What is Your Child Learning?
Seventh graders learn to analyze word relationships, including how words with similar dictionary meanings can have very different emotional associations. They study denotation (literal meaning), connotation (emotional associations), analogies (word relationship puzzles), and how word choice affects tone and meaning.
On Florida's FAST assessment, students must identify connotations, complete analogies, and explain how an author's word choice creates specific effects.
Key Vocabulary
Denotation: The literal, dictionary definition of a word
Connotation: The emotional feelings or associations a word suggests (positive, negative, or neutral)
Analogy: A comparison showing similar relationships between word pairs
Nuance: Subtle differences in meaning between similar words
Tone: The author's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice
Quick Example: Same Meaning, Different Feelings
All these words mean "thin" - but notice how different they feel:
scrawny (negative) --- thin (neutral) --- slender (positive)
A person described as "slender" sounds graceful; the same person described as "scrawny" sounds unhealthy. That's the power of connotation!
Activities to Try at Home
📰 News Headline Analysis
Look at how different news sources describe the same event. Compare headlines and discuss:
- "Which words have positive connotations? Negative?"
- "How does word choice show the source's opinion?"
- "What words could you substitute to change the tone?"
Example: Compare "Protesters gathered" vs. "Mob assembled" - same event, very different impressions!
🎬 Movie Review Comparison
Read reviews of the same movie - one positive and one negative. Focus on word choice:
- "How does the positive reviewer describe the acting? The negative one?"
- "Find two words with similar meanings but opposite connotations"
- "Could you rewrite a negative sentence to sound positive?"
🛒 Advertisement Word Hunt
Advertisers are experts at connotation! Analyze commercials or ads together:
- "Why did they use 'affordable' instead of 'cheap'?"
- "What feeling does this word create?"
- "What words would make this product sound less appealing?"
Tip: Car commercials are great for this - notice words like "refined," "bold," "sophisticated."
🎮 Analogy Games
Practice analogies as a family game - take turns creating and solving them:
- Start simple: HOT : COLD :: UP : ___ (DOWN - antonyms)
- Try relationships: CHAPTER : BOOK :: VERSE : ___ (POEM - part to whole)
- Challenge level: HAPPY : ECSTATIC :: SAD : ___ (DEVASTATED - degree)
📝 "Said is Dead" Game
Replace boring words with more specific ones and discuss the differences:
- Instead of "said" - whispered, shouted, muttered, exclaimed, insisted
- Instead of "walked" - strolled, marched, trudged, crept, strutted
- Instead of "nice" - pleasant, delightful, agreeable, charming
Discuss: "What's the difference between 'trudged' and 'strolled'? Both mean walked!"
Questions to Ask Your Child
- About connotation: "What feeling does this word give you - positive, negative, or neutral?"
- About word choice: "Why do you think the author chose THIS word instead of a simpler one?"
- About analogies: "What's the relationship between these two words? Can you find a pair with the same relationship?"
- About nuance: "These words mean almost the same thing - what's the subtle difference?"
- About tone: "Based on the word choices, how does the author feel about this topic?"
Parent Tip: Connotation in Everyday Life
We use connotation all the time without realizing it. When your child says a test was "hard," ask: "Would you call it challenging, difficult, or impossible? Each word suggests a different level of struggle."
When describing people, notice how word choice reveals attitude: Is someone "confident" or "arrogant"? "Thrifty" or "cheap"? "Curious" or "nosy"? Same basic meaning - very different feelings!
Common Analogy Relationship Types
Synonym & Antonym
- HAPPY : JOYFUL (synonyms)
- HOT : COLD (antonyms)
Degree (Intensity)
- WARM : HOT (less to more)
- ANNOYED : FURIOUS
Cause & Effect
- PRACTICE : IMPROVEMENT
- RAIN : FLOOD
Informacion para Padres (Spanish Summary)
Que esta aprendiendo su hijo? Los estudiantes de septimo grado aprenden sobre las relaciones entre palabras, incluyendo DENOTACION (significado literal) y CONNOTACION (asociaciones emocionales).
Conceptos clave:
- Denotacion: La definicion del diccionario de una palabra
- Connotacion: Los sentimientos que una palabra sugiere (positivo, negativo, o neutral)
- Analogia: Una comparacion que muestra relaciones similares entre pares de palabras
Ejemplo: "Barato" y "economico" tienen el mismo significado basico, pero "barato" suena negativo (mala calidad) mientras que "economico" suena positivo (buen valor).
Actividad en casa: Cuando vean anuncios juntos, pregunte: "Por que usaron esta palabra en lugar de otra? Que sentimiento crea?"