Lesson: Context Clues Example Sentences

Standard

3.LD-V.15

I can

I can use the context to find the meaning of a word. 

Purpose of Learning

Today’s purpose of learning is to use context to find the meaning of a word, when the meaning is clearly given or restated.

Connection

Yesterday we learned what context is.  Remember that context is the sentence or the paragraph in which an unknown word appears.  It surrounds an unknown word.  So we use context when we come to a word we don’t know.  Yesterday we talked about 5 strategies (re-state these) for using context.  Today we’re going to focus on two of them:  Finding the meaning of a word when it is clearly given, or when it is restated in the text.

Script

I Do

T: If the meaning of the word is either clearly given or restated, you can find the meaning either in the same sentence or in the sentence directly after.

• E.g. If the meaning is clearly given, it might look like this sentence:  “He made a solemn speech.  Solemn means serious.” 
• Think aloud: “I noticed that this sentence gave me the definition of solemn by stating it to me in the sentence right after the one with the unknown word.
• E.g. If the meaning is restated, the meaning usually follows the unknown word with a comma and the word “or.”  For example, “(Name of student) had a big scowl, or mean look, on his/her face.”
• Think aloud:  “In this case, the unkown word is scowl.  I noticed that right after the word, I see a comma, the word or, and the definition, which is “mean look.”  So I know that a scowl is a mean look!”

We Do

T: Gives class new example sentences.

S: Turn and talk:  What do you think the underlined word in this sentence means?  How do you know/what strategy did you use?

You Do

T: Put up new example sentences

S: Have Ss stop and think about what the meaning of the underlined word is.  Call on Ss (who you’re worried might not have it) to give their definition and how they got it.