Impactful vocabulary activities for middle school students

Why is teaching middle school vocabulary important?

By middle school, students are well on their way from learning to read to reading to learn. A strong foundation of middle school vocabulary, both colloquial and academic, sets students up for success in the classroom and in life.  

Middle school is an exciting time when students are still forming their personal identities and are eager to express their thoughts and opinions. One of the most powerful skills students develop is their voice, and teachers can support that development by bolstering their education with vocabulary activities for middle schoolers.

How Flocabulary supports vocabulary acquisition

Flocabulary is the ultimate platform for fostering rich vocabulary acquisition and comprehension, using a vast library of engaging hip-hop lyrics and animated videos to do so. Hip-hop has a more extensive vocabulary and weaves in more unique words than any other genre. Plus, the rhythm and rhyme in the verses make those keywords stick, helping to build long-term memory muscles.  

But don’t just take our word for it: 91% of students agree that after watching a Flocabulary video, they have a better understanding of what they’re learning. Here’s an example of the type of engaging videos you can find on Flocabulary!

Here are some examples of the videos you can find on Flocabulary:

New to Flocabulary? Teachers can sign up for a trial to access our lesson videos and assessment activities. Administrators can get in touch with us to learn more about unlocking the full power of Flocabulary through Flocabulary Plus.

5 impactful vocabulary activities for middle school students

1. Unpack vocabulary routinely

Repeated exposure to new middle school vocabulary words, practiced routinely, will help build students’ word knowledge over time. When considering vocabulary activities for middle school students, the Frayer Model is a common method used to introduce and reinforce new words. This graphic organizer offers multiple ways to concept-map a new vocabulary word, encouraging students to analyze and unpack its meaning.

Using the Frayer Model through the Vocab Cards activity, students will: 

1. Select a Vocab Card and read the definition and key characteristics. 
2. Click on “Write with this word” to type in a sentence using the word or give an example to show their understanding of its meaning. 
3. Click on “Draw” and use the drawing and typing tools to draw an example of the vocabulary word.

Flocabulary echoes the method of the Frayer Model with the Vocab Cards activity, which accompanies each lesson. Vocab Cards help students build connections between words and background knowledge. This method can be especially helpful when diving into academic vocabulary. Academic vocabulary refers to the language used in academic settings, such as our classrooms, textbooks, exams, and other instructional materials; it is categorized into three tiers: 

• Tier 1 vocabulary: Includes basic words that commonly appear in everyday conversation and often don’t require direct instruction. 
• Tier 2 vocabulary: Includes high-frequency words that appear across content areas and are less often used in everyday speech, so students may benefit from more direct instruction with these words. 
• Tier 3 vocabulary: Includes low-frequency, domain-specific words, which require explicit instruction. Understanding these words is key to comprehending content in specific academic subject areas. 

Each Flocabulary lesson includes a suite of instructional activities that includes Vocab Cards, as well as Vocab Game, Break It Down, Read & Respond, Quiz, and Lyric Lab to help reinforce new vocabulary strategies for middle school students.

2. Get to the root of vocabulary building 

A common and important strategy for teaching middle school vocabulary words is to highlight the etymology of words. Etymology is the study of the origins of words, which includes learning about root words from ancient Greek and Latin. This subfield of linguistics helps students to break down and define unknown or unrecognized words.  

For example, let’s say a student learns that the Greek root “hydro,” from “hýdōr,” means “water.” With that knowledge, they are more likely to be successful when trying to figure out multisyllabic words such as hydrotropic (a plant’s growth response to water concentration), hydrofoil (a wing-like underwater fin that lifts a boat or ships out of the water), or hydrophobia (a fear of water, symptomatic of rabies). These word detective skills are key for standardized test preparation. Consider playing a variation of a popular middle school vocabulary game, the dictionary game, by challenging students to create their own nonsensical vocabulary using a combination of root words 

Flocabulary has lessons and activities that focus on root words. Teachers can help students revisit and strengthen their decoding skills in deconstructing unfamiliar vocabulary words.  

• Roots: Students explore how to use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meaning of words. 
• Suffixes: Students discover how suffixes can change the meaning and part of speech of words. 
• Prefixes & Suffixes: Students learn how prefixes and suffixes reveal word meanings and practice recalling words with these word parts.

3. Speaking of test prep…

Keeping a finger on the pulse of student progress with vocabulary acquisition helps to predict how they might perform on end-of-year testing, standardized or not. Checking for vocabulary proficiency and mastery requires an assessment of reading, writing, and speaking skills. By using a variety of assessment methods, teachers can address individual student needs to help them build their personal toolbox of vocabulary sleuthing skills and prepare for testing.  

Flocabulary offers several options for vocabulary assessment, including pre- and post-lesson assessments in Word Up, a standards-aligned program that provides 140 lessons across grades 2-8. Teachers can use the levels, categorized by color, to meet students where they are and challenge them to level up. Including more than 1,000 terms commonly found on standardized tests, Word Up can directly impact students’ vocabulary acquisition before any testing.

4. Encourage wordplay

Early on, kids are introduced to the rhythm and rhyme of the English language through picture books, poetry, and nursery rhymes. Though they may be older, teachers can continue to grant permission to students to engage in wordplay, letting them explore and experiment with how they want to express themselves, convey their meaning, and find their voice. In writing, voice is considered reflective of the writer’s unique style and personality. 

Flocabulary provides a playground for students to engage in wordplay and explore their unique writing voice in the Lyric Lab. Lyric Lab is a special tool that gives students the opportunity to have some fun while they demonstrate their understanding of vocabulary words and enhance their writing skills. Students can create raps in a whole-group setting or individually, pulling vocabulary from the word bank or rhyming dictionary as they play with rhythm and rhyme. The Lyric Lab combines music in the classroom with project-based learning.

5. Promote student voice

Having a robust vocabulary enables and empowers students to hone their voice when it comes to both speaking and writing. They can grow their sense of agency to communicate in a way that is authentic to them. Engage your students in creative writing alongside expository writing to encourage them to explore their voice and own sense of creative expression. They can play with word choice, tone, and style to convey their ideas, their thoughts, and their opinions in a manner that is true to them. Consider opportunities to give them a creative outlet and a platform to use their voice.

Flocabulary offers a unique contest open to middle school students and other K-12 grades to underscore the value of vocabulary acquisition and to uplift student voices. The Flocabulary Student Voice Rap Contest asks students to write original lyrics about a historical figure for the opportunity to have their hip-hop-inspired rap turned into a Flocabulary video, complete with accompanying activities. This contest challenges students to explore and expand their vocabulary while honing their unique voice.

Start using Flocabulary to teach middle school vocabulary

When learning how to teach vocabulary in middle school, an educator’s role is to properly introduce and challenge students to expand their vocabulary. By using words intentionally and with creative forethought, students can shape their voices for both daily conversations and academic writing. Flocabulary offers a treasure trove of 1,300+ video-based lessons that drive true student engagement by putting middle school students in the driver’s seat of their learning experiences through the power of hip-hop music, visual art, storytelling, humor, drama, and poetry. Use these middle school vocabulary lessons and activities to boost learning and engagement in your classroom!

New to Flocabulary? Teachers can sign up for a trial to access our lesson videos and assessment activities. Administrators can get in touch with us to learn more about unlocking the full power of Flocabulary through Flocabulary Plus.