Vocabulary Development Resources from TeachersFirst

This collection of reviewed tools and resources from TeachersFirst promotes vocabulary development and skills for students to improve and master daily vocabulary, subject matter terms, speech/language vocabulary, and ESL/ELL language. Some are tools for study and practice of terms in any class--including world languages, while others focus specifically on written and spoken English. Be sure to check "In the classroom" for ways each resource might help in your teaching area. Share your favorites on a free TeachersFirst public page for students and parents to use for vocabulary practice outside of class.

 

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Write a Picture Book - Storybird

Grades
K to 8
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Storybird's Picture Book section is a creative storytelling platform that allows students and teachers to create digital picture books using professionally illustrated artwork as inspiration...more
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Storybird's Picture Book section is a creative storytelling platform that allows students and teachers to create digital picture books using professionally illustrated artwork as inspiration for writing. Students can choose artwork, write original stories, and publish or share their finished books online, making it an engaging tool for literacy, creativity, and visual storytelling. The activities on this page help students practice important skills, including sequencing, narrative writing, descriptive language, vocabulary development, reading comprehension, creativity, visual literacy, and digital communication, while encouraging them to connect illustrations to storytelling ideas.

tag(s): DAT device agnostic tool (133), descriptive writing (46), digital storytelling (181), reading comprehension (145), sequencing (22), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Have students create an original picture book retelling a familiar fairy tale, myth, or historical event from a different character's point of view to practice perspective and narrative writing skills. Incorporate vocabulary and descriptive language practice by challenging students to include specific figurative language, sensory details, or weekly vocabulary words in their digital stories. Use Storybird during reading workshops by asking students to create alternate endings, sequels, or companion stories for novels and picture books read in class.

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Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) - Strategic Education Research Partnership

Grades
K to 12
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The SERP Institute brings together education researchers, designers, and practitioners with a shared purpose: creating and testing scalable solutions that improve teaching and learning,...more
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The SERP Institute brings together education researchers, designers, and practitioners with a shared purpose: creating and testing scalable solutions that improve teaching and learning, most of which are freely accessible. After creating a free account, educators can access more than twenty research-based instructional tools and resources for literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and professional learning. Popular resources include WordGen for academic vocabulary development, ReadBasix reading assessments, STARI (Strategic Adolescent Reading Intervention), math teaching strategies, algebra and geometry problem sets, curriculum materials, downloadable lessons, and implementation guides. The site also features the SERP Stories Podcast, where educators, researchers, and community partners discuss innovative educational practices, literacy interventions, classroom challenges, and research-practice partnerships. Podcast episodes can be listened to or watched online and are accompanied by transcripts for accessibility. Additional features include a Professional Learning Hub, downloadable curriculum resources, research reports, blogs, webinars, and professional development materials designed to help teachers apply evidence-based practices in their classrooms.

tag(s): blogs (82), collaboration (139), differentiation (102), homework (27), OER (53), podcasts (181), vocabulary (255)

In the Classroom

Add SERP Institute to supplement your current teaching resources to support student learning through research-based methods. Download materials to differentiate instruction to meet students' needs and to reinforce or extend learning. For example, use WordGen Weekly or STARI as a fifteen to twenty-minute activity for students who need extra support with vocabulary, comprehension, or reading strategies. Assign vocabulary, reading comprehension, or math problems for homework, allowing you to personalize learning without altering the core curriculum.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

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RhymeBrain Rhyming Dictionary - Steve Hanov

Grades
2 to 12
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RhymeBrain is a free, online rhyming dictionary and word-play tool that helps you find words that rhyme with any English word you enter. It provides lists of perfect rhymes, near ...more
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RhymeBrain is a free, online rhyming dictionary and word-play tool that helps you find words that rhyme with any English word you enter. It provides lists of perfect rhymes, near or almost rhymes, and related word suggestions, making it useful for poetry writing, songwriting, vocabulary development, and phonics practice. The simple, student-friendly interface allows learners to quickly explore word patterns and sound relationships, supporting literacy lessons and creative writing activities.

tag(s): dictionaries (49), phonics (53), poetry (196), rhymes (24), vocabulary (255), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Have students use RhymeBrain to brainstorm rhyming words as they write poems, raps, or song lyrics. Ask students to choose unfamiliar rhyming words from the list, look up their meanings, and use them in original sentences or short poems. Challenge students to write a stanza or paragraph using a set number of rhyming words from RhymeBrain, encouraging flexible thinking and advanced language play. To turn these rhymes into a collaborative project, have students record themselves performing their finished poems or raps.

