LESSON TEACHER’S GUIDE 17 Denotation and Connotation

Vocabulary 17

LESSON

17

TEACHER'S GUIDE

Denotation and Connotation

STUDENT OBJECTIVES

? Distinguish between denotation and connotation

? Use context clues to infer a word's connotations

? Examine how context determines whether a word has a positive or negative connotation

RESOURCES AND PREPARATION You will need photocopies for students of:

? Student Lesson Summary, p. 155 ? Practice Worksheets, Levels A and B, pp. 156?157 ? Reteaching Worksheet, p. 158

Teach

1. Denotation and Connotation: Explain that every word has two kinds of meanings: its denotation, or straightforward dictionary definition, and its connotations, which include all the thoughts, emotional associations, and feelings that word evokes in people's minds--positive, negative, or neutral.

2. Teaching Denotation and Connotation: Distribute the Lesson Summary and go over the Academic Vocabulary. Then walk students through the Here's How steps. Illustrate the difference between denoted and connoted meanings with the following activities.

? Denotation: Write the following examples on the board, noting that gazed and gaped have a denotation similar to look, but have shades of meaning that may be less familiar. Have a volunteer look up the dictionary definitions of the underlined words. (Sample: look, to employ one's sight; gaze, to look steadily, intently; gape, to stare wonderingly or stupidly)

EXAMPLE The youngster looked at the celebrity. The youngster gazed at the celebrity. The youngster gaped at the celebrity.

? Context: Ask volunteers to read each sentence aloud. Point out that the context of "celebrity" gives the words special meaning, since a person in the presence of a celebrity might be either pleased and admiring or awkward and dumbfounded.

? Connotation: Have students suggest whether the underlined word in each sentence has a negative, positive, or neutral connotation. (Sample: looked, neutral; gazed, positive; gaped, negative) Draw the following graphic on the board. Ask: What other words can you think of that mean "look"? As students call out responses, ask where they should fall on the continuum, and write them on the graphic accordingly. (Sample: ogle, glower, gawk, stare, view)

EXAMPLE Connotations

Negative

Neutral

Positive

(?)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(+)

ogle

view

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

Standards Lesson Files

Book 4: Vocabulary 151

Grade 10

Vocabulary 17

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION, CONTINUED

? Word Choice: Direct students' attention to the final example on the Lesson Summary. Ask students to work in pairs to come up with two more synonyms for clever and to use each word in a sentence that makes its connotations clear. Have volunteers write their sentences on the board, underlining any context clues.

3. Guided Practice: Give students practice applying the

? Context: Write the sentences on the board. Ask: What context clues help you figure out the connotations of the underlined words? (Sample: "con man" and "alibi" suggest that "fabricated" has the negative connotation of "made up" or "lied." On the other hand, "devised," in the context of "solution" and "fit properly," suggests cleverness and ingenuity.)

EXAMPLE The con man fabricated an alibi to avoid arrest. The seamstress devised a solution so the dress fit properly.

? Word Choice: Write the following example on the board. Remind students that in their own writing, they should aim to use just the right word, with connotations that best express their meaning. Ask volunteers what synonym for observed they might use to suggest either positive or negative connotations. Allow them to consult a thesaurus if they wish. (Sample: positive: watched over; negative: spied on)

EXAMPLE

Positive

He

patient.

Neutral

Negative

the He observed the

He

the

patient.

patient.

? Audience: Point out that a word's connotations depend not only on the way it is used, but also on the audience. "Gee, Uncle Ted, what an unusual tie," is a comment that may please Uncle Ted, but telling your mother, "That dinner was, uh, unusual, Mom," might be taken as an insult.

QUICK CHECK. Ask students whether they would prefer to be overcome by lethargy or to fall into a stupor. Have them write an explanation for their answer, using complete sentences. (Sample: Both phrases indicate a lack of alertness. But while lethargy suggests tiredness or sluggishness; stupor suggests almost complete unconsciousness, perhaps due to illness or medication. I would rather be overcome by lethargy.)

