Books for Teaching Word Choice
From Unit Plan: Connotation: Effective Word Choice
Professional Resources:
Teaching word choice is essential for strong creative writing skills and thorough 6 Trait Writing instruction. The following books provide great teacher resources for bringing the power of word choice into your classroom.
6 + 1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide:Everything You Need to Teach and Assess Student Writing With This Powerful Model by Ruth Culham, Beverly Ann Chin
Planned instruction for teaching essential writing skills.
Classroom Tip: I use the section on Word Choice before teaching this unit.
40 Reproducible Forms for the Writing Traits Classroom: Checklists, Graphic Organizers, Rubrics and Scoring Sheets, and More to Boost Students' Writing Skills in All Seven Traits by Carol Avery
An essential companion to 6 + 1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide, with a wide array of reproducibles, including word choice.
Classroom Tip: Use the handy checklists and scoring guides for student self-assessment.
Descriptive Writing: Mini-Lessons — "Strategies" — Activities by Tara McCarthy
Inspiring mini-lessons to build descriptive writing techniques.
Classroom Tip: A great mini-lesson to expand vocabulary imagery skills.
Overhead Writing Lessons: Strong Sentences
Supplemental lessons for overhead instruction with reproducibles.
Classroom Tip: A strong reinforcement tool for elaboration and word choice.
Teaching Elaboration & Word Choice: Easy and Effective Mini-Lessons and Activities That Help Students Enrich and Enliven Their Writing by LeeAnn Nickelson
Mini-lessons for lively, colorful specific language.
Classroom Tip: I love the reproducibles and the nine-step plan for integrating word choice.
Using Picture Books to Teach Writing with the Traits: An Annotated Bibliography of More Than 200 Titles With Teacher-Tested Lessons by Carol AveryA unique approach to teaching trait writing with picture books.
Five focused lessons for expanding vocabulary.
Classroom Tip: A really useful book for teachers who love picture books. The word choice section is great!
Classroom Literature:
A suggested choice for classroom reading that beautifully illustrates the power of words.
So B. It by Sarah Weeks
A touching story about a 12-year-old girl’s search to discover the meaning behind her mother’s limited vocabulary.
Classroom Tip: My middle school classes love a good story, and the mystery behind Heidi’s vocabulary kept their attention.
- Scholastic Store
-
Scholastic Dictionary of Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
The Scholastic Store 
Scholastic Dictionary of Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
With over 20,000 clear and concise entries, students will have synonyms and antonyms at their fingertips. And for kids who don't know their "principal" from a "principle," this handy guide also contains 2,000 homonyms. It's the perfect thesaurus for kids on the go.
$5.59 You save: 20%
books;paperback books;reference | Ages 10-14
Ages 10-14 $5.59
- Scholastic Store
-
Scholastic Children's Thesaurus
The Scholastic Store 
Scholastic Children's Thesaurus
Scholastic Children's Thesaurus provides more than 500 entries and 2,500 synonyms designed specifically to help beginning writers. Each entry includes the part of speech, a definition, and a sample sentence. Illustrations and a refreshed design make the book easier and more fun to use while "tip boxes" provide bonus information such as notes on proper usage.
Educational Edge
$16.99
Develops vocabulary and offers practice with reference materials.
books;hardcover books;reference | Ages 9-12
Ages 9-12 $16.99
LESSON PLAN
UNIT PLAN
ONLINE ACTIVITY
