“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
Starting a unit or lesson with the key vocabulary that students will see in their readings or presentations aids in overall comprehension and retention. In this activity, students will create a storyboard that defines and illustrates key vocabulary found in Cinder. This can be done at the beginning of each chapter so that students can preview what they will read or teachers could decide to do at the end of a chapter as an assessment. When students define and illustrate each term, they master the application of it and retain it as part of their lexicon.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map that illustrates and defines new vocabulary in Cinder.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Must have 3 terms, correct definitions, and appropriate illustrations for each that demonstrate your understanding of the words.
Grade Level 6-8
Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Visual Vocabulary Boards
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | The definition is correct. | The definition is partially correct. | The definition is incorrect. |
| Visualizations | The storyboard cells clearly illustrate the meaning of the vocabulary words. | The storyboard cells relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words, but are difficult to understand. | The storyboard cells do not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words. |
Starting a unit or lesson with the key vocabulary that students will see in their readings or presentations aids in overall comprehension and retention. In this activity, students will create a storyboard that defines and illustrates key vocabulary found in Cinder. This can be done at the beginning of each chapter so that students can preview what they will read or teachers could decide to do at the end of a chapter as an assessment. When students define and illustrate each term, they master the application of it and retain it as part of their lexicon.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a spider map that illustrates and defines new vocabulary in Cinder.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: Must have 3 terms, correct definitions, and appropriate illustrations for each that demonstrate your understanding of the words.
Grade Level 6-8
Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Visual Vocabulary Boards
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | The definition is correct. | The definition is partially correct. | The definition is incorrect. |
| Visualizations | The storyboard cells clearly illustrate the meaning of the vocabulary words. | The storyboard cells relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words, but are difficult to understand. | The storyboard cells do not clearly relate to the meaning of the vocabulary words. |
Encourage students to share their vocabulary storyboards with the class. This helps students explain their thinking and learn from different perspectives. Take turns presenting, and ask classmates to give feedback or ask questions about the illustrations and definitions.
Have students swap their completed storyboards with a partner. Ask them to review each other's definitions and illustrations, checking for accuracy and creativity. This process fosters collaboration and helps students spot any misunderstandings.
Use student-created vocabulary boards as warm-up or review activities at the beginning or end of class. Invite students to explain a term from their board or quiz each other, reinforcing word knowledge in a fun, interactive way.
Ask students to find or create sentences using their vocabulary words in a real-life context, such as news articles or personal experiences. This makes vocabulary more meaningful and memorable for students.
A visual vocabulary board activity for 'Cinder' involves students selecting key terms from the book, defining them, and creating illustrations to represent each term. This helps students connect new vocabulary to the story and improves retention.
You can guide students to create a storyboard or spider map where they write the definition of each chosen word and draw a related image using scenes, characters, or items from 'Cinder.' This supports both comprehension and creativity.
Introduce key terms before each chapter by previewing vocabulary as a class, having students define and illustrate words, and discussing their meanings in context. This prepares students for what they will encounter in the reading.
Illustrating vocabulary helps middle school readers deepen understanding, visualize complex words, and remember terms more easily. It makes abstract concepts concrete and supports diverse learning styles.
Sample vocabulary words from 'Cinder' include android, cyborg, lunar, imminent, quarantine, thaumaturge, and pristine. Choose words that are challenging or central to the story's themes.
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher