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https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/semantic-mapping-to-grow-vocabulary/

Article Describing How Semantic Mapping Can Grow A Student's Vocabulary

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Knowledge helps you remember new information, and people who know a great deal about a topic also know its vocabulary. One critical finding from research is that word learning takes place most efficiently when the reader or listener already understands the context well. In fact, we learn words up to four times faster in a familiar context than in an unfamiliar one (Landauer & Dumais, 1997; Hirsch, 2006). Vocabulary instruction that compares and contrasts word meanings and that activates prior knowledge not only helps students learn new words, but also has been shown to improve comprehension of a reading selection (Graves, 2006). Therefore, an important goal of instruction in any subject grade, in any grade, should be to help students acquire the vocabulary associated with the content and to make connections between known and unknown words.

There are four activities that are part of my professional development program titled The Key Vocabulary Routine that are designed to teach words in relation to other words: Semantic Mapping, Categorizing, Semantic Feature Analysis, and Opposites (sometimes called Scaling). This post will provide details for how to use Semantic Mapping (Heimlich & Pittelman, 1986) which is a well-researched activity that helps students draw on background knowledge of a topic and see connections between ideas and words related to that topic. It is highly interactive and offers opportunities for rich, collaborative discussion among students.

There are two steps for generating a semantic map. First, the teacher chooses a key concept word that is central to the topic covered in the reading or classroom lesson and writes this word in the center of a page or on the board. Students are then asked to brainstorm as many words as they know associated with the key word. This brainstorming is best done as a whole class or in smaller cooperative groups. The teacher or a scribe writes the words generated on the board. The visual below is an example of semantic map that was generated in a fifth grade classroom related to text students were reading that had information about baseball.

Once a significant number of words has been generated, students are asked to make connections among the words and group them into categories. See the visual below of the categorized baseball words. There is no "right" or "wrong" answer to this task! Sometimes one of the words on the map becomes the word for a category (e.g., uniform), and sometimes a new word needs to be generated for the category (e.g., referee, equipment). Once the categories are identified, students can be asked to add more words to each category. Sometimes there will be words that are not easily grouped into a category (e.g., innings, game, summer, dugout). This is a simple example, but semantic mapping can be used with any grade level, right up through high school, using a sophisticated key content word and more advanced academic vocabulary.

Scaffolds
Sometimes a new concept word will be so foreign to students that they are unable to generate many of their own words. For example, the background information for students growing up in a city may not be sufficient to brainstorm many words related to the word harvest. When this happens, teachers can provide some background knowledge about the topic to get the brainstorm going. Another scaffold is to provide a list of words that includes some that are related to the key word and some that are not. Students consider each word to determine if it should be added to the semantic map. The categorizing part of the activity can also be scaffolded by the teacher providing category topics. If you are working with young children who have not yet developed solid reading and writing skills, you can use a picture in the center of the map instead of a word, an the brainstorming can be done orally with the teacher transcribing the words.
A Before and After Activity
A semantic mapping activity can begin before students read or learn new information as a way to help them access what they already know about a topic. It also serves as a great "after" activity to extend the vocabulary learning. The teacher can bring back the semantic map or the words listed in categories and ask students to add any new words they have learned about the topic. As noted above, one advantages of semantic mapping is that it is a collaborative task that provides lots of opportunities for the students to talk about words and how they are related, using real-life contexts to explain the words they generate. It also is engaging and motivating, and important part of developing a word conscious classroom in which students enjoy learning words!

I'll end this post by showing several classroom examples of semantic maps. The first one from a grade 2 classroom is interesting because you can see that the words at the top of the map were generated before the students listened to a read aloud about snails. Word such as slow, slimy, small, and slithery are words the students already associated with snails. The words on the bottom of the map were generated after the read aloud. Words such as gastropod, herbivore, and mollusk represent new, academic words that the students learned.

References:
Graves, M.F. 2006. The vocabulary book. New York: Teachers College Press

Heimlich, J.E., & Pittelman, S. D. (1986). Semantic mapping: Classroom applications. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Hirsch, E.D. (2006). The case for bringing content into the language arts block and for a knowledge-rich curriculum core for all children. American educator. Spring, 2006.

Landauer, T.K., & Dumais, S. T., (1997). A solution to Plato's problem" The latent semantic analysis theory of acquisition, induction, and representation of knowledge. Psychological Review, 104 (2).

