word study level a

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Word Study Level A

Table of Contents

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ISBN: 978-0-66364-106-21 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 16 15 14 13 12

Word Study—LeveL A | i

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Lesson

1 Aiming at Target Words, Part 1 1

2 Exploring Word Relationships, Part 1: Synonyms 7

3 Exploring Word Relationships, Part 2: Antonyms 9

4 Suffix: -ly 11

5 Exploring Word Relationships, Part 3: Word Families 13


7 Synonyms and Antonyms 21

8 Vivid Verbs 23

9 Adverbs Add Detail 25

10 Connotation and Denotation 27


12 Synonyms and Antonyms 35

13 Suffix: -ed 37

14 Learning about Adjectives 39

15 Revisiting Target Words 43

word study

Word Study—LeveL A | 1

1Aiming at Target Words, Part 1

Initial Thoughts

2 | LiterAcy NAvigAtor

Aiming at Target Words, Part 11Target Words Chart, Part 1

Target Word What I Already Know (or Don’t Know)

impact

affecting

frequent

vulnerable


Aiming at Target Words, Part 1

Target Words Chart, Part 1, continued

What the Dictionary Says (Synonyms) Example from the Reading


Aiming at Target Words, Part 11Target Words Chart, Part 1, continued


indirectly

cope

alter

gradually


Aiming at Target Words, Part 111. Could television have an impact on your homework? Why or why not?

2. Why might a kitten be vulnerable?

3. Describe a time when you did something in a gradual way. What happened?

4. What could make you alter your plans for the weekend?

Target Words Questions, Part 1


2Exploring Word Relationships, Part 1: Synonyms

Synonyms Word Web


Exploring Word Relationships, Part 1: Synonyms21. Why is knowing, understanding, and using synonyms helpful to you as a reader?

2. How will knowing, understanding, and using synonyms help you as a writer?

3. See how many synonyms you can come up with off the top of your head for the following “every day words”:

pretty

old

house

Questions about Synonyms


3Exploring Word Relationships, Part 2: Antonyms

Antonyms Word Wheel


Exploring Word Relationships, Part 2: Antonyms3My Favorite and Least Favorite Things

Respond to the following prompts.

1. What is your favorite and least favorite food? Tell why. Be sure to use synonyms and antonyms.

2. What is your favorite and least favorite color? Tell why. Be sure to use synonyms and antonyms.

3. What is your favorite and least favorite school subject? Tell why. Be sure to use synonyms and antonyms.


4Suffix: -ly

Complete Word Base Word Suffix Spelling Change

really real -ly no change

truthfully

noisily

happily

basically

ideally

friendly

easily

softly

safe

painful

odd

merry

basic

sad

clean

busy

Locate the words that contain the suffix -ly in the article “Nine things you Need to Know about global Warming.” Make a list.

Suffixes Chart


Suffix: -ly4Questions about Suffixes

1. What two things are important to remember when you are adding a suffix to a word?

2. What would you do to add the suffix -ly to a word if it ended in the letter t?

3. What would you do to add the suffix -ly to a word if it ended in the letter y?

4. What would you do to add the suffix -ly to a word if it ended in the letters ic?

5. Would you gradually eat ice cream? Why or why not?

6. What is something you might do frequently?

7. Did Red Riding Hood go directly or indirectly to Grandmother’s house? How do you know?


5Exploring Word Relationships, Part 3: Word Families

Word Family Tree

related word:

Part of speech:

Meaning:

related word:

Part of speech:

Meaning:

related word:

Part of speech:

Meaning:

related word:

Part of speech:

Meaning:

related word:

Part of speech:

Meaning:


Exploring Word Relationships, Part 3: Word Families51. How can being aware of Word Families help us understand the meaning of words? Explain.

2. If you knew you were getting a new bike, how might you be affected? Explain your answer.

3. What might be affected if school were cancelled for a day? Name as many people or things as you can. Explain why they were affected.

Questions about Word Families



Initial Thoughts




scarce

eliminate

durable

replenished


Aiming at Target Words, Part 26Target Words Chart, Part 2, continued


determination

emit

sustain

delicate


Aiming at Target Words, Part 261. Would you use something delicate for a baby to play with? Why or why not?

2. What might you want to sustain? Why?

3. Describe a time when you were eliminated. What happened?

4. Would you want a durable skateboard? Why or why not?

Target Words Questions, Part 2


7Synonyms and Antonyms

Word Wheel

Antonyms Synonyms


Synonyms and Antonyms7Questions about Synonyms and Antonyms

1. How did exploring the dictionary for synonyms and antonyms and discussing synonyms and antonyms with the group help you better understand your assigned target word?

2. Explain how knowing lots of synonyms for a word can make you a better reader and writer.


8Vivid Verbs

Common Verb Vivid Verbs

walk

eat

look

run

make

sleep

like

say

Vivid Verbs


Vivid Verbs8Rewriting with Vivid Verbs

In the following paragraph, the writer has depended too much on common or weak verbs where more vivid ones might really make the writing come alive for us as readers. Rewrite the story using more vivid verbs to really show the action! Remember that a thesaurus is a good tool for checking synonyms that may be vivid verbs.

Sam and Tom knew that a good way to help the environment is to make a garden. They dug the soil. They put seeds in the ground. Soon the plants were bigger. The boys picked tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and beans. They even dug potatoes and carrots from the ground. The boys liked the garden, and the birds and rabbits liked it too. Early in the morning you could see rabbits eating the lettuces. Later in the day you could see birds sitting on the sunflowers while they ate the seeds. The garden did help the environment. It gave food to the boy’s family and to the animals. It also helped the environment because the food wasn’t put into plastic packages, which are made from fuel. And it saved more fuel because the family didn’t go to the grocery store to buy this food.

Reread your paragraph, looking for any verbs that might still be weak or overly common; try to find a more vivid alternative. Once you’re sure you have used the most vivid verbs possible, share your paragraph with a partner. Use feedback from your partner to revise the paragraph.


9Adverbs Add Detail

Finding Adverbs

Read the following passage from “So, What’s the Big deal?” Circle the adverbs and then complete a T-chart that lists each adverb you find on the left and which question you think it answers: How? Where? or When?

6 Indirectly, ecological disturbances, air pollution, changes in food and water supplies, and coastal flooding are all examples of possible impacts that might affect human health.

7 How people and nature adapt to climate change will determine how seriously it impacts human health. Some people and places are likely to be affected more than others. Generally, poor people and poor countries are less likely to have the money and resources they need to cope with preventing and treating health problems. Very young children and the elderly adults will run the highest risks.

Ecological systems

8 Climate change may alter the world’s habitats and ecosystems—all living things are included in and rely on these places. Many of these places depend on a delicate balance of rainfall, temperature, and soil type. A rapid change in climate could upset this balance and seriously endanger many living things.

9 Most past climate changes occurred slowly, allowing plants and animals to adapt to the new environment or move somewhere else. However, if future climate changes occur as rapidly as some scientists predict, plants and animals may not be able to react quickly enough to survive. The ocean’s ecosystems also could be affected for the same reasons.

Adverb Which Question Does This Adverb Answer: How? Where? or When?


Adverbs Add Detail9Questions about Adverbs

1. If you came home from school indirectly, did you go right home or make a stop?

2. If you frequently visit a cousin, do you see him a lot or a little?

3. If someone says, “You are sitting so patiently,” were you fidgeting or sitting still?

4. If you scarcely ate your dinner, did you clean your plate or leave most of the food on the plate?


10Connotation and Denotation

Connotation Chart

Think about the connotations for each synonym triad and place them in the chart below according to whether you think the connotation is positive, neutral, or negative.

a. inexpensive, cheap, affordable

b. satisfactory, mediocre, average

c. unusual, strange, unique

d. surprise, shock, stun

e. bookworm, scholar, student

f. skinny, thin, slender

g. inquisitive, nosy, curious

h. selective, picky, particular

i. dainty, fragile, frail

j. plump, heavy, fat

k. challenging, difficult, hard

Positive Neutral Negative

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

h.

i.

j.

k.


