Have student line up near the back of class. Stand at the front of the classroom and state a word with several synonyms,such as "angry." Go down the row and give each student five seconds to name a synonym that no other student has stated. Students who succeed in naming a synonym get to advance one step forward. Those who don't must remain where they are. Students you ask first have an easier time since no they can choose any synonym. Be sure to rotate through the line, letting a different student go first each time. This ensures that each student has a fair chance at advancing.
Choose a work of classic children's poetry or a simple children's book. Have students create their own version of the poetry or book by replacing two words per sentence with antonyms. The final narrative might sound strange, funny or even nonsensical. This activity helps students brainstorm antonyms and appreciate the relationships between words and their opposites. Allow students to complete the activity in pairs or groups of three.
Split students into groups of three or four. After you state a word with numerous synonyms, give students three minutes to write down as many synonyms as they can. Complete ten rounds of the synonym list-making game, then try ten rounds of antonym list-making. This activity gives student the opportunity to share knowledge, practice vocabulary and information recall, and deepen their understanding of synonym and antonym concepts.
Place 30 to 50 index cards on the floor or desk so that the blank side of the card faces up. On the other side of the card, students will find words and their corresponding antonyms. Students take turns flipping over two cards. When a student flips over a word and its corresponding antonym, she gets to keep those two cards. Memory is the key to winning this antonym game, since students who remember cards' downside will be more likely to flip over a word and its antonym than those who do not.