vocabulary lesson plans for elementary

Course Plans

• English Vocabulary To Go

Type of English

Lesson time

I want to learn

RESOURCES FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Provide a comprehensive course with our ESL worksheets. Each of our evolving course plans and worksheet series can be followed systematically or you can select lessons to use as supplementary material.

General English

English Vocabulary to Go

Intermediate (B1-B2)

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)

A rich vocabulary is the key to better communication. This supplementary course programme is designed to help learners develop their vocabulary beyond the lexical scope of traditional coursebooks. A full range of topic areas are covered and the worksheets provide plenty of opportunities for putting the new words and expressions into practice. Use the programme as a supplementary resource or as a standalone course with students who want to focus primarily on improving their vocabulary as well as spoken English.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to people’s character and feelings.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to people’s appearance.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to clothes

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to food and drink.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to cooking and eating.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to jobs.

This communicative lesson plan is a great way to teach your students vocabulary for talking about jobs . The worksheet covers typical adjectives and expressions used for describing work. The lesson rounds off with a speaking activity in which students talk about their own or other people’s jobs using the target language.

Students learn and use words and phrases connected with work in this lesson plan. Exercises cover synonyms for the word job, ways of working, and common phrases with the word work. The lesson ends with a speaking activity for students to discuss current work trends, such as the increasing number of people working in the gig economy.

In this audio-aided lesson, students learn vocabulary related to learning languages. The target language includes words and expressions for describing language learning and language ability as well as some useful questions for asking about words. 

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to health and illness. 

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to land and sea.

In this lesson, students practise talking about a sightseeing holiday and learn some common adjectives for describing a tourist destination.

In this lesson filler, students learn how to be more descriptive using extreme adjectives, e.g. brilliant, terrible, dreadful, exhausted, huge, tiny, filthy, starving, etc. The worksheet includes gap-fill and speaking exercises to get the students practising the adjectives.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to animals.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to road and transport.

In this lesson, students learn how to talk about cars. The worksheet introduces vocabulary for describing different exterior and interior car parts as well as a number of common phrasal verbs related to driving. There is an American English version of the worksheet which includes US car terms.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to sport.

In this lesson on the Olympics, students learn and practise vocabulary for describing the history, spirit and events of the Olympic Games.

In this lesson, students will learn key words and collocations for talking about the internet. The lesson includes a short text and discussion activity on the principle of 'net neutrality'. In the final exercise, students watch 8 short webcasts and complete a sentence about each clip.

This worksheet is especially suitable for students who use or are familiar with social networking websites, particularly Facebook. Students read about the history of social networking and learn how to describe the typical features and functions. This is followed by a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of social networking.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to gadgets and appliances.

In this lesson, students learn vocabulary related to war, conflict and terrorism. The worksheet includes several discussion activities.

In this lesson, students learn essential vocabulary for talking about the world religions, including words for describing their members, places of worship, holy books and religious activities. There's a discussion activity at the end focussing on the controversial aspects of religion.

This lesson teaches 17 common phrasal verbs by presenting them in context and getting the students to interact with each other using the target language. For larger classes, there is a 'Find someone who' activity at the end of the worksheet. The lesson also includes a video-aided exercise for homework.

This is our second intermediate-level vocabulary worksheet for teaching phrasal verbs in context . The lesson presents 15 common phrasal verbs and gets the students to interact with each other using the target language. For larger classes, there is a 'Find someone who' activity at the end of the worksheet.

Our third Intermediate-level phrasal verbs worksheet gets students interacting with each other using 18 new phrasal verbs. For larger classes, there is a 'Find someone who' activity at the end of the worksheet.

Are your students confused by American and British English vocabulary? Teach them some common differences with this lesson plan.

Do your students have problems using say and tell ? This lesson filler looks at the differences between the two verbs. The worksheet can be used during a lesson or assigned for homework/self-study.

This worksheet looks at the differences between the verbs 'make' and 'do'. The lesson rounds off with a video-aided activity in which students describe different video clips using the target language.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to DIY and home improvements. The worksheet also includes a short grammar exercise on the structure 'have something done'.

In this lesson, students learn how to talk about winter.

