Title – What is a synonym?

By – Crystal

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Grade Level – 3

Materials:

• 
  Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know What is a Synonym?
  
  by Brian P. Cleary
• Expensive Words Chart
• Chart Paper
• Markers

Purpose:

Model the use of synonyms

Objective:

Students will be able to develop synonyms for general words and use them in their writing.

Description:

• This mini-lesson will model the use of synonyms and how they can be used interchangeably to make a piece of writing more interesting to the reader.
• The lesson will take place at the beginning of a workshop.
• Students will be gathered on the carpet in the back of the room.
• The teacher will ask if any of the students know what a synonym is.
• The teacher will then begin the lesson by reading the book title
  
  Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know What is a Synonym
  
  ? There will be a discussion of the title of the book and what it is might mean.
• The teacher will then read the book aloud to the students.
• After reading the story, the teacher will ask the students to try to remember some of the synonyms from the story and record them on the chart paper.
• They will then use the “Expensive Words Chart” (see below) to come up with better words for their boring words that they use all the time (i.e. fun, like, good, etc).

  Expensive Words
  $10	-	good	like	fun
  $100	-	great	love	enjoyable
  $10,000	-	fantastic	crave	pleasant
  $1, 000, 000	-	magnificent	adore	amusing

Conclusion:

• The main lesson will show the students understanding of synonyms and how to incorporate “expensive” words into their writing.
• After brainstorming some expensive words as a class, the students will incorporate at least five expensive words in their previously completed personal experience paragraph rough draft or other short writing assignment.
• They will be able to use the words the class came up with, or other expensive words of their choice. It will be recommended that they replace $10 words with $10,000 or $1,000,000 words.

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Crystal

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