As students read, they'll encounter unfamiliar vocabulary words. A great way to engage students with new words is to have them create visual vocabulary boards for the story. 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. Students can select their own words from The Great Gatsby, or you can provide them with the list below.
Student-created sentence for supercilious:
“When Tom hit Myrtle, he was supercilious because he believed she had no right to say Daisy's name.”
The actual usage from the novel:
“Now he was a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner. Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.”
(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 Great Gatsby by creating visualizations.
(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. |
Give students a couple of complex readings that they can read over the weekend or in class and become familiar with more words. The subject of the readings can be aligned with other academic content to boost efficiency.
Create a small word of the day section in the classroom and ask students to list down their favorite word of the day that they learned and its meaning. Students learn faster from each other. Teachers can also assign a couple of words to students per day.
Engage students in fun learning games like vocabulary charades. This will help them associate learning new things with fun.
Regularly take tests and ask students to incorporate newly learned vocabulary in their essays and writings. This will help them with retention and reinforcement.
Visual vocabulary boards are easier to remember and connect. Students can use their memory to easily recall the pictures and associate them with vocabulary and its meaning. Whereas, simply learning words and their meanings can often create confusion and students can mix words and their meanings easily.
Students actively participate in the learning process as they interact with the words, visuals, and definitions on visual vocabulary boards. The process of making the boards encourages students to take charge of their education and helps to enhance their language memory.
Teachers can divide the class into pairs or small groups and assign them the task of creating visual vocabulary boards from a certain section of the novel. Students can learn from one another and improve their communication skills as a result of the encouragement of teamwork, conversation, and shared ideas.
The main vocabulary words from the book are represented visually on visual vocabulary boards, making the meanings easier for students to understand and remember. They aid students in connecting words to context and imagery, which improves their understanding of the text. Students can even create their own illustrations and visuals to express creativity and remember on their own terms.
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