Totally Not Boring (I Promise) Vocabulary Games for High School ELA

Learning new vocabulary can be, um, boring. You know the drill: Encounter an unknown word, look it up in a dictionary, memorize the definition for a test. But what if I told you there are ways to make learning vocab more exciting with vocabulary games for high school? It's true! Here are some of my classroom tested bona fide fun vocabulary games:

1. Wheel of Vocab!

Supplies:

Bike wheel with part of axel attached or a rod stuck through the hub to act as an axel

Index cards (or any type of paper)

Tape (I use clear packing tape)

An arrow shape (I cut mine out of cardboard)

Assembly:

1.Write vocab words on cards (or paper) and attach to each spoke of bike. 

2.I hold the axel of the wheel in one hand and the arrow shape in another hand.

To play:

1.Divide class into two teams. Flip a coin to decide which team goes first.

2.One at a time, students come up and spin the wheel.

3.The vocab word that is closest to the arrow as the wheel stops spinning in the word they must define.

4.If they define it correctly, their team gets one point, and the vocab word is removed from the wheel.

5.If they define the word incorrectly, the vocab word is left on the wheel, and they don’t get a point.

Play moves evenly between the two teams.

2. Heads Up!

Supplies:

Index cards with vocabulary words written on them

To play:

1.Divide class into two teams. Flip a coin to determine which team will be the “guesser” first.

2.One student from each team comes to the front of the room. One student will be the “guesser” and the other will give the definition.

3.The “guesser” holds a card on his/her forehead with the vocabulary word visible to everyone except them.

4.The other student (the one who will give the definition) faces the “guesser” and gives the definition of the word. 

5.If they give the correct definition and the “guesser” guesses it, then both students get a point and return to their seats.

6.If the second student gives an incorrect definition, they return to their seat, and another member of their team comes to take their place.

7.If the second student gives a correct definition, but the “guesser” doesn’t guess correctly, the “guesser” can have another attempt. If they are unsuccessful again, then the vocab card is discarded, and the “guesser” returns to their seat. The definition giver gets a point and returns to their seat.

3. Vocabulary Darts

Supplies:

Dart board

Darts

Index cards (or any paper)

Small piece of masking tape

Assembly:

1.Write vocabulary words on index cards (or paper)

2.Pin cards to dart board

3.Place masking tape on floor a reasonable distance away from dart board. (This is the point where students will stand to throw the dart at the board.)

How to play:

1.Divide class into two teams. Flip a coin to determine which team goes first.

2.One at a time students come to the masking tape point and throw the dart at the board.

3.If/when a student hits a vocab word, they try to define it.

4.If the student defines the word correctly, then they get the point(s) and the vocab card is replaced with a new one. (Note: I usually flip the cards over so that the word isn’t visible.) If the student doesn’t define the word correctly, the card remains on the board (it can be visible now).

5. You determine the scoring for the different areas of the dart board.

How have you made learning vocabulary more fun in your classroom? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!