A Thesaurus is used to…What?

Teaching kids how to use a thesaurus is an excellent way to improve their writing skills. A thesaurus is a reference tool that helps students find synonyms and antonyms for words, allowing them to expand their vocabulary and express their ideas more precisely. Here are some tips on how to teach kids to use a thesaurus to improve their writing:

1. Introduce the Thesaurus: Begin by explaining what a thesaurus is and how it can be used to improve writing. Show students how to locate a thesaurus (both online and in print) and how to use it.
2. Discuss Synonyms and Antonyms: Explain to students the difference between synonyms (words with similar meanings) and antonyms (words with opposite meanings).
3. Practice Finding Synonyms: Provide students with a list of words and ask them to use the thesaurus to find synonyms. Have them practice using the new words in sentences.
4. Practice Finding Antonyms: Similarly, provide students with a list of words and ask them to find antonyms using the thesaurus. Encourage them to use the antonyms in sentences as well.

Using a Thesaurus Begins with Investigation, Then Application

This resource download consists of two parts. We have included

• Color/Black and White/Low Color Printable Thesaurus Anchor Chart – This is a printable poster or reference guide for your students to use when determining the purpose of the different parts of a thesaurus entry. Parts noted are
  • guide words
  • entry words
  • abbreviations
  • parts of speech
  • synonyms.
• 3 Differentiated Thesaurus Scavenger Hunt-style worksheets. We’ve included options for low, middle, and upper-level vocabulary terms.

Use the drop-down menu to choose the PDF or Google Slides resource file you prefer. We’ve also included multiple PDF versions described below

1. Thesaurus Anchor Charts Only
2. Thesaurus Worksheets Only
3. Thesaurus Worksheets and Anchor Charts (Single-download file)