The objective or purpose of a lesson on the dictionary is to teach students the skills needed for using the dictionary effectively. Write the objective on the chalkboard so the students know where you are headed and what you are attempting to achieve in the lesson.
The lesson plan should motivate students to want to learn the subject. Use an anecdote to show the importance of this skill to the class. Illustrate how using the wrong word on a job application or a letter to a girlfriend could be disastrous. Tell the students that the dictionary will help them avoid such problems.
Students should be taught the structure of the dictionary in a way that is adjusted to their class level and abilities. The methods presented can be used in most school grades, but may have to be simplified for the younger students. Hand out dictionaries to each student if possible. Have the students explore its contents. Ask students to locate alphabetical order, parts of speech, other forms of a word, syllables, definitions, homonyms and synonyms for any entry. The teacher should list these on the chalkboard and explain them to the class. Assign students to take notes on the material covered.
Point out the top of a dictionary page and explain how this shows what words can be found on that page. For example, if it states "apple" to "area," the student should learn that words that come between the two alphabetically can be found on that page. Hand out a list of words that begin with the same few letters. Have the students put these in alphabetical order. Correct them in class. Tell the students to list 10 words that apply to a circus and put them in alphabetical order. Discuss in class.
Have students point to the syllables and accents of a word you give them. Assign a student to come to the chalkboard and write the syllables and accents for that word on the board. Ask another student to pronounce the word. Have the class repeat the word aloud.
Read a list of words to the class and tell students to raise their hands when they locate them in the dictionary. Write five words on the chalkboard. Read five definitions and have students write in their notebooks which word is defined. Go over them in class and ask students to correct their work.
Explain synonyms by dictating the word "affect" and its synonym "influence." Assign students to write a sentence using both. Also explain the concept of usage and how it determines which of the words to use. Hand out a work sheet with sentences leaving "affect" and "effect" blank. Explain the difference and have students fill in the blanks. Exchange papers and correct. Hand out a list of words for homework and assign students to locate them in the dictionary and write a sentence about each.
Explain that homonyms are words that sound the same and have different meanings. For example, "stares" and "stairs," or "fair" and "fare." Have students use the dictionary to find out how to use each and ask them to write a correct sentence using these words.
Divide the class into two as if you were conducting a spelling bee and ask students questions about what was learned. Keep score and name a team a winner. Give an exam to test the individual student's understanding of the dictionary.