Academic Vocabulary
What is theme?
The main message, lesson or moral of the text.
What is the difference between a smile and a metaphor?
A simile uses "like" or "as" to compare two things, and a metaphor does not
This type of text structure presents information by listing items or events in order.
What is chronological order or sequence?
In what genre type can we find text features, like photographs, captions, glossary and index?
Informational or Non-fiction Text
What is a synonym for massive?
huge, enormous, or gigantic
What is a main idea?
A statement that describes what the story or text is mostly about.
The classroom was a zoo during free time.
Question:
What type of figurative language is used here?
Metaphor – compares the classroom to a zoo without using "like" or "as."
This structure might have the following signal words; as a result, therefore, so, and because.
What is cause and effect?
This genre of writing tells a made-up store featuring real events, places, and historical figures.
Historical Fiction
Josh’s hands were shaking as he stepped up to the microphone. He looked at the crowd and took a deep breath.
Question:
How is Josh feeling?
He is feeling nervous or anxious about speaking in front of the crowd
What is a summary?
A short paragraph detailing the most important parts of the text.
What are the kinds of figurative language that express words of wisdom or life lessons for a certain culture?
Adages and Proverbs
Lions and tigers are both big cats. They have sharp teeth and strong bodies. However, lions live in groups called prides, while tigers live alone.
Question:
What is the text structure?
Compare and contrast
In which genre can we find stanzas and lines?
Poetry
Liam stared out the window at the pouring rain. He sighed and pushed his baseball glove back into his closet.
Question:
Why did Liam put his glove away?
The rain means Liam probably can't play baseball.
What is an inference?
A guess using background knowledge and clues in the text
I’ve told you a million times to clean your room!
Question:
What kind of figurative language is this?
Hyperbole – an extreme exaggeration.
This type of text structure presents an issue and then proposes one or more ways to resolve it.
Problem-solution
In which genre can we find stage directions, a setting and acts?
Drama
"Those suffragists were rabble-rousing on the White House lawn with their picket signs!"
Give the definition of suffragists or rabble-rousing.
Bonus. Double points for both definitions!
Suffragists are supporters of women's voting rights.
Rabble-rousing is inflaming the emotions of a crowd of people, typically for political reasons.
What is a context clue?
Hints or clues found within a passage that can help the reader to understand the meaning(s) of new words.
Sam yelled to his friend, "Break a leg before your play!"
Question:
What does this idiom mean?
Good luck – it’s a way to wish someone well in a performance.
A desert is a dry place with very little rainfall. It often has sand, cactus plants, and animals like lizards and snakes that can survive in hot weather.
Question:
What is the text structure?
Description – it describes what a desert is like
A genre that is about a real person’s life story, written by someone else.
Biography
Rain forests are home to many animals, such as monkeys, frogs, and birds. These forests are warm, wet, and full of tall trees. People are trying to protect rain forests because they are disappearing.
Question:
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
Rain forests are important and full of life, but they are in danger