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Five Artists of the Mexican Revolution - The Kennedy Center

Grades
9 to 12
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Discover the power of art to tell the story of a revolution in "Five Artists of the Mexican Revolution," a Kennedy Center visual arts lesson that invites students to explore ...more
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Discover the power of art to tell the story of a revolution in "Five Artists of the Mexican Revolution," a Kennedy Center visual arts lesson that invites students to explore the history, politics, and cultural impact of the Mexican Revolution through the work of five influential early-20th-century Mexican artists. Students research the social and political context of the revolution and examine artists such as Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, and Jean Charlot. They build an understanding of key vocabularies, such as realism, nationalism, and anarchy, and analyze how each artist's style and subject matter reflect revolutionary ideals. The lesson concludes with a creative project in which students produce original artwork inspired by one of the featured artists, thereby fostering visual literacy, historical awareness, and personal expression. Included resources support research, vocabulary development, slide presentations, and reflective discussion.

tag(s): artists (106), hispanic (53), mexico (68)

In the Classroom

Students can work individually or in small groups to create an original piece of artwork inspired by one of the artists studied, incorporating themes from the Mexican Revolution and their own interpretations. After completing their artwork, have students write an artist statement explaining their stylistic choices, subject matter, and how their piece connects to the revolutionary themes and artists studied in the unit, and combine them into a Google Slides, reviewed here presentation. Facilitate a class discussion in which students analyze selected works by the five artists, focusing on how each artist's style communicates political messages or cultural identity.

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Let's Talk About: 4 Activities for Oral Language Practice - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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This blog post celebrates the power of student voice and offers four creative, cross-curricular activities designed to strengthen oral language skills across grade levels. Teachers...more
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This blog post celebrates the power of student voice and offers four creative, cross-curricular activities designed to strengthen oral language skills across grade levels. Teachers can engage students through collaborative storytelling using Padlet, art description with Adobe Animate, living history monologues via Vocaroo, and scientific presentations on Presentio.us. Each activity blends speaking, creativity, and content knowledge while providing flexible differentiation for elementary through high school students, including multilingual learners. With a focus on expressive communication, vocabulary development, and higher-order thinking, these strategies help students become confident, articulate communicators across subjects.

tag(s): blogs (82), digital storytelling (181), multilingual (82), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Bring the ideas from the blog post into your lessons! Have students work in groups to co-create a story using the audio or video feature on Padlet reviewed here. They'll practice expressive reading, descriptive language, and narrative development. Students can research a historical figure, write a first-person monologue, and record it using Vocaroo reviewed here. Students can take on the role of a book, historical, or fictional character and are interviewed by a peer or teacher. They can prepare responses based on their character's background, motivations, and experiences, then can perform the interview live or record it using Adobe Podcast, reviewed here.

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Vocabulary - Sesame Workshop

Grades
K to 2
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Unlock the power of words with Sesame Workshop's Vocabulary resources! Designed for educators and caregivers, this vibrant collection offers free, bilingual materials to help young...more
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Unlock the power of words with Sesame Workshop's Vocabulary resources! Designed for educators and caregivers, this vibrant collection offers free, bilingual materials to help young children expand their vocabulary through playful learning. Engaging tools like the Language Activity Cards and Vocabulary Adventure Cards encourage interactive storytelling and word exploration. "The Words Are Everywhere" game turns kids into word detectives alongside Abby Cadabby, while "Word Play" interactive storybooks offer modes to focus on vocabulary development. Additionally, the "Languagizing" with Kathy Hirsh-Pasek webinar introduces six principles to enrich everyday interactions with language. With resources available in both English and Spanish, this platform is an invaluable asset for fostering early language development.

tag(s): preK (335), stories and storytelling (82), vocabulary (255), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Students can use Book Creator reviewed here to create a Word of the Day book. Students can use Seesaw reviewed here to sort colors, shapes, numbers, words, etc. After playing "Words Are Everywhere", have students go on a classroom scavenger hunt to find labeled objects and say the words aloud. Use visuals or pictures for emerging readers.

