A word splash presents several new (and perhaps unfamiliar) vocabulary words and phrases randomly across the page. A “question box” appears at the bottom of the page. As a pre-assessment, you can ask “What do you now know about…? Answer this question using some or all of these words, making connections among them. As an informal preassessment, the teacher can easily determine common misconceptions the class has about the topic. This helps the teacher decide on which terms to preteach and on which terms to focus readings and discussions. During the unit of study, as students read, review, and discuss the topic, they revisit earlier responses and self-assess their progress as they deepen their understanding.