Joan Sedita

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy and author of the Keys to Literacy professional development programs. She is an experienced educator, nationally recognized speaker and teacher trainer. She has worked for over 35 years in the literacy education field and has presented to thousands of teachers and related professionals at schools, colleges, clinics, and professional conferences.

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Semantic Mapping to Grow Vocabulary - Keys to Literacy

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Knowledge helps you remember new information, and people who know a great deal about a topic also know its vocabulary. One critical finding from research is that word learning takes place most efficiently when the reader or listener already understands the context well.

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Semantic Maps Graphic Organizer For Vocabulary 

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Semantic Maps Graphic Organizer For Vocabulary 

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https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/teacher-toolbox-resources/semantic-mapping.pdf?sfvrsn=6

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https://vocabularyluau.com/how-to-use-semantic-maps-for-teaching-vocabulary/

A Guideline for Teachers To Follow For Implementing Semantic Maps Into Your Classroom

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When you get a great critical thinking exercise and pair it with a great vocabulary activity...well, let's change their Facebook status to "in a relationship with..."

Semantic Maps are just such a pair. Let me persuade you!

Semantic Maps are a tool we use to help students to identify, understand, and recall the meaning of words they read in the text.
They're research-based, they lend themselves to use with graphic organizers, they support struggling readers, and they are easy to use.
I've found that lots of teachers think they're a great idea, but aren't sure of exactly how to implement them in a real classroom.

🌺 What is a Semantic Map?

Semantic Maps are a visual strategy for teaching vocabulary.

"Semantic" just means "related to meaning in language", so a semantic map is essentially a "map" that connects related words.

With Semantic Maps, students create "maps" or webs of words.

Words are sorted into categories based on what they are, what they do, or other categories.

Semantic Maps can be very simple, using just words grouped together, or they can be more complex, using graphic organizers or other visual structure.

Often, the words are generated as a list and then coverted in a more visual format.

Semantic Maps can be created on paper or digitally.

Semantic Maps can be created individually, in small groups, or as a whole class activity.

Semantic Maps are dynamic. Students can add to their maps as they learn more information and gather more words.

Do Semantic Maps sound like something that could be useful to your students? I'd love to tell you more about exactly how they work in class.

🌺 How are Semantic Maps different from graphic organizers?

First, let's look at what they're not.

While Semantic Maps may use a graphic organizer to arrange the words, Semantic Maps go beyond just a graphic organizer.

The don't ask students to recreate already mastered/learned information.

They ask students to think, "What do I know related to this? What does this make me think of?"

Their strength is that they build on students' current schema or understanding, allowing those neural pathways to fire up.

Here's an example of a graphic organizer I created using Smart Art in PowerPoint. This has one "right" answer, doesn't it? If a student put anything else under "legislative", we'd be worried, wouldn't we?

Here's a Semantic Map over the same topic. In this case, I just gave the student the word "Government" in the center, along with the three branches of government. The student then created the Semantic Map, generating lots of words related to those three areas. This was also created using Smart Art and shapes in PowerPoint:

Do you see the difference? We're still looking at branches of government, but we're going to get different results from different students.

It requires less rote recall and more thinking.

I'll be coming back to graphic organizers later.

🌺 How do I teach students to use a Semantic Map?

When introducing Semantic Maps to students, I find it's best to guide them in two processes: generating words and then grouping or categorizing those words.

For example, let's say we've just had a lesson on the structure of the cell. For a review, I could write the term "cell structure" on the board (or screen) and ask students to think of all the words they can think of related to cell structure.

Tell them to think of words that:

define what we're talking about

describe what we're talking about

tell the purpose of what we're talking about

give information about what we're talking about

I could do this as a whole class activity, have students work in pairs or groups, or have students work individually.

Once we had a list of words and terms, I would ask them to sort those words into groups. I can either give them categories, or I can have them come up with categories on their own.

If students are coming up with their own categories, tell students that to this, they need to think about ways in which the words are alike and ways which they are different.

Once they've grouped their words, they come up with a word or term that describes the group.

If I'm giving students the categories, I will simply tell them what they are and have students sort their words into the category in which they think they fit. That's what I did in the government example above.