In this updated lesson plan, students identify some male face and hair features and grooming items before listening to an interview about one man’s grooming routines. The language point is have/get something done . There is an opportunity to practise this language in controlled exercises and to activate the grammar and vocabulary in a roleplay. The lesson also includes an optional wordsearch activity related to more grooming items.

by Stephanie Hirschman

In this lesson, students learn and practice vocabulary to talk about make-up and beauty routines. Exercises cover beauty products and tools, and how to get ready for a night out. The lesson finishes with a speaking activity for students to talk about how they use make-up. 

In this lesson, students learn vocabulary connected with art. Exercises focus on types of art, art materials and equipment, and words to describe art. There is also an activity on Van Gogh's Sunflowers. At the end of the lesson, students practise describing works of art.

In this lesson plan, students learn words and phrases connected with relationships and dating. Text and visual-based activities cover romantic events, describing relationships and dating expressions. Cultural sensitivity should be taken into account when deciding to use this worksheet.  

Level: Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to personality.

In this lesson, students learn and practise a variety of verbs, collocations and idioms related to body language, movements and gestures. Students learn how to be more descriptive when talking about common emotions and non-verbal signals.

This lesson incorporates a lot of vocabulary and discussion for talking about relatives, relationships and dating. Cultural sensitivity should be taken into account before deciding to use this worksheet with your students.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to feelings, including common adjectives, nouns and idioms.

In this lesson, students learn useful terms, phrases and idioms for describing different jobs. The worksheet includes a pairwork activity in which students interview each other about their work.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to money.

In this lesson, students learn and practise words related to quantity and size, for example adjectives such as 'tiny', 'minuscule', 'vast', 'enormous' and 'infinite'. The worksheet also includes expressions of quantity such as 'a speck of', 'loads of', 'piles of', etc.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to health and lifestyle.

Students learn key words, expressions and medical terms for describing vital organs, medical problems, injuries and hospital departments/specialists.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to crime and punishment.  

In this lesson, students learn vocabulary for telling the truth and lying. Learners practise words for different types of dishonest people, adjectives to describe them and commonly used idioms. There are also speaking activities for discussing the topic.

This video-enhanced lesson plan will help your students talk about cities in a more descriptive manner. If you do not have the means to play the video clips in the lesson, follow the instructions in the teacher notes for alternative activities.

In this lesson, students learn vocabulary related to special days -- celebrations, commemorations, festivals, memorials, etc. The worksheet includes a short text on an unusual celebration held in Britain every year on November 5, known as Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks Night. At the end of the lesson, students talk about unusual special days in their own countries.

Vocabulary for describing sounds and noises is often overlooked in traditional courses. In this lesson, students learn how to describe sounds using a variety of nouns and adjectives. There is a listening activity in which particular sounds are associated with various adjectives.

In this lesson, students learn a variety of verbs and idioms for describing the way somebody speaks.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe the taste and texture of food. The worksheet includes an exercise on taste idioms.

In this lesson, students learn a number of adjectives for describing how things feel as well as a variety of verbs for describing different ways of touching things. The worksheet rounds off with an exercise on idioms related to `touch'.

This lesson presents a variety of adjectives, nouns, verbs and idioms to help students talk about smells in a more descriptive and precise manner.

In this video-aided lesson, students learn vocabulary for describing the movement of people, animals and other things. The worksheet includes an exercise on movement idioms and several opportunities for speaking practice.

This worksheet covers vocabulary related to music , including English words for musical instruments , adjectives and expressions for describing music as well as common idioms related to music . The lesson plan includes speaking activities as well as a listening exercise in which the students describe six music samples.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary for describing clothes, fashion and accessories.

This lesson teaches students how to describe subtle colours and how to use verbs related to colours such as 'dye', 'tint', 'fade', 'char', 'dim', etc. The worksheet also presents some common idioms with colours. There is an American English version of the worksheet 'Colors', which includes American English spelling.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary for describing the media.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to films. There is also an alternative American English version of this worksheet available to download: Movies.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary for describing the weather.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to travel and holidays.

In this lesson, students read an article about how to take better pictures using your camera phone. Exercises focus on key photography terms and verbs, types of photography, and basic equipment. There is also an opportunity for students to discuss their own photographs.

This multimedia-enriched vocabulary lesson is a great way to expand your students' vocabulary for describing animals and their habitats. Students listen and learn how to describe animal sounds and watch video clips of animals in action. The lesson rounds off with an exercise on idioms related to animals and a discussion activity. The worksheet is a must for animal lovers.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary for describing the sea as well as idioms related to the sea and ocean.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe the education system in the UK, USA and in their own countries. The worksheet includes an exercise on education-related idioms. You can also use it as an alternative to Ex5 of our video-aided worksheet English Mania .

