Many of my students are intimidated by “big words.” I found that if I focused on one word a day, and allowed students to experiment with words via low-stakes writing prompts, the intimidation disappeared.
The purpose of these activities is for students to play and experiment with language. One word a day is not the most “efficient” system for learning vocabulary. However, one word a day allows students to build momentum and confidence.
For students to become life-long and self-directed learners they need to be curious and not intimidated by “big words.”
Google Docs:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lbDsq_GYPd0fPaYp4y2aNVf00418zIAeA5nVc2B5LpM/edit
Google Folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1aGHEQAxJxn2T-YCE7vLiuVNA8krw4rAD