Connotation and Denotation10Questions about Connotation and Denotation

1. Would you rather your bike be old or durable? Why?

2. Describe in your own words the connotative difference in meaning between reliable and old.

3. Would you prefer to be called delicate or weak? Why?

4. How does the connotation of a word help us as writers?

5. Why is it important to think about the denotation and the connotation of a word when we read?



Initial Thoughts




disgusted

dedicated

thrive

enriches


Aiming at Target Words, Part 311Target Word What I Already Know (or Don’t Know)

discarded

motivated

convert

coincide



Aiming at Target Words, Part 311Target Words Questions, Part 3

1. What is something you have discarded? Why?

2. Would you like it if someone said you were a dedicated student? Why or why not?

3. How can you tell if a garden is thriving?

4. What might enrich your family vacation?


12Synonyms and Antonyms

Means the same: Means the same:

Means the opposite: Sentence Means the opposite: Sentence

Means the same: Means the same:

Means the opposite: Sentence Means the opposite: Sentence

Word Squares


Synonyms and Antonyms12Questions about Synonyms and Antonyms

1. If you are disgusted with lunch, do you leave food on your plate or ask for more?

2. If you are a dedicated pet owner, do you walk the dog or does your mom do it?

3. If you thrive at soccer, do you spend more time on the sidelines or the field?

4. Would you enrich a library by adding more books or taking them away?

5. If you discarded a sweater, would it be an old one or a new one?

6. If you are vulnerable, are you feeling strong or weak?

7. If you convert something, do you change it or leave it alone?

8. If your opinions coincide with someone else’s, are you likely to be enemies or friends?


13Suffix: -ed

Complete Word Base Word Suffix Spelling Change

created

spied

canned

buried

occurred

fixed

mulched

completed

wasted

jogged

destroyed

learned

rimmed

carried

located

reduced

stopped

dumped

perplexed

amazed

controlled

landfilled

dried

Suffixes Chart


Suffix: -ed131. Explain what you have learned about spelling when adding the suffix -ed.

2. How can this information help you when you are writing?

Questions about Suffixes


14Learning about Adjectives

1. Would you like it if chocolate was a very scarce food? Why or why not?

2. Would a video game be durable? Why or why not?

3. Describe frequent rainfall.

4. Would you be pleased if the teacher said you seemed motivated by the math problems? Why or why not?

5. Would someone be disgusted by a pizza? Why or why not?

Target Adjectives


Learning about Adjectives14Target Adjectives, continued

6. Would a gradual improvement in your grades make your parents happy? Why or why not?

7. What might happen if caterpillars became scarce?

8. Would your parents buy you a delicate toy? Why or why not?

9. What might cause a disgusted look on your face?

10. Would you like it if your mom called you her vulnerable child? Why or why not?


Learning about Adjectives

1. Circle the adjectives in the following sentences and rewrite the sentences without the circled adjectives. Explain what you think happens when there are no adjectives.

On a clear breezy day, the air smells fresh and clean.

“clean Air and dirty Air”

Hot, sunny weather and stagnant air caused ozone in Center City to rise to unhealthy levels.

“clean Air and dirty Air”

2. How did thinking about adjectives help you as a reader today

3. How did thinking about adjectives help you as a writer today?

Questions about Adjectives


15Revisiting Target Words

A synonym for continue: An adjective that means flimsy:

Three vivid verbs: A synonym for increase:

Two adjectives: A synonym for gradual: A verb that means change:

An adjective that means often:

A word that means remove:

An antonym for plenty: An adjective that means weak:

A member of the affect word family:

A verb that means change:

An adjective that means interested:

A synonym for strong: One adverb:

Target Words Review

word study level a

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