Use these ambitious vocabulary exercises for creative writing to help pupils plan and draft, says Emily Azouelos…
In this lesson you’ll use a variety of creative vocabulary exercises to deepen pupils’ understanding of the text you’re currently studying.
The ambitious vocabulary generated from the activities can be used in subsequent creative writing lessons and displayed on a working wall to act as a focal point for children when it comes to planning, drafting and writing creatively.
The exercises will help students understand the context of the vocabulary, provide opportunities for oracy and draw upon drama techniques to make the vocabulary examined memorable, engaging and, above all, fun!
Ambitious vocabulary learning objectives
- Learn the context behind words and how context can affect vocabulary choice
- Know how to level-up their vocabulary to create different effects for the reader
- Expand their word knowledge
- Broaden and deepen their understanding of related words
Starter activity
Pair up children and hand out sentences from a text with words highlighted. These words should be unfamiliar for the class but important to understanding the wider text.
Encourage pupils to use the context of the sentence to understand the meaning behind the word choice, giving time for discussion.
Each pair should generate a synonym more familiar to them (‘affluent’ becomes ‘rich’, for example). Display the linked words on a working wall as a word bank for precision when writing.
Finally, using a timer, challenge the pairs to create as many synonyms and antonyms of the original word as they can.
Emily Azouelos has worked as a teacher and senior leader in London primary schools and creates educational related content for arts organisations to promote creativity in the classroom. Browse more ambitious vocabulary resources.
