Context Clues
"We need to reschedule the meeting for next week since we missed it this week."
What does the word reschedule mean?
change, schedule again, rearrange
What is a "prefix"? Give one example and its meaning.
un (not)
re (do again)
pre (before)
Post (after)
Define the academic word "analyze" in kid-friendly terms.
to be like a detective; break a big thing down into its smaller parts; look really closely at each piece to figure out how it all works together.
How can writer's use descriptive words to make their writing more clear?
Give a quick example.
Example: "The food tasted good" → "The warm soup tasted savory and comforting."
"The sky looked dark, and we decided to postpone the picnic." What does "postpone" mean?
delay, wait, reschedule
The word "replay" is made of the root "play" and the prefix "re-." What does the prefix "re-" mean, and what does "replay" mean?
"re-" means "again" or "back," and when added to "play," replay means to play something again
What does evidence mean when reading a text?
facts, information, or details from a text that supports the ideas
What does "revise" mean in writing? Give two things you might change during revision.
"Revise" = change wording, organization, or details to improve writing. Change examples: rearrange sentences for clarity, replace vague words with precise ones.
"Maya observed the specimen under the microscope and noted its strange features." What does "specimen" most likely mean?
small sample, piece, part to examine scientifically
Break the word "transportation" into root and affixes (prefix and suffix) and explain the meaning of each part.
Root: port (means to carry)
Prefix: trans (means across or through)
Suffixes: -ation (means an action)
The word infer often appears on tests. Explain how to infer the meaning of a character's feelings from a story.
to use clues from the text plus what you know to draw a conclusion
Example: If a character hides their report card and avoids eye contact, you might infer they got a bad grade. Even if the text didn't say.
Define "transition word" and give three examples that help connect ideas in a paragraph.
Transition word = links ideas; examples: "however," "therefore," "for example", "in additon", "first","then", "finally"
"The bridge's durable design kept it safe through many storms." What does "durable" mean, and which clue in the sentence helps you decide?
Strong, sturdy, able to last in difficult conditions
Clue: "kept it safe through many storms"
The suffix "-able" (means "can do") is added to the word "read" to form "readable." What effect does the suffix "-able" have on the meaning of the root word?
Something that can be read, read is a verb and readable is an adjective
Explain the difference between summarize and paraphrase.
"Summarize" = give the main ideas in a quick way
"paraphrase" = restate the same information in your own words.
Example using "The dog barked at the door and woke the family": summarize — "The dog woke the family"; paraphrase — "Because the dog barked at the door, everyone woke up."
Explain how using clear vocabulary can improve a paragraph about an experiment around changing temperature. Provide one sentence before (vague) and one after (precise).
Vague: "We checked the temperature."
Precise: "We measured the water temperature and recorded a decrease from 77 to 44."
"Despite the coach's pep talk, several players remained apathetic and didn't try their best"
Explain the meaning of apathetic and identify two context clues that support your answer.
not concerned, uninterested, uncaring, no effort
Clue: "despire the coach's pep talk", "didn't try their best"
The Greek root "chrono" means time, "logic" means system or order. Use this information to explain the meaning of the word "chronological" and create one new sentence that uses "chronological" correctly.
Chronological means to put things in order by time.
Example: "I told them the steps in chronological order so they would know what to do first".
The word "perspective" can mean a point of view. Describe two different perspectives two characters might have about taking the same test.
Character A
Character B
Identify with character's thoughts or dialogue and noting reasons.
Character A thinks the test was unfair because it was too hard; Character B thinks it was fair because it covered what was taught.
You are editing a paragraph. Identify a strategy you would use to make the writing stronger.
use stronger verbs to make it clearer (replace "went" with "traveled"), include academic vocabulary (e.g., "evidence," "consequence"), organize with transition words