Lesson Plan #: AELP-VOC0012
Submitted by: Kay Finnell
Email: FinnellK@wilkes.k12.ga.us
School/University/Affiliation: Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School, Washington, GA
Date: February 22, 1999
Grade Level(s): 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subject(s):
Duration: 90 minutes
Description: The Lexicon Challenge is used each week with the students’ regular vocabulary words.
Goals: to encourage students to master new words to improve SAT scores.
Objectives:
Enjoy learning
Recognize the meaning of twenty new words
Work effectively in teams
Use context clues on written test
Materials:
- four teams
- twenty new words
- four chairs
- teacher-made test
Procedure:
Each student writes the pronunciation, part of speech, a definition that applies to the part of speech, a sentence using the word as that part of speech, and a word analogy for twenty assigned words for homework. 15 MINUTES
A teacher-led class discussion at the beginning of the period exposes the students to all of the definitions for the words. 20 MINUTES
The students work in teams for twenty minutes studying and preparing one student on the team to represent them during the challenge. 25 MINUTES
Four chairs are placed in front of the room.
Each student representing his/her team sits in a chair. The contestants are given the option of either standing up or raising the hand to determine who gives the word that matches the definition the teacher gives. After the decision has been made as to what method the contestants will use, the challenge begins.
The student’s team is given one point for each correct answer. If the student gives the incorrect answer, a point is taken from his team’s score. If there is a tie, a coin is flipped to determine who gives the answer.
The teacher gives the definition of a word; and the student who raises his hand first or stands first, according to the option chosen, gets a chance to give the word the definition defines. If no one knows the correct word, the teacher gives the correct answer and reads the definition again.
This process is continued until all definitions are matched with the words in the lesson. 30 MINUTES
Following a five minute break, the students are given a forty-item written test. (Matching and Sentence Completion)
Assessment: Teacher Observation, Written Test
The winning team is awarded ten extra points on the test, the second place winners get seven points, the third place winners get three points, and the fourth place winners get one point. These points are added to the grade after the tests have been graded. (The number of points awarded to each team is left to the discretion of the teacher.)
*As an added incentive, each team member gets an additional five points added to his score if at least two members of the team make 100 on the test before extra points were added.