Vocabulary Game 

Frayer Model – EnTeam Academic Game

Purpose 

Students strengthen each other’s vocabulary by interviewing one another using the Frayer model and the EnTeam process for measuring cooperative performance.

Academic Education

Students strengthen their communication, listening, and writing skills, as they work on vocabulary.

Character Education

Students develop their understanding of collaborative learning by interviewing each other, collaborating, and planning how to improve their collective performance.

Requirements 

  • Time: 2 minutes per game plus time to debrief between games
  • Number of Players: unlimited — arrange the players in pairs or teams of 3 or 4
  • Age range: Old enough to define words 
  • Space: Desk activity with a partner 
  • Equipment: 3 groups of vocabulary words, dictionaries or reference materials, pens/pencils, timer, Frayer graphic organizer (choose appropriate template)
  • The templates can be modified to align with various learning objectives (see examples below).

Set Up

  1. Assess prior knowledge of students and create appropriate vocabulary lists.
  2. Divide students into pairs. See variation for a group of students.
  3. Each player is given the appropriate template, a pen or pencil, and access to definitions of the words.
  4. Give each team a scoresheet (optional)
  5. Instructors decide categories for each of the four boxes in a template. (See examples in the templates.)

How to Play 

  1. Each game is 2 minutes long. 
  2. Show players the template you selected for the game. 
  3. Give students time to study and prepare. 
  4. Each player looks up their vocabulary word and thinks of examples before the timer starts.  Teachers may allow students to discuss their words.
  5. Timekeeper starts the clock and partner interviews begin. 
  6. Game 1: Player A has 2 minutes to ask Player B about the four categories.
    1. Player A writes what Player B says in the template. Player B has to give as many synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and sentences as possible using the word.
    2. Player D asks Player C about the second word. Player D writes what Player C says.
    3. If there is a group of 3, the solo player works along on the graphic organizer. 
  7. When time is up, players debrief and then switch roles. 
  8. Pairs exchange papers and students score each other’s work.
    1. For example, Players A&B score Players C&D’s graphic organizer.
  9. Record scores, debrief, and rotate partners. 

Rules 

  1. Interviewer may only write what the interviewee says.
  2. Solo players may talk with teammates but must work on a different word.
  3. Examples and non-examples must be original – not copied from the book or from other students. 
  4. Teammates are allowed to coach each other and make suggestions.

Scoring 

  • Score one point for each ratio that represents the information in the ad correctly.
  • Score one point for checking the answer and showing the work of checking.

Variations

  • 1 point for a correct definition, 1 point for a list of characteristics, 1 point for each example, and 1 point for each non-example.
  • The score for partners is the number of total points they earned.
  1. Scoring Variation
    • To ensure that each student participates in the learning process, you can keep score of the number of pairs of points earned by each partner.
      • For example, if Partner A writes 2 items for B and B writes 8 items for A, then they both score 2 points because they have 2 pairs of points.

     2. Team Variation — match play

    • To increase teamwork, you can organize the students into teams of three or four.
    • In a match, each teammate has equal time with each other person on their team. 
    • Use EnTeam score sheets.
    • Each match consists of three games with 2 rounds per game.
    • In teams of four, both pairs play simultaneously. 
      • In game 1, Player A askes Player B about B’s word. Player A writes what B says.
      • Player D asks Player C about their word. Player D writes what Player C says.
    • In teams of 3, the solo player works alone on own graphic organizer. Solo players may talk with teammates but must work on a different word.

 

Debrief Questions

The purpose of debriefing is to develop strategies that will improve your performance and to recognize how these lessons apply to everyday life. To facilitate a successful debrief, facilitators must observe participants and ask engaging questions that spark thoughtful reflection. If we don’t debrief, we don’t learn!

What happened?

What did you see? What did you hear? What was the score?

What worked? What didn’t work?

How did people feel? What issue(s) came up? What issue(s) remain?

So what? 

What did we learn?

How does this experience relate to other experiences?

Why are we doing this? How is it relevant to us? 

Now what? 

How could we improve our score in this activity?

How can we work together better?

How could we apply lessons learned outside of the game? 

Digging Deeper 

  • Did anyone feel reluctant to share strategies?
    • Why? Are you still in a win-lose mindset?
    • If we are trying to improve collective achievement, who are you benefitting when you withhold strategies from other teams?

Debrief Chart (PDF)

EnTeam Vocabulary (Frayer Model) Game Packet- PDF