For my cell structure example, I'd give students the categories Nucleus, Cytoplasm, and Cell Membrane.

You can use Semantic Maps as a simple daily activity that takes only a few minutes, or you can have students work with them to create a visually pleasing representation.

🌺 Semantic Maps Step-by-Step

There's no one right way to use Semantic Maps (you've already seen a couple of ideas here), but I did want to share a sample idea that is a great way to get started if you're unfamiliar with the strategy.

Choose a word from the text you're using. This could be a textbook, a story, or any other part of your curriculum.

Write that word on the board or using a digital tool. Just make sure everyone can see it.

Have students look at the text that's near that word to see if there are any words that are connected to this target word.

You may wish to have students look up the word in a dictionary or thesaurus (that would add to the standards addressed!).

Brainstorm words the class can come up with that are related or connected to this word in some way. Remember, these should not only include examples of the word ("cat" is an example of an animal, for example), but also what the things can do. For instance, "can fly" or "can run".

Once you have a robust list of words, then you do the categorization. Remember, you can give categories or you can have students generate categories.

Now, transform these into a map. This can be a circle with spokes coming off of it or a more formal graphic organizer.

Here's an example of a simple one generated after a discussion of verbs.

🌺 How can I use Semantic Maps with technology?

You've seen above how you can use PowerPoint to create Semantic Maps. There are other tech tools that work, as well.

This table lists some possible tech tools, with the pros and cons of each.

PowerPoint/ Keynote

Free

Students probably familiar with it; very flexible; easy to convert to other formats (images or PDFs); SmartArt has built-in graphic organizers

Harder to integrate with other platforms (uploading, etc.); difficult to collaborate; takes more time than some other tools.

Google Slides

Free

Same as PowerPoint except Smart Art

Not as powerful as PowerPoint, so fewer possibilities.

Google Draw

Free

Very similar to Google Slides, except a little more flexible

Students are usually less familiar with this than other Google tools.

Google Jamboard

Free

Built for collaboration; easy to use; easy to share; easy to add images; no need to own software

Students may be less familiar with this than other Google tools.

Freemium (free & paid versions

Built for collaboration; browser-based, so no software to download or install; low-distraction interface; easy to share; easy to present with

The free version is very limited, which gets frustrating very quickly.

Mindmup.com
Freemium (free & paid versions)

Easily converts to PDF, PowerPoint, or outlines; easily save to Google Drive; add images or even documents; easy to share

Students and teachers are usually unfamiliar with it, so there will be a learning curve.

🌺 What are the benefits of using a Semantic Map?

Semantic Maps are particularly useful for students who are struggling or who are English Learners, but they work really well with everyone.

First, we have the creativity side. One of the Torrance Traits of Creativity is Fluency - coming up with lots of ideas.

That's the first part of what we do with a Semantic Map.

Next, we have the added strength of categorizing. Sorting and categorizing are powerful tools. We see it in little children sorting blocks, but the power of dividing things into categories or groups isn't something that ends in Kindergarten.

We can have students come up with their own categories, or we can give them the categories we want them to use (as I demonstrated above).

If we really want to up the ante, we can have them create new categories and recategorize all of the words. That's super fun!

Another benefit of Semantic Maps is that they are a no-prep activity. Nothing to print out. Nothing to copy. Just minds and something on which to write. It just doesn't get easier than this.

🌺 How do Semantic Maps work with graphic organizers?

While you don't need to use a formal graphic organizer to create a Semantic Map, they go very well together.

Almost any graphic organizer can be used as a Semantic Map.

If you use Thinking Maps®, then a Bubble Map® or a Double Bubble Map® would be my first choice.

The key is to pick a graphic organizer that works for the students, so it's less about what it looks like and how effective it is in helping them create a visual represenation of their thinking.

You've got a few options:

Give students a particular graphic organizer that you want them to use

Give students a few graphic organizers they can pick from to use

Have students generate their own graphic organizer

Let students search for a graphic organizer

The most important thing is to not let the organizer become more important than the thinking!

🌺 How do Semantic Maps align with standards & research?

Semantic Maps have been studied in research, and those studies have shown some strong benefits.

Semantic Maps are a part of the group of "[i]nstructional activities that allow for a visual display of words and promote students' comparing and contrasting of new words to known words [that] can be a beneficial means for increasing their vocabulary knowledge " (Rupley, Logan, & Nichols, 1998).

