A Vocabulary Epiphany

You know how you do something for a long time that you know should be better but you just can't figure out how to make it better then suddenly the stars align and angels sing and you get it? Yeah, that happened to me today.  Hilary, you're going to be extra proud.

So for YEARS I have had my students create concept maps of the vocabulary and key concepts from the unit of study.  And for YEARS kids have struggled with the idea of making such a thing, even with direct instruction, modeling, blah blah blah.  Today was no different.  My first class of the day was lost.  I couldn't explain it any different to them.

Then it HIT ME.  Vocabulary sort!  So in my break between classes, I printed up the vocabulary list and cut up slips of paper.  Made a set for each group.  When the kids came in, I told them to clear everything off the desks and told them about vocabulary sort - categories, headings, use all the words.  Five minutes - go!  Stop, go look at another group.  Back to your group - want to change anything?  Five minutes to finalize.

THEN - here's a sheet of paper.  Pass the paper around the table and record the organization your team created.  What are the big headings? What words go under the headings? Draw a picture for the words.  Use arrows to show relationships.  Write-Pass-Write-Pass.

After they had spent time documenting their work, I made copies of the work for each member and then they used this work to make their concept maps.

The list-group-sort process helped kids get the idea that these terms were related to one another in a way that I couldn't get across in other attempts.

Flippin' life changing.