Practice and Apply

Activities involving denotation and connotation appear on pp. 156?157. ? Assign Practice Worksheet A to students who need more structured activities. ? Assign Practice Worksheet B to grade-level and above-level students.

152 Book 4: Vocabulary

Grade 10

Standards Lesson Files

Vocabulary 17

DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION, CONTINUED

Sample Answers: Practice Worksheet A 1. impress+; stupefy ? 2. evade ? ; avoid+ 3. ridiculous? ; humorous+ 4. stir up+ ; instigate? 5. colleagues+ ; cohorts? 6. Negative: The context clue "extremely cautious" suggests that "soft" here means "unstable." 7. Negative: The context words "standardized test" suggest that "skip" here means "omit," and omitting items in a test affects a score negatively. 8. Positive: The context words "firmness" and "paid off" suggest a positive connotation. 9. Positive: The context words "greatest assets" suggest a positive connotation.

10. Negative: The context words "totalitarian" and "dictators" suggest a negative connotation.

Sample Answers: Practice Worksheet B 1. + impress; - stupefy 2. + dodge; - evade 3. + humorous; - ridiculous 4. + stir up; - instigate 5. + colleagues; - cohorts 6. Positive: Elena is a noted intellectual who has published papers in many scholarly reviews.Negative: Elena is so bookish that she often neglects to consider the practical side of a situation. 7. Positive: The laboratory developed a remedy or cure for the illness.Negative: Giving in to a child during a tantrum is a quick fix and will only make the problem worse. 8. Positive: The comedian's routine was so humorous it had us roaring with laughter.Negative: I found Gregg's juvenile antics during class to be ridiculous and chose to ignore them.

Assess and Reteach

? Use these guidelines to determine if students need the Reteaching Worksheet. ? Practice Worksheet A: Students should correctly answer at least eight of ten items. ? Practice Worksheet B: Students should correctly answer at least four of items 1?5. For items 6?8, students should write both positive and negative sentences for at least two items.

For students who need reteaching, review the Student Lesson Summary. Focus on the Here's How steps using the Teaching Model. Then assign the Reteaching Worksheet, p. 158.

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

Standards Lesson Files

Book 4: Vocabulary 153

Grade 10

Vocabulary 17

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION, CONTINUED

Sample Answers: Reteaching Worksheet 1. one 2. dictionary 3. yes 4. the context 5. positive 6. The words carefully guided and caution are context clues suggesting a positive connotation. 7. utmost 8. negative 9. Dr. Lazar was an excellent pediatrician, always showing patience and tender concern for the youngsters she treated.

154 Book 4: Vocabulary

Grade 10

Standards Lesson Files

LESSON

17

STUDENT LESSON SUMMARY

Denotation and Connotation

COPY MASTER

Vocabulary 17

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY

denotation: a word's dictionary meaning or literal meaning

connotation: shades of meaning conveyed by a word; the emotional associations a word has for most readers or listeners

synonym: a word that has the same or almost the same meaning as another word

context: the words or sentences that surround a word; may help the reader figure out both its denotation and connotation

HERE'S HOW Step 1: Recognize when a word's meaning is unfamiliar. Consider whether a word has more than one meaning, or denotation. In the following example, the word craft, which can mean "skill in making something," must have a different meaning. If you tried substituting skill in making something for craft, the example makes no sense. You must find a new meaning.

EXAMPLE

The craft and trickery of the con man allowed him to fool many people. Step 2: Check a word's denotation(s) in the dictionary. Looking up craft in a dictionary reveals that it has several denotations, or literal meanings, one of which will work best in a given sentence.

EXAMPLE

Denotations of craft: 1. art, skill. 2. guile, slyness. Step 3: Examine context to determine a word's connotation. A word's connotation, or emotional association, goes beyond its dictionary meaning. Look for context clues--such as other words in the same sentence--to determine whether a word's connotation is positive or negative. For example, clever may connote either smart or conniving.

EXAMPLE

Positive Connotation: The apprentice was quick-witted and clever. Negative Connotation: The apprentice was clever and adroit at avoiding work. Step 4: Choose words carefully, noting their connotations. Words with the same meanings may have a wide range of positive, neutral, or negative feelings. The example shows several synonyms for clever, each with its own connotations--some positive, some negative.

