“I’M THINKING OF A WORD…”
Need to review vocabulary, terms, events, characters? This charades-style review
activity is engaging enough to sustain the interest of the students and “solidify their
understanding of specialized vocabulary words…” (Allen, 2007). The teacher chooses words,
concepts, and terms taught during a unit or from the Word Wall.
Janet Allen gives the following explanation:
“The activity begins when the teacher says, ‘I’m thinking of a word…’ then completes
the thought by providing students with a context, such as ‘I’m thinking of a word that we
discussed in our study of colonial events in America.’ Or ‘I’m thinking of a term authors use
to…’ Or ‘I’m thinking of a word that we often use in math class…’
The teacher allows a few wild guesses and then moves forward by giving students
examples and a nonexample and continuing to repeat each previous clue (following the graphic
organizer). At this point, students will probably have several guesses. If they have guessed the
word and can explain or describe the word’s meaning in the context the teacher has created, then
the teacher moves on to a new word and begins the game again.
After a couple examples and nonexample clues are given, the teacher would provide a
richer, more detailed context by saying, ‘This word would always/usually…’ and ‘This word
would never…’ By this time, the students will have narrowed the possibilities and should be
able to name and define the word.”
(This is an excellent formative assessment activity. The teacher can quickly identify how well
the students understand the words, concepts, and terms under review and then determine whether
further study or teaching is needed.)
“I’M THINKING OF A WORD…”
“I’m thinking of a word (device) that…”
Playwrights use to reveal a character’s thoughts and feelings.
Examples of the device are…
Nonexamples of the device are:
Mercutio’s speech in Act 1.5
Romeo and the party-goers
Romeo and Juliet’s first
conversation at the end of
Act 1.
Any ideas?
This device would always/usually…
Be spoken to characters on stage
The device would never…
Be one or two lines long
The word is and it means…
Monologue~ A Long speech delivered by an actor to others on stage