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April 13 • Cultural Insight

Scrabble Day

The war of the vowels. More than a board game, Scrabble is a celebration of the flexibility and the limits of the English language. This lesson explores whether knowing words is a sign of intelligence or just a sign of a good memory, and if gaming is the best way to teach a language.

Scrabble Day Lesson Visual

Speaking Discussion

  • Why is vocabulary the ultimate symbol of social class and education?
  • Is luck (getting the right tiles) or skill more important in Scrabble? What does this say about life?
  • Should we allow slang and internet words in Scrabble, or must we protect pure English?
  • How do games like Scrabble change the way you see words in your daily life?
  • If you had to win a game of Scrabble to save your life, what is the master word you would want to use?

Activity 1: The Lexicographer

The Task: Select 7 random letters (e.g., A, B, T, L, E, S, Z). Create the longest word possible and write a 3-sentence story using only that word.

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Debate

Is a large vocabulary a tool of power or a tool of communication?