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Instructional Strategy

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Word Sketch

Grade:

K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Type:

Acquire Vocabulary
/ Develop Language (MLL)
< 20

Minutes

When:

Before and after reading

Materials:

Markers or colored pencils, poster or chart paper, whiteboard or display
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Description

Hand holding pencil over geometric background with pink accent shape.
© Anton Vierietin— iStock/ Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
The Word Sketch strategy is designed to enhance vocabulary acquisition by encouraging students to create personal connections with new words. This approach improves understanding, comprehension, and retention by having students associate words with their own experiences or concepts, thereby deepening their grasp of the vocabulary. Through this strategy, students will not only remember the words but also better comprehend their meanings and applications.
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Procedure

1
Divide the students into partners or groups of three or four.
2
Provide each group with a large piece of white paper and markers.
3
Give each group a different vocabulary word to focus on that aligns with your desired learning outcome or topic of study.
4
Have each group write their assigned word in the center of the paper. Encourage creativity in how they write it—for example, if the word is ocean, they could shape the letters to resemble waves, or they might use a blue marker to emphasize the theme of water.
5
Allow students 10–15 minutes to visually and textually explore the word by drawing pictures, symbols, or references to its use within a text. Encourage them to write sentences, definitions, or related words. Emphasize that they can add anything that helps explain or connect to the word.
6
As the students work, circulate to offer guidance, clarify misunderstandings, and assist groups that might need assistance.
7
Once the groups have completed their work, they should display their papers around the classroom.
8
Ask a spokesperson from each group to present their work and explain how their drawings and text relate to the vocabulary word.
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Differentiation

Depth of Knowledge Questions: Before students begin their creative exploration of the vocabulary words, present each group with a set of depth of knowledge (DOK) questions tailored to their assigned word. These questions should encourage students to think beyond the surface level. For example:
What are the potential impacts of this concept in real-life situations?
How might this word be misunderstood or misused, and why?
Can you think of any historical or current events where this word plays a significant role?

Multilingual Learning Support

Beginning Proficiency: Support students’ vocabulary exploration by providing visual scaffolds and primary language connections through a simplified Word Sketch template that includes designated spaces for drawing the word’s meaning and writing it in their home language. Students can add basic English synonyms with picture support and use simple sentence frames (e.g., “This word means…” and “I see this when…”). Consider encouraging students to use bilingual dictionaries and label their drawings in both languages.
Intermediate Proficiency: Deepen students’ vocabulary connections through a dual-language approach to the Word Sketch activity. Provide academic sentence frames for exploring word relationships, such as “This word reminds me of…” and “We can use this word when…,” with translations in students’ native languages. Consider facilitating the creation of word webs that show relationships between English vocabulary and cognates in students’ home languages.
Advanced Proficiency: Encourage students to explore nuanced word meanings and relationships by analyzing word parts (prefix, root, suffix) and identifying related word families in both English and their home language. Consider modifying the Word Sketch to include space for documenting multiple contexts where the word appears and examining how its meaning might change. Provide advanced academic sentence frames, such as “The connotation of this word suggests…” and “In different contexts, this word can mean…,” while allowing students to clarify complex concepts in their home language when needed.
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Variations

Resource-Based Collage Creation: Encourage students to use a curated set of resources—either digital elements, like images and video clips, or physical materials, like magazines and newspapers—to create a visual representation of assigned words. Ask groups to assemble their collages on either digital platforms or traditional poster boards, incorporating diverse elements that depict the meaning and context of the vocabulary. Invite students to present their work, explaining the significance of each component.
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