As we practiced above, Semantic Maps not only identify important ideas, but they also show the relationships among those words and ideas (Kholi, & Sharifafar, 2013).

That's where research shows their power lies.

As far as standards, clearly they address some of the CCSS ELA standards, such as:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

But you also see them apply in math standards such as:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2.B
Identify parts of an expression using mathematical terms (sum, term, product, factor, quotient, coefficient); view one or more parts of an expression as a single entity.

If you're using Next Gen Science Standards, Semantic Maps are a strategy for Crosscutting Concepts, as students begin to recognize the patterns.

These are just examples. Whatever standards system you're working with, Semantic Maps fit beautifully.

🌺 How do I use Semantic Maps in Writing?

Semantic Maps can be used to organize thoughts before writing, creating a structure students can follow. They are a perfect pre-writing strategy.

When students group their ideas, they can easily see where there is unbalance.

They can then add in more details where they are lacking or eliminate some where they have too many.

🌺 Wrapping Up

Semantic Maps are a vocabulary strategy that belong in every teacher's toolbox. I hope that after reading this you feel confident in giving them a try.

There's no "wrong" way to do them and the rewards are terrific, so go ahead and see how they work with your students.

Like anything else, it may take a few tries until you (and your students) feel comfortable.

Pretty soon, the strategy will be second nature to you! 🌺

🌺 You May Also Like:

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How to Use Semantic Maps for Teaching Vocabulary | Vocabulary Luau

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When you get a great critical thinking exercise and pair it with a great vocabulary activity...well, let's change their Facebook status to "in a relationship with..." Semantic Maps are just such a pair. Let me persuade you! Semantic Maps are a tool we use to help students to identify, understand, and recall the meaning of words they read in the text.

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https://classful.com/semantic-mapping/

A Article On Benefits Semantic Mapping and How It Can Implemented Into Lesson Plans

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What is semantic mapping, and how can it be used in your lessons? Explore the benefits and ways you can use this technique in the classroom.

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Morphological Analysis Instruction In The Classroom

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Morphological Analysis Instruction In The Classroom

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https://classful.com/semantic-mapping/

The teaching of Morphemic Analysis In The Classroom.

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https://www.sd43.bc.ca/school/gleneagle/Parents/LearningLab/English%20Resources/Frayer%20Model%20and%20Vocabulary/frayer_model_-_vocbulary_strategy_handout__copy_3_0.pdf

FM Vocabulary Article That Details The Purpose Of, How To Explicitly Teach, Examples, and Graphic Organizers

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Frayer Model Vocabulary Graphic Organizer

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Frayer Model Vocabulary Graphic Organizer

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Classroom Demonstration of A Frayer Model

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2AjuMKVboQ

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Context Clues: Using them With Vocabulary Words

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Context Clues: Using them With Vocabulary Words

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https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/vocabulary-strategy-use-of-context/

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An important strategy to help students build their vocabulary is use of context - i.e., using the clues or hints provided in the text that surround an unfamiliar word to help guess the meaning without depending on a dictionary. This can include words, phrases, or sentences that appear before, after, or close to the word. It can also include visuals or headings embedded in the text - basically anything that helps a reader understand the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Expository, non-fiction text tends to offer more context clues than narrative text.

The main goal for developing students' ability to use context is to aid comprehension, not to teach words in-depth. When students encounter and "stumble" over unfamiliar words that are essential to making meaning of a passage, their comprehension suffers. If the context provides clues to the meanings of these words, comprehension is aided.

Use of context does not come naturally to many students. It takes time to become proficient with this strategy - students benefit from explicit instruction and guided practice. Studies have shown that when students are taught to use context clues they become better at figuring out the definitions of words compared to students who are not directly taught this skill (Kuhn & Stahl, 1998). The first step is helping students recognize when they don't know the meaning of a word and the need to make reasonable judgements about how to address that lack of knowledge.
Types of Context Clues
There are categories of types of clues that are useful for teachers to know, described below with examples from classroom texts. Knowledge of these types of clues benefits the teacher in terms of finding examples in text to use for explicit instruction and practice. However, it is not helpful to expect students to identify the type of clue provided in text. Shanahan (2022) points out that the research synthesis noted above by Kuhn and Stahl determined persuasively that students benefit from instruction for use of context, but it was not category training that helped, only the actual practice in figuring out word meanings from context.

