Georgia 9.L.V.3.c
The Standard
Analyze the nuances in connotative meaning of words that share a similar denotation. (I)
Georgia's K-12 English Language Arts Standards · Language (L) · Vocabulary
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students compare words with similar dictionary meanings and explain the feelings, judgments, or associations each word carries. They choose words that fit a speaker’s tone and purpose.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can rank words such as “slim,” “skinny,” and “slender” by their positive or negative associations. The student can explain how one choice shapes tone and reader response.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat synonyms as fully interchangeable. They may confuse connotation with dictionary meaning or assume a word always carries the same tone in every context.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Replace “determined” with either “stubborn” or “persistent” to make a sentence sound disapproving. Explain how your choice changes the tone.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Sort cards labeled confident, proud, arrogant, and self-assured on a positive-to-negative line, then defend two placements.
Write two descriptions of the same character using different synonyms, one admiring and one critical, then compare the effects.
Play a context match game where teams place synonym cards into sentences and earn points for explaining each connotative fit.
Collect three headlines about one event and identify how each writer’s word choices shape readers’ reactions.
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- 9.L.V.3.b
Analyze relationships between words to determine connotative and denotative meanings for words and/or phrases across a variety of contexts. (I)
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