Vocabulary Activity Name: Richard Williams Name of activity: Climb the Pyramid Learning goal: Students will be able

to define and describe vocabulary words relating to the major structures of the human body. Target words: ligament, joint, tendon, vein, artery, capillary, respiratory, cardiovascular, bronchi, heart, lung, kidney, large muscle, Briefly describe the activity: Climb the pyramid enhances understanding of each vocabulary word, and what it is related to in the human body. Not only do students have to know the name of the structure, but also something about the structure - it function and appearance. This game is fashioned similar to the old $25,000 Pyramid TV game show, where the class is divided into teams and one team gives clues and the other team has to give the correct vocabulary word based on the clue (within 30 seconds). Clues must come from either the definition of the word, where the structure is located in the human body, or the function of the structure. The team that gets to the top of their pyramid first, wins. The teacher encourages creative clues, and observes both teams for student understanding of the word and its function in the human body.

Materials Needed: A 30 second timer, or watch with second hand Text: Uncover the Human Body: An Uncover It Book by Luann Columbo and Jenifer Fairman White board or chart paper with the following pyramid drawn on it (one for each team):

How will I introduce and explain this activity? Class, today we are going to play a game to see how well we understand the vocabulary words from the structures of the human body. Not only do we need to know what the words are, we need to know how the structures relate to each other as well as what they do. We are going to check that knowledge with todays activity. The game is called Climb the Pyramid, and I have drawn the pyramid with levels in it on the white board. The class will divide into 2 teams. Each level will be a vocabulary word, and one team will have to describe the word by explaining what it is, what it does or where it is located in the human body while the other team will have to guess the word. Teams will continue to climb the pyramid until they miss a word, then the other team will get a turn. How will I model this activity? I will start with the first word vein, and then I will describe the word with where it is in the human body, what it looks like and what it does by saying: These are everywhere in the human body, and they return blood to the heart. I will then let the students help complete the clue by adding more detail (what a vein looks like, how long veins can be, etc.). What opportunities will be provided for shared and guided practice? When the pyramids are completed and all the words have been explained, I will work with the class to have them create sentences they might find in the text that use the words in the pyramids. I will model this to the class as a whole, then break the class into small groups of 4 and have them come up with 4 sentences using the vocabulary words that they will share with the class.