"What's the Word" Cooperative Learning Activity

"What's the Word" Activity

Most often, there is a wide-range of reading levels in both reading and content-based classrooms. Students may be asked to read passages above their individual reading ability. The “What’s the Word” activity increases fluency and comprehension by providing meaning to unknown words.

”What’s the Word” may be used for pre-writing or pre-reading. Learning new vocabulary words becomes fun when placed in the context of a mystery to be solved. Based on a series of clues, students will discover the meaning of each vocabulary word.
Select vocabulary words to be introduced.  It is suggested that the words are taken from one story or lesson.
1.       Develop four to six clues for each word.  (If teaching in groups, one clue per group member is suggested).
2.       Write one clue on each index card or piece of paper. A separate stack of cards should be made for each word.
3.       Distribute the clues to group members OR place in a face-down stack when working with one student.
4.       Students may refer to the selected story or lesson as a reference as they attempt to discover each word.
5.       Reveal the clues, one at a time, until the word is discovered.
From: Language Arts & Simple Cooperation: Reading and Writing Across the CurriculumMcCabe & Rhoades ©