In this seventh-grade language unit, the study of semantics is introduced by an examination of the relationships between words and their referents, particularly in terms of changes of meaning and degrees of abstraction. Classroom activities are suggested to help students become aware of "language liveliness" and the processes of specialization and generalization: e.g., mapmaking, designing abstraction ladders and Venn diagrams, playing competitive games, comparing words from Samuel Johnson's "Dictionary" with present-day usage, and studying "The Most Dangerous Game" for changes in the words "hunt" and "animal." The writings of S. I. Hayakawa, Neil and Simon Postman, Jonathan Swift, and others are used to emphasize that changes and variations in word meanings are both natural and inevitable. Supplementary activities for able students, worksheets, and a bibliography on semantics are also included. (JB)