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary related to royalty. Activities focus on royal objects, people, verbs and idioms. There are also speaking activities for students to share their knowledge and opinions about royalty in different countries.

In this lesson, students learn key vocabulary for describing the electoral system, including the people involved in political campaigns as well as collocations with the word 'election'.

The lesson presents 16 common phrasal verbs with 'get' . Students interact with each other using the target language. For larger classes, there is a 'Find someone who' activity at the end of the worksheet.

In this lesson, students learn and practise a variety of common colloquial terms used in text messages and everyday speech.

In this light-hearted lesson, students learn a variety of vocabulary related to humour and jokes. There is an exercise in which students study some jokes with idioms and try to work out the meaning of the idiomatic vocabulary. There are lots of opportunities for discussing the worksheet topic.

In this lesson students learn how and when to use exaggeration and understatement in their spoken English.

In this vocabulary lesson, students will learn words and phrases connected with patience and waiting. Students discuss things that test their patience and study patience phrases and idioms. At the end of the lesson, students can ask and answer questions about the main topic. 

This lesson plan focuses on the language of optimism and pessimism. Students learn a variety of words to describe people that are optimistic and pessimistic, as well as phrases and idioms on the theme. There are speaking activities throughout the lesson for students to discuss the topic.

Are there any gym enthusiasts among your students? This video-aided lesson plan covers a variety of useful terms and expressions for describing gym equipment and work-out exercises. Suitable for upper intermediate as well as strong (no pun intended :)) intermediate students.

The lesson presents 12 common phrasal verbs with the verb 'be'. Students interact with each other using the target language. For larger classes, there is a 'Find someone who' activity at the end of the worksheet.

The lesson presents 13 common phrasal verbs with 'go' . Students interact with each other using the target language. For larger classes, there is a 'Find someone who' activity at the end of the worksheet.

In this lesson, students learn useful phrases, words and idioms related to the topic of 'time'.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe a variety of household problems, including leaking pipes, carpet stains, power cuts, blocked toilets, mislaid keys, etc.

In this upper intermediate version of our popular lesson plan Extreme adjectives , students practise describing things using extreme adjectives and nouns.

In this lesson, students learn a variety of verbs, nouns, adjectives and idioms for talking about success and failure.

This worksheet presents key terms and expressions used by English speakers when buying a home. At the end of the lesson, students have a discussion about renting or buying a home.

In this lesson, students study and practise using vocabulary connected with water. Exercises focus on verbs, words for bodies of water and idioms.

Students learn a variety of words and expressions for describing drinks, containers and different ways of drinking, as well as common idioms related to drinking.

In this lesson plan, students learn words and phrases related to Winter.   There are vocabulary activities on winter sports, weather, objects and idioms, as well as a speaking activity.

In this lesson, students learn words and phrases to talk about pollution. Activities include vocabulary exercises on types, causes, effects and ways to prevent pollution. The worksheet finishes with a speaking activity.

In this lesson, students learn and practise vocabulary connected with different types of celebrations. Exercises cover special events, anniversaries, party phrases and dress codes. There are also opportunities for students to discuss the topic.

Students study and practise using vocabulary connected with air in this lesson plan. Exercises focus on air transport, adjectives to describe air, the different uses of the verb air and air phrases.

In this lesson plan, students learn and practise using the names for common and unusual shapes. There are several visual-based activities, exercises on adjectives for describing shapes, and common shape phrases. 

In this lesson plan, students practise using words to describe the dimensions of objects.  Activities cover adjectives, verbs and nouns, synonyms, and phrases with dimensional words. The lesson ends with a speaking activity to help students retain key vocabulary.

In this lesson, students develop their art vocabulary. There are activities on artists' tools and equipment, materials, types of art and ways to describe art. Students practise describing art at the end of the lesson.

Level: Pre-intermediate (A2-B1)

A rich vocabulary is the key to fluency. This supplementary course plan is designed to help learners develop their vocabulary beyond the lexical scope of traditional coursebooks. A full range of topic areas are covered and the worksheets provide plenty of opportunities for putting the new words and expressions into practice. Use the course plan as a supplementary resource or as a standalone course with students who want to focus primarily on improving their vocabulary as well as spoken English.

