fun ways to pre teach vocabulary for a story

One fun way is to use pictures. For example, if the story has words like 'elephant' or 'jungle', show pictures of elephants in the jungle. It helps students visually connect to the words. Another way is through games. A simple vocabulary guessing game where you give clues about the word can be exciting. Also, acting out the words can be great. If the word is 'run', you can run in place to show the meaning.

Using charades is a great option. Students can act out the vocabulary words without speaking, and others have to guess. It's both fun and helps with understanding the meaning. Another way is to have a vocabulary scavenger hunt. Hide cards with the words around the classroom and have students find them and then explain what they mean. Word puzzles like crosswords or word searches can also be used.

One fun way is to act it out. Divide the children into groups to be different characters like Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men. Provide simple costumes if possible. Another way is to create a nativity storybook together. Let the kids draw the pictures and write simple captions for each page. You can also use puppets to tell the story. Make or buy nativity - themed puppets and use them to act out the story in a more engaging way.

Using pre - reading activities can be effective. Before starting the novel, introduce some key vocabulary words. You can create a vocabulary list related to the themes or settings in the novel. For example, if the novel is about a historical event, teach words related to that era. Also, encourage students to keep a vocabulary journal. Every time they come across a new word in the novel, they write it down, along with the sentence it was in, its definition, and their own sentence using the word. This helps in retention.

A really fun way to teach the Easter story is by having a baking session. Bake hot cross buns and as you are making them, explain the significance of the cross on top in relation to the Easter story. You can also use Easter - themed cookies and decorate them with symbols from the story, like a lamb which represents Jesus. This way, the kids are having fun while learning about the important aspects of the Easter story.

Create a nativity - themed memory game. Make cards with different elements of the nativity story (like Mary, Joseph, the angel, etc.) and have the kids match them up. This helps them remember the characters. Another way is to have a nativity story relay. Divide the kids into teams. One kid from each team starts by saying a part of the story, then the next kid in the team adds on, and so on until the whole story is told.

One way is to use fairy tales. For example, in the story of Cinderella. You can ask students to prove why Cinderella is kind-hearted. They can look for evidence like her treatment of the animals. Another way is to use adventure stories. In a pirate adventure story, students can prove which character is the bravest by analyzing their actions during dangerous situations.

One fun way is to use pictures. Show students various pictures of different places like a forest, a city street, or a beach. Then ask them to describe what kind of stories could happen there. For example, a forest might be the setting for a fairy - tale adventure with magical creatures.

A great method is to create a historical fiction museum. Have students choose a historical fiction book they like and then create exhibits related to it. They could make dioramas of important scenes, write descriptions of the characters as if they were museum plaques, and include historical artifacts (either real or replicas) that are relevant to the story. Also, you can use film adaptations of historical fiction. Watch the movie with the class and then compare and contrast it with the book. Discuss what the filmmakers changed and why.

One fun way is to act out the short stories. Divide students into groups and assign each group a part of the story. They can create simple costumes and props to make the performance more engaging. This helps students understand the plot, characters, and emotions in the story better as they have to bring it to life.