Station 1 - Word Map Examples
This station is composed of Word Maps, T-Bar Charts and Feature Grids.
The purpose of this station is to learn what the words mean, review the context
in which they came up in the chapter, study a variety of associations, allow the student to
draw from his/her own prior knowledge and experience, and create a "Personal Dictionary" for
use in completing the activities in the other Stations. Upon completion of this station
students will have personalized the meanings
of their target words. Print out the manual Teaching with Word Lab for
ideas on providing guidance.
- What
This is the only activity students are required to choose.
They are asked to read the definition of the word, the sample Word Map, then create their own.
Their ideas will be printed out, along with the definitions of the target words, when they finish
Station 1 activities, becoming part of their Personal Dictionary. After completing Word Maps,
the student may need to only complete one more activity in this station (unless the teacher has required
fewer or more activities per station be completed).
- How
In order to create their own Word Maps for each word,
students must choose an appropriate category then type in their associations with the word within
the chosen categories. They are expected to go back to the example ("View Example") frequently for
ideas and should be encouraged to "borrow" ideas from the sample Word Map and/or the
definition when stuck. Unlike the sample, students only have to fill out two spaces in each section before
clicking "Next."
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Why
Words only become fully internalized when personalized in some form. The process of accessing prior
knowledge and experience and committing it to writing, provides this opportunity. Borrowing ideas from
the example word map allows students who find brainstorming difficult, to move ahead. These students
eventually are able to produce more of their own ideas as they gain confidence. In other station activities,
students refer repeatedly to the ideas and the definitions in their Personal Dictionaries created in
this activity, rethinking and reassessing their understanding of the word.
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