Pre-intermediate (A2-B1)

In this lesson, students learn how to describe a person’s character.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe other people’s physical appearance. The worksheet presents common adjectives used for describing what someone looks like as well as questions for asking about another person’s looks.

In this lesson, students learn useful vocabulary for describing parts of the body and functions of body parts. The worksheet includes a video-aided exercise.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe family members and relationships.

In this lesson, students learn how to talk about a job. The worksheet presents some common nouns, adjectives and expressions used for describing jobs. The lesson rounds off with a speaking activity in which students interview each other about their own or other people’s jobs using the target language.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe the different stages of a person's life from childhood to old age.

In this lesson, students learn and practise a variety of vocabulary related to money and value.

In this lesson, students learn useful words and phrases for talking about shops/stores and shopping. Teachers can download a British or American English version of the worksheet.

In this lesson, students learn useful words and phrases for talking about their mobile devices. Teachers can download a British or American English version of the worksheet.

This lesson introduces vocabulary for describing illnesses, symptoms, remedies and healthy/unhealthy lifestyles.

This lesson teaches students how to describe different shades of colours as well as some common collocations and idioms with colours. There is an American English version of the worksheet 'Colors and shades' which includes American English spelling.

In this dialogue and video-aided lesson plan, students learn how to describe the weather and talk about climate change.   

Students define vocabulary related to trees before listening to a radio programme about forest bathing. State verbs are introduced, and the uses of simple and continuous forms are reviewed. Students activate the target language in a structured writing activity. There is an optional extension activity related to adjectives which describe how things feel, taste, and smell.

This lesson teaches students how to describe the natural world, including landscape, wildlife and natural disasters.

Students define vocabulary related to shades of colour and pattern. They listen to a conversation at an animal rescue organisation and then differentiate between questions with like, look like, be like and would like. Students activate the language by describing people and animals’ appearances, characters and preferences and there is an optional extension activity related to several more uses of the word like.

In this lesson, students learn useful vocabulary for describing different types of food, including terms for different flavours and dishes.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe the education system in their countries using British and American English.

In this lesson, students learn how to describe household chores and different rooms in their homes.

In this lesson, students learn a number of words and expressions for talking about private and public transport.

In this lesson students learn and use vocabulary for booking a holiday on the internet. Exercises cover types of holidays and accommodation, plus how to email a host if you are staying in their apartment. In the final activity, students practise writing to a host and answering guests' questions. There is an American English version of the worksheet called 'Booking a Vacation’.

In this lesson, students learn a variety of words for describing different sports and games. The worksheet includes plenty of opportunities for speaking practice.

In this lesson, students learn vocabulary related to the internet. The target language includes words and expressions for describing features of websites and actions that people perform on the web.

In this lesson filler, students learn and practise vocabulary associated with gestures and manners. The worksheet can also be used as the basis for a discussion on good and bad manners among different cultures.

In this video-aided lesson plan, students learn nouns and verbs used for talking about senses: sight/see, hearing/hear, touch, smell, taste.

In this lesson, students learn key vocabulary for talking about television. Adverbs of frequency are also reviewed and practised.

Students learn a variety of words and expressions for describing drinks and containers. The worksheet includes a grammar exercise on quantifiers.

In this lesson plan, students learn words and phrases related to cities. Visual and text-based activities focus on city places, buildings, sights, and jobs. There is also an activity on words to describe cities. The lesson ends with a pairwork activity for students to discover what the world's most populated cities are. A small amount of preparation is needed before class.

In this lesson filler, students learn how to describe the countryside, including typical land features and people who live and work in rural areas.

In this lesson, students learn and use words and phrases connected with autumn. There is an exercise on festivals in autumn around the world, and a grammar activity on adverbs of degree.

This lesson presents a range of vocabulary designed to help students talk about activities they might do on a free day, including visiting an adventure park, exhibition, art gallery, etc. The lesson includes a dialogue between an art gallery visitor and a ticket seller.

In this lesson, students discuss the British Royal family and learn words for different royal people. Students read an article on surprising facts about the Queen, and practise their comprehension skills. The lesson finishes with a speaking activity for students to discuss royal families in their own countries. Photo of The Royal Family by Carfax2 licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

In this lesson, students learn vocabulary for space items, planets and words for exploring space. The worksheet also includes a grammar activity on as + as comparisons, and material to help revise the superlative. It finishes with a speaking activity.

