Vocabulary Practice Ideas: Range of Meaning, Scaling, or Shades of Meaning

Looking for engaging ways to practice vocabulary in your classroom?  Have you tried the vocabulary practice known as range of meaning (Open Court), scaling (Keys to Literacy), or sometimes called shades of meaning?  Let's give you a quick overview.

1.  Decide on some key words that you'd like to teach.  Words should have a definite antonym and several synonyms.  

2. Create a list of these words using a digital format like Matt Miller's Shades of Meaning Template or preselected words on post-its or sentence strips.

3.  Allow students to order the words from most intense form of the word to its opposite or from least intense to most.  

4. For a lesson extension, have students brainstorm words that would fit in the range. Students could then collaborate to decide where the new words should be placed within the level of intensity as a small group or whole class.  Students can provide reasoning for their word placement.  

Click here for article "How to Use Scaling Technique for Vocabulary" from School Habits.

Click here for information from Keys to Literacy on page 3 on Scaling.

Here's the best part!  You don't even need to put that much effort into figuring out the words you need.  Once you have your vocabulary words that you want to use, then you can use AI to create your list.   Magic School AI is at the top of our list these days.  

Here is an example if using Magic School AI to enhance a vocabulary lesson with the word furious.

Click here for more, Categorizing, Scaling, and Semantic Mapping Templates

Want to learn more about Magic School AI?  Checkout this quick video on customizing a tool for creating a lesson plan.

Check out the blog from December about Indiana approved school AI platforms.

eActivities in Open Court

 Would you like to assign eActivities for your students in Open Court to practice your ELA skills online?

Here is a quick tutorial of how to assign eActivities.

Here is how to navigate Assignment Tracker.

Here is what it looks like on the student's end.

Click here for more directions on Assigning in Open Court.

Ditch the Textbook Free Templates

 Recently, a teacher reached out and asked if there was a digital lesson plan template that could be shared.  That reminded us of a resource that was just shared by Matt Miller of Ditch that Textbook.  He has updated his free template blog resource.  Not only are there lesson plan templates, there are exit ticket templates, graphic organizers, interactive activities, and more.  

Here is his quote from this resource,

  "Don't do the work if you don't have to.  Our templates get your students to work quickly.  Download or make a copy. Adjust as necessary. Assign to your students. Yep, that easy."

Click here to view Ditch That Textbook Templates and Resources.