LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Date: ___________________
Negative Words
Reading and Language Arts: 0.0-1.9
Standard 4: Demonstrate literal comprehension skills
1. Learning Objective(s):
 Determine meaning of a sentence that contains negative words.
2. Materials and Resources: Newspaper, highlighter, chalkboard and chalk
or dry erase board and marker, paper, index cards and pencil/pen
3. Activities:
Warm-up & Review
 Practice re-reading and re-telling
 Review any lesson plans that proved difficult for the student.
Introduction
 Discuss how negative words impact the meaning of a sentence.
 Provide examples of negative words that change the meaning of sentences, such
as: could not, do not, no one, nobody, nothing, never.
Activities and Practice
A. Sentences with Negative Words
 Ask the learner to choose a newspaper article of interest to them.
 Ask your learner to highlight sentences that contain negative words.
 Read the article aloud.
 Read aloud sentences that contain negative words.
 Write the sentences on a sheet of paper or index cards.
 Together re-read the sentences omitting or changing the negative words to
positive words.
 Ask learner to notice the change in meaning.
B. Changing a Positive Sentence to a Negative Sentence
 Download the Change a Positive to a Negative Worksheet here.
C. Charades
 Prepare a stack of cards with one side labeled POSITIVE and the other side
labeled NEGATIVE.
 On the POSITIVE side of the card, write a positive command. On the NEGATIVE
side of the card, write a corresponding negative command.
 Hand the cards out one at a time to your learner asking them to act out the
POSITIVE command first, then to turn the card over and act out the
NEGATIVE command.
Examples: POSITIVE side: Please sit down.
NEGATIVE side: Please do not sit down.
POSITIVE side: Laugh!
NEGATIVE side: Do not laugh!
POSITIVE side: Wave your hands.
NEGATIVE side: Do not wave your hands.
POSITIVE side: Please stand up.
NEGATIVE side: Please do not stand up.
 Ask your learner to notice the difference between the POSITIVE and the
NEGATIVE behaviors.
 Ask them to identify the word on the card that made the difference.
4. Wrap up and Review:
 Read the poem “I am Nobody” by Emily Dickinson
 Discuss the poem
(Other: Back-up Plan/Activities):
Sad Song
Listen to the lyrics of a blues song or a piece of poetry with a negative
theme. Compare and contrast the piece with a positive song; note negative
words and meaning change.