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Word of the Day Discovery

Grade:

K-2, 3-5, 6-8

Uses:

Review of Content or Skill

/ Preview and Engage

Materials:

Word of the Day Discovery handout, coloring utensils, writing utensils

Description

Students define, explore, and illustrate the word of the day.

Preparation

Select a word that connects to your learning objective, theme, or unit of study.

Implementation

Distribute the Word of the Day Discovery handout to each student. Define the word for the class, or have students look up the definition in Merriam-Webster and write it on their handout. After students complete the handout, have them pair up to share their work.

Teaching Tips

As an alternative to the accompanying handout, consider using the Teach Britannica Word of the Day graphic organizer.
For vocabulary building, refer to Teach Britannica instructional strategies such as Roll and Practice Vocabulary, Mini Glossary, or Vocabulary One-Pager.
To extend the activity, select a Britannica School or Britannica Library article or ImageQuest image connected to the word of the day and lesson topic. After learning more about the word, students can revise their original definitions.
Consider giving students different words related to the topic and letting them choose a word they want to learn more about.

Supporting All Learners

For students needing support: Provide a word bank with parts-of-speech cues and example sentences to help guide their word exploration.

For advanced learners: Challenge them to create analogies and explore etymology or word roots to deepen their understanding of the word’s meaning.

For multilingual learners: Encourage them to find cognates or similar words in their home languages and make connections between vocabulary across languages.

Note: Provide accommodations and modifications based on your learners’ needs to ensure full participation.

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