“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
Another great way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that uses vocabulary from “The Devil and Tom Walker”. Here is a list of a few vocabulary words commonly taught with the short story and an example of a visual vocabulary board.
In the vocabulary board students can choose between coming up with their use of the vocabulary board, 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 "The Devil and Tom Walker" by creating visualizations.
Grade Level 9-12
Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)
Type of Assignment Individual or Partner
Type of Activity: Visual Vocabulary Boards
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| 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. |
Another great way to engage your students is through the creation of storyboards that uses vocabulary from “The Devil and Tom Walker”. Here is a list of a few vocabulary words commonly taught with the short story and an example of a visual vocabulary board.
In the vocabulary board students can choose between coming up with their use of the vocabulary board, 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 "The Devil and Tom Walker" by creating visualizations.
Grade Level 9-12
Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)
Type of Assignment Individual or Partner
Type of Activity: Visual Vocabulary Boards
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| 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. |
Boost student interaction and reinforce word meaning by designing a team-based vocabulary challenge. This approach fosters peer learning and active participation during your English lessons.
Organize students into groups of 3–4. Small teams promote discussion and ensure everyone has a chance to contribute.
Distribute 3–5 words from "The Devil and Tom Walker" to each group. This focus allows for in-depth exploration of meanings and usage.
Encourage students to act out or draw clues for their vocabulary words, while the rest of the class guesses. These activities make learning memorable and fun.
Switch the vocabulary sets among groups and repeat the activity. This ensures broad exposure to all target words and keeps the energy high.
Some common vocabulary words from 'The Devil and Tom Walker' include miser, incantations, usurer, terminate, precarious, prevalent, morass, articulate, deliverance, termagant, forlorn, askance, quagmire, extort, parsimony, deluge, propitiate, swarthy, obstinate, delve, freebooter, avarice, and repose.
An engaging way to teach vocabulary from 'The Devil and Tom Walker' is to have students create visual vocabulary boards. Students choose words, define them, use them in sentences, and illustrate their meanings with scenes or images, making learning interactive and memorable.
A visual vocabulary board is a teaching tool where students represent vocabulary words with definitions, example sentences, and illustrations. This method helps students understand and remember terms by connecting words to visual cues and context from the story.
Students can select vocabulary words, find their definitions, use each in a sentence, and then create or find images that represent the word's meaning. This visual approach deepens understanding and makes lessons more engaging for visual learners.
Online tools like Photos for Class and digital storyboard creators can help students find images and design vocabulary boards. These resources make it easy to illustrate word meanings and share boards digitally or in print.
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher