Ten Ways to Celebrate the Oxford Language Word of the Year in Your Classroom

I am a self-proclaimed word nerd, and the holiday season is my absolute favorite! Why? Because it is the time of year when the most interesting vocabulary list becomes available. Various wordsmiths announce their word of the year every December; this year’s lists did not disappoint!

Whether you’re looking for something fun and educational to do with your class before winter break, returning from winter break after a relaxing vacation with no lessons planned, or needing an unexpected absence before or after the holiday break, my series of Word of the Year lessons is the perfect solution. You can use these resources for a week-long word study or implement them in station rotations.

As a middle school core English Language Arts, World History, and Media Literacy teacher, these lessons tick all the boxes! Students will develop an understanding of the relationship between language and culture through my series of lessons based on the Oxford Language Word of the Year. I have designed these lessons to encourage reflection on the past year’s events, providing high engagement and low prep activities that are perfect for the end of the year and aren’t related to any religious holidays.

Everyone says their lessons are engaging, but what makes these lessons engaging?

I have incorporated several elements to ensure the lessons are engaging and effective, including gameplay, student choice, real-world connections, and peer discussion. Students buy into this lesson because of the connection between social media trends and slang, making the concepts more relevant and appealing.

Here are ten ways to celebrate language and culture using the Oxford Language Word of the Year:

The lesson plans are structured in a Five E format: ENGAGE, EXPLORE, EXPLAIN, ELABORATE, EVALUATE, and EXTEND. The plans are detailed enough for a substitute teacher to follow them, including guiding questions, lesson objectives, links to digital resources, approximate timing, and procedural instructions. I have also included an editable version of the plans if you want to make changes or add more details for a sub.

Download Free Word of the Year PDF Activities:

Purchase the Lessons (Digital & Print Included):

Added bonus: You can use these lessons for the end of a school year AND for the end of a calendar year. I love this example that I did for my class in 2020. It was a rough year!