Words Are CATegorical®: Antonyms, Synonyms, Homonyms and Homophones Banner Set
Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good
Stuff® Words Are CATegorical®: Antonyms, Synonyms,
Homonyms and Homophones Banner Set—a humorous
look at language through the eyes of author Brian Cleary
and illustrator Brian Gable.
the corresponding antonym stand up and call out his or her
word. For younger students, have them orally use the word
in a sentence. Challenge older students to use the pair of
antonyms in a sentence. Continue the activity until all of
the students’ words have been called.
This Really Good Stuff® product includes:
• Words Are CATegorical® Banner Set, featuring three
mini posters
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Antonym Bingo
Copy and distribute the Bingo Card Reproducible. Have
students write their name at the top and cut apart the
markers at the bottom. Choose 24 words and write them
on the board, using words from the Banner (see the Word
List Reproducible) and from your classroom lessons. While
students randomly write the words in the boxes on their
reproducible, label small pieces of paper with the letters
from the word BINGO and antonyms for the words and
place them in a bag. Draw and call out a word, then have
students place a marker on a square on the reproducible
containing the antonym to the word. Students make a
Bingo by covering a row diagonally, horizontally, or vertically
with their markers. The first student to call out Antonym
wins the game if all of his or her answers are correct.
Assembling and Displaying the Words Are CATegorical®:
Antonym, Synonyms, Homonyms and Homophones
Banner Set
Before displaying the Words Are CATegorical® Banner,
make copies of this Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide,
cut apart the reproducibles, and file the pages for future
use. Or, download another copy of it from our Web site at:
www.reallygoodstuff.com. This unique Banner Set allows you
to review antonyms and synonyms, as well as homonyms
and homophones in two ways: Either display the Banner
intact for a Words Are CATegorical® display or break apart
the mini posters into individual presentations for each
category of words.
Introducing the Antonym Poster
Point out the Antonym Mini Poster, and if necessary,
remind students that an antonym is a word that means
the opposite of another word. Have students take turns
reading some of the words in the background on the Mini
Poster and identifying them as Antonyms. Write some
of the words students share from the Mini Poster on a
whiteboard or chart paper and then urge students to
think of other words to add to the list.
Activities for Antonyms
Illustrating Antonyms
Make one copy of the Illustrating Antonyms Reproducible
and label it with eight antonyms on your students’ level.
Make and distribute copies and have students write the
antonym for each word and draw small pictures to illustrate
the words. Challenge older students to use the words in
sentences on the back of the paper. Display the papers
around the Antonym Mini Poster.
Stand up for Antonyms
Prepare a list of antonyms appropriate for your students’
level. Label index cards with the corresponding antonym and
give one card to each student. Read each individual word
from the list aloud to the class and have the student with
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
After students have played several games, laminate copies
of the Bingo Card Reproducible, cut off the markers, and
place them in a zippered plastic bag. Add a list of antonyms
and dry erase markers and place at a literacy center for
students to play Antonym Bingo during free time.
Introducing the Synonyms Poster
Point out the Synonyms Mini Poster, and if necessary,
remind students that a synonym is a word that has
the same or nearly the same meaning as another word.
Have students take turns reading some of the words in
the background on the Mini Poster and identifying them
as synonyms. Write some of the words students share
from the Mini Poster on a whiteboard or chart paper and
then urge students to think of others to add to the list.
Activities for Synonyms
Synonym Match Game
Write grade-level-appropriate synonyms and a corresponding
synonym for each on index cards. Give one card to each
student and include yourself if there are an odd number of
students. Students quietly walk around the room and look for
the student with the synonym to their word. Ask each pair of
students to share their set of synonyms with the class and
use the synonyms in sentences. Have older students be
prepared to list additional synonyms as they share. Display
the synonym pairs around the Synonyms Mini Poster.
All activity guides can be found online:
© 2009 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #157758
Words Are CATegorical®: Antonyms, Synonyms, Homonyms and Homophones Banner Set
Synonym Bingo
Copy and distribute the Bingo Card Reproducible. Have
students write their name at the top and cut apart the
markers. Choose 24 words and write them on the board
using words from the Banner (see the Word List
Reproducible) and from your classroom lessons. While
students randomly write the words in the boxes on their
reproducible, label small pieces of paper with the letters
from the word BINGO and synonyms for the words and
place them in a bag. Draw and call out a word, then have
students place a marker on a square on the reproducible
containing the synonym to the word. Students make a
Bingo by covering a row diagonally, horizontally, or vertically
with their markers. The first student to call out Synonym
wins the game if all of his or her answers are correct.
After students have played several games, laminate copies
of the Bingo Card Reproducibles, cut off the markers, and
place them in a zippered plastic bag. Add a list of synonyms
and dry erase markers and place at a literacy center for
students to play Synonym Bingo at the center during
free time.
Synonym Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down
Gather the synonym index cards from the above synonym
match activity and play a game of thumbs up or thumbs
down: Place the cards in two piles, arranging them so
that when you pick the two top cards and show them
to students, some words will be synonyms and some
will not. Ask students to get out a pencil and a piece of
scratch paper to play the game. Hold up the top two cards
and ask students to give you the thumbs up sign if they
are synonyms and the thumbs down side if they are not.
After students have responded with a sign, tell them the
correct answer and have students give themselves a tally
mark if they were correct. At the end of the game, have
students count the tally marks and declare the winners!
Introducing the Homonyms and Homophones Poster
Point out the Homonyms and Homophones Mini Poster,
and if necessary, remind students that homonyms are two
or more words that are pronounced the same and spelled
the same but have different meanings, and homophones are
two or more words that are pronounced the same but have
different spellings and different meanings. Have students
take turns reading some of the words in the background on
the Mini Poster and identifying them as homonyms or
homophones. Write some of the words students share from
the Mini Poster on a whiteboard or chart paper and then
urge students to think of others to add to the list.
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
Activities for Homonyms and Homophones
Homophone and Homonym Rhymes
Share these simple rhymes with students to help them
learn the difference between homonyms and homophones:
Homophones are words that are pronounced the same,
But their spelling and meaning are a different game.
Cindy ate a pear that was juicy and sweet.
Mike’s new pair of pants look clean and neat.
Homonyms are spelled and pronounced in the same way,
But their meanings are different, like night and day.
Close the trunk of Mother’s shiny blue car.
The trunk of that tree is not very far.
Hooray for Homophones and Homonyms
Divide the class into partners and give each pair of
students two homophones and two homonyms from the
Word List Reproducible along with a piece of paper. Ask
students to create two rhyming sentences to complete the
last two sentences in the homophone and homonym poems
above. Encourage students to have fun with sentences that
are silly or serious. To get students started, provide some
examples, such as I can clearly see with my two eyes. The
beautiful sea was a lovely surprise. Or, The kitchen cupboard
was very bare. The baby bear had hardly a care. Ask each
pair to share their poems.
