Darwin's Dragons - Session 1 - Word Workshop

The Darwin's Dragons Word Workshop is an engaging activity designed to expand the vocabulary of KS2 students. In this session, pupils are presented with a variety of words to explore. For each word, they are tasked with understanding its meaning, using it in a sentence, and modifying it by adding prefixes, suffixes, changing its form or tense. Additionally, they are encouraged to think critically by identifying synonyms—words with similar meanings—and antonyms—words with opposite meanings.

Words such as 'studious', 'buccaneer', and 'observation' are dissected to understand their usage and nuances. For example, 'studious' might be modified to 'unstudious' by adding a prefix, and its antonym could be 'negligent'. Similarly, 'buccaneer' could lead to a discussion on historical figures and be modified to 'buccaneers' for its plural form. Students learn how to manipulate and understand words within various contexts, enhancing their language skills. The workshop is not only about memorising definitions but also about applying words in practical sentences, recognising their grammatical class, and expanding their overall command of the English language.