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Support English Language Learners - Google

Grades
K to 12
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The Google Skillshop: Support English Language Learners course is a free, practical resource designed to help educators effectively support English Language Learners (ELLs) in their...more
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The Google Skillshop: Support English Language Learners course is a free, practical resource designed to help educators effectively support English Language Learners (ELLs) in their classrooms. It provides strategies for building inclusive environments, leveraging digital tools like Google Translate and Google Classroom, and fostering language development. The course includes real-world examples, step-by-step guides, and tips for integrating technology to personalize learning for ELLs. This resource empowers teachers to create engaging, equitable, and accessible learning experiences for students developing English proficiency, making it a valuable addition to professional development.

tag(s): multilingual (82), professional development (302), teaching strategies (85)

In the Classroom

Help ELL/multilingual students and their families by using Google Translate to bridge language barriers in classroom activities, homework instructions, and parent-teacher communication. Use Google Docs and Google Slides to create resources that include both English and the student's native language, supporting their understanding and vocabulary development. Use visuals, charts, or infographics in Google Slides, reviewed here to reinforce new vocabulary or concepts, making lessons more accessible for ELLs. Incorporate Google Meet or other voice recording tools for students to practice speaking and listening, helping them improve their language fluency.

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Evolve EdTech - Evolve EdTech

Grades
K to 12
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Evolve EdTech shares a variety of free educational resources for educators. Resources include digital templates, Wakelet Collections, infographics, and a digital plan board series....more
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Evolve EdTech shares a variety of free educational resources for educators. Resources include digital templates, Wakelet Collections, infographics, and a digital plan board series. Evolve EdTech also has a YouTube channel that shares a series of tutorials. Visit their podcast page to subscribe to their series, which offers tips and tools for successfully incorporating technology into any classroom.

tag(s): artificial intelligence (352), computers (114), infographics (73), podcasts (181), resources (78), Teacher Utilities (224)

In the Classroom

Discover the many free resources to add to your technology toolbox. For example, visit the Jamboard portion of the site to find and download many organizers for posing questions, summarizing, and vocabulary development. Download any of the templates to use or modify to fit your needs. Watch the short tutorials for tips and tricks on using PowerPoint and Microsoft Teams. Use the ideas found on this site to learn 24 ways to use ChatGPT, reviewed here in 24 days. Learn how to create collections using Wakelet, reviewed here, to curate and share information with students or to use for lesson planning and student projects.

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Reshot - reshot.com

Grades
K to 12
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Reshot provides free, hand-picked images to use as you wish. The site's goal is to provide a platform for emerging photographers to share their work. Scroll through the site to ...more
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Reshot provides free, hand-picked images to use as you wish. The site's goal is to provide a platform for emerging photographers to share their work. Scroll through the site to view trending images or use the search feature to locate images by keyword. Choose your photo, then use the "download free" link to download to your computer.

tag(s): images (275), photography (136)

In the Classroom

Use Reshot in the classroom any time images are needed for projects, even if the project is not put on a website for others to see. Even though the site says "no attribution required," it is a good idea to have students acknowledge, or as the site says "appreciate," the origin of the image; this will help to get students into the habit of citing their sources. Student groups can use Reshot to find the best image to use for a project collectively. Challenge students to create personalized images (with text) using PicFont, reviewed here. Teachers can collect images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc.). Use images as a writing prompt or in poetry collections. Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photo-montages (with attribution or "appreciation" as they say on the site). For an easy online photo editor and montage maker, try using Pixlr, reviewed here. Elementary teachers can use images from this site as part of student-run interactive whiteboard activities, such as labeling parts of plants. Speech and language or ENL/ESL teachers can find images to use in vocabulary development activities. World language teachers can find cultural photos to use in oral exercises.

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Vocabulary Development Resources - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
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This collection of reviewed tools and resources from TeachersFirst promotes vocabulary development and skills for students to improve and master daily vocabulary, subject matter terms,...more
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This collection of reviewed tools and resources from TeachersFirst promotes vocabulary development and skills for students to improve and master daily vocabulary, subject matter terms, speech/language vocabulary, and ESL/ELL language.

tag(s): multilingual (82), vocabulary (255)

In the Classroom

Browse this collection when you have students who seem to need extra vocabulary reinforcement or choose one or two tools to use repeatedly each time you introduce new terms. Share specific links or the entire collection for students to find "what works" to help them master vocabulary before the test. Mark this collection in your favorites to have differentiation strategies at your fingertips.