Fill in the Homonym
Copy and distribute the Homonym Practice Reproducible.
Have students work individually or in pairs to fill in the
appropriate homonyms. Write the following word bank on the
board for younger students.
jam
bank
bat
fair
drive
roll
Homophone Squares
Divide the class into groups of two or three students.
Copy the Homophone Squares Reproducible for each
group and label it with four homonyms from the Word List
Reproducible. Distribute a reproducible to each group and
have them discuss different meanings for each homophone
and then compose and write sentences for each meaning.
© 2009 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #157758
Bingo Card Reproducible
Illustrating Antonyms Reproducible
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2009 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #157758
Word List Reproducible
Homonym Practice Reproducible
Homophone Squares Reproducible
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2009 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #157758
Words Are CATegorical® Conjunctions, Interjections, Contractions Poster Set
This Really Good Stuff® product includes:
• Words are CATegorical® Conjunctions,
Interjections, Contractions Poster Set,
featuring three mini posters
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
the definition of conjunctions, and remind students to
refer to the Conjunctions Poster and word list for help
when speaking, reading, or writing. Repeat this same
process when you introduce the Interjections Poster and
the Contractions Poster.
Congratulations on your purchase of this Really
Good Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Conjunctions,
Interjections, and Contractions Poster Set—a colorful,
interactive poster set that will help your students
identify and correctly use conjunctions, interjections,
and contractions.
Conjunctions Activities
Grilled Cheese Conjunctions
Trace slices of bread on a stack of Manila paper. Cut
out enough “slices” so that each of your students has
two. Using orange construction paper, cut out pieces of
“cheese” and distribute one to every student. Model for
the class how to write one part of a sentence on a slice
of bread and the rest on the second slice. For example,
you might write “I want ice cream” on the first slice and
“my mom won’t let me eat it” on the second. Explain to
students that they are going to make a conjunction
grilled cheese sandwich. Hold up your slices of bread
and read each sentence. Ask them if they can figure
out what conjunction should go on the “cheese” to make
your sentence make sense. Write that conjunction on
the cheese and staple the sandwich to make the grilled
cheese conjunction “stick” together. Let students create
their own grilled cheese conjunctions and share them
with their classmates.
Meeting Common Core State Standards
This Really Good Stuff® Words Are CATegorical®
Conjunctions, Interjections, and Contractions Poster
Set is aligned with the following Common Core State
Standards for English Language Arts:
Conventions of Standard English
L.1.1g Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or,
so, because).
L.2.2c Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently
occurring possessives.
L.5.1a Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions,
and interjections in general and their function in
particular sentences.
Assembling and Displaying the Words Are
CATegorical® Conjunctions, Interjections, and
Contractions Poster Set
Before displaying the Words Are CATegorical®
Conjunctions, Interjections, and Contractions
Poster Set, make copies of this Really Good Stuff®
Activity Guide and file the pages for future use. Or,
download another copy of it from our website at
www.reallygoodstuff.com. Hang the Poster Set where
students will be able to see it easily. This unique Poster
Set allows you to review conjunctions, interjections,
and contractions in two ways: Either cut apart the
three Mini Posters or take a piece of butcher
paper/chart paper and cover up the other two Posters
so you can introduce one Poster at a time.
Introducing the Conjunctions Poster
Point out the Conjunctions Poster and, if necessary,
remind students that conjunctions are words that join
sentences, phrases, and other words together. Ask your
students to brainstorm a list of conjunctions. Create
a word list by writing the words they brainstorm onto a
piece of chart paper, and hang it near the Poster. Review
Telephone Conjunction
Gather an even-numbered small group of students
together. Refer back to the Conjunctions Poster and
review the word list. Explain that they are going to use
conjunctions to play Telephone. Choose a partner and
model how to play Telephone by leaning over and saying
a short sentence into your partner’s ear. Your partner
repeats your sentence and comes up with a conjunction
to link a new sentence to what you just said. If your
partner is able to use a conjunction to connect the two
sentences, they earn a point and get to say a short
sentence in your ear. Group students into partners to
play Telephone Conjunction.
Introducing the Interjections Poster
Point out the Interjections Poster and, if necessary,
remind students that interjections are words or phrases
that are spoken to show emotion.
Interjections Activities
Neon Interjection
Write five to six sentences that contain interjections
on chart paper. Grab a set of neon highlighter tape and
All activity guides can be found online.
Helping Teachers Make A
Difference®
© 2013 Really Good Stuff 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161527
®
Words Are CATegorical® Conjunctions, Interjections, Contractions Poster Set
a set of sentence strips. Gather your students together
and review the Interjection Poster. Explain that they
are going to find interjections in a sentence and
highlight them in neon. Take out the highlighter tape and
ask a student to come up and read the first sentence.
Ask him/her to find the word that is an interjection and
highlight it in neon by covering it with highlighter tape.
Repeat the same process until each interjection has been
highlighted. Take out a sentence strip and tell students
that they are going to write their own interjection
sentence. Pass out the sentence strips. When they have
finished their sentence, have them use the highlighter
tape to highlight the interjection word. Hang the
interjection strips around the room, or punch holes in
the top and attach them to a metal ring for students
to use when writing.
Picture Perfect Interjections
Take pictures of students making different facial
expressions to express a particular interjection. For
example, if the interjection was wow, the student might
look wide-eyed and have his/her mouth open. After the
pictures are printed, write the name of the interjection
the picture depicts on the back. Create a recording sheet
with enough blanks for the number of interjection pictures
you choose to use. Gather your students together and
review the Interjections Poster and word list. Tell them
that you took pictures of different students acting
out interjections. Place them in partner groups and give
them their recording sheet. Hold up the first picture and
let the partners write down the interjection they think
it is. After all the pictures are viewed and they have
finished filling in their recording sheet, have them check
their answers as you hold up each picture and flip it to
the back to reveal the answer. The group with the most
correct answers wins.
Introducing the Contractions Poster
Point out the Contractions Poster and, if necessary,
remind students that contractions are two words that
are combined into one, using an apostrophe.
Contractions Activities
Popping Contractions
You will need a permanent marker, enough balloons for
each student to have one balloon, and several sheets
of paper. Fold each sheet of paper and cut it into eight
pieces. Write one word that makes up a contraction on
one piece of paper and the other word on a different
piece. Stack the two pieces of paper, roll them up, and
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
place each matching contraction word set into a balloon.
