Synonyms

Author: Isabelle Tearse 
Date created: 03/26/2018 8:18 PM EDT ; Date modified: 04/29/2018 11:11 PM EDT

VITAL INFORMATION
Total Number of Students 20 students

8 boys

12 girls

Area(s) Students Live In San Rafael, CA

Free/Reduced Lunch

Ethnicity of Students There 15 students are Hispanic, 2 are African American, and 3 are white.

English Language There are 12 ELL students in this class.

Learners

Students with Special Jack and Kevin both have dif culties sitting still and focusing for
Needs prolonged periods of time.

Subject(s) Language Arts (English)

Topic or Unit of Study Writers’ Workshop: Editing

This is one of many language lessons within a larger Writers’ Workshop

unit where students will use all their grammar skills to edit their own
written work.

Grade/Level Grade 2

Comments

KEY CONCEPTS & STANDARDS
Big Idea & Essential What words can we use to explain something to make it more interesting
Questions and speci c to what we are actually trying to say?

Learning Outcome(s) 1.TSW be able to identify overused verbs and select alternative
words that more precisely describe the same action.  

2.TSW work in groups to compare and contrast the alternative words.

3.TSW work individually to compose two sentences and corresponding

pictures that include two similar verbs to display shades of meaning.

Summary This lesson will focus on shades of meaning and how there are many dead
words in our vocabulary and that there is a multitude of other words that
 can be used in our writing to replace these dead words to make our
writing more meaningful and interesting. 

Standards Display: Collapse All Expand All

CA- California Common Core State Standards (2012)

Subject: English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and
Technical Subjects
Grade: Grade 2 students:
Strand: Language
Domain:
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Indicator:
5.b. Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g.,
toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender,
skinny, scrawny).

Comments

ASSESSMENTS
Assessment/Rubrics 1.TTW informally assess students’ ability to identify overused verbs
based on impromptu questions the teacher asks students during group
and individual work times.

2.TTW informally assess students’ ability to de ne the differences

between similar words through the group’s explanations during their
presentations.          

3.TTW examine the sentences and pictures to formally assess their

understanding of shades of meaning.

Comments

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
Instructional Materials
(Handouts, etc.)
Mentor Text: Monsters Can Mosey: understanding shades of
meaning by Gillia M. Olsen
Chart Paper
Paper Tombstone with each dead verb written at the top (Walk,
Run, Throw, Look, Make, Give, Said, Do)
Markers
Student Thesauruses
Sentence Worksheets
Sentence Starters "The animals ___________ across the
__________./The animals ___________ across the ____________."

Comments

IMPLEMENTATION
Sequence of Activities Introduction to Lesson (Hook)
As the students sit in a circle on the rug, “Good morning scholars. Who
wants to help me with a demonstration. (pick ve students and have
them stand at the front of the classroom) Can you guys please show me
how to walk back to your desks? (have them walk back) (pick ve new
volunteers) Can you guys show me how to strut back to your desks?
(have them return to their desks) (Pick ve more volunteers) Can you
show me how to march back to your desks? (have them return to their
desks) Does anyone know what these words have in common, turn and
talk to your partner. (COMMUNICATION) Thanks right! They are
all different ways of walking and moving. That means they are very
similar. All these words say how to move, but with slightly different
actions and meanings. Today we are going to read a book about
monsters. These monsters don’t just want to walk, they want to move in
a way that will get them noticed. As I read pay close attention to how the
monsters change their actions to get noticed.”

Whole Group

1.TTW do a Read Aloud: Monsters Can Mosey by Gillia M. Olsen

2.As the teacher reads, they will have students demonstrate the various
forms of movement introduced throughout the book (eg. walk, mosey,
strut, march). As the teacher calls on volunteers to walk I will remind
students that they only call on quiet hands. (CAPSTONE)

3.TTW introduce the rst tombstone with “walk” written on the top and
explain how it is now a dead word. TTW explain how dead words should
not be used in our writing since it makes sentences sound boring. 

4. After reading the story, TTW guide students in recalling the various
forms of walking. TTW write the words on the tombstone with the
header of "walk." (If the students are not engaged enough, TTW take a
vote from the class on what they think the scariest or funniest
word was). TTW explain how this is now a chart they can reference when
they are writing.

5.TTW share with the class the additional verb tombstones. (See list of
possible dead words in materials section).

6. TTW explain the project and how the students will be put into groups
and will have to come up with as many alternative words as possible for
their assigned dead word. 

7. TTW call out the groups of three or four. TSW not be able to move
until the special chime is rung signaling they may get up from the carpet
and begin the activity.

Small Group

8. TTW set a timer for 8 minutes signaling the start of the work
period. (CAPSTONE)

9. Each group will have 8 minutes to identify as many alternative

words as possible synonyms for their assigned dead word. TSW record
the words on their chart paper, shaped like a tombstone, in pencil. If
students are struggling TTW recommend using a thesaurus as a
tool. (COLLABORATION/ CIRTICAL THINKING)
 10. TTW walk around the room and correct students spelling before
instructing them to go over their words in marker. (Important because
these will be used as reference charts around the classroom)

11. When the timer goes off, all the students know to drop the items in
their hands and place their hands on their head. (CAPSTONE)

12. TTW call on groups one by one to come to the front of the classroom
to present their tombstones. (COMMUNICATION)

Individual

13. TTW ask all students to return to their desks and TTW have the
teacher helper for the day pass out the worksheets.

14. TSW complete the worksheet. They will write the same sentence
twice. In the rst sentence, they will use a dead word of their choice. In
the second sentence, they will use a synonym to replace the dead word.
Each sentence must include a drawing to demonstrate differences in
shades of meaning. (CREATIVITY)

15. TTW ask a few preselected students to share out their drawings and
sentences with the class. An example of a drawing comparing said to
shouted is possibly having a larger mouth on the person or larger letters
in the speech bubble that may have been included in the
drawing. (COMMUNICATION)

Closure

16. TTW share the connections between the learning objectives and the
larger unit of study. TTW explain how students will use shades of
meaning to help enhance their writing and make it more meaningful.

Grouping Strategies
Whole Group: Students will sit on their assigned colored square on
the carpet which will help reduce side conversations.

Small Group: Students will be placed into preselected groups that

were created to keep friends from being in the same group as to
decrease distraction. Additionally, these groups will be mixed
between high and low-level students in language arts. I will make
sure to spread out the ELL students evenly throughout the various
groups.

Individual Work: The students will all return to their individual

desks to complete the exit ticket where they have a seating chart
speci cally designed for them to not be next to their friends.

Differentiated Low level ELLs will:
Instruction
receive support from their peers during small groups work
be given a sentence starter or a skeleton to help them complete
the assigned worksheet "The man _______ "Hi" to the girl. /The man
___________ "Hi" to the girl." (Sentence starters for the two part
worksheet)
receive teacher support if needed
be provided with a thesaurus and dictionary to aid in the
completion of their poster
 Students who struggle with sitting still:

have sensory mats to sit on at the carpet and at their desks

be called on as volunteers to act out the movements during read
aloud
given opportunity to run a lap around the track outside between
whole group instruction and group work time, as well as between
group work time and indidivual work time

Comments

REFLECTIONS
Prior to Lesson
Post-Lesson
Comments