English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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 "scared"? (bold / merry / afraid / lazy) → afraidPrompt: A synonym has the same or nearly the same meaning.
- Which word means the OPPOSITE of "easy"? (simple / ancient / frozen / tricky) → trickyPrompt: An antonym has the opposite meaning.
- Which word is closest in meaning to "ancient"? (brittle / timid / antique / modern) → antiquePrompt: One of the choices means the opposite. Don't be tricked!
Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 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.
- Complete the analogy. Doctor is to hospital as pilot is to ___. (sky / cockpit / captain / wing) → cockpitPrompt: What is the link between the first pair of words?
- Complete the analogy. Hot is to cold as up is to ___. (down / high / warm / top) → downPrompt: What is the link between the first pair of words?
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.
- Complete the analogy. Chef is to kitchen as teacher is to ___. (lesson / pupil / book / classroom) → classroomPrompt: What is the link between the first pair of words?
- Complete the analogy. Petal is to flower as page is to ___. (paper / read / book / word) → bookPrompt: 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