Blow up the balloon and write the contraction that the
two words form on the balloon. For example, isn’t would
be written on the balloon that has the cards is and not
inside. Place the balloons together in the center of
the room and gather your students around them.
Explain that contractions are made by letters popping
out and apostrophes popping in and, that to help them
remember, they will get a contraction balloon to pop.
Let each student pick a balloon and try to guess what
words must be inside. If they get the answer right, they
get to pop their balloon.
Contraction Addition
Take out several index cards and write one word that
makes up a contraction on one card and the other word
on a different card. For example, you would write can
on one index card and not on the other card. On a large
piece of chart paper write ______ + ________ = on
each line. Gather your students together and review
the Contractions Poster and word list. Explain that
they are going to play Contraction Addition. Take out a
set of cards. Place the first card in the first blank and
the second card in the blank after the plus sign. Ask
them if they can tell you what contraction you’ve made.
For example, can + not = can’t. Continue to take out a
set of cards and let students take turns writing the
contraction the words make. Pair your students and ask
them to create a set of words that forms a contraction.
Gather the partner groups back together to share their
words and see if their classmates can figure out what
contraction they made.
Contraction Doctor
Write words that make up contractions on index
cards. For example, write can not or is not on an index
card. Take out your index word cards, a box of plastic
bandages, and a set of black markers. Gather a small
group of students together and explain that they get
to be contraction doctors. Take out one index card and
a bandage. Ask them what letters go away when the
words turn into a contraction. Place the bandage over
the letters that go away. For example, for the word
cannot you would put the bandage over the second n and
the o. Then, take a marker and write an apostrophe on
the bandage to create the contraction word. Give each
child a bandage, marker, and a word card and let them
perform “surgery” on a word to create their contraction.
This activity can then be placed into a literacy station to
further develop their understanding of contractions.
© 2013 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161527
Words Are CATegorical ® Plurals, Comparatives, Compounds Poster Set
This Really Good Stuff® product includes:
• Words are CATegorical® Plurals, Comparatives, Compounds Poster Set, featuring three mini posters
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good Stuff®
Words Are CATegorical® Plurals, Comparatives, Compounds
Poster Set—an intriguing, colorful poster set to help your
students grasp the meaning and usage of irregular plurals,
comparatives, superlatives, and compound words.
Meeting Common Core State Standards
This Really Good Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Plurals,
Comparatives, Compounds Poster Set is aligned with the
following Common Core State Standards for English
Language Arts:
Conventions of Standard English
L.3.1b Form and use regular and irregular plural nouns.
L.3.1gForm and use comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs,
and choose between them depending on what is to be modified.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.2.4dUse knowledge of the meaning of individual words to predict the
meaning of compound words (e.g., birdhouse, lighthouse, housefly;
bookshelf, notebook, bookmark).
Assembling and Displaying the Words Are CATegorical® Plurals,
Comparatives, Compounds Poster Set
Before displaying the Words Are CATegorical® Plurals,
Comparatives, Compounds Poster Set, make copies of this
Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide and file the pages for future
use. Or, download another copy of it from our website at
www.reallygoodstuff.com. Hang the Poster Set where students
will be able to see it easily. This unique Poster Set allows you
to review irregular plurals, comparatives and superlatives, and
compound words in two ways: Either cut apart the three Mini
Posters or take a piece of butcher paper/chart paper and
cover up the other two Posters so you can introduce one
Poster at a time.
Introducing the Irregular Plurals Poster
Point out the Irregular Plurals Poster and, if necessary, remind
students that irregular plurals are plural words not formed by
the usual pattern of adding an s or es. Ask your students to
brainstorm a list of irregular plurals. Create a word list by writing
the words they brainstorm onto a piece of chart paper, and hang
it near the Poster. Review the definition of irregular plurals, and
remind students to refer to the Irregular Plurals Poster and word
list for help speaking, reading, and writing. Repeat this process
when you introduce the Comparative and Superlatives Poster and
the Compound Words Poster.
Activities for Irregular Plurals
Flipping for Irregular Plurals
Take a sentence strip and write a singular word that is irregular
when it becomes plural. For example, you might write the word leaf.
Fold the sentence strip at the last letter of the word. Cut the
top fold so that only the letters that don’t change are visible.
For example, LEA would be visible in the word leaf. Now, write the
rest of the word in its irregular plural form (VES) on the top fold
to create the word leaves. Gather the students together where
they can easily view the Irregular Plurals Poster and word list.
Model how to select a word and then create the irregular plural
word flip using a sentence strip. Ask them to pick a word off of
the list and give each student a sentence strip to create their
own irregular plural flip strip.
I Have, Who Has?
Write the singular form of several words on an index card, and
the irregular plural form for the same words on separate index
cards. Make sure to create enough cards for each student to
have one, and so there is a singular and plural match for each
word. If you have an odd number of students, you will need to play.
Place the cards in a bag or basket. Gather the students
together and review the Irregular Plurals Poster and word list.
Explain that they are going to play a game called I Have, Who
Has? using different words that have irregular plurals. Ask each
student to draw out a different index card. Ask one student to
hold up their card and say, “I have _____, who has _____?”
For example, if your student has the word hoof, he/she would say,
“I have hoof, who has hooves?” Then, the child who has hooves
would say, “I have hooves,” and pick another student to create a
new set. Continue play until each index card has been matched.
Puzzle Plates
Take out at least 10 small paper plates. Cut each plate into
jagged halves to create two puzzle pieces. Write the singular form
of a noun on one side, and the irregular plural form on the other.
You can draw pictures or use clip art to add pictures to each
word. Mix up puzzle pieces and gather a small group of students
together. Explain that your plates broke and are now all mixed up.
Tell them that they need to help put the plates back together
by matching up the singular and the irregular plural puzzle
pieces. After all the pieces are matched go over each plate with
your small group to reinforce their learning of irregular plurals.
This activity can then be placed in a literacy station to further
integrate their irregular plurals understanding.
Introducing the Comparatives and Superlatives Poster
Point out the Comparatives and Superlatives Poster and,
if necessary, remind students that they are both forms of
describing words. A comparative is used to describe two things,
while a superlative describes three or more things.
Comparatives and Superlatives Activities
Blanked Out
Make three columns on a large piece of chart paper. You will need
an Adjective, Comparative, and Superlative column. Pick out
different adjectives that you would like to use and fill in each row
but, leave one column blank. For example, if your adjective was big,
you might write big in the Adjective column, leave the Comparative
column blank, and write biggest in the Superlative blank. Gather
your students together and explain that when you were filling
out the chart, you forgot some of the answers. They will need
to help you remember the words that should complete each row.
All activity guides can be found online.
