Google It!

Vocabulary is an integral part of many classrooms. It helps students to develop and expand their academic language. As a teacher that has a 100% digital classroom with no textbook, I found that introducing vocabulary was a challenge- how do I teach students to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize the internet to expand their vernacular as social scientists?

Educational Innovator Oskar Cymerman introduced me to a concept called Google It! (check out his blog post on this concept here) as a way to make this aspect of teaching fit into the modern classroom. Google It! is a great way to teach students how to collaborate and use Google as an academic tool to expand vocabulary in any class.

Below is an example of how I utilize the activity:




My spin on Google It! is to find some kinesthetic method for students to demonstrate their understanding of the vocabulary term. This could encompass students creating examples of the term utilizing artistic methodologies or resources. Students could create and enact a skit, song or dance to showcase understanding. Students can upload their example into a digital notebook, portfolio or journal.

Student collaboration is crucial to utilizing this activity to its fullest potential. Students work together to create and refine their definitions. Students are consistently curating definitions with their peers to ensure a complete and consistent understanding of the term. Students also critique sources to ensure appropriate scrutiny in procuring definitions.

Finally, students share their learning with each other. This allows further curation; students can share, digitally, and get the most useful definitions and examples into their individual digital notebooks.

Please leave comments if you have any questions or need further clarification of this awesome and exciting activity.

Check out my YouTube channel: Chaka Cummings (The Dedicated Educator). Also, find me on LinkedIn and check out some of my published posts on education.