Curriculum Suggestions

Activities for: Why the Banana Split

1. Read the story out loud to the class. Have the kids clap or stand up and then sit down every time they hear a synonym for "went".

2. Play "Hangman". "It" mentions a word, and thinks of a synonym of the word. Players then guess which synonym "It" is thinking of.

3. Have a spelling bee, with players spelling synonyms of a selected word.

4. Have a reverse spelling bee, where players have to spell out the synonyms--backwards.

5. Play "Alligator". This is a good game for reinforcing verbs. Choose one person to be "It". "It" thinks of a verb. The rest of the players then ask questions to figure out the verb. Their questions, and "It's" answers use the word "Alligator" in place of the verb. For example, if "It" chooses the verb "eat", the game might go like this...

   Player: Can I alligator?
   It: Yes, you can alligator.
   Player: Will I alligator today?
   It: Yes, you will alligator today.
   Player: Can an alligator alligator?
   It: Yes, an alligator can alligator.
   Player: Can I alligator a cat?
   It: I don't think you'd want to alligator a cat.
   Player: Are there more than four letters in the word alligator?
   It: No, there are not more than four letters in the word alligator.

   Questioning goes on like this until players start to figure out what the verb is. They should not say it, though, because they'll have fun, knowing what the verb is, listening to the questions of those who haven't yet figured out the verb, and to It's answers. When it's clear that most players know the verb, ask one of the Players to tell what they think the verb is. If they get it wrong, keep asking players until one of them gets it right. Then choose someone else to be "It".

   Variation: Instead of "alligator", you can use any silly name or phrase.

6. Play "Synonym Bingo".
   1. To prepare, write thirty synonyms on small pieces of paper. Put them in a hat or a sack.
   2. Have the kids draw a Bingo grid on a piece of paper. (Show them a grid on the board. A Bingo grid consists of twenty-five squares--five squares across and five squares down.)
   3. Have kids X out the middle square.
   4. Read out the synonyms. As you read each synonym, kids write the synonym down in one of the blank squares on their grid. They can skip any six of the synonyms.
   5. Put all the synonyms back in the hat or bag. Then pull them out one at a time and read them. If a kid has the synonym on their bingo grid, they cross it out.
   6. When a player has five squares in a row crossed out, they shout out "Bingo". The game can end there, or you can keep playing until everyone has a Bingo, or until all the squares on all the grids are full.

7. Play "Toss the Synonym". Players sit in a circle, or at their desks or tables. One player has a beanbag and starts the game. They shout out a word and toss the beanbag to another player. They then shout a synonym of the word and toss it to another player. Players keep shouting out synonyms and tossing the beanbag until someone can't think of a synonym, repeats a synonym, or shouts out a word that is not a synonym.

   Competitive variations:

   1. All players stand while playing. If they repeat a synonym, can't think of a synonym, or say a word that is not a synonym, then they are out and sit down. The last player to say a synonym.
   2. Divide the class into two teams. One team lines up on one side of the room, the other team on the other side of the room. Players toss the beanbag bag and forth, from one team to the other, and shout synonyms. If they can't quickly think of a synonym, or if they shout out a synonym that's already been said or a word that's not a synonym, the other team gets a point. The first team to get five points wins.

 
 

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Picture Credits
Original bunny climbing rope picture by Paige Miglio (copyright 2000 ©) from One More Bunny authored by Rick Walton.
Original purple monster picture by Renee Williams-Andriani (copyright 1998 ©) from Really, Really Bad School Jokes authored by Rick Walton.
Original bullfrog seated picture by Chris McAllister (copyright 1999 ©) from Bullfrog Pops! authored by Rick Walton.
Electronic modifications by Ann Walton.