Helping Teachers Make A
Difference®
© 2013 Really Good Stuff 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161536
®
Words Are CATegorical ® Plurals, Comparatives, Compounds Poster Set
Pair your students up with a partner and give them a specific row
to work on. Call the students back together and ask each partner
group to come up and write the missing word into each blank.
Leave the chart up so that students can use it as a reference
when they are speaking, reading, or writing.
Snowball Fight
Take out, at least, three sheets of copy paper per child in your
class. Grab a marker and gather your students where they
can easily view the Superlative and Comparative Poster and
chart word list. Review the comparative and superlative
definitions and the word list. Explain that students are going
to have a snowball fight using comparative and superlative
adjectives. Model how to write one adjective on a piece of copy
paper. Roll the paper up into a ball to create the first layer of
your snowball. Ask students what the comparative form of the
adjective is and write that word onto a second piece of copy
paper. For example, if your adjective is big, you would have
written big on the first sheet and bigger on the second sheet.
Wad up your second sheet and wrap it over the snowball to
make it bigger. Now, ask for the superlative form of your adjective.
Write that word onto the third sheet of paper and wrap it
around the snowball. Give each student three pieces of paper and
ask them to create their snowball. After all of the comparative
and superlative snowballs are created, gather the students
into a circle. Ask them to “gently” throw their snowballs into
the center of the circle. Then, ask them to pick up a different
snowball. Model how they should peel off the top paper with the
superlative form and guess what the comparative form of that
adjective might be. Next, they would peel off the comparative
paper and guess what the original adjective was, then look at the
first sheet to self-check their guess. After peeling and guessing
the adjective, have them rewrap the snowball, throw it, and
repeat the activity until each child has been able to find and
unwrap several snowballs.
SUPERlatives
Use either butcher paper or fabric to create a superhero cape. If
you choose fabric you will need safety pins. If you choose butcher
paper you will need tape. Write several adjectives on index cards
and place them in a bag. Grab a stack of blank index cards,
gather your students together, and explain that today they are
going to be SUPERlative heroes and their mission is to fill up their
SUPERlative hero cape with the SUPERlative form of the words in
your bag. Let them come up one at a time to draw an adjective.
Ask them to write the SUPERlative form of that word on an index
card and either pin or tape their word onto the SUPERlative hero
cape. Let each student have a chance to pull out a word and add
its superlative to the SUPERlative hero cape. If you used fabric,
you can choose different students to wear the SUPERlative cape
during the day. You could even wear it too!
Introducing the Compound Words Poster
Point out the Compound Words Poster and, if necessary, remind
students that a compound word is a word made up of two or
more shorter words. Have students take turns reading some of
the words at the bottom of the Mini Poster.
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
Compound Words Activities
Cracked Up Compounds
Take out sets of plastic Easter eggs. Using a permanent marker,
write one word on the top and the word that completes the
compound word on the bottom. For example, to create rainbow,
you would write rain on the top and bow on the bottom. After
writing the compound words on the eggs, take them apart, mix
the pieces up, and place them in a basket or bag. Gather your
students together and tell them that you accidentally dropped
all of the compound eggs and now the words are all mixed up.
Ask them to come up one at a time to pull out an egg piece and
see if they can find its match to create the compound word.
This activity can be placed in a literacy station for further
practice on making compound words.
Compound Cubes
Select six compound words and write each word on an index
card. Using a permanent marker and a set of same-colored
unifix cubes, write one letter of the first word on each cube.
Use a different-colored set of cubes to write the second word.
For example, if the compound word is doghouse, write d, o, and g
on a set of red unifix cubes and the letters h, o, u, s, and e on
a set of green unifix cubes. Place each set of compound word
unifix cubes into a baggie. Put the index card for that compound
word into the baggie. Gather a small group of students together
(no more than five students). Explain that they are going to
get to use the cubes to create compound words. Take out one
baggie and model how to snap the cubes together to create the
word. They will need to keep moving the letter cubes around until
they make a word that uses all of the cubes in that color. Help
them stretch out the sounds to figure out if the word makes
sense or not. Then create the second word using the other color
cubes and sound that word out. Show them how to snap both
words together to create the compound word. Model how to use
the index card to check their compound word to make sure their
answer is right. Let students trade their own word baggies
and try to create compound words.
Compound Word Vocabulary Map
Create a large chart with the columns Compound Word, Definition,
and Picture. Take out two different-colored sticky notes and
write one word on one color and a word that makes it a compound
word on the other sticky note. For example, the pink sticky note
might have cup and the yellow might have cake, making the word
cupcake. Place the sticky note compound word in the Compound
Word column. Grab 12 sticky notes of one color, 12 sticky notes in
another color, and 24 index cards. Gather your students where
they can easily view the chart. Show them your compound word
and ask them to help you with the definition and a picture for
the Picture column. Pair your students into partners and explain
that, working together, they are going to use the sticky notes
to create a compound word, write its definition on an index card,
and draw a picture to convey its meaning on another index card.
Gather your students back together. Ask each partner group to
come up and share their compound word, its definition, and the
corresponding picture. Tape their compound word, definition, and
picture into the correct column on the chart.
© 2013 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161536
Words Are CATegorical® Similes and Metaphors Banner
This Really Good Stuff® product includes:
• Words are CATegorical Similes and
Metaphors Banner
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
their answers on the chart paper and hang it by
the Banner. Encourage students to refer to them
both for help with speaking, reading, and writing
using similes. Repeat this process when you
introduce metaphors.
Congratulations on your purchase of this Really
Good Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Similes and
Metaphors Banner—an engaging and attractive
visual aid to help students grasp the meaning and
correct usage of similes and metaphors.
Meeting Common Core State Standards
This Really Good Stuff® Words Are CATegorical®
Similes and Metaphors Banner is aligned with the
following Common Core State Standards for English
Language Arts:
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.5.5aInterpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors,
in context.
Displaying the Words Are CATegorical® Similes and
Metaphors Banner
Before displaying the Words Are CATegorical®
Similes and Metaphors Banner, make copies of this
Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide and file the pages
for future use. Or, download another copy of it from
our website at www.reallygoodstuff.com. Hang the
Banner where students will be able to see it easily.
Introducing the Words Are CATegorical® Similes
and Metaphors Banner
Take out two pieces of chart paper. On one piece,
write Similes at the top and below it write the
sentence _______ is as _________ as __________.
and ________ like ________. On the other piece of
chart paper, write Metaphors at the top and below
it write________is a ______ because _________.
Gather students around the Banner. Point to the
left-hand side and ask your students if they know
what a simile is. Read the definition on the Banner
aloud, along with the examples. Ask your students
to help you brainstorm a Class Simile List. Record
Simile Metaphor Sort
Take out a stack of sentence strips. Write a simile
sentence on six of the strips and a metaphor
sentence on the other six. Write Simile on one index
card and Metaphor on another. Take out two hula
hoops or tape a T-chart to the floor using colored
masking tape. Place the sentence strips in a stack.
