Context Clues
What are context clues?
A. Pictures at the beginning of a book
B. Word and sentences around an unfamiliar word that help you understand its meaning
C. Words that are always found in a dictionary.
B. Word and sentences around an unfamiliar word that help you understand its meaning
Question: What is the main idea of a text?
A. A small detail from the text
B. What the text is mostly about and what the author wants you to know
C. The first sentence of the text
B. What the text is mostly about and what the author wants you to know
Mia forgot her umbrella, so she got wet walking home.
What is the cause?
A. Mia got wet.
B. It was raining.
C. Mia forgot her umbrella.
C. Mia forgot her umbrella.
Question: What does an author's point of view tell us?
A. What the author thinks or feels about the topic
B. Where the author lives
C. When the author wrote the text
A. What the author thinks or feels about the topic
What does it mean to integrate information from two texts?
A. Read only the first text.
B. Copy a sentence from each text.
C. Combine information from both texts to develop an answer or understanding.
C. Combine information from both texts to develop an answer or understanding.
The farmer was RELUCTANT to plant corn again. He wasn't sure it was a good idea.
What does reluctant mean?
A. Excited and ready
B. Unsure or unwilling
C. Angry and upset
B. Unsure or unwilling
Read the passage:
Corn has been an important crop for people for thousands of years. Native Americans developed corn from a wild grass called teosinte. They learned how to grow and use corn, and it became an important part of their diets.
What is the main idea?
A. Corn was developed from a wild grass called teosinte.
B. Corn has a long history and became an important crop through the work of Native Americans.
C. Native Americans ate corn as part of their diets.
B. Corn has a long history and became an important crop through the work of Native Americans.
Farmers grew corn in the same field year after year. As a result, the soil became worn out.
What is the effect?
A. Farmers grew corn.
B. The soil became worn out.
C. Farmers planted something else.
B. The soil became worn out.
“Modern farming has allowed farmers to produce large amounts of corn. However, growing only one crop can cause problems for the soil.”
What is the author's POV toward modern farming?
A. Completely positive
B. Completely negative
C. Balanced—they recognize benefits but also problems
C. Balanced—they recognize benefits but also problems
Text 1: Corn has a strong stalk that supports the plant.
Text 2: Beans can climb up the corn stalk when the crops are planted together.
What can you conclude from BOTH texts?
A. Corn and beans cannot grow together.
B. The strong corn stalk can support the corn plant and the beans growing alongside it.
C. Beans are stronger than corn.
B. The strong corn stalk can support the corn plant and the beans growing alongside it.
The soil was DEPLETED after years of growing the same crop. The farmers needed to add nutrients back into it.
What does depleted most likely mean?
A. Used up or lacking something
B. Very healthy
C. Full of water
A. Used up or lacking something
Read the passage:
Farmers who grow corn year after year in the same field can have problems with their soil. The soil can become worn out, causing the corn harvest to decrease. To help solve this problem, farmers can rotate their crops. Planting different crops can help keep the soil healthy and provide nutrients for future crops.
What is the main idea?
A. Farmers can rotate crops to help protect the soil and improve future harvests.
B. Corn harvests decrease when farmers grow corn.
C. Farmers grow many different crops in their fields.
A. Farmers can rotate crops to help protect the soil and improve future harvests.
The soil became worn out, so the corn harvest decreased.
What is the cause?
A. The corn harvest decreased.
B. The soil became worn out.
C. Farmers rotated their crops.
B. The soil became worn out.
“The concentration on a single crop depletes the soil and can allow pests and diseases to spread.”
What does this language suggest about the author's POV?
A. The author is concerned about some negative effects of growing one crop.
B. The author thinks growing one crop is always the best choice.
C. The author doesn't care about farming.
A. The author is concerned about some negative effects of growing one crop.
Text 1: Native Americans first cultivated corn thousands of years ago.
Text 2: Native Americans taught settlers how to grow and care for corn.