In this lesson plan, students learn and use words and phrases connected with winter. There is an exercise on special events in winter around the world, and an activity on winter temperatures.

This lesson plan is on the topic of happiness. Activities in the worksheet cover what makes people happy, the top ten happiest countries in the world and tips about how to be happier. The grammar section of the lesson focuses on using verb + ing, including both written and spoken activities.

The topic of this lesson is keeping pets. Students learn key vocabulary and then read an article about a Brazilian family that live with nine tigers. This is followed by an animal vocabulary exercise and speaking activity.

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• Resource Library

Education Standards

Maryland college and career ready english language arts standards.

Learning Domain: Language

Standard: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Standard: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

Standard: Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Nebraska's College and Career Ready Standards for English Language Arts

Learning Domain: Reading

Standard: Use word structure elements, known words, and word patterns to determine meaning (e.g., plural forms, simple compounds, base words).

https://www.spellingcity.com

Vocabulary lesson plan - 1st grade.

My central focus for this lesson will be to teach and review with students the meaning of 5 vocabulary words in a book we read together.

Central Focus

• Students will learn new vocabulary words, how to pronounce words correctly, and use vocabulary words correctly in a sentence.
• Students may make the error of pronouncing vocab words incorrectly at first.
• My lesson will be built around emphasizing the meaning of 5 vocabulary words and how to use them to ensure student understanding while reinforcing print awareness.

NE Standards

LA 1.1.5 Vocabulary: Students will build and use conversational, academic, and content-specific grade-level vocabulary.

Learning Goals/Objectives

First Grade Students will be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of a word to myself of a friend.

2. Categorize vocab words into groups with similar meaning or opposite meaning (synonyms and antonyms).

3. Compare and contrast the new words students find interesting with the words their classmates find interesting

4. Predict what new vocab words will mean as a class

5. Summarize what the vocab words to each student

Vocab Words:

• collect(ed)- bring or gather together (syn. cluster & ant. divide)
• admire(d)- regard with respect or warm approval (syn. respect & ant. dislike)
• arrange(d) - to place in proper order (syn. organize & ant. destroy)
• trade- the act or process of buying, selling, or exchanging (syn. exchange & ant. disagreement)
• scramble(d)- to move fast and quick (syn. rush & ant. peace)

Class Materials:

-Magnify glasses

-Newspapers

-Clues for game

Anticipatory Set

Anticipatory Set (15 minutes)

-Teacher will explain that the class is going to get into groups and have some center time with new vocabulary words

-Group the class up and inform the class that each group will spend 3 minutes in a center

-The five vocab words will be in all three centers

-The centers will include (1) predicting what the meaning of the words are, (2) looking at synonyms and antonyms of the words, (3) guessing what the words may mean

-Students will discuss their thoughts with each other while the teacher walks around the room to observe discussion

Guided Practice

Guided Practice (30 minutes)

• Teacher will go through the vocab words and pronounce them correctly having the students copy so they remember
• Explain to students how we are now going to transition to learning the meaning of the five vocab words.
• Teacher will explain what vocab words with definition written on the marker board.
• Teacher will have actions with each word to model what the vocal word means
• Actions that the teacher will say to the class: collected- “collect as many items in your desk as you can in 10 seconds” admire- “give a hug or high-five to a friend” arrange- “arrange the mess you just made with the things in your desk that you collected” trade- “trade your pen or pencil with a friend for the day” scramble- “scramble to go grab a piece of candy from the two buckets at this table and sit down”
• Read the book: Max’s Words by Kate Banks
• When you come across a word in the book, pause and have students do that action
• Go over the vocabulary words again after the book has been read
• Transition: ask students if they have any questions about vocabulary words and answer if the students have any confusion

Vocab Game Show (10 minutes)

• Explain to students that they are going to be split into two teams (divide the class).
• Have the first member of the team come to the front of the room.
• Teacher will read a clue related to one of the vocabulary words (the clue could be a synonym, antonym, definition, or action).
• The first person to come up with the answer to the vocab words needs to hit the buzzer on the desk to win.
• If that student is correct, his/her team gets a point. If the answer that was given is incorrect, give the other team a chance to answer correctly.
• The team with the highest score wins.

