Vocabulary Toss

From FreeReading

Lesson Type:	Build Mastery
Grade:	K, 1, 2, 3
Group Size:	Pair, Small Group, Large Group, Whole Class
Length:	10 minutes
Goal:	Given clues for vocabulary words, students will use their knowledge of vocabulary to identify the words.

Materials: Bean bag, an object to use as a basketball basket, tape, board or chart paper

What to Do

Prepare

Write a list of vocabulary words that students are studying on the board or on a piece of chart paper. Create a score sheet to keep track of each team’s points.

Set up a basketball court. (A trashcan can function as the basket, if necessary.) You will need to mark the floor with tape to determine where students stand.

Assign students to teams (having between two and four teams works best). The students in each team should line up.

Model/Instruct

1. Review the vocabulary words you have chosen for this lesson.

Today, we will become more familiar with the vocabulary words we learned by playing Vocabulary Toss.

2. Choose a student to help you model this game.

Today, we are going to play Vocabulary Toss. I am going to give you a clue; you will have to figure out the vocabulary word I’m hinting at.

The clue can be anything that suggests the vocabulary word without naming it. Offer a definition for it, use it as a blank in a sentence, give one of its synonyms or antonyms, or give a rhyming word.

If you identify the correct vocabulary word, your team will get one point. You will get the chance to get a second point if you can shoot a basket.

If you do not guess the correct word, the first person on the next team will have a chance.

Allow the student to guess and shoot a basket if correct.

After it is your turn, you will go to the end of your team’s line.

We will continue until every person on every team has had a chance to guess a word. The team with the most points at the end wins!

Practice

3. Have students play Vocabulary Toss.

Now it is your turn to play Vocabulary Toss. Remember to stay quiet when the question is not for your teammate.

4. Monitor students’ performance as they play the game.

Adjust

For Advanced Students:

Give these students more difficult clues.

For Struggling Students:

Give these students easier words or easier clues. Alternatively, you may allow these students to ask the students behind them for help answering the question.

For ELL Students: