary words in Out of My Mind by creating visualizations.
Boost classroom participation by integrating interactive games that reinforce new vocabulary. These activities make learning fun and help students remember key terms from Out of My Mind more effectively.
Select 8–12 vocabulary words from the current reading section. Mix challenging and familiar words to keep all students engaged and on their toes.
Divide the class into teams of 3–4. Teamwork encourages discussion, sharing ideas, and supports students who might need extra help.
Clarify how the game works. For example, in 'Vocabulary Charades,' students act out words without speaking while teammates guess. In 'Word Relay,' teams race to define or use a word in a sentence. Keep instructions simple and positive to build excitement.
Recognize all teams for participation and share correct answers as a group. Discuss tricky words and offer praise to students for creative thinking and teamwork.
A visual vocabulary board for Out of My Mind is an activity where students choose vocabulary words from the book and create illustrated spider maps showing the word's definition, how it's used in real life, and how it appears in the story.
You can make vocabulary lessons engaging by having students create visual spider maps for selected words, using scenes, characters, or images to show meaning and context from the book.
Common vocabulary words from Out of My Mind include iridescent, amble, bulge, seizure, curvature, gobble, and mannequin, among others.
Ask students to pick a word, find its definition, write a real-world example sentence, and illustrate each aspect in three cells: definition, real-life use, and book context.
Visual vocabulary boards help middle school students deepen understanding by connecting words to images, real-life applications, and story context, making learning interactive and memorable.