Context Clues

Contextual Analysis: A strategy readers use to infer or predict a word from the context in which it appears.

Teaching students to use context clues to determine word meaning is a great way to include inferential skills as well.  There are many activities that are engaging and helps students become 'word detectives' as they try to analyze and solve the meaning of unknown words.  They use the sentence around the word to try to find clues that might hint toward the meaning.

This site has a lot of great ideas!

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/solving-word-meanings-engaging-1089.html?tab=4

The most important thing for teachers to remember is that vocabulary should not be forced or difficult, it should be seamlessly integrated.  If it needs to stand alone- you can etch out 15 minutes a few times a week to do activities.  Try to find a way to get the 'biggest bang for your buck.'  Don't overthink it or 'cram' words into students brains everyday.  The goal is for the word meaning to last long-term.  

Reference:

Solving Word Meanings: Engaging Strategies for Vocabulary Development - ReadWriteThink. (2016). readwritethink.org. Retrieved 8 August 2016, from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/solving-word-meanings-engaging-1089.html?tab=4