Assessment (5 minutes)

• Have students grab their iPad and click on the app, “Vocabulary Spelling City”.
• They will see a list of their vocab words to review in any way for 5 minutes. (assuming we would already have their accounts set up)
• With this app the information will be saved and I will get to check their understanding when I go onto the app myself.
• This app can also be used at home to those who are able to access an iPad or computer. (good way for parents to stay involved)

Modifications

• ELL- long with the English vocab words, give students the words in their native language
• Excelling- Challenge students with an optional show and share. Have students bring the list of vocab words home and bring an example back to school. For example, the students may chose to bring something they collect, admire, or want to from home to share with the class.
• Struggling- offer extra help, inform parents of ways they can check understanding at home, offer different techniques for learning in the classroom (hands-on, working with partner)

• Teaching secondary
• Beginner A1

Vocabulary activities

Have you tried these practical activities to help students with vocabulary learning? There's something for all ages and levels.

• Spot the vocabulary
• Collocation pelmanism
• Quick revision games
• Word association recitation
• The revision box
• The comparison game
• Stop the bus
• Adopt a word
• Lexical threads
• The memory game
• Making it up - Phrasal verb stories
• Poetic introductions / Picture game
• Definitions - Get rid of it
• Word guessing games
• Wall dictionary
• Same, opposite or different dictation
• Vocabulary box
• Vocabulary phonemic revision activity
• Vocabulary self-study activities

It is very informative

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Thanks for the positive feedback,

TeachingEnglish team

USEFULL TIPS!!!

1. reading a lot: reading.

1. Reading a lot: Reading everything we can get your hands on is one of the most passive and most effective ways to boost your vocabulary. 2. Keeping a thesaurus and a dictionary nearby. 3. Making Flashcards.  4. Describing our Surroundings. 5. Listening to Music. 6. Committing to learning one new word every day.

  I have taught English about three and half years but I still cannot find some suitable ways to teach lexis. Thanks to your resouces, hence I can find tons of useful methods for my further teaching.

I find them useful to have up

I find them useful to have up the sleeve and are also motivating--soo important.

Research and insight

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• Grades 6-12
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30 Meaningful Vocabulary Activities for Every Grade

These activities are the definition of fun!

Learning new words is like adding to your writing toolbox. Your writing becomes so much more interesting and engaging when you have more tools available. Check out these fun and engaging vocabulary activities for kids in grades K-12, and give your students the equipment they need to build their wordsmith skills.

1. Write vocabulary short stories

Using vocabulary words in writing shows mastery. Challenge your students to use all of their vocabulary words in an original short story. Allow students to pair up and share their stories with a partner.

Learn more: Lucky Little Learners 

2. Put your students in the “hot seat”

Divide your class into two teams. Choose one student from one team to go to the front of the room and sit in a chair facing the class with his/her back to the board. This person is “on the spot.” Place a word on the board so everyone can see it except the person in the chair. One at a time, team members give the person a clue about the mystery word. If the word is guessed before two minutes are up, the team gets a point and play turns to the other team.

Learn more: On the Spot/Upper Elementary Snapshots

3. Match up words and definitions

Download these vocabulary words and matching definitions. Distribute one card to each student (either a word or a definition). Allow students to circulate in the room and find their “match.” Switch cards and repeat.

Learn more: Teach Starter

4. Sketch up some word maps

Creating word maps from vocabulary words encourages students to find the relationships between the vocabulary word and other words. Have them include words, pictures, examples, real-world connections, definitions, descriptive words, etc.

Learn more: Southern Fried Teachin’

5. Create Post-it stations

Post vocabulary words around the room, then have students circulate and write an original sentence using that word on a sticky note. Follow along and make sure students use the words correctly.

Learn more: Now Spark Creativity

6. Play a game of Pop!

Write vocabulary words on cards or craft sticks and place in a paper bag. Write the word Pop! on three to five cards or sticks and add them to the bag as well. To play, students will take turns drawing cards or sticks out of the bag, reading the word and giving the definition. If they correctly define the word, they keep the card or stick. If not, it goes back in the bag. If they pull the word Pop! they must return all their cards or sticks to the bag and start over. The player with the most cards or sticks wins.

