Lesson Plan Format

School of Education
The College of New Jersey

1. Title or Topic of the Lesson and Grade Level

Kindergarten
Synonyms and Antonyms

2. Lesson Essential Question(s):

What is a synonym?
What is an antonym?
What is the relationship between synonyms and antonyms?

3. Standards:
CC.1.2.K.B: With prompting and support, answer questions about key details in a text.
CC.1.2.K.K: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown or multiple meaning words and
phrases based upon grade-level reading and content.
CC.1.3.K.B: Answer questions about key details in a text.
CC.1.4.K.B: Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to focus on one specific
topic.
CC.1.4.K.C: With prompting and support, generate ideas and details to convey information that
relates to the chosen topic.
CC.1.5.K.A: Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small and large
groups.
CC.1.5.K.B: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information
presented orally or through other media.

4.

Learning Objectives Assessments

Students will be able to define synonyms
and antonyms.
Students will be able to identify the
relationship between synonyms and
antonyms.
Students will demonstrate their
understanding of synonyms and antonyms
by: 1) identifying synonyms from the read
aloud; 2) generating their own antonyms to
go along with those synonyms; 3)
participating in the S and A arm activity; 4)
participating in the closure index card sort
activity.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge
of the relationship between synonyms and
antonyms by identifying synonyms from
the read aloud and then generating their
own antonyms. This shows that they know
not only the key difference between
synonyms and antonyms but how they
relate as well.
5. Materials:
Projector
Clip Boards
Pencils
Synonym and Antonym Worksheet
Synonym and Antonym Anchor Chart
Act it Out- Antonym Cards
Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know: What Is a Synonym? By Brian P. Cleary

6. Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge:

The students have learned about words that are the same and opposite. They have been using
synonyms in the Kid Writing portion of their day. They have learned about antonyms from Dr.
Seuss related activities as well as their Journeys lessons. While they have been exposed to
these ideas, students have not been exposed to the terminology synonym and antonym.
Students will be well prepared to learn these terms and strengthen their knowledge of
synonyms and antonyms.

7. Lesson Beginning:
Before beginning the lesson, I will review my behavior expectations with the class. Once my
behavior expectations are set, I will open my power point. The first slide will show 5 groups of
words with the same meaning. I will ask for students to volunteer to read the word pairings.
Once all of them are read, I will ask students to talk to their tables about what all the word pairs
have in common. When they identify that each group of words have the same meaning, I will
explain that two different words that share the same meaning are called synonyms. I will repeat
the same process a second time, except this time for antonyms. I will identify the importance of
synonyms and antonyms by explaining that using them makes the writer or speaker express
their ideas with great clarity and use a wide array of vocabulary. I will then dismiss my students
to the reading rug. On their way to the rug, I will ask that they bring a clipboard, worksheet and
pencil to the carpet.

8. Instructional Plan:
I will then read the childrens book Pitch and Throw, Grasp and Know: What Is a Synonym? by
Brian P. Cleary. I will explain to students that the book is full of synonyms. As we are going
through the story, I will ask students to raise their hands when they hear synonyms. When they
hear a synonym group, I will pause and have my partner, Ms. Angolini, record the synonyms on
a large version of the worksheet in front of all the students. The students will record the
synonyms on their own worksheets, referring back to Ms. Angolinis sheet if necessary. Once
the book is complete, I will ask students to remind me what an antonym is. We will go through
the worksheet for a second time and fill in the antonym column. I will ask that students
generate the antonyms themselves based on the synonyms found in the book. While I will ask
them all to brainstorm and think of the antonyms, we will share as a class and record the same
one on the worksheet. When they first identify the synonym and generate their own antonym, I
will model the first one for them so that they have a clear understanding of what they are
expected to do. Once all the antonyms are filled in, I will dismiss students back to their seats in
an orderly fashion.
 Once students are returned to their seats, I will continue with my PowerPoint. I will ask
students to stand up, push in their chairs and stand right behind their chairs. Next I will show
the class a series of synonym and antonym pairs that will show one at a time. If the word pair is
a synonym, I will ask students to make an S shape with their arms. If the word pair is an
antonym, I will ask students to make an A shape with their arms. After each pair of words, I
will choose two volunteers to come to the front of the room and act it out. This will serve as an
accommodation for our more visual learners. All of the synonym and antonym pairs will be
action words. An anchor chart of synonyms and antonyms will hang at the front of the room for
students who need extra help.
Once this activity is finished, I will show a short 2-minute video that will recap what synonyms
and antonyms are. While the video is playing, I will pass out an index card to each student with
a piece of tape. Before the video plays, I will explain to students that they should not touch the
index cards I am placing in front of them until they are told to do so.

9. Closure:
The index cards that students receive will have word pairs on them. I will differentiate the
word pairs by giving advanced students challenging vocabulary. I will ask the students to come
up to the front of the room 1 by 1 and place their index card on the anchor chart where it
belongs, either on the synonym or antonym side. For more advanced students, I will ask them
for an additional synonym or an antonym that goes along with their word pair. Once all the
students are finished, I will review the importance of synonyms and antonyms for speakers,
writers and everyday people in our everyday lives.
 Name: __________________________________

Synonyms and Antonyms

Listen for the synonyms from the book Pitch and Throw, Grasp
and Know: What Is a Synonym? and write them into the synonym
boxes. Then, come up with an antonym that goes along with each
synonym group.
Synonym #1 Synonym #2 Synonym #3 Antonym

Tired Beat Exhauste Energetic

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