Verb Dictionary

Submitted by: Barbara Lafer  

My students have great fun with this activity while reinforcing parts of speech. Students work in groups of 4 or 5 to create their own Verb Dictionary books.

1. Each group is given a Verb Dictionary Sign-Up Sheet. On this sheet is a list of each letter of the alphabet with a blank line beside each letter. Students decide who will be responsible for finding verbs for approximately 4 letters (depending on how many students are in their group).

2. Students then must create a sample sentence for each of their verbs following the format below.

_________  __________  _________  __________

Adjective            Noun            Verb            Adverb

(Additional parts of speech can be added to make the sample sentences more interesting - I have added prepositional phrases, etc.) The key, however, is that each sentence MUST be something the student can actually do - or act out with props because they photograph each other "performing" their sample sentences using either a Polaroid or digital camera.

3. Once all group members have drafted and peer edited their sample sentences, they photograph each group member acting out their sentence.

4. Each sentence and photo is then put onto a template (one for each letter of the alphabet as follows:

(Write the letter inside of a box in large letters)

Glue the photo of the sentence here.

(Write the sample sentence.)

_________  __________  _________  __________

Adjective            Noun            Verb            Adverb

(Repeat with a new page for each letter of the alphabet. Bind this together as an A-Z Dictionary) NOTE: The verb must begin with the letter of the alphabet in the box at the top of each page.)  

  EXAMPLE:

  O

  (A picture of my dog wearing a clown wig.)

  Sample Sentence

  Obedient Bandit obeys reluctantly.

  Adjective Noun Verb Adverb  

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