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Stockio - stockio.com

Grades
K to 12
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Stockio provides thousands of free images, vector files, icons, fonts, and videos for personal and commercial use without attribution. Use the search bar and the drop-down box to search...more
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Stockio provides thousands of free images, vector files, icons, fonts, and videos for personal and commercial use without attribution. Use the search bar and the drop-down box to search by name and type of file. Registration isn't required; however, it allows you to save favorites and track downloaded files. As with all image sites, use caution when using with younger students. It is always suggested to preview your search results.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): creative commons (29), images (275), photography (136)

In the Classroom

Before using, share this site with students on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector and demonstrate how to save files. Ads by images can be deceiving and lead to other download sites, not to the download of your requested file.

Use Stockio in the classroom any time images are needed for projects, even if the project is not put on a website for others to see. Even though the site says "no attribution required," it is a good idea to have students acknowledge, or as the site says "appreciate," the origin of the image; this will help to get them into the habit of citing their sources. Student groups can use Stockio to find the best image to use for a project collectively. Challenge students to create personalized images (with text) using PicFont, reviewed here. Teachers can collect images for use on their interactive whiteboard for sorting activities (monocots and dicots, producers and consumers, etc.). Use images as a writing prompt or in poetry collections. Art teachers can find images for students to use as references or in photo-montages (with attribution or "appreciation" as they say on the site). For an easy online photo editor and montage maker, try using Pixlr, reviewed here. Elementary teachers can use images from this site as part of student-run interactive whiteboard activities, such as labeling parts of plants. Speech and language or ESL/ELL teachers can find images to use in vocabulary development activities. World language teachers can find cultural photos to use in oral exercises.

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Grammar Words - myvocabulary.com

Grades
4 to 8
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, Vocabulary.com has added a themed area for grammar words. Find interactive vocabulary activities using the same 20 grammar...more
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, Vocabulary.com has added a themed area for grammar words. Find interactive vocabulary activities using the same 20 grammar words. You will find interactive puzzles as well as fill in the blanks, definition matches, and true/false puzzles. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development enjoyable.

tag(s): crosswords (22), grammar (143), grammar review (33), spelling (92), vocabulary (255), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students work with a partner to try out the puzzles on their own. Challenge students to try to create their own word puzzles using a site like HTML Crossword Generator, reviewed here, if you are just beginning to integrate technology into your classroom, or Educaplay, reviewed here, if you and your students are experienced tech users. Share them on a class wiki.

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Animals in their Habitat - myvocabulary.com

Grades
4 to 8
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Animals in their Habitat. Find interactive puzzles featuring animals and...more
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Animals in their Habitat. Find interactive puzzles featuring animals and habitat vocabulary. You will also find fill-in-the-blanks and definition matches, all using the same 21 theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development enjoyable.

tag(s): animal homes (54), animals (284), habitats (108), spelling (92), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students work with a partner to solve the puzzles independently. Challenge students to try to create their own word puzzles using a site like Just My Crossword Maker, reviewed here. Share them on a class wiki.

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Owl Eyes - Alex Bloomingdale

Grades
8 to 12
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Owl Eyes is an online reading and annotation platform featuring classic literature, poetry, short stories, and nonfiction. Many texts can be read online without registration and include...more
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Owl Eyes is an online reading and annotation platform featuring classic literature, poetry, short stories, and nonfiction. Many texts can be read online without registration and include expert annotations, literary analysis, vocabulary support, and connections to Common Core Standards. Create an account to highlight passages, add your own annotations, organize notes with tags, and save texts for later use. Teachers can create virtual classrooms and use Owl Eyes resources to support assigned reading and discussion. Some expert annotations and instructional resources are available for free, while additional annotations, lesson plans, quizzes, worksheets, and other teaching materials may require a paid membership. Owl Eyes can help with close reading, literary analysis, vocabulary development, and understanding challenging texts.

tag(s): authors (115), book lists (167), literature (215), poetry (196), reading comprehension (145), reading strategies (86), study aid (177)

In the Classroom

Use this site to assign reading of classic texts, nonfiction, poetry, and stories. Use the included annotations with literature selections to build Common Core skills in analyzing informational texts. Use this site to post and share discussion assignments on texts and selections. Share Owl Eyes with students for use with literature circles (or small-group reading) as a tool to collaborate, build reading strategy skills, and present their book to the class.

