As we jump into 2021, Mr. Nathan Ginnetty, seventh-grade English teacher, has started off his classes on a high note with a fun group activity: the Social Media Vocabulary Project. Students were allowed to choose their own partners, which was a unique and fun aspect of the project, and worked in groups of twos, threes, fours, or individually. 

Students chose a social media platform as a theme, and then designed their posters using markers, images from the web, and other media. Then they found various ways to fit in vocabulary words from one of the three sets of six. Students used vocabulary words such as “apoplectic,” “indigenous,” and “alien.” They then chose one word and definition to be the main focal point of the poster, and then fit the rest of the words into captions of different “posts.” Mr. Ginnetty thinks this project has been a big hit. 

“I absolutely think that this type of project was a more productive way of learning vocabulary,” he said.” It seems to be the case that people took more away from it. I hear students using these words around campus whereas after a homework assignment, I might not hear that so often,” said Ginnetty. 

The students also enjoyed the activity. 

“This vocabulary project is definitely different from other vocabulary assignments where you just have to write down the words because there are different aspects that make it fun,” said seventh grader Owen Olbers. “One main difference is that you and your group are able to illustrate the poster.”

Mr. Ginnetty has used this project idea in past years, but this year, it really ties in with one of the students’ favorite ways to communicate with one another.

“I really like the theme of the posters,” said seventh grader Caroline Groffman. “I think that it is very current with what is happening right now because a lot of people have been using social media.”

This year, it has been difficult for students to get together in groups, so this is one of the few times that students have been able to work together. 

“After not working with a group for a while, I find myself liking group work a lot more because there is a lot more collaboration and bonding,” said seventh grader Niko Lenard.