Synonym Clue: A word that is similar to he word is provided.

Example: Water soaks into the ground pores, or spaces, among the fragments of soil.

Example: It was a triptych, or three-paneled, painting.

Contrast Clue: The word is contrasted with another word, usually an antonym.

Example: Unlike a compound, an element cannot be broken down into simpler materials.

Example: Volunteering to join the army offers the choice that a draftee does not have.

Instruction Using Classroom Text Examples
Rather than using contrived examples on worksheets to practice use of context, instruction works best when explicit instruction and guided practice is provided on a regular basis using examples from text that is already being used in the classroom. Teachers should review text and be on the lookout for examples where context clues are provided prior to assigning text for student reading.

Graves (2006, p. 99) suggests teaching students the following four-step strategy for inferring words from context:

1. Read carefully and ask yourself, "Does this make sense?"

2. Notice when you don't know the meaning of a word and slow down. Read that sentence at least once more, looking for clues.

3. If necessary, go back and reread the sentences before and after, looking for clues that help you figure out what the word might mean.

4. When you figure out what the word might mean, substitute your guess for the difficult word and see if it makes sense. If it does, keep on reading. If it doesn't, try again.

Context Doesn't Always Provide Clues
It is important to emphasize with students that use of context doesn't always work! Research shows that sometimes when readers attempt to derive the meanings of words in context they may get them wrong (Pressley et al., 2007). This may be because the student does not have enough prior knowledge to make sense of the clues in the text, or it may be that the clues are misleading. Contexts vary in how much information they provide a reader. Sometimes the context provides a direct explanation of the meaning of a word as shown in the examples of types of clues above, and in this example where the meaning of photosynthesis is directly stated in the previous sentence:

Up to this point we have been referring to the process in which light energy is used to make food simply as the food-making process. But this important process has its own special name: photosynthesis.

Sometimes the context provides some information about an unfamiliar word, but not enough for the student to be aware of its full meaning, as shown in the example below where the student may guess that a vaccination has something to do with preventing disease, but there is not enough information to discern just what a vaccination is.

In order to gain active immunity to a disease, one of two things must occur - either you come down with the disease, or you receive a vaccination.

Beck, McKeown, and Kucan (2002) identified some text as "misdirective" (i.e., leading to a misunderstanding). Here is an example of a misdirective from their book Bringing Words to Life where the students might wrongfully assume that Ginny admired Sandra's dancing:

Sandra had won the dance contest, and the audience's cheers brought her to the stage for an encore. "Every step she takes is so perfect and graceful," Ginny said grudgingly as she watched Sandra dance." (p. 4)

Shanahan (2022) suggests including examples sometimes from real text where words can't successfully be figured out from context, rather than using contrived examples to avoid what he calls "over consistency". He points out that this is being realistic with students about how use of context really works in most reading situations.
Using Word Parts
Another strategy for determining the meaning of an unfamiliar word is to use knowledge of meaningful word parts (roots, prefixes, suffixes), which is the subject of a blog post I wrote in 2018 titled Using Morphology to Teach Vocabulary. Carlisle (2007) maintains that incidental word learning through contextual clues and morphological analysis is the primary means through which students acquire new vocabulary. Frey and Fisher (2011) suggest teaching students to "Look inside the word and outside the word to see what you know." When used in tandem, use of word parts (inside the word) and use of context (outside the word) can be very helpful.
Additional Resources References

Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: The Guilford Press.

Carlisle, J.F. (2007). Fostering morphological processing, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. In R.K. Wagner, A.E. Muse, & K.R. Tannenbaum (Eds.). Vocabulary acquisition: Implications for reading comprehension. New York: The Guilford Press.

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Word wise and content rich: Five essential steps to teaching academic vocabulary. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Graves, M.F. (2006). The vocabulary book. New York: Teachers College Press.

Kuhn, M.R., & Stahl, S. A. (1998). Teaching children to learn word meanings from context: A synthesis and some questions. Journal of Literacy Research, 30, 119-138.

