Association Webs

Students brainstorm words associated with a central theme, building an expanding web of connections on the board.

Procedure

1. Write a target word in the centre of the board and circle it.
2. Ask students to call out words they associate with the central word. Write each around the centre, circle it, and draw a connecting line.
3. Invite students to add secondary items branching off the surrounding words (e.g., snow/snowy branching from cold, heat wave from hot).

Tips

• Use different-coloured markers to distinguish parts of speech.
• If the central word is a noun, ask for adjectives, verbs it acts upon, or verbs that act upon it.
• If the central word is a verb, ask for adverbs, possible subjects, and possible objects.
• Give a superordinate as the central word and elicit subordinates (e.g., animal -> horse, cat, elephant).
• Add a few words students don't know yet, explaining them — a good opportunity to teach new items linked to known ones.