Table of contents
- Call of the Wild Vocabulary Words and Definitions (Chapters 1–6)
- Bringing Vocabulary to Life: Using Jeopardy in Your Lesson Plan
- Why This Works for Middle and High School Students
- Additional Benefits for Diverse Learners
- Making Vocabulary Fun and Effective-Call of the Wild Vocabulary
- Free Call of the Wild Vocabulary Jeopardy game
Jack London’s novel Call of the Wild is a staple in English Language Arts (ELA) classrooms, often introduced in middle school and high school to help students explore themes of survival, identity, and nature. However, engaging students with the challenging vocabulary of the text can sometimes be a struggle, especially with its references to the Klondike Gold Rush, sled teams, and life in the wild.
Incorporating interactive games like Jeopardy into your lesson plan is an excellent way to make learning vocabulary words from Call of the Wild more enjoyable and effective. Games encourage collaborative learning, independent work, and creativity while ensuring students grasp key terms.
Below, I’ll share a list of vocabulary words from chapters 1–6, explain how to create a Jeopardy game for these terms, and discuss how it aligns with different subjects like social studies, general science, and visual arts.
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Call of the Wild Vocabulary Words and Definitions (Chapters 1–6)
Here’s a curated vocabulary word list with definitions for chapters 1–6 of Call of the Wild. These words are essential for understanding Jack London’s vivid descriptions and themes in the novel.
Chapter 1:
- Primordial: Existing from the beginning of time; very ancient.
- Imperative: Absolutely necessary or required.
- Calamity: A great misfortune or disaster.
- Savage: Fierce, violent, and uncontrolled.
Chapter 2:
- Appeasement: The action of satisfying demands or mitigating anger.
- Vicarious: Experienced in the imagination through another’s actions.
- Brumal: Relating to winter or cold conditions.
- Aurora Borealis: Natural light display in the polar regions, also known as the Northern Lights.
Chapter 3:
- Belligerent: Hostile and aggressive.
- Malignant: Very harmful or malevolent.
- Forlorn: Pitifully sad and abandoned.
- Gaunt: Extremely thin, especially due to suffering or hunger.
Chapter 4:
- Fastidious: Very attentive to detail and accuracy.
- Inexorable: Impossible to stop or prevent.
- Precipitate: To cause an event or situation to happen suddenly.
- Rend: To tear something apart forcefully.
Chapter 5:
- Convulse: To shake violently or uncontrollably.
- Perseverance: Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty.
- Repugnance: Intense disgust.
- Malingerer: Someone who fakes illness to avoid work or duty.
Chapter 6:
- Incarnation: A person or thing that represents a concept in a tangible form.
- Adoration: Deep love and respect.
- Toil: Hard, exhausting work.
- Fidelity: Loyalty and faithfulness.
Bringing Vocabulary to Life: Using Jeopardy in Your Lesson Plan
Jeopardy is an engaging way to help students internalize vocabulary lists while fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and fun. Here’s how you can implement it:
Setting Up the Game
- Divide Students into Small Groups: Groups of 3–5 work best. This setup encourages collaboration and ensures that all students have a chance to participate.
- Create Categories: Use categories such as “Nature Words,” “Actions in the Wild,” or “Character Traits” to align with key themes from Call of the Wild.
- Use a Crossword Template or Digital Tool: You can create a Jeopardy board using PowerPoint, Google Slides, or platforms like IXL Learning. Add bonus visual elements, such as sled teams or the aurora borealis, to tie in themes from the book.
Writing Questions and Clues
Each clue should be tailored to the reading level of your students. For instance:
- Nature Words for 100: This word refers to the Northern Lights and plays a key role in Jack London’s descriptions of the Yukon. (Answer: What is Aurora Borealis?)
- Character Traits for 200: This term describes Buck’s deep devotion to John Thornton in chapter 6. (Answer: What is Fidelity?)
Cross-Curricular Connections
- Social Studies: Incorporate questions about the Klondike Gold Rush, Native Americans, and the historical context of the novel.
- General Science: Add clues related to survival in extreme climates, animal behaviors, and sled teams’ physical challenges.
- Visual Arts: Encourage students to sketch scenes from the book or design their Jeopardy board.
Why This Works for Middle and High School Students
Active Learning
A Jeopardy game transitions students from passive learning to active engagement, especially for kinesthetic and visual learners. By dividing students into small groups, it promotes teamwork and positive social interaction.
Reinforcement of Vocabulary
Repetition is key to mastering vocab words. Jeopardy encourages repeated exposure to vocabulary word lists, and students must recall definitions to provide correct answers.
Applicability Across Subjects
The interdisciplinary nature of Call of the Wild allows you to connect the lesson with other areas:
- World Languages: Compare how survival themes appear in other languages and cultures.
- Physical Education and Science: Explore the physical challenges faced by Buck and the sled team, tying them to lessons on endurance and adaptation.
- Vocational Education: Discuss the skills needed during the Klondike Gold Rush and their relevance today.
Additional Benefits for Diverse Learners
Jeopardy can be adapted for different learners, from 1st-grade struggling readers to 7th-grade students exploring advanced themes.
- For EL Students: Include visuals or word games to support vocabulary acquisition.
- For Students Needing Occupational Therapy: Use physical activities, like tapping out syllables or matching cards, to complement the game.
- For Advanced Learners: Offer challenging clues that require inference, such as “Describe how Buck’s transformation into his primordial self illustrates the theme of survival.”
Making Vocabulary Fun and Effective-Call of the Wild Vocabulary
By incorporating vocabulary games like Jeopardy, you can transform the sometimes-daunting task of learning vocabulary words into an interactive and enjoyable experience. Students not only master the vocab words necessary to understand Call of the Wild but also gain a deeper appreciation for Jack London’s novel and the historical context of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Free Call of the Wild Vocabulary Jeopardy game
Check out my free Call of the Wild Vocabulary Jeopardy game below!
Check out 100 Vocabulary Words for 6th Grade with Definitions
