1. Connotation and denotation
Actually, we don’t like the term “cannibal.” We prefer to be called “homovores.”

2. Connotative and Denotative activities
Before you begin, take a look at the number of terms and students in your class. The words in this PowerPoint are grouped by threes (one positive, one neutral, one negative of each denotative group). Add/pair/remove as necessary to have even groups.
Each student is provided a slip of paper on which a term is written. (For best results, print this PowerPoint as a handout with 6 slides per page, then cut.)
Students leave their seats to form a group with 2 others whose terms have the same DENOTATIVE meaning. These groups of three will have words like, “thrifty, frugal, and cheap,” which all have the same denotative meaning.
Students then leave their group to create three new groups based on CONNOTATIVE meaning: positive, neutral, and negative. The positive group, for example, will have words like “enthusiastic, genius,” etc.

3. differently-abled

4. disabled

5. crippled

6. enthusiastic

7. active

8. fanatical

9. thrifty

10. frugal

11. cheap

12. genius

13. intellectual

14. nerd

15. aroma

16. smell

17. odor

18. experienced

19. mature

20. old

21. hobby

22. interest

23. obsession

24. scrawny

25. thin

26. slender

27. home

28. house

29. shack

30. weird

31. different

32. unique