Bridgewater College

Education Department Lesson Plan

Mickelberry
Date: April 8, 2013

Title of Lesson: Antonyms are opposites

Subject Area(s):
Reading/Language Arts
VA SOL
2.7 c.

Grade Level(s): Grade 2

Name Sarah

c) The student will expand vocabulary when reading by using

knowledge of antonyms and synonyms

Content Objective(s)
1. Students will be able to identify pairs of antonyms from a fictional text.
2. Students will be able to correctly match pairs of antonyms.
3. Students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of antonyms by using antonyms to
describe and illustrate two provided objects.
IEP Goal/Objective:
Accommodatio
ns/
Differentiation

Summative Assessment (based on objectives)

In order to achieve these objectives, each student will be able to
1. identify 2 pairs of antonyms from the Stop and Go, Yes and No: What is
an Antonym? book
2. identify the antonym of 5 different words when heard in a song
3. will define the word antonym and use antonyms to describe and
illustrate 1 pair of antonym objects provided from the book read on a
worksheet.

Materials:
Cleary, B. (2008). Stop and go, yes and no: What is an antonym?. First
Avenue Editions. (BL: not leveled on AR reader, but on scholastic.com it is
leveled as 2.9, and on Amazon the interest age is 6 and up)
5 sets of antonym cut-outs shaped as muffins (muffin template drawn by
Sarah Mickelberry)
1 teacher set of antonym muffins
Popsicle sticks
Tape
5 Styrofoam cups
5 rubber bands
6 copies of antonyms song lyrics
Writing utensil for each student
6 copies of antonym worksheets (created by Sarah Mickelberry)
5 pairs of objects that characterize antonyms from book
Preparation:
Create 5 sets of student muffin cut-outs (20 muffins total): back; low;
cold; glad
Create a set of teacher muffin cut-outs (6 muffins total): go; stop; front;
high; hot; sad
Tape popsicle sticks to back of muffins to use as handles and rubber band
them together
Collect objects that characterize antonyms: (Nail file (rough); eraser
(smooth); buttons (1 black & 1 white); small rock; big rock; anything
heavy; anything light; anything slow; anything fast)
Print 6 copies of antonym song lyrics
Print 6 copies of antonym worksheets
Complete an antonym worksheet
Integration of technology N/A
Accommodations/
Differentiation

Anticipatory Set (Focus) N/A

Access/Review Prior Knowledge N/A

Time
Plann
ed

Topic presentation (What will the students be told?)

1. Today we are going to read Stop and Go, Yes and No: What is an
Antonym? (I will point out that there are two antonyms in the title)
2. Questions to ask the students
Do you notice anything about the meanings of the words in the title?
What does opposite mean?
3. The two pairs of words in the title have opposite meanings. Would anyone
like to take a guess at what we call words that have the opposite
meanings?
4. If no one answers, explain that we call words with opposite meanings
antonyms.
5. So now lets read and try to find some more examples of antonyms, or
words with opposite meanings. Read the antonym book from the
beginning through the page that ends with and even dim to bright.
6. The teacher will read the first two pages and identify the antonyms, and
then students will take turn reading the rest and identifying antonyms.
7. While they read, have each student identify 2 antonym pairs from the
book and explain why they are antonyms. Students may get help from
friends or the teacher if they are unsure of why words are antonyms or
need help identifying two antonyms.
Modeling, Guided Practice, Independent Practice,
Checking for Understanding (Formative Assessment)
Guided Practice
1. Explain that we will be doing an antonym song activity to practice
matching antonym pairs.
2. Pass out the lyric sheet and choral read/sing it together so students
learn the lyrics.
3. Note that the blanks will be filled in later with antonym pairs while
singing.
Modeling
1. After choral reading all the way through the song, the teacher will
guide the students in how the song will work by doing an example.
2. The teacher will sing the beginning of the song and fill in the first blank
with I say stop (as teacher says stop hold up muffin that displays
the word).
3. Tell students they will respond to the teachers word by giving the
antonym, so the teacher continues the song with we say go and
holds up the muffin that displays go.
4. Make clear that it is the students jobs to fill in the holes in the song by
holding up and saying the antonym to the word the teacher gives

Guided Practice Continued/Formative Assessment

1. Pass out the student muffin cut outs
2. Go over each word and make sure all the students know the meanings
3. Ask students to hold the muffins by the popsicle stick handles so that
they can see all the words
4. Tell students if they remember the lyrics they may sing along at any
time
5. Start the song and fill in the teacher blanks with the following words.
Make sure to also hold up the correct teacher muffin as you say the
word. (The song will be sung a total of 2 times all the way through.)
i.
ii.

... I say front

I say high

6. Make sure each student understood why the sets of words were
antonyms. If everyone did understand move on to singing the song a
second time around with these words in the teacher blanks
iii.
iv.

I say hot
I say sad

7. Again make sure each student held up the right word and clear up any
confusion about why a pair of words was antonyms.
Individual Practice/Formative Assessment
1. Pass out the antonym worksheet and go over all the instructions
2. Ask students to define the word antonyms in the space provided, and
then raise their hand when they are done.
3. When a student raises their hand, have the student pick a Styrofoam
cup with objects in it.
4. Tell the students to examine their chosen objects, and then think about
the antonyms from the book that could describe the objects. (Make the
book available for students to look through in case they need a
reminder of the antonyms we went over)
5. Students will write the antonyms that describe their two objects and
then illustrate their antonyms in a new way.
6. Students may color their pictures if they have time or for homework.
Closure N/A