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Practice Book O
Whether you need resources for reading comprehension, literary analysis, phonics, vocabulary, or text features, an extensive packet of worksheets is sure to fit your needs. Based on a fifth-grade curriculum but applicable to any level of...
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The Heart of the Matter
Upper elementary pupils learn about the blood transportation system and anatomy of the human heart. They fill in an outline of the human heart  (not included) focusing on the flow of blood to and from the heart. Using stethoscopes,...
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Eating Right with a Little Help From the VT
Students explore the food pyramid. In this nutrition lesson, students identify the 5 food groups and sort foods according to the group in which they belong. Students use the Visual Thesaurus to complete a food groups worksheet and...
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Using a Thesaurus--Synonyms
In this synonyms worksheet, students utilize a thesaurus book to find the most appropriate synonym for reveal, vacant, decent and plausible.
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Using a Thesaurus--Antonyms
In this antonyms instructional activity, students utilize a dictionary or thesaurus to find the most appropriate antonym for the following four words: exceptional, passive, prepared and fast.
Florida Center for Reading Research
Vocabulary: Word Meaning, Word Clues
Young learners develop a deeper understanding of target vocabulary. In pairs, pupils independently complete a series of word clue cards, asking them to find information about key terms, including their definitions, synonyms, antonyms,...
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Introduction to the Visual Thesaurus
Young scholars examine the basic functions of the online Visual Thesaurus, exploring how simple words may sometimes have multiple meanings.  In small groups they select words and explore the Visual Thesaurus, and write a short play using...
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The Continents and Oceans of the World
Students explore world mapping skills. In this world geography lesson, students identify and label the continents and oceans on a world map using the Visual Thesaurus. Students generate mnemonic devices to help memorize these terms.
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Using a Thesaurus
In this synonym worksheet, students use a thesaurus to find appropriate synonyms to complete the short story. Students write their answers on the blank lines.
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Down the Knoll Without the Water
Young scholars use a thesaurus to find synonyms for selected words in fairy tales.
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"To Be Or Not To Be" And the VT
Using the online Visual Thesaurus, nascent actors work in groups to analyze and interpret Hamlet's "To Be Or Not To Be" monologue. Individuals then craft a contemporary version of this famous speech and present their adaptation...
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Mind Your Pints and Quarts: Making Sense of Liquid Measurement
Elementary and middle schoolers identify different units of liquid measurement. They use the online Visual Thesaurus to learn about the relationships between units of liquid measurement.
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Young Ones
This is the cutest reference materials activity ever! Researchers complete six sentences on baby animal names, continuing the pattern by writing five more sentences about other animals from their research. They use a thesaurus to look up...
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When You Reeeaaallly Want to Say Something
Kids paraphrase an entry from The Elements of Style, and then revise a sentence. They use the Visual Thesaurus and find synonyms for the phrase very pretty, brainstorm a list of intensifiers (as alternatives to really and very),...
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Degrees Of Meaning
Introduce the idea of a word and its synonyms having different degrees of meaning. Each individual chooses a word that he or she wants to work with and fills out the included worksheet using a thesaurus. Consider having a word bank of...
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Mammal's Around the World
Fifth graders, exploring all the ins and outs of using a computer, publish their own mammal papers with the use of word searches, thesaurus and spell checks. While in the computer lab, they research their mammal and country on the...
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Shades of Meaning
Learners use words with similar meanings to analyze implied meanings.  In this word connotation activity, the teacher introduces the activity by asking students whether a new product should be advertised as "newfangled" or...
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The Changing Me
Third graders study the human body. In this health activity, 3rd graders discuss that everyone's body is growing, measure body parts using a tape measure, and color the body worksheet.
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Comprehending The Gettysburg Address
For this Gettysburg Address worksheet, students read passages from the Gettysburg Address, identify bold words, and answer short answer questions. Students complete 5 problems.
Florida Center for Reading Research
Dictionary Cube
Young scholars investigate new vocabulary words with a fun, collaborative activity. Given a deck of word cards, pairs of students flip over one at a time and independently look up the term in a dictionary. They then take turns rolling a...
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Thesaurus
In this Language Arts instructional activity, students analyze a thesaurus entry and answer 5 questions about it.  Students also use a thesaurus to answer 10 questions.
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Salinger and the Vocabulary of the Vernacular
Young scholars discuss the use of slang expressions in literature.  In this literary analysis instructional activity, students examine the use of slang words and expressions in the popular novel Catcher in the Rye.  Young...
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Revision
Young poets learn the value of using a thesaurus when crafting and revising poems. They examine poems rich in figurative language and then a revised version with the figurative language removed. To demonstrate what they have learned,...
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Take the Prefix Challenge
Learners form words using prefixes.  In this prefix lesson, students compete in a "prefix challenge" to see which team can combine a set of twelve prefixes with a set of twelve words fastest.  Learners enter their words in...