High School Vocabulary Activity-The 30-Word Challenge
Teaching students to write and speak with a more advanced vocabulary can prove challenging. However, this simple but effective activity can make it more meaningful and enjoyable for your students!
The 30-Day Challenge is designed to bring thirty high-level vocabulary words to your students in an accessible way. Specifically, these are high-level synonyms of words that your students commonly use in their writing and speaking. Your students’ written work will improve in skill and confidence by getting in the habit of replacing their words with higher-level ones.
Most importantly, the example sentences involve humor. Humor is an altogether excellent way to build a connection to the words and soften the “formalness” that can inhibit their use in writing or speaking.
The 30-Day Challenge introduces a new word each day on a Powerpoint slide. This activity can project onto a whiteboard or be shown on a laptop. Also, slides can be printed out for smaller groups or as visual aids in the classroom.
Tips for making this activity successful:
*Introduce only one word a day. Have a discussion about the word with the class and have them practice saying it with classmates.
*Have the students write the word, meaning, and sentence in their notes or journal.
*Encourage students to use the new words in their writing and speaking.
*Acknowledge when words are used in writing or speaking.
*As often as possible, use the words yourself to reinforce their meanings.
Suggestions on using the list of words:
*They can practice writing words in their own sentences.
*The students can find high-level antonyms of the words and begin to use those.
*Students can practice speaking the words by doing a “conversation game”. Each person has to keep the conversation going while using the words from the list.
*They can write a story or essay using as many words as they can from the list.
*Award points to students who use the words when answering a question or talking to you informally.