Use a modified version of the TV game show Jeopardy to refresh your students' knowledge of common antonyms, homonyms and synonyms. Create a category for each by taping labeled cards across the top of a chalkboard. Create cards with familiar antonyms, homonyms and synonyms written on them. Add a point value to each and post under the appropriate heading. Move three desks to the front of the room. Select a scorekeeper. The first of the three players chooses a category and point value. For example, she may select "Antonyms" and choose "tired," which has a value of three. If she provides a correct opposite of "tired," she earns the points and takes another turn. If she is incorrect or doesn't know, the play moves to the next contestant. Play goes until all cards or gone. Repeat with new contestants.
Print sheets which have a sketch of a hanging spider silk and the alphabet at the bottom. Divide the class into teams of two and give several sheets to each. The first player thinks of a word, at least five letters long, and draws a blank line for each letter. The second team member guesses a letter which is then crossed off the alphabet. If the letter appears in the word, it is written on the appropriate line. If incorrect, the first player draws one of the spider's body parts. The second player must guess the word before the spider is complete. If he does, he gets to think up the next word, but if he doesn't, he must guess a new word. The completed spider should have a head and eight legs.
Compile one list of cards with verbs and another with adverbs ending in "ly." A player selects one of each card and acts out the verb in the way it is described by the adverb. The first student to correctly identify both words takes the next turn. Continue until all have had a chance to participate.
Hand each student a piece of paper with a word or definition of a word written on it. Players crumple the papers and throw them at each other. With your signal, everyone grabs a paper, opens it, and tries to find the person holding the matching word or definition. The first pair to find a match wins. Gather all the papers and repeat as many times as you can tolerate.
Create a list of age-appropriate vocabulary words. Divide the class into two teams and provide each with a mini basketball and trash can. Use masking tape to mark a spot some distance from the basket. Ask the first player on team 1 to give the definition for the word you give. If she answers correctly, she may attempt to make a basket. A successful throw earns a point for her team. Repeat with the first player on team 2. If a player cannot give the correct definition, the turn goes to the other team. If a player defines a word correctly but misses the basket, she gets a second toss. If there's another miss, the second team takes over.