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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 45 minutes

Near-synonyms: strength and shades of meaning

Vocabulary

CCSS L.8.5.CEngland: KS3 English (vocabulary)England: GCSE English Language (vocabulary for effect)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Near-synonyms: strength and shades of meaning.

  • 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: Choosing words to create a tone or mood

Leads to: Word choice that reveals a writer's attitude

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 · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Choosing words to create a tone or mood). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the word that best creates the effect described in brackets. The old ship ___ through the freezing waves. (create a sense of struggle) (battled / floated / glided / skipped) → battledPrompt: Think about the feelings each word brings with it (its connotations).
  2. Which word best describes the mood created by this line? "The waves crashed and clawed at the crumbling cliffs." (peaceful / bored / playful / threatening) → threateningPrompt: Pick out the two or three strongest words in the line.
  3. Which word best describes the mood created by this line? "Honestly, who decided that maths homework should be set on a Friday?" (reverent / fearful / exasperated / sorrowful) → exasperatedPrompt: Pick out the two or three strongest words in the line.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
  • Share the objective: Near-synonyms: strength and shades of meaning. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The scientist ___ the results to be sure they were accurate.
  • Step 1: Near-synonyms differ in intensity and connotation; precise writers choose the one that fits exactly.
  • Step 2: Checking for accuracy needs very close examination.
  • Step 3: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The scientist scrutinised the results to be sure they were accurate."
  • Step 4: So the answer is: scrutinised
  • Answer: scrutinised
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. He refused to change his mind even when he was clearly wrong; he was simply ___. (resolute / principled / pig-headed / determined) → pig-headedPrompt: All the choices are related. Look for the detail in the sentence that rules most of them out.
  2. Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The new phone was only ___ better than the old one; most people couldn't tell the difference. (marginally / hugely / vastly / dramatically) → marginallyPrompt: All the choices are related. Look for the detail in the sentence that rules most of them out.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The old map was ___: it was the only one of its kind in the world. (rare / unusual / unique / uncommon) → uniquePrompt: All the choices are related. Look for the detail in the sentence that rules most of them out.
  2. Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The new phone was only ___ better than the old one; most people couldn't tell the difference. (dramatically / marginally / vastly / hugely) → marginallyPrompt: All the choices are related. Look for the detail in the sentence that rules most of them out.

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: Choosing words to create a tone or mood.
  • 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

  • Move on to: Word choice that reveals a writer's attitude.
  • 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-8.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Near-synonyms: strength and shades of meaning

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The scientist ___ the results to be sure they were accurate.

    • A. scrutinised
    • B. skimmed
    • C. glanced at
    • D. noticed

  2. Question 2

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The thief ___ along the dark corridor, trying not to be heard.

    • A. marched
    • B. crept
    • C. stomped
    • D. strolled

  3. Question 3

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. He refused to change his mind even when he was clearly wrong; he was simply ___.

    • A. principled
    • B. resolute
    • C. pig-headed
    • D. determined

  4. Question 4

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The new phone was only ___ better than the old one; most people couldn't tell the difference.

    • A. hugely
    • B. vastly
    • C. dramatically
    • D. marginally

  5. Question 5

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. Despite the cold, the volunteers remained ___ and kept working cheerfully.

    • A. defeated
    • B. fragile
    • C. resilient
    • D. sullen

  6. Question 6

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. Her speech was ___: short, clear and to the point.

    • A. rambling
    • B. long-winded
    • C. wordy
    • D. concise

  7. Question 7

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. The old map was ___: it was the only one of its kind in the world.

    • A. unusual
    • B. rare
    • C. uncommon
    • D. unique

  8. Question 8

    Choose the word whose exact shade of meaning best fits the context. After winning the lottery, she was ___.

    • A. ecstatic
    • B. content
    • C. satisfied
    • D. pleased

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Answer key: Near-synonyms: strength and shades of meaning

  1. 1. A. scrutinised

  2. 2. B. crept

  3. 3. C. pig-headed

  4. 4. D. marginally

  5. 5. C. resilient

  6. 6. D. concise

  7. 7. D. unique

  8. 8. A. ecstatic