Bell Ringer• Grab a Context Clues Worksheet

from the front table, by the door. Answer all questions on both sides.

• This is the transition to sharpen pencils and get situated and ready to learn.

What are Context Clues?

Look at this cartoon. What happened before this scene? What is going to happen next? How do you know?

What are Context Clues?

What has already happened?What will happen next?What clues did you use?

What are Context Clues?

What has already happened?What will happen next?What clues did you use?

Housekeeping• Make-up Monday starts next week.• Open House is Tuesday, Sept. 9 @ 6

P.M.• Home Learning: Types Context Clues

Worksheet due 9/8 (A) & 9/9 (B.)• Recommended: acquire a copy of A

Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.

Anticipation Box• Discuss essential question.• Anticipation Box reveal.• Using the objects from the

anticipation box, predict what will happen in A Wrinkle in Time. Then, make an inference about the novel’s central message.

Learning ObjectivesToday you will • define context clues• learn how to recognize context clues in text

Context Clues

How to determine a word’s meaning when there is no dictionary in sight

Definition

Copy this Definition:

Context Clues are words

nearby an unknown term

that can help you figure

out the meaning of the

unknown word.

Types of Context Clues• Definition / Restatement• Synonym• Antonym• Compare• Contrast• Example• Cause and Effect• Inference/ Implied Meaning

Definition/Restatement• Definition / Restatement: dictionary

definition provided directly in the text.

• Signals: Definition and restatement are often signaled by punctuation such as a comma, dash, and by certain key words and phrases

Synonyms• Synonym: Author reveals meaning of

word by using another word with a similar meaning nearby in the text.

• Signals: A definition or synonym follows a comma, a dash, or signal words.

Antonyms• Antonym: author reveals meaning of

word by using another word with an opposite meaning nearby in the text.

• Signals: words like: but, however, although, not, despite, some…but others, on the other hand, unlike, whereas, yet

Comparison• Compare: words are revealed

through comparisons with other, familiar words or ideas in the sentence.

• Signals: commas, and words like: especially, like, likewise, also, and, as well as, in that, resembling, identical, similar to, as, and in the same way.

Contrast• Contrast: When two words are in

contrast they have opposite meanings. By noting the similarities and differences between the things described, you can get an idea of the meaning of the unfamiliar word.

• Signals: unlike, on the other hand, in contrast to, but, instead of, on the contrary, although, however.

Example Context Clue• Example: The context in which the

word appears may contain one or more examples that give clues to the word’s meaning. Read the examples and note what they have in common.

• Signals: other, including, for instance, this, these, such as, especially, these include

Cause and Effect• Cause and Effect: The cause of an

action or event may be stated using an unfamiliar word. If the effect is stated in familiar terms, though, it can help you understand the unfamiliar word.

• Signals: because, consequently, therefore, so, since, as a result, if…then, due to

Inference & Implied Meaning• Sometimes readers must use

reasoning, text clues, and prior knowledge to determine meaning. Readers must infer, or make a logical guess about, the word’s meaning. Clues may be in nearby sentences, several sentences away, or even several paragraphs away. In this case, you will need to keep reading until you find the clue or clues.

What are Context Clues?

borborygmus

Who can tell me what this word means?If you don’t already know, you’re going to struggle with this word. There aren’t any

words around it to hint at its meaning.

What are Context Clues?

borborygmus

I was so nervous about the big test that I hadn’t eaten all day. There I was, in a perfectly silent room, with about 50 other kids, and suddenly my stomach embarrassed me. Everyone could hear my borborygmus as clearly as if a train had rumbled by, and it wouldn’t stop. I coughed to cover the sound, but the kid next to me told me to be quiet. I was so embarrassed.

What are Context Clues?

borborygmus“the rumbling, gurgling noise of gas

moving through the intestines”

What are Context Clues?

horripilation

She’d never experienced horripilation before, but when the monster hid in her closet and started making scary sounds in the middle of the night, her hair just stood up on the back of her neck.

What are Context Clues?

horripilation“The bristling or standing on end of a

person’s hair when he or she is frightened”

What are Context Clues?

Jarraracussa

While he was sight-seeing in the jungles of Brazil, my cousin almost died when a Jarraracussu slithered out from under a rock without warning and bit him on the leg. That could have ruined his vacation. Luckily, they got him to a hospital in time, and the doctors got the poison out.

What are Context Clues?

Jarraracussa“a poisonous Brazillian snake”

Group Practice• Work with your group to identify the

context clues in these passages. • Guess the meaning of the target word.

I get bored reading that author’s work because he picks topics that are trite and boring.

We wanted to protest when they raised the price of soft drinks, but we were too shy to tell them we didn’t agree with their decision.

Group Practice

The waves were relentless; they pounded the struggling swimmer again and again. 

Group Practice

Madison was zealous about chasing her dream to become a dancer. Phyllis, on the other hand, could not have cared less.

Group Practice

When George held the door open for Harley, she smiled to let him know she appreciated it.

Group Practice

Number five lines on a separate piece of paper. Be sure to skip several lines, so you have space to write.

1.2.3.4.5.

Closing

Caroline made a “yuck” face when the pill dissolved before she could wash it down. It left an acrid taste in her mouth.

Closing1

When Marina first realized she left her books at home, she freaked out. Then, she remembered how good she was at making the best of a bad situation, and she knew she could cope.

Closing2

After they lost their apartment, Jerry’s family lived like vagrants, moving from place to place with no place to call home.

Closing3

The audience wasn’t paying attention until Cierra took the stage. They were captivated by her exciting performance.

Closing4

“Don’t use the same sentence structure all the time,” Ms. Barker said. “Vary the word order from time to time.”

Closing5