Place the simile index card and metaphor card at
the top of each column in the T-chart or inside
the top of each hula-hoop. Gather your students
together where they can easily view the Simile
and Metaphor Banners and the sort. Review the
definitions for a simile and a metaphor. Ask them
what is the same or different about a simile and
a metaphor. Explain that they are going to sort
sentences into either the Simile or Metaphor column
on the T-chart (or into the correct hula-hoop).
Ask students to come up one at-a time to read a
sentence strip and sort it into the Simile or the
Metaphor column/circle. After all the strips have
been sorted, divide the students into groups. Give
each group a sentence strip and ask them to create
one metaphor and one simile sentence. Gather the
students back together. Let each group read their
sentence strip and see if their classmates can sort
it into the correct column/hoop.
All About Me
Draw a big picture of yourself onto chart paper.
Write I’m as ______ as ______. at the top of the
picture. Be sure to include specific details in your
picture, such as specific clothing you like to wear.
Grab a stack of copy paper, a set of markers, a
pack of sticky notes, and gather your students
together where they can easily view the drawing.
Explain that they are going to use similes to
All activity guides can be found online.
Helping Teachers Make A
Difference®
© 2013 Really Good Stuff 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161543
®
Words Are CATegorical® Similes and Metaphors Banner
describe you. Point to the sentence stem at the top
of your drawing and explain that they are going to
use this simile sentence to help them describe you.
Take out one sticky note and model how to create
a smile sentence. For example, I am as smart as a
tack. Pair the students with a partner. Give each
partner group one sticky note and let them use the
sentence stem to write their own simile sentence.
Gather the students back together and let each
group share their simile sentence and stick it onto
the drawing. Explain that they are now going to get
to create simile sentences about themselves. They
will draw a picture of themself on the front of their
paper and write several simile sentences about
themselves on the back. Give each student a piece
of copy paper on which to create their drawing and
sentences. Gather the students back together and
let them take turns sharing their work.
Simile Paint Chips
Ask your local hardware store or any store that
sells paint for a variety of color paint chips. Make
sure you have enough chips for each student in
your class, plus a few extras. Gather your students
together and review the simile side of the Banner.
Hold up your paint chip and explain that they are
going to create their own simile paint chip. Model
how to write the color at the top of the paint chip.
Then, write different simile sentences about your
color. For example, if your paint chip is yellow you
might write Yellow is as bright as sunshine on
the first paint chip. Keep using the Yellow is as
______ as ______. form as you model how to fill
in different words to describe yellow using similes.
Give each student a color paint chip. Encourage
them to take turns sharing their completed
simile paint chips.
How Full Is Your Bucket?
Take out one plastic cup and sheet of blue
construction paper for each child in your class.
Create your own bucket by using a permanent
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
marker and writing Your name is a _______
because . . . on the outside of your cup. For
example, you might write Ms./Mr. Smith is a walking
encyclopedia because. . . Draw and cut out
raindrops from the blue paper. Write different
phrases to complete the sentence on your cup. For
example, he/she can find any answer would finish
the sentence on the cup. Read the book “How Full Is
Your Bucket”. Explain that each student will get to
create his or her own bucket using metaphors. Show
students your bucket and read the sentence on the
outside of your cup. Take out each raindrop to read
how you finished your sentence and created your
metaphor. Give each student a cup and a permanent
marker. Have them work with a partner to create
a metaphor sentence. Then, have them work
independently to draw, write, and cut out raindrops
to go in their bucket. Let them share their metaphor
buckets with their classmates and hang them up
by stapling the back of the plastic cup to your wall.
Leave blue paper, a marker, and scissors below the
buckets so that classmates can add raindrops to
each other’s metaphor buckets.
Partial Metaphors
For this activity, write 10 or more partial metaphors
on individual index cards. For example, you might
write pain-neck and You are being a ____________
on one card, or John-clown and John is ________. on
another. Gather a small group of students together
(no more than four) and review the right-hand side
of the Banner and Class Metaphor List. Pull out
one card and work on solving the partial metaphor
together. Assign each child a partial metaphor and
see if he/she can solve it. After your students have
solved one partial metaphor, give them a new card
or let them trade with a classmate. After they
have all had enough time to complete a few partial
metaphors, review them as a group. You might want
to place this activity in a literacy station to extend
their understanding of metaphors.
© 2013 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161543
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®
Words are CATegorical – Nouns
®
Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good
Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Nouns, Adjectives,
Pronouns Poster Set. This set features break-apart
mini posters for nouns, adjectives, and pronouns.
Inside this Really Good Stuff® set you’ll find:
• Words Are CATegorical® Nouns, Adjectives, Pronouns
Poster Set, 12” x 39”, featuring 3 break-apart
mini posters
•This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Nouns Activities
This unique banner allows you to introduce the parts of
speech in two different ways. You can display the banner
intact for a “parts of speech” display or break apart the
mini posters into individual presentations for each part
of speech. Before you introduce each part of speech,
make a copy of this Really Good Stuff®Activity Guide,
then share the poster with students.
Introducing the Nouns Poster
Point out or share the Nouns mini Poster with students.
Explain that a noun is a word that names a person,
a place, or a thing. Nouns can be divided into two
categories. A proper noun names a particular person,
place, or thing and must begin with a capital letter.
All of the other nouns are called common nouns and
are not capitalized. Have students take turns reading
some of the words in the background on the poster and
identifying them as proper or common nouns.
Take A Noun Trip
Challenge them to a Take A Noun Trip in your classroom.
Have them fold pieces of notebook paper in half to make
two columns. At the top of one column write common and
at the top of the other column write proper. When you
tell them to start, they are to look around the classroom
and write the names of common and proper nouns in the
columns. To add to the challenge, explain that even though
the names of their classmates are proper nouns, they
should not be included on their sheets. Choose a period of
time you wish them to work. When time is up, have them
count how many nouns they have in each column and place
the numbers at the top. Recognize students who have the
most nouns. Choose students to read the nouns on their
papers. Display the papers around the Nouns Poster.
Question A Noun
Label 4” by 6” pieces of paper with common and proper
nouns that they will be able to guess after hearing clues.
Without allowing the student to see the word, pin a noun
to his or her back. Ask them to stand at the front of the
class and turn around so the class may see the noun.
Have the student ask classmates questions such as
Am I a proper noun or common noun? and Am I a person,
a place, or a thing? Once the type of noun is narrowed
down, have them begin by asking for a clue. Each time a
wrong guess is made, he or she can choose a student
to give another clue. Once the student guesses the
noun, they can choose the next student to come up and
continue the game.
Homeward Nouns
Have students divide a piece of notebook paper as
described in the Take A Noun Trip activity. Have them
take home the sheets and ask them to work with family
members to add nouns to the list. Remind them that
they can only write nouns naming people, places, or
things they find in their homes. When they return with
their lists, give them a sheet of colored construction
paper and have them use crayons or markers to record
the nouns in a pleasing design or pattern on their paper.
You may want to suggest that they use different types
of lettering to make an interesting presentation. When
finished, have them place their names on their papers,
then display them around the Nouns Poster for a
colorful display.
Match-A-Noun
Pair your students into partners and challenge them
to a Match-A-Noun game. Write the following common
noun words on the board: peanut butter, candy, lake,
mountain, grandma, dog, soda, computer, cookie,
restaurant, store, car, toy, juice, book, river, city,
country, boy, and school. Have each partnership write the
common nouns on a piece of paper. Explain to students
that they are going to write a proper noun to match
each common noun. For example, if the common noun
was state, they might write North Carolina. Review the
definition of a proper noun on the poster, then challenge
them to get started. Be sure to have some reference
materials such as maps, newspapers, or books on hand
for them to use. When they are finished, have each
partnership share the common and proper nouns on their
lists. You could make this activity more challenging by
designating a certain number of proper nouns they are to
find for each common noun.
Words Are Categorical™ series includes the title: A Mink, A Fink, A Skating Rink:
What is a Noun? by Brian P. Cleary; illustrations by Jenya Prosmitsky.
Copyright © 1999 by Carolrhoda Books, Inc. Produced by arrangement with
Carolrhoda Books, Inc., a division of Lerner Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
All copyrights, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161815
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®
Words are CATegorical – Pronouns
®
Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good
Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Nouns, Adjectives,
Pronouns Poster Set. This set features break-apart
mini posters for nouns, adjectives, and pronouns.
Inside this Really Good Stuff® set you’ll find:
•Words Are CATegorical® Nouns, Adjectives, Pronouns
Poster Set, 12” x 39”, featuring 3 break-apart
mini posters
•This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Pronouns Activities
This unique banner allows you to introduce the parts of
speech in two different ways. You can display the banner
intact for a “parts of speech” display or break apart the
mini posters into individual presentations for each part
of speech. Before you introduce each part of speech,
make a copy of this Really Good Stuff®Activity Guide,
then share the poster with students.
Introducing the Pronouns Poster
Point out or share the Pronouns mini Poster with
students. Explain that a pronoun is a word that takes
the place of a noun. They can be personal pronouns like
I, you, me, him, or her. They can be possessive pronouns
that show ownership like my, mine, or hers. They can
be interrogative pronouns and ask a question like who,
whom, or whose. They can be indefinite pronouns like
someone, everyone, or both. Or they can be demonstrative
pronouns like this, that, those, and these. Write these
examples on the board. Have them use the examples to
identify the types of pronouns found on the poster.
Possessive Pronoun Pick
Have students label index cards or pieces of paper with
the following possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers,
ours, and theirs and place them face up on their desks.
Read the following sentences and challenge students to
hold up the correct possessive pronouns to complete
the sentences.
This computer belongs to David. The computer is ______.
I drew a picture. The drawing is ______.
I gave you this sweater. It is _______.
We made this cake. This cake is _____.
The class wrote the letters. The letters are ________.
The purse belonged to my mom. The purse was ________.
Challenge them to write their own sentences for each
pronoun. After they are finished, have them read their
examples while the class holds up the correct answers.
Pronoun Poem
Give your students a quick little poem to help them
remember the interrogative and demonstrative pronouns.
If desired, transcribe the poem onto a piece of poster
board and display near the Pronoun Poster.
Interrogative pronouns,
Are simple as can be.
Each one asks a question,
And that is just the key.
When you ask for people,
It’s who and whom and whose.
When you ask for things,
It’s which and what you choose.
Personal Pronoun Plug-In
Let students have some practice picking just the right
personal pronoun. Write the sentences below on the
board or on chart paper. Have a student read each
sentence and challenge classmates to name the missing
pronoun for the underlined word(s).
Demonstrative pronouns
Are simple as can be.
Each one points to other nouns,
And that is just the key.
These special kinds of pronouns,
Can be used with ease.
To point out someone or something,
Use this, that, those, and these.
Sam had a new dog that ______ named Rover.
Kris and Pat went to the store and______ got lost.
Mom likes cookies and _____ also likes candy.
The baby was chewing on _______ toy.
The boy picked out the toys by pointing at ______.
After they have filled in the missing pronouns, have them
write their own sentences with missing pronouns. When
finished, choose students to write their sentences on
the board for classmates to complete.
Words Are Categorical™ series includes the title: I and You and Don’t Forget Who:
What is a Pronoun? by Brian P. Cleary; illustrations by Brian Gable; Text
copyright © 2004 by Brian P. Cleary; Illustrations copyright © 2004 by Brian
Gable. Produced by arrangement with Carolrhoda Books, Inc., a division of Lerner
Publishing Group. All rights reserved. All copyrights, logos, and trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161815
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®
Words are CATegorical – Adjectives
®
Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good
Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Nouns, Adjectives,
Pronouns Poster Set.. This set features break-apart
mini posters for nouns, adjectives, and pronouns.
Inside this Really Good Stuff® set you’ll find:
•Words Are CATegorical® Nouns, Adjectives, Pronouns
Poster Set, 12” x 39”, featuring 3 break-apart
mini posters
•This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Adjectives Activities
This unique banner allows you to introduce the parts of
speech in two different ways. You can display the banner
intact for a “parts of speech” display or break apart the
mini posters into individual presentations for each part
of speech. Before you introduce each part of speech,
make a copy of this Really Good Stuff®Activity Guide,
then share the poster with students.
Introducing the Adjectives Poster
Point out or share the Adjectives mini Poster with
students. Explain that an adjective is a word that helps
describe a thing, an idea, or a living being. They modify
nouns and help tell you more about those nouns. Write
the following example on the board: Mom bought a fuzzy
sweater. Explain to students that the adjective fuzzy
tells more about the sweater and gives the reader a
better picture. Have students take turns reading the
adjectives found in the background on the poster and
using them in sentences. Be sure to have them identify
the noun that is being modified in their sentences.
Adjective Picture Dictionary
Let your students have some fun creating a classroom
Adjective Picture Dictionary. Give students blank sheets
of paper and have them fold the papers into eight boxes.
