Synonyms & Antonyms
Complete unit · Grades 3–5 · 45-page PDF
5 lessons · 8 leveled passages · pre- and post-assessment
Tell synonyms from antonyms, order close synonyms from weakest to strongest, and choose the word that fits the sentence.
View the full unit from Milestone Teachers
What's inside
- Teacher guide: unit at a glance, measured levels, grouping
- Pre- and post-assessment in parallel forms + class tracker
- Illustrated anchor chart: same, opposite, or neither
- 5 lesson plans in gradual release (I do, we do, you do)
- 8 original passages at Levels A, B and C, readability printed
- Sort, paint strips for shades of meaning, exit tickets
- 24 task cards + recording sheet
- 3 small-group reteach cards and every answer key
Lessons at a glance
| When | Focus | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Before | Pre-assessment, Form A (about 15 minutes) | 4-5 |
| Lesson 1 | Same, opposite, or neither? I can tell whether two words are synonyms (almost the same), antonyms (exact opposites) or neither, and check a new word in its sentence. | 7-13 |
| Lesson 2 | Close, not twins: shades of meaning I can put close synonyms in order from weakest to strongest, and choose the one that fits the sentence. | 14-18 |
| Lesson 3 | Context decides I can use the whole sentence to choose the meaning of a word that has more than one meaning, and pick the synonym that fits. | 19-22 |
| Lesson 4 | Exact opposites I can choose the exact opposite of a word in its sentence, and tell an antonym from a word that is just different or only partly opposite. | 23-26 |
| Lesson 5 | Show what you know: one topic, three levels I can find synonyms and exact opposites in a science passage on my own, at my level. | 27-31 |
| Review | 24 task cards + recording sheet (centers or small groups) | 32-35 |
| After | Post-assessment, Form B; compare on the tracker | 36-37 |
| Any day | Reteach cards for small groups | 38-39 |
Passages and levels
| Passage | Used in | Level | Grade (FK) | Words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Chilly Walk | Lesson 1 (guided) | Level A | 3.2 | 182 |
| The Kite Contest | Lesson 1 (on your own) | Level B | 4.3 | 203 |
| The Missing Sketchbook | Lesson 2 | Level B | 4.2 | 201 |
| The Great Horned Owl | Lesson 3 | Level C | 5.1 | 251 |
| Moving Day | Lesson 4 | Level B | 4.3 | 202 |
| Desert Days and Desert Nights | Lesson 5 | Level A | 3.3 | 185 |
| Desert Days and Desert Nights | Lesson 5 | Level B | 4.4 | 207 |
| Desert Days and Desert Nights | Lesson 5 | Level C | 5.7 | 262 |
Standards
Common Core codes and wording as printed in the unit.
- L.3.5.c Distinguish shades of meaning among related words that describe states of mind or degrees of certainty (e.g., knew, believed, suspected, heard, wondered).
- L.4.5.c Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms).
- L.5.5.c Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonyms, antonyms, homographs) to better understand each of the words.
Ontario Language (2023): direct matches
- B2.2 (Grade 4). Grade 4 wording: distinguishing between synonyms that have similar but not exactly the same meanings (e.g., say, speak, tell, state)
- B2.4 (Grade 3). Grade 3 wording: learning the meaning of unfamiliar words through looking outside the word (i.e., using context, including examples, synonyms, and antonyms)