Vocabulary Development - Senior Secondary 1 - Synonyms of words

TERM: 3^RD TERM

WEEK: 4

CLASS: Senior Secondary School 1
AGE: 15 years
DURATION: 1 period of 40 mins
DATE:
TOPIC: Vocabulary Development
CONTENT: Synonyms of words
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, learners should be able to;
a. Define synonyms.
b. Identify synonyms of common words.
c. Use synonyms in sentences appropriately.
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Discussion, group activities, word association games
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: Whiteboard, markers, handouts with word lists

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:

Introduction:
The teacher begins by explaining the concept of synonyms. A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. The teacher provides examples like "quick" and "fast," "brave" and "fearless," "close" and "near," etc. These words can be used interchangeably in sentences to add variety to writing and speaking.

Word Identification:
The teacher writes a list of words on the board and asks learners to think of synonyms for each word. The teacher guides the class by providing hints or suggestions, such as using a thesaurus to find alternative words. Examples could include:

• Happy: joyful, cheerful, content
• Strong: powerful, sturdy, robust
• Intelligent: smart, clever, sharp

Guided Practice:
The teacher calls out a word, and learners work in pairs to come up with as many synonyms as they can for that word. After a few minutes, pairs share their answers with the class. The teacher writes the synonyms on the board and discusses how each word can be used in a sentence.

Evaluation:
Learners are asked to:

• Identify five synonyms for the word "big" and use them in sentences.
• Match the following words with their synonyms:
  • Happy, Brave, Smart, Beautiful, Tall
  • Answers: Joyful, Fearless, Clever, Lovely, High
• Rewrite the following sentences, replacing the underlined words with suitable synonyms:
  • "She is very happy about the news."
  • "The mountain was very tall."

Classwork:
Learners are given a short reading passage containing underlined words. They must identify the synonyms for each underlined word and rewrite the passage using the synonyms. Afterward, they will compare their versions in pairs and discuss how the meaning of the passage remained the same despite the changes in words.

Assignment:
Learners are to choose 10 words from their daily conversations or a reading passage and find at least two synonyms for each. They will use these synonyms in original sentences and submit their work by the next class.

Conclusion:
The teacher wraps up the lesson by reviewing the key points about synonyms. Learners are encouraged to practice using synonyms in their writing and speaking to improve fluency and vocabulary. Feedback on their work is provided.