How can the Visual Thesaurus help students better understand the language of mathematics?

In this lesson, small groups of students will use the Visual Thesaurus to explore the multiple meanings of some common math terms. Then, groups will synthesize this knowledge by coming up with examples of the words in both mathematical and other contexts.  Continue reading...

How can the Visual Thesaurus help students replace trite words of emphasis with "words strong in themselves"?  Continue reading...

In this lesson, students identify the algorithm behind Fibonacci's sequence of numbers and then read a New York Times article about how blogger Gregory K. Pincus invented a poetry form based on this number sequence. Students then synthesize their knowledge of the Fibonacci sequence and the VT to create their own "Word Fib" poems that explore the multiple connotations of some challenging one-syllable vocabulary words.  Continue reading...

In this lesson, students will learn about the fundamental system of scientific classification: binomial nomenclature. Teams of students will compete in a binomial name scavenger hunt using the Visual Thesaurus and the online "Catalogue of Life" to identify two-part binomial names within specific genus categories.  Continue reading...

In this lesson, students will use the USDA food pyramid and the VT to learn about what foods constitute each of the five major food groups. Then, students will use this knowledge to write "balanced diet" menus for one day.  Continue reading...

In this lesson, students analyze a writer's stance on legacy preferences in college admissions as expressed in a New York Times column. Then, students are asked to defend different points of view on the topic in a roundtable debate.  Continue reading...

In this lesson, your classroom will celebrate "opposite day" by using the VT to match a list of vocabulary words to their antonym counterparts. Then, students can use their knowledge of these antonym pairs in a game of "antonyms bingo."  Continue reading...