Pressley, M., Disney, L., & Anderson, K. (2007). Landmark vocabulary instructional research and the vocabulary instructional research that makes sense now. In Richard K. Rosenshine, B., & Stevens, R. (1984). Classroom instruction in reading. In P.D. Pearson, R. Barr, M.L. Kamil, and P.B. Mosenthal (Eds.), Handbook of reading research, 745-799. New York: Longman.

Shanahan, T. (2022). Blog post: Teaching Students to Use Context

Joan Sedita

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy and author of the Keys to Literacy professional development programs. She is an experienced educator, nationally recognized speaker and teacher trainer. She has worked for over 35 years in the literacy education field and has presented to thousands of teachers and related professionals at schools, colleges, clinics, and professional conferences.

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Vocabulary Strategy: Use of Context - Keys to Literacy

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An important strategy to help students build their vocabulary is use of context - i.e., using the clues or hints provided in the text that surround an unfamiliar word to help guess the meaning without depending on a dictionary. This can include words, phrases, or sentences that appear before, after, or close to the word.

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https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=1024

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Strategies for Teaching Context Clues - Book Units Teacher

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Teaching students to use context clues is fun with the right materials. Grab the handout as it contains all the ready-to-go resources.

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Article Explaining How To Teach Context Clues To Struggling Students.

https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/vocabulary/articles/using-context-clues-understand-word-meanings

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Using Context Clues to Understand Word Meanings

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When a student is trying to decipher the meaning of a new word, it’s often useful to look at what comes before and after that word. Learn more about the six common types of context clues, how to use them in the classroom and the role of embedded supports in digital text.

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Teaching Vocabulary With Context Clues Classroom Demonstration

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Teaching Vocabulary With Context Clues Classroom Demonstration

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxFACNEYVvo

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Teaching Vocabulary through Context Clues

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Reference Sheet For Vocabulary Strategies

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Reference Sheet For Vocabulary Strategies

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https://vocabularyluau.com/how-to-use-a-linear-array-to-practice-vocabulary/

Article Describing How To Use Linear Arrays In Your Vocabulary Lessons.

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"Linear Array" sounds super mathy, doesn't it?

In this strategy, students use a graphic organizer that is a rectangle, three ovals, and then another rectangle, all in a line.

Students are given five words to fill in the shapes. Words that are opposites are placed in the rectangles.
The students move from rectangle to rectangle, filling in the ovals with progressive words that lead from one word to its opposite.
Sound intriguing? Let's look at how it's done.

? How Does the Linear Array Strategy Work Exactly?

Place a word in the rectangle on the left. On the far right, put in a word that is the opposite of that word.
Students then fill in the ovals between those rectangles with words that move the student from the meaning of the word in one rectangle to the other.
The words in each oval become progressively less similar than the word in the left rectangle. It works best with words from literature, rather than informational text, although I've used it both ways.

Here are a couple of examples:

This strategy was described in the book Words, Words, Words: Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4 - 12 by Janet Allen.

Note: I'm a big believer in independent bookstores, and this is an affiliate link to IndieBound, where you can support independent booksellers. There is no extra cost to you.

? How to Introduce the Linear Array Strategy to Students

I show this picture of Golden Retrievers of different colors:

I have an English Cream Golden Retriever (the white kind), so my students can relate to this photo because they're used to my dog, Brody.

Oh, okay, I'll show you a picture of my dog (since you insist).

Note: You can use a different photo of anything that moves from one gradation of color to another.

However, I would not use an image of different shades of just a color (like green) because you may have students who are color blind and will miss the entire idea.

I write red on the left side of the board or screen, and I write white on the right side.

I then draw rectangles around those words and draw three ovals in between them.

I explain that these Golden Retrievers are arrayed or lined up from dark red to white.

If they don't know the word array, I explain that an array is when we line things ups or organize things in rows and columns.

I ask them to choose three colors that will describe how these dogs move from red to white. What colors do we see in between these two ends?

They give me a few suggestions, and I fill in the ovals, making sure it makes sense.

I love the color words they come up with ( butterscotch, for example).

I explain that words have shades of meaning, just like the dogs have shades of their coats. Some words are very similar to each other, just like the two dogs on the left have very similarly colored coats.

Some words are the opposite of each other, like the white and red dog. If students know the word antonym, I use that.

I explain that we're going to use an activity called a linear array to help us do with words what we just did with the dogs.

We're going to start with opposites, and we're going to fill in the gradations, or shades, of meaning. When we do this, we can look at the order words go in or the degree of meaning.

