Vocabulary
There are many ways to teach vocabulary, but using technology can enhance understanding. There are several sites listed below for vocabulary instruction - all of them are free to use.
There are also many online flashcard sites, which are listed on the Interactive Practice page. They make great review of terms.
There are also many online flashcard sites, which are listed on the Interactive Practice page. They make great review of terms.
- Tag Galaxy - Users type in a key term, which becomes the "sun" of a solar system. Other related terms are planets revolving around the sun. To narrow the search, click on a planet. To view photos of the term, click on the sun. You can use your mouse to rotate the sun before finding a suitable photo. Tag Galaxy is linked with Flickr, so you will need to preview all terms first!
Tag Galaxy example:
The example at left shows the results for the tag hoodoo. The revolving planets are all terms related to hoodoo.
To explore related terms, click on a revolving planet. The tag galaxy below shows the results
of the search hoodoo and Bryce Canyon National Park.
To view photos of your term, click on the "sun" in the center. Click on the photo you wish to view. To show students, I choose a photo and then enlarge it by clicking ctrl while scrolling up on the mouse. You can see the results below.
To view photos of your term, click on the "sun" in the center. Click on the photo you wish to view. To show students, I choose a photo and then enlarge it by clicking ctrl while scrolling up on the mouse. You can see the results below.
- Snappywords is a unique site that allows users to visually understand connections between terms. The photo below shows the results for the term imagery. In searching for imagery, the site provides related terms. Everything is color coded by the key at the bottom of the screen, though it might be a bit abstract for younger users.
Kidsmyth
Kidsmyth is a site, currently in beta, that is very kid-friendly. Kids as young as early elementary can use this site to look up words. Students can type in words to define, or they can search a ready-made dictionary.
Kidsmyth is a site, currently in beta, that is very kid-friendly. Kids as young as early elementary can use this site to look up words. Students can type in words to define, or they can search a ready-made dictionary.
Many entries, such as those seen at left, have accompanying audio so students can hear the word pronounced. Most entries also have a photo or illustration as well as the definition, such as the entry for "eagle," seen below.
Overall, this seems to be a great beginning dictionary for young students.
Overall, this seems to be a great beginning dictionary for young students.