After unfolding the papers, have them draw along the
folds with crayons or markers. Have each student choose
a noun to modify with Eight different adjectives. For
example, a student may choose the noun hamburger.
Next, the student would write the noun at the top of the
sheet and write an adjective at the bottom of each box
to modify the word hamburger. Some examples might be
juicy, triple-decker, skinny, humongous, tiny, etc. Then the
student would use crayons or markers to illustrate each
box. Have students think for a few minutes about nouns
that could be described Eight different ways and discuss
some possibilities. After students are finished, combine
the papers into a classroom Adjective Picture Dictionary
and place it at a reading or language arts center for
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
the students to enjoy. If desired, supply additional blank
sheets of paper and encourage students to add to the
Picture Dictionary.
Be More Descriptive
Challenge students to add adjectives to a sentence
to help readers form pictures in their minds. Write the
following sentence on the board: I ate an ice cream
cone during the movie. Tell students that you can add
adjectives to this sentence to make it more interesting.
Demonstrate by rewriting the sentence to say: I ate a
creamy, drippy, chocolate ice cream cone during the long,
scary movie. Have students identify the adjectives you
added to the sentence while you underline them on the
board. Write the following sentences on the board and
have students rewrite them with added adjectives: The
cowboy rode the horse around the lake. The teenager
parked the car in the garage. The cake was served at the
party. When finished, choose several students to read
their new sentences, and then display the students’ work
around the Adjectives Poster.
Classroom Adjectives
Let students decorate the classroom with adjectives.
Cut several pieces of white construction paper into
4” by 8” pieces and place them on a table along with
colored markers, tape, and poster putty. Ask students
to look around the room and name things that could
be described with adjectives. For example a student
might suggest flat table, dusty drapes, or cold water.
As students name adjectives to describe classroom
nouns, have them label the construction paper with the
adjectives and attach the labels to the items.
Restaurant Menu Adjectives
Have your students create restaurant menus packed
full of adjectives. Give each student a piece of white
construction paper and have them fold them horizontally
or vertically to form menus. Challenge students to
create a cover for an imaginary restaurant and a menu
that contains lots of adjectives. Be sure to remind
them not only to list each menu item, but to include
a description of the food. Allow students to illustrate
their completed menus with crayons or markers, and
then display them around the Adjectives Poster for all
to enjoy.
Words Are Categorical™ series includes the title: Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an
Adjective? by Brian P. Cleary; illustrations by Jenya Prosmitsky. Copyright © 2000
by Carolrhoda Books, Inc. Produced by arrangement with Carolrhoda Books, Inc.,
a division of Lerner Publishing Group. All rights reserved. All copyrights, logos, and
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
All activity guides can be found online:
© 2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #161815
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®
Words are CATegorical – Verbs
®
Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good
Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Verbs, Adverbs,
Prepositions Poster Set. This set features break-apart
mini posters for verbs, adverbs, and prepositions.
Inside this Really Good Stuff® set you’ll find:
•Words Are CATegorical® Verbs, Adverbs, Prepositions
Poster Set, 12” x 39”, featuring 3 break-apart
mini posters
•This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Verbs Activities
This unique banner allows you to introduce the parts of
speech in two different ways. You can display the banner
intact for a “parts of speech” display or break apart the
mini posters into individual presentations for each part
of speech. Before you introduce each part of speech,
make a copy of this Really Good Stuff®Activity Guide,
then share the poster with students.
Introducing the Verbs Poster
Point out or share the Verbs mini Poster with students.
Explain that a verb is a word that shows action or
state of being. Have them brainstorm what is meant by
showing action. Have them name some action verbs as
you record them on the board. Have students brainstorm
what is meant by state of being. You can help them out
by naming the state of being verbs: is, am, was, were,
are, be, being, and been. Have them take turns reading
the verbs found in the background of the poster and
identifying whether they are action or state of being verbs.
Helping Verbs
Explain to students that sometimes there are helping
verbs that come before action verbs, and state of being
words. These words help make the meaning of the verbs
more clear. Write the following list of helping verbs on
the board. Have them copy the list and place it in their
folders for future reference.
Write the following sentences on the board to
demonstrate the use of helping verbs: I am running to
the store. and We could jump on the trampoline. Have
them brainstorm sentences demonstrating the use of
each helping verb on the list.
Action Verb Journal
Have students create an Action Verb Journal to keep
them thinking about action verbs. Have each of them
take two sheets of notebook paper and fold the sheets
together to form a tall, skinny, booklet and then staple
the left edge. Allow students to illustrate an Action
Verb Journal cover on the first page, then label each
consecutive page with a day of the school week and the
last page with the word Sentences. Have them record
verbs in their journals for the actions they do each day
such as ride, eat, write, brush, etc. At the end of the
week, have them write sentences on the last page to
demonstrate using some of the verbs. If desired, have
them illustrate their sentences.
Writing With Strong Verbs
Show your students the importance of using strong
verbs in their writing. Explain that a strong verb
in a sentence helps the reader to have a clear
understanding of what the writer is saying. Write the
following sentence on the board: I was riding on my
horse. Below it, write: I was galloping on my horse. Ask
students which sentence gives them a better idea of
what was going on. Explain that the verb riding works
fine in the sentence but the verb galloping is a stronger
verb and gives the reader a much better picture.
Challenge them to think of strong verbs to replace the
following: walk, sing, eat, run, talk, think, make, and
laugh. Label pieces of construction paper with each
of the above words. Record students’ suggestions for
strong verbs on each. Display the strong verbs around
the Verbs Poster for student reference when writing.
am are is was were be being been
do does did have has had may must
might can could will would shall should
Words Are Categorical™ series includes the title: To Root, To Toot, To Parachute:
What is a Verb? by Brian P. Cleary; illustrations by Jenya Prosmitsky.
Copyright © 2001 by Carolrhoda Books, Inc. Produced by arrangement with
Carolrhoda Books, Inc., a division of Lerner Publishing Group. Artwork featured
from Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an Adjective? Copyright © 2000 by Carolrhoda
Books, Inc. All rights reserved. All copyrights, logos, and trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #181874
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®
Words are CATegorical – Adverbs
®
Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good
Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Verbs, Adverbs,
Prepositions Poster Set. This set features break-apart
mini posters for verbs, adverbs, and prepositions.
Inside this Really Good Stuff® set you’ll find:
•Words Are CATegorical® Verbs, Adverbs, Prepositions
Poster Set, 12” x 39”, featuring 3 break-apart
mini posters
•This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Adverbs Activities
This unique banner allows you to introduce the parts of
speech in two different ways. You can display the banner
intact for a “parts of speech” display or break apart the
mini posters into individual presentations for each part
of speech. Before you introduce each part of speech,
make a copy of this Really Good Stuff®Activity Guide,
then share the poster with students.
