I’d like to think that words make the man, rather than clothes (I also want to say human rather than just man). When it came to making my own business cards a few years ago, I took my version of this axiom to heart and created cards where I defined favorite words, then wrote a sentence that put each word in the context of my job.
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When handing them out on Saturday at Cincinnati’s Books by the Banks festival (get excited for an author video with awesome fantasy author Rae Carson in a few weeks!), I realized that I should have my students make their own business cards with their favorite vocabulary words.
Not only do students learn words more fully when they can connect them to themselves, but by making and distributing their own cards, they get to educate and elevate the lexicon of their friends and family.
Students can have a great deal of fun with the graphic design elements of their cards; they can use my downloadable template, a basic word processing business card template or even create their own by hand. The goal is for each student to take at least 5 vocabulary words to heart as they develop their cards.
Grading for this activity is incredibly easy; as long as students write clear sentences where the vocabulary word helps define them in a positive way, they can get full credit. You can also give them kudos for design aesthetics and creativity. I would encourage you to show them my cards as examples to help them understand the task. Also, create your own as models so students have some knowledge of your favorite words and your strengths as an educator!
Who knows-maybe we can exchange cards when I see you at NCTE in just a few weeks!
Let me know if you are coming to NCTE, or if you have other ways that you use business cards or similar graphic displays of words in your classroom!
Writing Standard 10. Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking & Listening Standard 5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data
Language Standard 3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts.
Language Standard 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words
Language Standard 5. Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meaning.
Language Standard 6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge
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