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USA Gold - Scholastic and USA Gold Pencils

Grades
K to 6
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Celebrate poetry with quick and easy ideas found at the Writing Activity Library from USA Gold and Scholastic. Also, watch for contests and new writing activities added throughout the...more
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Celebrate poetry with quick and easy ideas found at the Writing Activity Library from USA Gold and Scholastic. Also, watch for contests and new writing activities added throughout the year. Choose the Teacher's Guide for a printable with lesson ideas for students in grades 1-6 that promote poetry writing skills and vocabulary development.

tag(s): narrative (17), poetry (196), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Share this site with an interactive whiteboard or projector, then provide resources at a learning center for poetry writing. Encourage students to submit entries to contests when available! Have students or groups brainstorm ideas for poems using Padlet, reviewed here. The Padlet application creates free online bulletin boards. After creating poetry, have students create a word cloud of their poem using a tool such as Word It Out, reviewed here. Create a class poetry book using Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox creates beautiful page-flipping digital books in minutes, and you can embed video, music, animation, games, maps and more.
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Dotstorming - Gareth Marland

Grades
2 to 12
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Create an online bulletin board (much like Padlet, reviewed here, or Lino, reviewed here) for brainstorming and...more
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Create an online bulletin board (much like Padlet, reviewed here, or Lino, reviewed here) for brainstorming and VOTING on any topic. The voting is what makes this tool different. Create an account. There is no waiting for email approval. Add a board, title, select how many votes the participants will have (up to 10), and start adding posts with text, images, and video. Add images and video via URL or upload from your computer. When participants join, they give their name. Participants can add posts. Names of participants using the board appear below the chat box. Participants name's appear when they make a comment in the chat. However, comments on posts don't have the participant name. Once the board is complete, the creator can finalize the board so no new ideas can be posted, but the voting feature is still open. At the time of this review, a free account allows you to have one fully featured board. If you wish to create another board, you will need to delete your existing board.

tag(s): bulletin boards (12), gamification (88), images (275)

In the Classroom

Share your board with a projector or interactive whiteboard. Put the URL link on your website for students to access. If you don't want to share the link that way, then use a tool such as Stich, reviewed here, for students to type in (and reduce input mistakes). You may want to think about students using only their first name or their code to participate. Dotstorming does not show which posts belong to which student, so you may want to require that students identify their post and comment by putting their initials, their first name, or their code on their contributions to get credit. If you plan to allow all students to post to the wall or make comments, you may want to discuss Internet safety and etiquette and establish specific class rules and consequences.

Use Dotstorming to collect WebQuest links and information to share with students. Assign a student project. For example, have students create a board about an environmental issue. They can include pictures, video, links, and other information to display. Use as a new format for book reports. Do your students have favorites such as music or sports? Create a board around these favorites or hobbies. Use a wall for grammar or vocabulary words. Create walls for debates or viewpoints. The voting is perfect for that idea! Post assignments, reminders, or study skills on a board. Do you use student scribes or reporters? Use Dotstorming to create a board with class news and updates.

Use Dotstorming as an "idea bin" where students can collect ideas, images, quotes, and more for a project. Require them to share a brainstorming Dotstorming board to show you the ideas they considered before they launch into a project. Have them brainstorm (and rank by votes) the possibilities for a creative problem solving or a "Maker Faire" project. In writing or art classes, use Dotstorming as a virtual writer's journal or design notebook to collect ideas, images, and even video clips.

Use Dotstorming as your virtual word wall for vocabulary development. Have students submit and share questions or comments about assignments and tasks they are working on.

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Super Power Speech - Caroline Bowen

Grades
1 to 5
1 Favorites 0  Comments
  
Join forces with Super Power Speech, a blog written by a speech pathologist, Caroline Bowen. Find professional speech pathology information such as Articulation Printables links,...more
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Join forces with Super Power Speech, a blog written by a speech pathologist, Caroline Bowen. Find professional speech pathology information such as Articulation Printables links, Social Skills, Language based speech therapy, many engaging blog entries, and links to helpful speech resources by clicking on Speech on the top menu bar. Explore resources for Assessment and Response to Intervention. Some material featured on the site goes to Teachers Pay Teachers, but some are free.
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tag(s): professional development (302), social skills (23), speech (66), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

