Vocabulary Builders – Optional Assignment for Those Who Love Words!
Vocabulary builders provide five new vocabulary words in each module. Completion of
each module is self-paced in that the students complete tasks for each module in their own
timeframe. Students may hand in as much as one module per week.
For each module, there are four “Must Do” activities. Additionally, students must
complete at least one task from the “Can Do” list of activities. When the activities are
completed, the students can hand in the module for teacher review. After review, the students
may begin the next module.
The activities should be completed in a journal or notebook. Pages should be clearly
marked with the module number, and the activities clearly identified with the appropriate task
number.
The goal of vocabulary builders is to involve students with vocabulary that they will use
and spell correctly in the course of completing writing assignments. Of equal importance is to
expose students to words that they can incorporate into their oral vocabulary.
Must Do Activities
Task 1:
Write the word and what part of speech it is (verb, noun, adjective, adverb, etc.).
Write down its dictionary definition. For example: edible, adjective, fit to be
eaten. Do this for each word.
Task 2:
Write a sentence (or sentences) that uses the word correctly so that its meaning
can be figured out in context. For example: Jason discovered that the plant was
edible because he was able to eat it without becoming ill. Do this for each word.
Task 3:
Write the word and a corresponding antonym and synonym (if possible).
For example: edible – synonym is eatable, antonym is inedible. Do this for as
many words as possible.
Task 4:
Write a word chain that includes each word from this current module (that may
also include words from previous modules or non-module words).
For example: If your current module words are edible, delightful, incredible,
enormous, and laboratory, a word chain could be:
incredible, enormous, sound, delightful, laboratory, yelp, pine, edible, eat, tipi,
incredible
As you can see, a word chain begins and ends with the same word. A word must
begin with the same letter with which the previous word ends. A word chain can
be any number of words necessary to complete.
Can Do Activities
Choose at least one.
Task 5:
Write an alliteration sentence for as many module words as possible.
Alliteration occurs when a series of words begin with the same sounds.
For example: If a current module word is treacherous, then an alliteration
sentence could be … “Tommy and Tina tiptoed carefully along the treacherous
trail.”
Task 6:
Write an analogy for as many of your module words as possible. For example, if
a module word is inferior, an analogy could be …
inferior is to superior as lost is to found
Task 7:
Create an acrostic that uses at least three of the current module words that may
include non-module words.
For example: If your current module words are edible, delightful, incredible,
enormous, and laboratory, an acrostic could be …
delightful
enormous
animal
laboratory
edible
rank
This spells “dealer.”
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
contribute
ingenious
monotonous
deficient
taunt
Module # 1
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
conceive
transient
strenuous
devious
lethargic
Module # 2
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
contemporary
indulge
unacceptable
cinnamon
quandary
Module # 3
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
voluntary
insinuate
unique
repulse
integrity
Module # 4
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
judicious
imbecile
rotund
knead
technical
Module # 5
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
descent
inscription
tangible
accessible
abbreviate
Module # 6
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
covet
subdue
illiterate
arrangement
irresistible
Module # 7
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
intensify
leisure
intelligible
innocent
contrary
Module # 8
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
exceptional
poignant
ransack
debris
civilian
Module # 9
Name _________________________________________ Date __________________________
Vocabulary Builders
Word List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
extremity
perseverance
obsolete
induce
counterfeit
Module # 10