Application 2: Due 7/10

Appropriate for: elementary

Setting: small group
Subject: Language Arts/writing (could be geared toward any subject though)

Semantic Fields Game:

Objectives: SWBAT

Generate relationships among words that are synonyms and sort into semantic fields.
Explain their rational for matching words under semantic field headers.
Develop a list of synonyms for common words used in their writings and
conversation.

Materials:

Semantic field header cards (cut out)

Word cards (cut out)
Chart paper titled Synonyms

Introduction:
Today we are going to focus on synonyms. Synonyms are words that supposedly
mean the same thing (Curzan & Adams, 2012 p. 214). One area we have been
working on in writing is word choice. Using synonyms can help our writing to
sound more interesting or exciting because we dont use the same words
throughout.
Can anyone think of a pair of synonyms? (list on chart)
To get us to better understand synonyms we are going to do an activity that will
help us make connections between words.
Teacher Lead Practice:

The teacher will model activity using a set of cards (see attached).
Teacher will think aloud as he/she models which semantic fields to put the word
cards in.

Guided Practice:

Together the group will complete the above model set.

The teacher will read aloud all word cards that students are using during partner work
and clarify any questions students may have about the words.

Partner work:

Students will work in pairs to first complete two sets of word cards (see attached)*.
Pairs of students can volunteer to explain to the group how they sorted their cards.

Independent work

Students will work independently to sort a set of cards while the teacher observes
and guides students who may be having some difficulties with the task.

Application

Use of synonyms in conversation and/or discussion.

Use of synonyms in student writing.

Extension:

Students choose a word to use in a sentence and/or illustrate.

Students create their own word card for a semantic field.

Rational:
This lesson was developed with 2nd and 3rd grade ELL students in mind. Specifically those
who have a limited vocabulary or continue to use the same basic words while writing or in
discussion. I chose this activity due to my experience with ELL students who struggle to find
other words to use when talking about a story as well as in their own writing. Or they are
not confident of the meaning of words so they stick to what they know.
Many student reflections from our week 2 readings touched on semantic fields and grouping
words together to teach vocabulary in ways that illustrate a relationship between words.
Curzan and Adams explain in chapter 7 that [cognitive skills] help us categorize what we
encounter as like and not like other things we have encountered (2012, p 206). Using
semantic fields to teach new vocabulary can help students anchor new words to ones they
are already proficient at using. These relationships among words students are familiar with
and those that they may not know or use as often will also create more information to
activate from when they prime a word (Curzan & Adams, 2012 p. 217 & 218). In the end
having additional word connections in their mental lexicon could speeding their language
processing (Curzan and Adams, 2012 p. 218).
Though Curzan and Adams argue there are very few true synonyms in English---if there
are any at all I focused on synonyms due to the students needs to expand the vocabulary
they are currently using in conversation and their writing. I took into consideration