Vocabulary Squares

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• What examples did you come up with?

An artisan could be a carpenter or a jeweler. You could have a profusion of wildflowers or of mice. Mozart and Ray Charles are both examples of virtuosos.

Developing a strong vocabulary will help you comprehend what you read more fully, and will make your writing stronger as you become more selective in choosing your words.

Understanding how to use new words correctly is important. You have to have a thorough understanding of what the word means; you also have to know what it does not mean. One of the best ways to do this is to create a specific image in your mind to help you retain the definition. This is where the strategy of creating vocabulary squares comes in handy!

When creating vocabulary squares, you begin by drawing a square, then you divide the square into four smaller squares. You will write a label in each of the squares:

• word
• definition
• illustration
• non-examples

It should look like this:

In the word square, you will write the vocabulary word you are trying to learn, including its part of speech.

In the definition square, you will write its definition. Make sure to use words you understand.

In the illustration square, you will draw a picture or symbol to represent the word. You can write a short sentence to help you remember why you selected this drawing.

In the non-examples square, you will write antonyms of the word.

A finished vocabulary square should look like this: