Semantic gradients allow students to use their individual logic to reason about word meanings. This helps students understand word meanings in relation to other words and gathering more background knowledge about specific words in groups.

For example, using size words such as microscopic, tiny, small, average, big, enormous, and gigantic. Students will use their logic to put it in an order from smallest to biggest. The more difficult words will have definitions they can easily understand and remember, since they are coming up with them using their own logic.

RL.1.11. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on Grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibility from a variety of strategies