? Give Another Example

Next, I'll write two more rectangles on the board with three ovals between.

In the rectangles, I'll put whisper on the left and shout on the right.

I explain that these are different levels or degrees of speaking. We whisper the word whisper and shout the word shout. Yes, even my 10 th graders!

Then, I ask for ideas of words that could go between these two, words that are other degrees of loudness of voice.

I put all of the words on the board or screen in a big brainstorm, and then we look at which one would best go next to whisper.

We move to the right, choosing two more words and saying the word in the tone we think it represents.

We then check ourselves in the order we have and decide if our suggestions are reasonable. Sometimes we do some switching out or around here.

I'm using a lot of words to explain this so you know exactly how it's done, but this is about a ten-minute activity from start to finish. It can be longer if your students are chatty(!) or if you have the brainstorm last a long time.

?Have Them Practice in Groups

Next, I have them practice in groups. I give them the graphic organizer and have them practice with word groups I've prepared.

You can choose groups of words from your content, but if my students haven't done this before, I usually pick common words to get them used to the activity.

When I give them their word groups, I remind them that some words will be organized by degree and some will placed in order.

?Possible Word Groups:

Give them the word groups are scrambled. I'm putting them in order for your use, but you wouldn't give the words to them like this or you've done the activity!

child, parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great grandparent

ugly, homely, attractive, pretty, gorgeous

freezing, cold, lukewarm, warm, hot

conversation, discussion, disagreement, argument, fight

sad, contented, cheerful, happy, ecstatic

unreliable, wobbly, stable, secure, sturdy

If you want to make up your own examples or have students do so, have them search for synonyms and antonyms of a word and put those in order of degree.

If you do that, make sure you keep the connotation constant. For example, loyal is an antonym of unreliable, but it's a different connotation than the example we're using here.

After giving them a few minutes to order their words, I have them share out as groups. I then explain that we'll be using the linear array strategy to analyze words in class.

After this introduction, students are ready to do the activity, and you can use it for vocabulary words you're encountering in text.

Keep reading for more ideas and variations!

? Do You Have to Use a Graphic Organizer?

Nope. However, I strongly recommend that you do. The graphic organizer:

Allows students to see clearly the progression from one word to the other

Keeps the work visually appealing

Makes it easy to tell when the assignment is complete (no missing a word!)

Makes it easier for the teacher to evaluate

That said, you don't have to use it if you don't want to.

? Variations on the Linear Array Strategy

The basic strategy is that the teacher gives the students all five words.

To vary this:

Give only the words that would go in the rectangles and have students come up with appropriate words for the ovals.

Try the reverse, giving students the words that go in the ovals and have them come up with the "bookend" words that go in the rectangles.

For extra complexity, give small groups a big set of words, perhaps twenty-five, and have them sort them into word families and then array them.

Share an array with an error (lazy, energetic, conscientious, bored, assiduous). In this case, bored is out of place.

Have students each represent the word. Holding up word strips, they array themselves as a group. The rest of the class gives a thumbs up when they're correct.

I think you can see the flexibility of this activity!

? What Are the Benefits of the Linear Array Vocabulary Strategy?

In addition to being a great strategy in our word exposure arsenal, linear arrays have other more specific benefits.

Because linear arrays ask students to analyze the gradation between words, they ask for a subtle level of analysis that can be difficult to find in many activities.

When students can do this well, they make connections between words more easily. They will also become more adept at noticing subtle differences in word meaning and connotation.

It's a strategy that works equally well with elementary and secondary students, which makes it quite flexible.

? Wrapping Up:

I hope you're encouraged to give the linear array strategy a shot.

While it isn't perfect for every vocabulary word, when it's a good fit, it's terrific.

If you have the graphic organizer, it's very low prep as well (especially if you ask students to come up with their own "oval" words).

? You May Also Like:

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How to Use a Linear Array to Practice Vocabulary | Vocabulary Luau

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"Linear Array" sounds super mathy, doesn't it? In this strategy, students use a graphic organizer that is a rectangle, three ovals, and then another rectangle, all in a line. Students are given five words to fill in the shapes. Words that are opposites are placed in the rectangles.

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http://media2.lpb.org/images/pdf/litlearn/strategies/strat_4vss.pdf

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