
Learning goals
- Expand Vocabulary: You will learn new vocabulary relevant to real-world scenarios you may encounter in academic and social settings.
- Application in Public Speaking: You will practice using new vocabulary confidently in public speaking exercises.
- Active Recall and Usage: You will engage in activities that require active recall and usage of newly learned words in various contexts.
CONTENT
This vocabulary set provides a foundation for discussions and activities surrounding modern issues and societal trends, giving students practical and contemporary language skills
VOCABULARY LIST
- Arbitrary (AR-bih-trair-ee)
- Meaning: Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
- Usage: “His decision to choose team members seemed arbitrary.”
- Visual Aid: A graphic showing a dice roll to symbolize randomness.
- Conspicuous (kun-SPIC-yoo-uhs)
- Meaning: Standing out so as to be clearly visible.
- Usage: “He was conspicuous in his bright red jacket.”
- Visual Aid: Image of a person in a bright outfit in a crowd.
- Mitigate (MIT-i-gate)
- Meaning: Make less severe, serious, or painful.
- Usage: “She wanted to mitigate the consequences of her actions.”
- Visual Aid: Before and after pictures showing the impact of a mitigation strategy, like planting trees to reduce soil erosion.
- Paramount (PAR-uh-mount)
- Meaning: More important than anything else; supreme.
- Usage: “Safety is of paramount importance.”
- Visual Aid: A hierarchy chart with ‘Safety’ at the top.
- Renewable (ree-NOO-uh-bul)
- Meaning: Not depleted when used; able to be renewed.
- Usage: “Solar energy is a form of renewable energy.”
- Visual Aid: Diagram showing how solar panels generate electricity.
- Ubiquitous (yoo-BIK-wi-tus)
- Meaning: Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
- Usage: “Smartphones are ubiquitous these days.”
- Visual Aid: A collage of different settings (cafes, streets, schools) where smartphones are used.
- Viable (VYE-uh-bul)
- Meaning: Capable of working successfully; feasible.
- Usage: “The plan needs to be viable for us to proceed.”
- Visual Aid: A flowchart showing the steps to assess if a plan is viable.
- Empathy (EM-puh-thee)
- Meaning: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
- Usage: “Showing empathy is important in friendships.”
- Visual Aid: A comic strip showing a person comforting a friend.
- Innovate (IN-uh-vate)
- Meaning: Make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.
- Usage: “The company tries to innovate to stay ahead of the competition.”
- Visual Aid: Timeline of a product like the telephone, showing its evolution over time.
- Resilient (re-ZIL-yent)
- Meaning: Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.
- Usage: “Plants in the desert are incredibly resilient.”
- Visual Aid: Images of desert plants thriving in harsh conditions.
ACTIVITIES
Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt
Objective:
To engage in a dynamic and interactive way to help you understand and remember the new vocabulary by finding examples or representations of each word in their surroundings or from the internet.
Instructions:
- Preparation:
- You will be provided with a list of the new vocabulary words.
- The meanings, usage, and pronunciation of each word using the interactive presentation previously discussed will be explained.
- Scavenger Hunt Setup:
- You can participate individually or in small teams.
- A task for each vocabulary word will be assigned. For example, find an image online that represents “ubiquitous” or take a photo of something “renewable” in the school environment.
- I will set a time limit (e.g., 30 minutes) for the scavenger hunt.
- Execution:
- Use your smartphones or tablets to search for images or take pictures that best illustrate the vocabulary words.
- Be creative: the representation should not only depict the word but also its usage in a real-world context.
- Presentation:
- After the scavenger hunt, present your findings to the class.
- Each presentation must include an explanation of why you chose each particular image or item for the corresponding word.
- Gamification Element:
- Krugs will be given for creativity, accuracy, and presentation skills.

Vocabulary Role-Play
Objective:
Enhance your understanding of the new vocabulary through the use of role-playing, which encourages you to apply the vocabulary in spoken context, improving both your speaking and listening skills.
Instructions:
- Preparation:
- The class will be divided into small groups, assigning each group a scenario that involves several of the vocabulary words.
- Scenarios should be open-ended and relevant to the your experiences. For instance, planning a “sustainable” school event, discussing how to “innovate” school processes, or navigating a story where characters show “empathy.”
- Role-Play Setup:
- You’ll have time to prepare your roles and dialogues, ensuring you incorporate the vocabulary words effectively.
- Think about how your body language, tone, and pace can reflect the meaning of the words.
- Performance:
- Each group performs their role-play in front of the class.
- You should note down the vocabulary words used during each performance.
- Gamification Element:
- You will vote on which group used the vocabulary most effectively and creatively.
- Award bonus points for extra creativity in using the vocabulary in context.
- Review and Feedback