Learn more: Pop/Not So Wimpy Teacher

7. Take a gallery walk

Hang six to eight large sheets of chart paper in various places around the room. On each sheet, write one vocabulary word. Have students work in small groups, rotating between stations. At each station, ask students to come up with a different, original way to use each word. Continue the activity until all students have visited every station.

Learn more: Teachwriting.org

8. Create vocabulary strips

Have students draw a diagonal line across an index card. On the top half, have them write the vocabulary word and definition. On the bottom half, have them draw a picture of the word and use it in a sentence. Cards can be joined together in a strip for easy review.

Learn more: Teaching Fourth

9. Play a round of Pictionary

This fun activity requires students to draw a picture for each word to create their own visual dictionary. When students create their own visual representations, they develop an association with the word that they will be able to tap into when needed.

Learn more: Pictionary/Lit in Focus

10. Make a word map

Word maps help deepen understanding of a vocab word by relating it to other words and concepts students already know.

Learn more: Word Map/Upper Elementary Snapshots

11. Use the Frayer model

Frayer models are a popular way to learn new words and concepts. Kids define the word in their own terms, then list facts and characteristics, examples, and non-examples.

12. Draw vocabulary Sketchnotes

Kids and teachers love Sketchnotes ! Rather than writing out definitions, have students draw a sketch that sums up each word instead. It’s a lot more fun and gives kids an image for visual association and to help remember the meanings.

13. Bump words along

Group vocab words together with a few other words with similar meanings and one that’s an antonym. Students identify the antonym and “bump” it to the next box, filling in the next group of words. They continue until the worksheet is full.

Learn more: Reading and Writing Haven

14. Post a graffiti wall

Think of a vocabulary graffiti wall like a collaborative word wall. In the classroom, post the words on the wall and have kids add sticky notes to illustrate the term (they can use words or pictures). Online, try a tool like Padlet or Google Slides.

Learn more: Digging Deeper

15. Match words to describe character

This is a terrific way to practice vocab words pulled from books you’re reading. Ask students to use various words to describe the different characters in the book and their feelings, thoughts, and actions.

Learn more: The Sassy Apple

16. Fill in words from A to Z

This vocabulary game is fun and challenging, and you can play it at any age. Choose a word, then challenge kids to come up with related words for as many letters as possible. These could be synonyms, antonyms, examples, and more. Trickier letters are worth more points!

Learn more: A to Z/Lit in Focus

17. Try Flip for vocabulary activities

Forever a Teacher at Heart/Twitter

Are you on the Flip (formerly Flipgrid) bandwagon yet? It’s perfect for vocabulary activities! Have kids record a quick video for each word, using their creativity to make it fun and meaningful.

18. Battle it out in Vocabulary Jeopardy

Good vocabulary activities encourage more than just memorization of definitions. That’s why we like this Jeopardy game idea. It explores synonyms and antonyms and how words are used in real sentences.

Learn more: Not So Wimpy Teacher

19. Use RAFTs to write vocabulary stories

Writing a story using vocab words is a perennial favorite, but the RAFT method gives it a new twist. Students are assigned a Role (the point of view from which they’ll tell the story), an Audience, a Format, and a Topic. For instance, they might be an astronaut (Role) writing a postcard (Format) to their friends back home (Audience) about what they’ve seen on Mars (Topic). RAFTs are especially great for kids who claim they don’t know what to write about.

Learn more: RAFT/Teachingwriting.org

20. Discover the power of words

Vocabulary words take on greater meaning when students incorporate them into their daily lives. Challenge kids to use their vocab words in conversation and writing outside the language arts classroom. Use the free printable worksheet here to help them keep track of how often they use them.

21. Create graphic organizers

Colorful organizers like these are terrific vocabulary activities. Want to go digital? Have kids make a slideshow, one slide per word. They can include the same information, but instead of drawing a picture, have them find one online that illustrates the concept.

Learn more: Graphic Organizers/Upper Elementary Snapshots

22. Focus on a Word of the Week

Give really important terms the attention they deserve. Choose a new vocab word each week, then explore it in depth day by day.

Learn more: Lit in Focus

23. Join the Million Dollar Word Club

Post a list of target vocab words. If a student uses one of the words in class (outside of vocabulary activities), they become a member of the Million Dollar Word Club! You can have them sign their name on a wall in the classroom or award a badge online. You could even develop this into a reward system for homework passes or extra credit.

