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Recognizing and Using
Synonyms
6
early
mid
late
Generative
Lesson
Synonyms Match
You Need
Use this lesson to provide a review of the
concept of synonyms and to increase the
children’s knowledge of good examples. If the
children have not learned the term synonym,
this lesson will familiarize them with that
language and help them quickly generate
synonym pairs. You may want to start with
limited sets of synonyms that you are sure
children know, and then increase the number
and complexity of the examples over several
days.
Pocket chart.
Pocket Chart Card Template.
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Word Pairs Sheets.
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Lesson WM/V 6 Word Cards.
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Category Word List, Synonyms.
Understand the Principle
Making connections between words is
essential if children are to create the webs of
meaning that will expand their vocabularies.
Synonyms offer a beginning way to help
children see that words are connected by
meaning. Though the principle of the
relationship is easy to understand, the range of
words that can be connected by meaning is
extensive.
Explain the Principle
“ Some words mean about the same and are
called synonyms. ”
WM/ V 6
WORD MEANING/VOCABULARY
English language learners may have found it a
challenge to learn one word to express a
particular meaning. Finding two words for a
concept presents an additional challenge, yet it
will help them greatly expand their English
vocabularies. Be sure that you begin with very
easy words that are in children’s oral
vocabularies. Work with students in a small
group to repeat the words several times, use
them in sentences, and talk about what they
mean. As they understand more, work from the
base of a word they know well and then bring
in the synonym. Observe them closely as they
match synonyms. If you can, give children
some synonyms in their own language or
pictures of words to illustrate the principle.
From Teaching Resources:
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Working with English
Language Learners
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Consider Your Children
CONTINUUM: WORD MEANING/VOCABULARY — RECOGNIZING AND USING SYNONYMS (WORDS THAT MEAN ABOUT THE SAME)
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plan
teach
1 Explain to the children that
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Explain the
Principle
words mean
“ Some
about the same and
are called
synonyms.
”
they will work with synonyms.
Suggested language: “Does
anyone know what a synonym
is?” If the children have had
some experience, they may
suggest a definition.
2 Place anger and rage in the
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pocket chart. Suggested
language: “Anger and rage are
synonyms because they have
about the same meaning.”
3 Make two columns of words. The left column lists five to six words; the
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right column lists six to eight synonyms and distracters. Suggested
language: “Can you find a synonym for divide and match it?”
4 Work through the words, finding the synonym from the column on the right
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and placing it next to the word that has about the same meaning.
5 When all the synonyms have been matched, have the children generate a
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few more synonym pairs. Write the word pairs on cards and add them to the
matches.
6 Sometimes children offer words that are related in meaning but are not the
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same in meaning (for example, hot and warm). Use your judgment as to
whether to accept these pairs as evidence of beginning understanding. You
may wish to place these word pairs aside as words that are closely related in
meaning but are not actual synonyms.
7 Explain to the children that they will find synonym matches and choose
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two pairs to share with a partner. Make this application more challenging by
including distracter words that do not form synonym pairs. You might wish
to provide extra blank cards so that children can add their own synonyms.
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early
mid
late
apply
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Have the children work with
lesson word cards to make
fifteen pairs of synonyms.
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They write their pairs on a Word
Pairs Sheet.
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take card
match word
write words
Then they choose two
interesting word pairs to bring
to sharing.
share
Have the children share their two selected synonym pairs with a partner.
Children may suggest new synonym pairs, which you can show in a class
chart.
WM/ V 6
WORD MEANING/VOCABULARY
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Link
Expand the Learning
Interactive Read-Aloud: Read aloud books
Repeat the lesson with a different variety of
synonyms to expand children’s vocabularies.
(See Synonym List in Teaching Resources.)
that will help children learn how to notice
synonyms. You might invite children to give two
or three synonyms for interesting words as you
need. These titles are suggested:
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Earth and You: A Closer View by J. Patrick
Lewis
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I Like Cats by Patricia Hubbell
Shared Reading: Have the children find and
highlight synonyms in a piece of shared
reading. Or suggest a word and ask children to
scan a poem to find a synonym.
Guided Reading: Using a text children are
reading, hold up a card with a word on it and
ask them to search for a synonym. Discuss the
meaning of the word pairs and whether the
synonym fits well into the sentence without
changing its meaning.
Guided/Independent Writing: Take a piece
of writing and create a chart or transparency.
Highlight a few appropriate words and ask the
children to think of synonyms that could be
substituted to make the writing more
interesting. In a minilesson, help children see
where they can cross out a word and replace it
with a more interesting synonym.
assess
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Notice the variety and complexity of the pairs
they choose.
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Observe children during sharing to notice
whether they were able to select synonym
pairs.
Give children a page of words and ask them to
write synonyms for each one.
Mix synonym and antonym Lesson WM/V 6
Word Cards. Children match them and decide
whether they mean the same or the opposite.
Connect with Home
Have the children take home a sheet of words
that they can cut apart and use to make
synonym pairs.
Alternatively, have children find and write five
pairs of synonyms with family members.