Word Up With the Power of Words

Rudyard Kipling said, “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”  That’s a fact! I know it because I have been a word fanatic ever since my Aunt Catherine, an elementary school teacher, taught me to read when I was four years old. My aunt turned me on to words. As teachers, we need to do the same for our students.

How do I love words? Let me mention a few ways:

1.  I love how onomatopoeia gently bumps the insides of my mouth like my cat head thumps my leg.
2.  I love the smell of sizzling bacon.
3.  I love the sound of gurgling brooks and crashing waves.
4.  I loved my mother’s cool hand whispering over my burning forehead when I had the flu.
5.  I love Markus Zusak’s word picture from The Book Thief, “Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.”

Because of his word magic, Markus Zusak often traps my mind and imprisons me on his Train of Thought. Some times, I am so entranced by his way with words that I forget what I should be doing. In fact, an hour ago, I was mindcuffed by his words once again.

•  "I would rather chase the sun than wait for it," (I Am The Messenger).
• "I think she ate a salad and some soup. And loneliness. She ate that, too," (I Am The Messenger).
• "She assaults me with her version of the truth," (I Am The Messenger).

I have to quit lapping up his quotes like chocolate marshmallow bunnies. Instead, I need to share with you, my classroom colleagues, a few more ideas you can employ to turn your students into word fanatics. About a month ago, I posted a blog, Amplified Vocabulary Lessons: When Words Speak-Students Listen (http://teachitwrite.blogspot.com/2013/03/amplified-vocabulary-lessons-when-words.html) offering 31 vocabulary lessons to engage visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners.

Yesterday, when I was pondering what to do for today’s writing, grammar and vocabulary theme blog, my mind landed on, “ Create more activities that will persuade students to swell their word banks.” From past experience, I know better than to ignore Edith, the Idea imp who loves to tickle my thoughts.

Today, I am including another activity with this blog, Word Up With the Power of Words. This quartet of activities- two for individual study and two for teams- will allow students to show their prowess with words in a variety of contexts while exhibiting their range of thinking skills from simple to complex. These activities allow them to reveal their understanding of the nuances of various vocabulary words as well as their creative and analytic writing skills. Best of all, by completing these activities, students will boost their word banks and will have the power of words to rely on in the world outside of academia.

Download this Common Core and Bloom's Taxonomy aligned product that includes four activities and complete teacher notes from my store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Language-Arts-Vocabulary-Activity-Word-Up-With-the-Power-of-Words-676190

 

 

Happy Teaching,