Create a Word

Teaching Theme of the Week

from Education World®

Students work in small groups to brainstorm new words for a class dictionary.

Subjects: Arts & Humanities

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Objectives
Students will:

• use creative-thinking and creative-writing skills to develop new words.

Keywords
dictionary, words, entry, citation

Materials Needed

• paper
• pens, pencils
• chalk, chalkboard
• colored tag board or construction paper
• hole puncher
• brads or other fastening devices
• markers, crayons, or other art materials
• computer(s) with Internet access (optional)

Procedure

1. Motivation: Ask students to discuss their thoughts about how words get into dictionaries. Write students' responses on the board.
    
   For younger students: Read and discuss the article How Does a Word Get into the Dictionary? with the class. 
    
   For older students: If Internet access is available to everyone, have students read the feature noted above; if not, print the information. Ask students to define the word citations. Ask them to discuss what part citations play in determining whether a word is added to a dictionary.
    
2. Organize students into small groups. Tell students that each group will brainstorm new words for a class dictionary. They will use each word in a sentence. Each group should come up with at least one word per individual in the group. For older students: Have each group write definitions for their new words and indicate the part of speech -- noun, verb, etc. -- for each word.
    
3. When everyone has finished, have students read their words and sentences to the class.
    
4. Compile the words into a booklet fastened with brads or other devices. Have students brainstorm a title for the dictionary and decorate the tag board or construction paper cover.

Assessment
Observe students' abilities to work in cooperative groups. Evaluate students' words and sentences.

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