Thesaurus Lesson

[Janet Carmine <JCARMINE@concentric.net>]

Janet Carmine, Library Media Specialist
George Marks Elementary School, DeLand, Florida
jcarmine@cris.com

Hi,Sally,

        There is a very successful lesson that I do with 3rd graders
with the
thesaurus.  First of all, I sit down and write a story (or letter) like
this.  "Once upon a time there was a good little girl named Mary.  She
lived in a good house and went to a good school.  Mary was good in math,
good in reading, and good in spelling.  She was good at sports too.
Every day after school she would play soccer.  "Soccer is a good game,"
said Mary.  She thought many other games were good too.  The story goes
on and on.  You get the idea.  I blend the story to fit the class to
which I am teaching the lesson.

        I read the story (or letter) aloud to my students and tell them
that I
am thinking of sending it off to have it possibly published to become a
children's book or I'm sending the letter to a pen pal, and I want their
opinion.  I ask them if there are any changes I should make.  It has
never failed that one of the students suggests that I might have used
good too much.  We go through the letter, which I just happen to have
for the overhead, and we change some of them.  When we run out of ideas,
I introduce the thesaurus.

        We then do some follow up activities.  I pass thesauri to each
group of
2.  We then find some words that the students suggest.  If they don't
come up with any at first, I supply a few.  We find many, and they have
fun doing it.  I usually have the teacher do a follow up activity that
involves changing a prepared letter or story that I've written by using
the thesaurus.  It is funny how "stuck" I seem to get using certain
words.

        I was observed doing this lesson last year.  My principal loved
it.  I
hope it helps.

Sincerely,
Janet Carmine, Library Media Specialist
George Marks Elementary School, DeLand, Florida
jcarmine@cris.com

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