Learn more: Million Dollar Words/The Sassy Apple

24. Explore shades of meaning

This is a cool idea for exploring synonyms and the slight differences that make words unique. Ask for paint sample strips at your local hardware store, or buy a clip art set . In the classroom, use these paint strips to make crafts for a bulletin board. Working in a virtual environment? Have kids print clip art strips at home or use the images to make slides or digital worksheets.

Learn more: Around the Kampfire

25. Personify a word with social media

This is one of those vocabulary activities kids will want to do over and over again! Assign each student a word and have them create a fake Facebook, Instagram, or other social media page for it. They can draw them freehand or complete a template like these from Teachers Pay Teachers . Post the images to a shared Google slideshow so other students can use them for review.

26. Play vocabulary word Taboo

In this game, the goal is for one student to get their partner to guess the word by describing or giving examples of it. The trick? There’s a list of additional words they’re not allowed to use! Let other students see the card in advance to help keep the players honest. (Flash it on a whiteboard and have the guesser face away.)

Learn more: Teaching Talking

27. Roll a die for vocabulary activities

Choose a vocab word, then have the student roll a die ( these virtual dice are handy ) to see which activity they get to complete.

Learn more: Roll a Word/Lucky Little Learners

28. Write an acrostic

Write an acrostic poem for each vocab term, using the letters to determine the first word in each line. This can get really challenging when words are longer!

Learn more: Vocab Acrostic/Upper Elementary Snapshots

29. Play vocabulary board games

Everyone knows that playing games is the best way to learn! Try some of these fabulous board games with your students and watch their vocabularies grow!

Learn more: 11 Vocab Games to Make the Learning Stick

30. Become a Word Collector

This is one of those picture books that grown-up kids will enjoy as much as little ones. Use it to remind your kids that they don’t need a vocabulary list to learn new words—new words are all around them. Encourage them to keep a word list or journal of their own to record new words they want to explore and use more often.

Buy it: The Word Collector by Peter Reynolds on Amazon

Reading poetry helps students expand their vocabularies. Check out these must-share poems for elementary school and middle and high school .

Plus, get all the latest teaching tips and ideas when you sign up for our free newsletters .

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Sample Lesson Plan Teaching Vocabulary

There is no best lesson plan on this planet! However, what we simply know is that lesson plan is made of series of interactive techniques. Here is my personal lesson plan which I design to teach Vocabulary.

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Free Download: 5-Day Vocabulary Lesson Plan

Plus 5 Fun Ways to Teach Vocabulary

Vocabulary skills are essential to building a student’s confidence and ability in reading and writing. Engaging activities can help get students excited about language learning. Check out these Vocabulary A-Z resources and other activity ideas for fun additions to your language arts classroom. Download a free sample lesson to include in your classroom!

What Are Some Fun Ways to Teach Vocabulary?

1. vocabulary a-z lesson plans.

With Vocabulary A-Z, you can create your own vocabulary lists based on topic, content, or part of speech, and generate lesson activities based on your selections. No matter what kind of vocabulary list you choose, your list generates a 5-day lesson plan with activities that encourage students to:

• Draw pictures
• Create picture dictionaries
• Write sentences
• Match words
• Mime concepts
• Choose synonyms or antonyms

2. CLOZE Activities

A CLOZE activity consists of a passage with some words removed from the sentences. By coming up with words to fill in the blanks, students practice analyzing words in context and experimenting with appropriate synonyms.

3. Mad Libs

When students are experimenting with parts of speech, Mad Libs can challenge them to play with language in fun ways to discover which words sound correct or incorrect, depending on context.

In a Mad Libs activity, one student asks another for a part of speech to fill in the blanks in a story. The student giving the part of speech has no context for the words they’re giving, so the nonsensical sentences that result are a great way for students to understand how parts of speech work.

4. Storytelling

After you’ve created a vocabulary word list and reviewed definitions with your students, ask them to write a short story that correctly uses each word in context and definition. Students can illustrate their stories and share them with the class while explaining how the words work in their stories.

5. Vocabulary Playlist

Let students connect with their inner rock stars by encouraging them to create playlists for their vocabulary words. Playlists can be mnemonic devices to help students connect the message or title of a song to a vocabulary word and its definition. The word doesn’t necessarily have to be used in the song, but the song should help the student remember the word’s meaning.

Want to try Vocabulary A-Z in your classroom? Sign up for a free 2-week trial today!

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