A great way to engage your students is by creating a storyboard that uses vocabulary from The Cricket in Times Square.
In this activity, students demonstrate their understanding of vocabulary words using sentences and corresponding images. Students may be provided the vocabulary words, or they can use words that they have discovered through their reading of the text. The sentences and images validate their understanding of the word and the context that it was used in the story.
Here is a list of a few vocabulary words commonly taught with the story 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 The Cricket in Times Square by creating visualizations.
Set up a dedicated space in your classroom where students can add new vocabulary words from The Cricket in Times Square as they encounter them. This encourages daily interaction and helps reinforce word meanings throughout your unit.
Encourage students to write tricky or interesting words from their reading on slips of paper and post them on the wall. Student choice boosts engagement and ownership over vocabulary learning.
Collaborate as a class to look up each word’s definition and draw a quick sketch or find a picture that shows its meaning. Visuals help cement understanding for all learners.
Integrate vocabulary from the wall into morning meetings, reading discussions, and writing prompts. Frequent use in context builds confidence and recall.
A visual vocabulary board is an activity where students select words from The Cricket in Times Square, define them, use them in sentences, and illustrate their meanings with images. This helps deepen understanding and retention of new vocabulary.
Engage students by having them choose vocabulary words, research definitions, write sentences, and create visual representations. Using storyboards or digital tools makes learning interactive and supports different learning styles.
Some commonly taught vocabulary words include billow, ruined, praise, cautiously, eavesdrop, peculiar, anxiously, entomologist, melancholy, and more. These words are often highlighted to build comprehension and enrich students' vocabularies.
Students should: 1) Choose three vocabulary words from the story, 2) Find and write their definitions, 3) Use each word in a sentence, and 4) Illustrate each word's meaning with images or scenes. This process reinforces word understanding in context.
Using images helps students link words to visual concepts, making abstract terms more concrete. Visuals boost memory, comprehension, and engagement, especially for younger learners or visual thinkers.