Synonym Fun: Making Our Words Sparkle!

English Language Arts Grades Kindergarten 4:39 Video
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Lesson Description

Learn about synonyms and how they can make our sentences more interesting and exciting! Discover how to swap out common words for more vibrant ones.

Video Resource

Synonyms - Language Arts for Kids!

Miacademy Learning Channel

Duration: 4:39
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Synonyms are words that have similar meanings.
  • Using synonyms makes writing and speaking more interesting.
  • A thesaurus is a tool that helps us find synonyms.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to define what a synonym is.
  • Students will be able to identify synonyms for common words.
  • Students will be able to use synonyms to improve simple sentences.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students if they know what it means for two words to be 'the same.' Introduce the word 'synonym' as a fancy word for words that mean the same or almost the same thing. Explain that using synonyms makes our stories and speaking more fun!
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Watch the 'Synonyms - Language Arts for Kids!' video from Miacademy Learning Channel. Encourage students to pay attention to the examples of synonyms given in the video.
  • Discussion (5 mins)
    After the video, review the definition of synonyms. Ask students to share examples of synonyms they remember from the video. Focus on the examples of 'said' and 'nice'.
  • Synonym Search (10 mins)
    Choose a few common words (e.g., happy, big, small). As a class, brainstorm synonyms for each word. Write the words and their synonyms on a whiteboard or chart paper.
  • Sentence Upgrade (10 mins)
    Write a few simple sentences on the board using the common words from the previous activity (e.g., 'The dog is big.'). Have students suggest synonyms to replace the common words and make the sentences more interesting (e.g., 'The dog is enormous.').
  • Wrap-up (5 mins)
    Review what synonyms are and why they are useful. Encourage students to use synonyms in their own writing and speaking. Mention the thesaurus as a tool for finding synonyms.

Interactive Exercises

  • Synonym Matching Game
    Create a simple matching game with pairs of synonyms written on index cards. Students match the cards with words that have similar meanings.
  • Synonym Charades
    Students act out a word, and the other students guess the word and then provide a synonym.

Discussion Questions

  • What is a synonym?
  • Why is it good to use synonyms?
  • Can you think of a synonym for 'happy'?
  • Where can you find synonyms if you don't know any?

Skills Developed

  • Vocabulary building
  • Creative writing
  • Critical thinking
  • Listening skills

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which word means the SAME as 'happy'?

Correct Answer: Joyful

Question 2:

Which word means the SAME as 'big'?

Correct Answer: Huge

Question 3:

A synonym is a word that means almost the...

Correct Answer: Same

Question 4:

If something is 'nice,' what else could we call it?

Correct Answer: Lovely

Question 5:

If you 'said' something, what's another word you could use?

Correct Answer: Stated

Question 6:

Which of these words is a synonym for 'run'?

Correct Answer: Skip

Question 7:

If something is 'little,' what else could you call it?

Correct Answer: Tiny

Question 8:

Which tool can help you find synonyms?

Correct Answer: Thesaurus

Question 9:

Using synonyms makes your stories more...

Correct Answer: Interesting

Question 10:

Which is a synonym for the word 'cold'?

Correct Answer: Freezing

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A ___________ is a word that has the same or similar meaning.

Correct Answer: synonym

Question 2:

Another word for 'happy' is ___________.

Correct Answer: joyful

Question 3:

The opposite of 'sad' is ___________.

Correct Answer: happy

Question 4:

If something is 'good,' it can also be called ___________.

Correct Answer: great

Question 5:

A ___________ helps you find synonyms.

Correct Answer: thesaurus

Question 6:

Instead of saying 'said,' you can say ___________.

Correct Answer: stated

Question 7:

A synonym for 'small' is ___________.

Correct Answer: tiny

Question 8:

Using synonyms makes your writing more ___________.

Correct Answer: interesting

Question 9:

Instead of saying 'nice', you can say ___________.

Correct Answer: lovely

Question 10:

A synonym for the word 'fast' is ___________.

Correct Answer: quick

Educational Standards

K.4.W.1:Students will use new vocabulary to produce and expand complete sentences in shared language activities. K.4.R.3:Students will begin to acquire new vocabulary and relate new words to prior knowledge. K.5.W.1:Students will begin to compose simple sentences that begin with a capital letter and conclude with an end mark.

Teaching Materials

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