Introducing the Adverbs Poster
Point out or share the Adverbs mini Poster with
students. Explain that an adverb is a word that
describes when, where, how, and to what extent. They
frequently end in “ly” and modify verbs, adjectives, and
other adverbs. Write the headings when, where, how, and
to what extent on the board or on chart paper, leaving
room underneath each to record adverbs. Have them
read the words in the background on the poster and
identify in which column they belong. Challenge students
to think of additional adverbs that would fit under each
heading.
Adverb Spotting
Have students create Adverb Spotting Booklets to
record adverbs from their daily reading materials. Give
each student two sheets of blank paper and have them
fold the sheets together to make a tall, skinny book.
Staple the lefthand edges of the students’ booklets.
Have them title their booklets Adverb Spotting and
decorate the covers. Inside the booklets, have them label
each page with one of the following headers: when, where,
how, and to what extent. Explain to students that as
they read during the day, they are to look for and record
adverbs on the appropriate pages in their booklets. Be
sure to have them underline the adverb and include the
verb, the adjective, or the adverb that is being modified.
After several days, have students share the adverbs
they have found, using the booklets to help them with
adverb writing assignments.
How’d You Do It?
Give your students some practice with ly adverbs with
this fast moving game. Have them sit in a circle or in
rows. Explain that you are going to read sentences with
blanks for ly adverbs. They are going to think of adverbs
that could fit in the blanks. Give them the following
example to demonstrate how to play: I was driving
________. Have students brainstorm ly adverbs that
could fit in the blank such as recklessly, carefully, quickly,
haphazardly, expertly, etc. Explain that to start the
game, you are going to read a sentence and the first
person fills in the blank with an adverb, then the next
person gives another adverb that makes sense, and so
on until someone is unable to think of an adverb and says
pass. Read another sentence and start with the person
who had to pass, continuing around the circle or down
the row until another student must pass. After playing
the game several times, challenge them to write down
new sentences containing blanks and use them in future
games. Some sentences for the game might be:
My sister paints _________.
The dog barks __________.
The bird sings __________.
The boy _______made his bed.
She read the book __________.
He ate his pizza ________.
Adverb of the Day
Challenge your students to be in charge of an Adverb
of the Day. Draw a box on your blackboard or dry erase
board in an area where it will not be disturbed and
label it with the title Adverb of the Day. Assign each
student a school day during the month when he or
she will be responsible for writing an adverb in the box.
Explain to them that each morning, they are to use the
adverb written in the box in three different sentences
and underline the verbs, adverbs, or adjectives the
adverbs modify. At the end of the day, have the student
responsible for writing the adverb read some of the
selections out loud. If desired, display their sentences
around the Adverb Poster.
Words Are Categorical™ series includes the title: Dearly, Nearly, Insincerely: What
is an Adverb? by Brian P. Cleary; illustrations by Brian Gable; Text copyright ©
2003 by Brian P. Cleary; Illustrations copyright © 2003 by Brian Gable. Produced
by arrangement with Carolrhoda Books, Inc., a division of Lerner Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. All copyrights, logos, and trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #181874
Really Good Stuff Activity Guide
®
Words are CATegorical – Prepositions
®
Congratulations on your purchase of the Really Good
Stuff® Words Are CATegorical® Verbs, Adverbs,
Prepositions Poster Set. This set features break-apart
mini posters for verbs, adverbs, and prepositions.
Inside this Really Good Stuff® set you’ll find:
•Words Are CATegorical® Verbs, Adverbs, Prepositions
Poster Set, 12” x 39”, featuring 3 break-apart
mini posters
•This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Prepositions Activities
This unique Banner allows you to introduce the parts of
speech in two different ways. You can display the banner
intact for a “parts of speech” display or break apart the
mini posters into individual presentations for each part
of speech. Before you introduce each part of speech,
make a copy of this Really Good Stuff®Activity Guide,
then share the poster with students.
Introducing the Prepositions Poster
Point out or share the Prepositions mini Poster with
students. Explain that a preposition is a word that
connects a noun or a pronoun to other words in a
sentence. They show us where, tell us time or place, and
give us direction. Write the following sentence on the
board: The dog hid under the bed. Explain to students
that the word under is a preposition and it is at the
beginning of a group of words called a prepositional
phrase. The words under the bed tells where the dog hid.
Write the sentence We went home after the movie. Ask
students, When did we go home? Choose a student to
underline the prepositional phrase that explains when.
Have students read prepositional phrases found in the
background of the poster and use them in sentences.
Common Prepositions
Provide your students with a list of common prepositions
to keep in their writing or language arts notebooks.
Make a copy of the Common Prepositions List for each
student. Have them use the list to help in identifying
prepositions and prepositional phrases. If desired, make
a second copy for each student to take home for parts
of speech homework assignments.
Where, Time, Place, Direction
Help students categorize the prepositions into lists for
telling where, what time, what place, or what direction.
Common Prepositions List
aboutbeside insidethrough
above besidesinto throughout
across betweenlike
till
after beyondnear to
againstby
of
toward
arounddown off
under
at
duringon
until
beforeexcept out up
behindfor
outsideupon
belowfrom over with
beneathin
since without
Have them take a piece of notebook paper and fold it
into four vertical columns. Unfold the paper and write the
word where at the top of the first column, what time in
the second column, what place in the third column, and
what direction in the fourth column. Have them use their
Common Prepositions List and write each preposition in
a prepositional phrase under the correct heading. For
example, a student might write the phrase in an hour
under the what time heading. After they have completed
their lists, choose students to share their prepositional
phrases with the class.
Where Are The Prepositions?
Play a game of Where Are The Prepositions? to get
students thinking about prepositional phrases. Choose
an item that can be placed in different areas in your
classroom such as a stuffed animal for young students
or an action figure for older students. Explain to them
that you are going to place the figure somewhere in the
room and they are to think of a prepositional phrase
to describe the location. For example, if you placed
the figure under a table, students would suggest the
prepositional phrase under the table. Begin by placing the
figure and choosing a student to name a prepositional
phrase and the preposition that begins the phrase. Let
that student place the figure in a new location and call
on a classmate to give an appropriate prepositional
phrase. Continue the game until all of them have had a
chance to place the figure.
Words Are Categorical™ series includes the title: Under, Over, by the Clover:
What is a Preposition? by Brian P. Cleary; illustrations by Brian Gable;
Text copyright © 2002 by Brian P. Cleary; Illustrations copyright © 2002 by Brian
Gable. Produced by arrangement with Carolrhoda Books, Inc., a division of Lerner
Publishing Group. All rights reserved. All copyrights, logos, and trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2005 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com #181874