EXAMPLE

Positive: The talk show host's comments were intelligent. Positive: The talk show host's comments were witty. Negative: The talk show host's comments were facile and superficial. Negative: The talk show host's comments were cunning and manipulative.

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

Standards Lesson Files

Book 4: Vocabulary 155

Grade 10

Vocabulary 17

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

Name

LESSON

17

PRACTICE WORKSHEET A

Denotation and Connotation

Date COPY MASTER

A. Directions: Read each vocabulary word. Then read its two synonyms. Put a plus sign (+) next to any synonym with a positiveconnotation.

Put a minus sign (?) next to any synonym with a negativeconnotation.

Vocabulary Word

Synonym

+ Synonym

+

/

/

?

?

1. amaze

impress

stupefy

2. sidestep

evade

avoid

3. comic

ridiculous

humorous

4. incite

stir up

instigate

5. allies

colleagues

cohorts

B. Directions: In each example, decide what connotation the italicized word has. Write P for a positive or N for a negative connotation. Use the hint and context clues as a guide. Then explain your answer in a sentence.

6. example: In the current soft economic climate, investors are extremely cautious about where they put their money.

hint: Soft can mean "mild" (+) or "unstable" (-).

7. example: The student skipped too many items on the standardized test.

hint:Skip can mean "to leap over" (+) or "omit" (-).

8. example: Joe was determined to quit smoking, and his firmness paid off.

hint: Determined can mean "resolute" (+) or "stubborn" (-).

9. example: One of Pauline's greatest assets as a teacher is her sensitivity to her students' varying needs.

hint: Sensitivity can mean "responsiveness" (+) or "touchiness" (-).

10. example: The totalitarian governments of the dictators Adolf Hitler in Germany and Josef Stalin in Russia attempted to regulate almost every aspect of citizens' lives.

hint:Regulate can mean "put in order" (+) or "control" (-).

156 Book 4: Vocabulary

Grade 10

Standards Lesson Files

Vocabulary 17

Name

LESSON

17

Date

PRACTICE WORKSHEET B

Denotation and Connotation

COPY MASTER

A. Directions: Read each vocabulary word. Write two synonyms for it, first one with a positive (+) connotation, then one with a negative (?) connotation. You may consult a dictionary or thesaurus.

Vocabulary Word 1. amaze 2. sidestep (v.) 3. comic (adj.) 4. incite 5. allies (n.)

(+) Synonym

(?) Synonym

B. Directions: Read each pair of vocabulary words. Use one word to write a sentence that makes its positive connotation clear. Use the other word to write a sentence with a negative connotation.

6. vocabulary words: bookish / intellectual Positive: Negative:

7. vocabulary words: remedy (n.) / quick fix (n.) Positive: Negative:

8. vocabulary words: ridiculous / humorous Positive: Negative:

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

Standards Lesson Files

Book 4: Vocabulary 157

Grade 10

Vocabulary 17

Copyright ? McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company.

Name

LESSON

17

RETEACHING WORKSHEET

Denotation and Connotation

Date COPY MASTER

Review Denotation is the dictionary meaning or meanings of a word. Connotation means the emotional associations that you connect to a word. Context means the words and the sentences that surround a word. The context will help you figure out if the word has a positive or negative meaning.

A. Directions: Read each question. Write a short answer on the blank.

1. What is the least number of denotations that a word can have?

2. Where can you find denotations of words?

3. Do some words have more than one connotation each?

4. What helps you determine the connotation of a word?

B. Directions: Read each boxed example. Then, write answers to the questions.

EXAMPLE As he carefully guided the automobile down the icy hill, Kyle used extreme caution, knowing that he could easily slide into a spin.

5. In the example sentence, does extreme have a positive or a negative connotation?

6. Explain in a sentence how you figured out your answer to question 6.

7. Give a synonym for extreme with the same connotation as the example.

158 Book 4: Vocabulary

Grade 10

Standards Lesson Files

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download