Jenny Salls, Sparks High School, NCTM Board of Directors

Vocabulary Games Taboo: Based on the game Taboo. Students write a word and four other words that describe this word on a card. When playing the game, players try to describe the word to their partners without using the word or the four other words on the card. $20,000 Pyramid Students try to guess a series of words or phrases, based on descriptions that are given to them by their teammates. Concentration: 24 cards (12 cards with vocabulary word and 12 cards with matching definitions or symbols/pictures) Choose two cards at a time; if the two cards match then the player may keep those two cards and take another turn. If they donʼt match, the cards are replaced in the same position and the next player takes his or her turn. Goal is to gain as many cards by the end of the game. Bingo Select 15 words and have students randomly write one word in each cell of a 4x4 grid. Mark the center space <FREE>. Call out definitions and have students place a marker over the word that matches the definition. The first person to get 4 words across or diagonal in a row calls out “Bingo!” and is the winner. Context Strategies Etch-A-Sketch: Students draw a picture depicting the meaning of the word and write a mathematical explanation and example.

Solve Systems by Substitution Mathematical Explanation: Example:

Draw on the right, write on the left. Your mathematical explanation should relate to your example problem and your picture.

Jenny Salls, Sparks High School, NCTM Board of Directors

Good News/Bad News: Students brainstorm everything they know about a word/concept. Sort their brainstormed list into 3 categories: Good News, Bad News, and a third category (their choice of title). Students write three sentences: The good news about _____ is The bad news about ____ is The _____ news about _____ is Storyboard: Students describe the steps to perform a process using pictures and words. Acronyms: Students write the letters of word vertically on paper and write a word or phrase regarding the word using each letter of the word. Graffiti Cards: Students draw pictures that depict the definition of a word. Resources “Supporting Math Vocabulary Acquisition,” Bay-Williams, Livers, Teaching Children Mathematics, November 2009. “Equity for Language Learners,” Bresser, Melanese, Sphar, Teaching Children Mathematics, October 2009. “Secondary Mathematics & English Language Development Collaboration,” Usher, Kinch, Heller, CMC ComMuniCator, March 2008. 51 Wacky We-Search Reports: Face the Facts with Fun. Lane, 2003. Going Deep with Compare and Contrast Thinking. Northern Nevada Writing Project. http://www.writingfix.com/ Vocabulary Their Way Templeton, Bear, Invernizzi, Johnston, 2010.