English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes
Word relationships and analogies
Vocabulary
CCSS L.5.5.CCCSS L.4.5England: 11+ English (verbal reasoning)England: Y5/6 Vocabulary
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Word relationships and analogies.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Synonyms; Antonyms
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Synonyms; Antonyms). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word means the SAME as "choose"? (reject / polish / select / warn) → selectPrompt: A synonym has the same or nearly the same meaning.
- Which word means the OPPOSITE of "easy"? (tricky / frozen / ancient / simple) → trickyPrompt: An antonym has the opposite meaning.
- Which word is closest in meaning to "reluctant"? (generous / unwilling / furious / eager) → unwillingPrompt: One of the choices means the opposite. Don't be tricked!
Hook · 3 min
- Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
- Share the objective: Word relationships and analogies. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Complete the analogy. Doctor is to hospital as pilot is to ___.
- Step 1: An analogy shows that two pairs of words are linked in the same way.
- Step 2: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Doctor is to hospital as pilot is to cockpit."
- Step 3: So the answer is: cockpit
- Answer: cockpit
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Complete the analogy. Bird is to nest as bee is to ___. (flower / wing / hive / honey) → hivePrompt: What is the link between the first pair of words?
- Complete the analogy. Hot is to cold as up is to ___. (down / warm / top / high) → downPrompt: What is the link between the first pair of words?
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Complete the analogy. Glove is to hand as sock is to ___. (shoe / foot / wool / knee) → footPrompt: What is the link between the first pair of words?
- Complete the analogy. Author is to book as composer is to ___. (painting / poem / music / piano) → musicPrompt: What is the link between the first pair of words?
Watch out for
- Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
- Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Synonyms.
- Use concrete materials: word cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder