English lesson plan · 11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 45 minutes
High-utility SAT words (set B): anomaly, empirical, salient…
Vocabulary
CCSS L.11-12.4.ACCSS L.11-12.6England: SAT Reading and Writing (Words in Context)England: ACT ReadingEngland: A-level English
Objective and success criteria
Students will: High-utility SAT words (set B): anomaly, empirical, salient….
- 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: High-utility SAT words (set A): corroborate, mitigate, pragmatic…
Leads to: Advanced words in context (set C): belie, capricious, tacit, trenchant…
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 (High-utility SAT words (set A): corroborate, mitigate, pragmatic…). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word matches this description? to weaken gradually or secretly (undermine / corroborate / disparate / exacerbate) → underminePrompt: Do you know a related word or root? (corroborate ~ robust; mitigate ~ make milder)
- Type the word (in English) that matches this description. to weaken gradually or secretly → underminePrompt: Do you know a related word or root? (corroborate ~ robust; mitigate ~ make milder)
- Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? It took years of observation for astronomers to ___ the faint pattern in the star's light. (discern / mitigate / undermine / exacerbate) → discernPrompt: Find the clue in the sentence: a colon, a contrast word (although, while), or a cause.
Hook · 5 min
- Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
- Share the objective: High-utility SAT words (set B): anomaly, empirical, salient…. 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: Which word matches this description? open to more than one interpretation; unclear
- Step 1: These words frequently describe research, argument and change in SAT passages.
- Step 2: equivocal: open to more than one interpretation; unclear
- Step 3: So the answer is: equivocal
- Answer: equivocal
- 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.
- Which word matches this description? something that differs from what is normal or expected (anomaly / nuanced / reconcile / proliferate) → anomalyPrompt: Use roots: em-pirical (experience), pro-liferate (multiply), im-partial (not taking part).
- Type the word (in English) that matches this description. something that differs from what is normal or expected → anomalyPrompt: Use roots: em-pirical (experience), pro-liferate (multiply), im-partial (not taking part).
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.
- Which word matches this description? not favouring one side (deference / conjecture / impartial / precedent) → impartialPrompt: Use roots: em-pirical (experience), pro-liferate (multiply), im-partial (not taking part).
- Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? Coral that survived the heatwave proved surprisingly ___, regrowing within a few years. (lucrative / equivocal / futile / resilient) → resilientPrompt: Underline the words that explain or contrast with the gap.
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: High-utility SAT words (set A): corroborate, mitigate, pragmatic….
- 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: Advanced words in context (set C): belie, capricious, tacit, trenchant….
- 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-11.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder