Antonyms are Opposites!

Second Grade, Third Grade Reading

by Nekeisha Hall September 3, 2015

Opposites attract! In this lesson, your students will practice matching antonyms. They will expand their
vocabulary by knowing more words to use!

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to generate a definition for the term antonym. Students will be able to identify pairs of
antonyms.

Materials and preparation Key terms

Computer antonyms
Pictures (cut out at least 5 antonym pairs per
student)
Word cards (cut out at least 15 antonym pairs
and hide around the room)
Pencils
Antonym Crossword Puzzle worksheet
Plain paper
Whiteboard
Tape

Attachments

Antonym Crossword Puzzle (PDF)

Introduction (5 minutes)

Begin the lesson by showing your students Antonyms are Opposites.

Watch the video twice to solidify the concept.
Encourage your students to sing along as the song progresses.
Explain that antonyms are opposites.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (15 minutes)

Ask your students questions about the video. For example: What are antonyms? Give examples of
antonyms that you saw or heard in the video. What is another word for antonym?
Give your students additional practice in naming pairs of antonyms by having them complete sentences.
For example: If a door isn’t open, then it is ____.
Have your class create sentences using antonyms to compare themselves.
Write these sentences on the board, and have your students read the sentences and identify the
antonyms. For example: Jimmy is tall, but Ben is short.

Guided Practice (10 minutes)

Instruct your students to play scavenger hunt for antonyms word cards that you hid around the room.
After the students find the cards, have them put the cards on the whiteboard with the matching

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

 antonyms.
Direct your students to look at the board and confirm whether there are correct pairs of antonyms on the
whiteboard. If there are any incorrect pairs, ask your students to correct them.

Independent working time (15 minutes)

In groups, give your students pictures to sort.

Direct them to create an antonym picture book.
Instruct your students to write a word beside each picture to indicate that they are opposite.
Walk around and provide scaffolding where necessary.

Differentiation

Enrichment: For advanced students, have them write a paragraph and switch with partners. Instruct the
partners to change words to be their antonyms.
Support: Give your students the crossword puzzle to complete.

Assessment (5 minutes)

Observe students as they perform the task.

Walk around the room, and give your students feedback on the antonym matches they made.

Review and closing (10 minutes)

Review the definition of antonym.

Ask your students to each give an example of an antonym pair. Make sure that each student gives a
different example.

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Antonym Crossword Puzzle
Antonym is another word for opposite. To complete this crossword puzzle, write the antonyms
of the words provided in the clues.

1
2 3
4
5 7
6

9 8 11
12 10
14
13 17 15
16 18

19
20 21

22

Across Down
2) above 15) follow 1) wrong 12) thin
5) on 16) long 3) top 13) smile
6) same 17) none 4) heavy 14) listen
8) mean 19) play 7) leave 17) never
9) dry 20) out 9) best 18) night
10) full 21) late 11) push
13) slow 22) first

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Antonym Crossword Puzzle
Antonym is another word for opposite. To complete this crossword puzzle, write the antonyms
of the words provided in the clues.

1
2 C 3
4 B E L O W B
L R 5 O F F 7
6 D I F F E R E N T S
G E T T
9 H 8 N I C E O 11 A
W E T 12 T 10 E M P T Y
O F 14 U
R 13 F A S T 17 15 L E A D
16 S H O R T A A L L 18
T O L L D
19 W O R K W A
20 I N 21 E A R L Y
Y
22 L A S T

Across Down
2) above 15) follow 1) wrong 12) thin
5) on 16) long 3) top 13) smile
6) same 17) none 4) heavy 14) listen
8) mean 19) play 7) leave 17) never
9) dry 20) out 9) best 18) night
10) full 21) late 11) push
13) slow 22) first

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/