What can you conclude from both texts?
A. Native Americans played an important role in developing and teaching others how to cultivate corn.
B. Native Americans never grew corn themselves.
C. Settlers taught Native Americans how to grow corn.
A. Native Americans played an important role in developing and teaching others how to cultivate corn.
The corn was ABUNDANT that year. Farmers had more corn than they knew what to do with.
What does abundant mean?
A. Rare
B. Plentiful or more than enough
C. Difficult to grow
B. Plentiful or more than enough
Why isn't one interesting fact usually the main idea?
A. The main idea should cover the important information from the text or section.
B. Interesting facts cannot be found in informational texts.
C. The main idea must always be the longest sentence.
A. The main idea should cover the important information from the text or section.
Read the passage:
Farmers grew corn in the same field year after year. The soil became worn out, and the corn harvest decreased.
What is the cause and effect?
A. Cause: The soil became worn out. Effect: Farmers grew corn.
B. Cause: Farmers grew corn in the same field year after year. Effect: The soil became worn out and the corn harvest decreased.
C. Cause: The corn harvest decreased. Effect: Farmers grew corn year after year.
B. Cause: Farmers grew corn in the same field year after year. Effect: The soil became worn out and the corn harvest decreased.
Read the passage:
Modern farming has made it possible for farmers to grow large amounts of corn. However, growing the same crop year after year can cause problems. It can use up nutrients in the soil and make it easier for pests and diseases to spread.
What is the author's point of view about modern farming?
A. Modern farming is completely harmful.
B. Modern farming is useful, but it can also cause problems.
C. Modern farming has no effect on farmers.
B. Modern farming is useful, but it can also cause problems.
Text 1: Corn needs certain conditions, including warm temperatures and enough rainfall, to grow successfully.
Text 2: Native Americans developed planting methods that allowed corn, beans, and squash to grow together.
How do these texts BOTH help explain successful corn farming?
A. They show that successful farming depends on the right growing conditions and effective farming methods.
B. They show that corn can grow anywhere without water.
C. They show that farmers should only grow corn by itself.
A. They show that successful farming depends on the right growing conditions and effective farming methods.
Read the passage:
Native Americans cultivated corn for thousands of years. They carefully planted the seeds, cared for the plants, and harvested the corn when it was ready.
Question:
What does the word cultivated mean? Use the clues in the passage to figure it out. Write the meaning in your own words.
Cultivated means grew and cared for plants.
Read the passage:
Corn is an important crop that has changed over time. Native Americans learned to grow and use corn, and farmers later developed new ways to grow more of it. Today, corn is grown in many places and is used for food, animal feed, and other products.
Which detail BEST supports the main idea?
A. Corn is used for food, animal feed, and other products.
B. Native Americans learned to grow and use corn.
C. All of the details show how corn has developed and become an important crop over time.
C. All of the details show how corn has developed and become an important crop over time.
Read the passage:
Farmers grew corn in the same field year after year. Over time, the soil lost nutrients. The corn plants did not grow as well, and the harvest became smaller.
Write the cause and effect from the passage.
Cause: Farmers grew corn in the same field year after year.
Effect: The soil lost nutrients, causing the corn plants to grow poorly and the harvest to become smaller.
Read the passage:
Modern farming methods have helped farmers grow much more corn. However, growing the same crop year after year can deplete the soil and allow pests and diseases to spread. Farmers can use crop rotation to help protect the soil.
What is the author's main purpose for writing this passage?
A. To entertain readers with a story about farmers
B. To inform readers about the benefits and problems of modern farming
C. To convince readers that farmers should stop growing corn
B. To inform readers about the benefits and problems of modern farming
Text 1:
Native Americans learned how to grow corn and used it as an important food. They also taught other people how to grow corn.
Text 2:
Corn can be used in many ways. People eat corn, feed it to animals, and use it to make other products.
Question:
What information can you put together from both texts? Write 1–2 sentences.
Teacher decides