Whether you are a speech pathologist, social skills/autistic support teacher, or a classroom teacher, find extra resources here to help children with speech and language needs. Also read the discussions to help build social skills or even to improve literacy. Read through past blog entries. Brush up on the latest to be sure you are current! You may also find some specific ideas to share with these students' parents at conferences so you can work together in supporting their child. Primary grade regular ed teachers will find vocabulary development activities appropriate for any student, not just those who are identified.
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Flippity - Flippity.net

Grades
K to 12
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Flippity is a versatile and useful tool for creating many types of educational activities, games, and assessments. Easily modify the included templates to suit any subject or content...more
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Flippity is a versatile and useful tool for creating many types of educational activities, games, and assessments. Easily modify the included templates to suit any subject or content area. Flippity integrates with Google Sheets, allowing users to input and organize data to use in their activities easily; updates to Google Sheets are automatically reflected in the Flippity activity. Templates include flashcards,10-sided multimedia flex cards, quizzes, crossword puzzles, and more. Customization options include adding images and text, choice of fonts and colors, and the ability to embed videos or other multimedia elements into activities. Flippity offers helpful tutorials to guide users through the process of creating and customizing content.

tag(s): flash cards (45), game based learning (324), quiz (58), quizzes (82), study aid (177), test prep (67), vocabulary (255), vocabulary development (106)

In the Classroom

This is a fantastic tool for vocabulary development in any subject area! Create flashcards for your classes or have them make their own using individual or a whole class Google account. Use them as an introduction to a concept, then again in the practice of the concept, and again as a final review. It is a nice three-for-one deal! Use with science terms or for standardized test preparation. Have students create flashcards and share with each other to quiz themselves within their own groups. Encourage students in upper grades to create their own spreadsheet and flash card sets. Show them how to carefully read through their classroom notes and underline the most important word or words in a sentence. Then have them leave out the most important words for their flashcards. Learning support teachers might want to have small groups create cards together to review before tests. Have students create flash card sets to "test" classmates on what they "teach" in oral reports. Create and collect sets of vocabulary cards for your world language or ENL/ELL classes.

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Lesson Plans and Activities for Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer - Penguin Group

Grades
6 to 9
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This comprehensive educator guide, created to accompany John Grisham's Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, introduces middle school students to the U.S. legal system through engaging,...more
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This comprehensive educator guide, created to accompany John Grisham's Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, introduces middle school students to the U.S. legal system through engaging, standards-aligned lessons and activities. Students explore the structure of the courts, the anatomy of a criminal trial, the rights of the accused, the jury system, and a variety of careers in the legal and criminal justice fields. The guide includes vocabulary development, research opportunities, discussion prompts, writing assignments, critical-thinking activities, and Common Core ELA and literacy connections. Designed by a law-related education expert, the lessons provide accurate, age-appropriate explanations of legal concepts while encouraging students to analyze evidence, develop arguments, evaluate reasoning, and gain a deeper understanding of how the justice system works. The interactive activities help students become active participants in learning rather than passive readers.

tag(s): careers (184), civil rights (224), courts (26), critical thinking (193), guided reading (31), reading comprehension (145)

In the Classroom

Use this unit as a whole, or pick and choose the activities you think your students will be most interested in. Collaborate with your social studies teacher to teach about the judicial system as you read this book. If you have students who have previously read Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer, they can still read along and will learn so much more from the activities. Or those who have read this book may want to read another book in the series, but can still follow the activities from this guide.
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Games to Learn English - Owen Dwyer

Grades
K to 8
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Games to Learn English is a collection of games for ENL/ELL students or any student learning the basics of English and/or reading. Created for students of English language learners,...more
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Games to Learn English is a collection of games for ENL/ELL students or any student learning the basics of English and/or reading. Created for students of English language learners, the many activities focus on developing vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, word order, and spelling skills. Choose from interactives such as Fast English and Concentration to begin. Each activity includes directions for play and scoring explanations, and most have playing speed options.
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tag(s): game based learning (324), multilingual (82), preK (335), sentences (23), sequencing (22), spelling (92), vocabulary (255), vocabulary development (106), word study (59)

In the Classroom

Although created for English language learners, this is an excellent site to develop vocabulary (and computer skills) for younger students. It also helps with speech/language vocabulary development and grammar reinforcement for special ed. Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Complete the activities as a class with a student operating the board. Create a link on classroom computers and challenge students to increase their speed in completing games.

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