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Celebrate Dictionary Day with Vocabulary!

In celebration of Dictionary Day—observed each year on October 16 to honor the birth of Noah Webster, the father of American lexicography—we’re delighted to share this curated collection of vocabulary resources for K-12 students. From playful word games for all learners to sophisticated etymology explorations for high school students, these resources honor Webster's legacy by fostering the same passion for words and precise language that drove him to spend decades crafting his groundbreaking dictionary. Whether you're seeking fresh approaches to vocabulary instruction or are eager to expand your students’ lexical horizons, these materials offer something valuable for every grade level and learning style.

Grades K-12

On-Demand OK2Ask - Tech-Powered Vocabulary: Engaging Strategies for Long-Term Retention

Transform vocabulary instruction with research-backed digital strategies that boost engagement and retention! Discover how to leverage free tech tools to implement Marzano's six-step approach while creating collaborative learning experiences.

Grades K-12

WordDB: The Word Database

WordDB.com serves as a comprehensive vocabulary toolkit for students, offering definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences for over 350,000 words. It supports word game practice and language exploration with helpful features for understanding!

Grades 4-12

WordsTool

Create digital materials for teaching and learning about vocabulary with WordsTool. Vocabulary sets include word cards that feature example sentences, pronunciation, translations, images, and more. Create sets and build folders to organize materials.

Grades 4-12

Semantris

Try this word association game created by Google that challenges you to quickly think of words related to an AI-supplied target word. It helps expand vocabulary and develop critical thinking skills through fast-paced gameplay.

Grades K-12

Wordsmyth

Keep the dictionary on the shelf and tap into the power of words with Wordsmyth, an online dictionary, thesaurus, and word reference tool. There are three levels included in this site, making it ideal to differentiate for your students.

Grades K-2

Vocabulary

Unlock the power of words with Sesame Workshop's Vocabulary resources! This collection provides free bilingual materials to help young children expand their vocabulary through engaging learning experiences. Don't miss the Vocabulary Adventure Cards.

Grades 4-12

Connections

Create a personalized version of the New York Times’s game Connections! The goal of the game is to identify what four words in a 16-word grid have in common and group them into four categories—a perfect way to learn and practice vocabulary!

Grades 6-12

Vocab Scrabble

Explore this engaging game that helps improve your English vocabulary by challenging you to form words from a set of letters. The more words you create from the AI-generated letter set during the five 60-second rounds, the higher your score.

Grades 3-12

Smore Words

Smore Words is an engaging, fast-paced word game where players try to spell as many words as possible from a random set of six letters. Click play to start the two-minute timer, then click the letters to form words, pressing enter after each word.

Grades 6-12

WordWanderer

WordWanderer helps students explore vocabulary through interactive text visualization. It reveals how words relate to each other by showing which words commonly appear together, displays context and associations, and helps learners understand word usage.

Grades K-5

Educandy

Use Educandy to quickly create and share interactive learning games created from your vocabulary terms. Activities include match-up games, memory matches, crossword puzzles, and more. Follow the prompts to make a list of words, matching pairs, or a game.

Grades 4-12

Dictionary.com

Dictionary.com provides much more information than a typical dictionary. Browse to find the Word of the Day, grammar tips, and word trends. Use the menu at the top of the page to play games and find the meaning of emojis, slang, acronyms, and more.

This Week at TeachersFirst

Join us on Tuesday for our next free OK2Ask virtual workshop! We're also sharing a related blog post and an opportunity to apply to join our team as a part-time consultant. Read the details below.