This
activity was designed by Lynne Collidge for year 11 students,
but could be easily modified for use by primary and secondary
students. It serves a number of purposes. Students learn
to write about a topic of their choice using a new form
and style. They also gain a sound practical understanding
of how to use published dictionaries. To support this activity,
the teacher introduces or revises key parts of speech and
students apply their knowledge for a genuine purpose.
Instructions
for students
Your goal is to create a dictionary on a subject or
topic of your choice.
You
can choose any topic of interest to you. Examples of topics
include:
- sports
such as skateboarding, hockey, football, netball;
- hobbies
such as bushwalking, heavy metal music, motorbike
riding;
- general
topics of interest such as words related to particular
work places or school subjects or the home;
- or
words that may be grouped in a specific way such
as words to describe feelings, war words, weather words
and so on.
What
to do:
- Choose
your topic or subject.
- Compile
a list of at least 25 words (40 words if you are working
with a partner).
- Put
the words in alphabetical order.
- Write
a brief definition of the word’s meaning in the
context of your topic. Think about the specific meaning
the word has in this context.
- Identify
the part of speech to which the word belongs (noun,
adjective, verb, adverb.)
- Write
a pronunciation guide for each word. (We will work on
this in class and a dictionary will help you.)
- Publish
your dictionary using standard dictionary format. Include
a cover page and a title page that includes publication
details.
