Context Clues
The three students decided to collaborate on the project, since they all had different talents to share. What does "collaborate" mean?
work together
Florida is a state in the southern United States. The capital is Tallahassee, and the state bird is the mockingbird. There are many beaches in Florida.
inform
I, me, my, mine, we, us, ours are words that belong to which point of view.
First person
What is a main idea?
The main idea is what the passage is mostly about.
What is theme?
The message of a story.
The boy lingered in the stands after the concert. He was hoping to watch the band members pack up. What does "lingered" mean?
stayed
If you want to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you need bread, jelly, and peanut butter. Put the peanut butter on one side and the jelly on the other. Last, put the two sides together to make your sandwich.
Explain how to make a PB&J sandwich
He, she, it, they, them, theirs, and the reader are examples of words that belong to which point of view.
third person
Hurricanes are large, intense storms that begin over the ocean, where they gather heat and energy from the water. Hurricanes move slowly toward land, usually moving 10-20 miles per hour for more than one week. The most dangerous part of the hurricane is the storm surge, when it reaches land and causes flooding. Wind and waves also contribute to the damage caused by these surges.
What is the main idea (Think: What is this passage mostly about?)
Hurricanes are dangerous storms.
In his sophomore year of high school, basketball legend Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed that Jordan was too short to play. The coach cut Jordan from the team. Jordan didn’t let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. The next year, Jordan made the varsity squad. He averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history.
Never give up, practice makes perfect, persevere through challenges.
Keep your speech concise to save time. We have many students who need to present their reports. What does "concise" mean?
short
I walked home on Monday, and opened the front door as usual. All of the sudden, I heard, "Surprise!" and all my friends humped out with presents. My birthday was still a week away! Boy, was I surprised!
entertain
The narrator is not a character in the story, yet he or she can only reveal what one character is thinking and feeling
third person limited
Did you know that giraffes are the tallest animals in the world? They are unique in other ways, too. For one thing, they sleep only about 20 minutes each day, and usually not more than five minutes at a time. (They have to remain alert for predators.) Also, every giraffe’s coat is unique, and varies in color from white to nearly black, depending on what they eat and where they live.
What is the main idea? (Think: what is this passage mostly about?)
Giraffes are unique animals.
Siljo’s bird flew away. Don tried to find it but he couldn’t. Don apologized when Siljo came home. Siljo was sad, but he knew it was an accident and wasn’t mad.
a. Friends support you even when you make mistakes.
b. To have a good friend, you must be a good friend.
c. Be kind to your friends and you will be rewarded.
d. Friends do whatever it takes to help each other.
A
Cheerleaders are a boisterous group. They spend a lot of time jumping and shouting to energize the players and the fans. What does the word "boisterous" mean?
loud, noisy, energetic
Do you want to be an artist? Just take our Awesome Artists class and you will be a famous artist in no time!
Persuade
The narrator is a character in the story.
first person
Too much of a good thing can be bad sometimes. This seems to be the case with California. The weather there is warm, dry, and never too hot or cold. It’s easy to get to the ocean or to one of its many beaches. But now there are too many people living in California. Its roads are filled with cars, and the beaches are always too crowded.
California is too crowded/popular.
The little grey mouse that lived in my wall prospered for many days on nibbles of my lunch. I'd pack a meal before bed and, while I slept, he would take small bites of my lunch, which I left on the counter. He'd take a cracker crumble here, and a bread crumb there, but he wouldn't take too much and he'd always clean up after himself. Things were going quite well for him and I didn't even know that he existed, until he got sloppy. One night while I slept, he ate all my chips and left a big mess. When I awoke to this sight, I knew what had happened to my chips. The next night he returned for another snack. He found a nice, delicious piece of cheese... lightly balanced on a mousetrap. Now I don't have to share my chips anymore.
Don't be greedy, greed can lead to negative outcomes
Nina was completely inept at cooking. She seemed to burn everything she tried to cook. What does the word "inept" mean?
Have little or no skill
I walked to the lake today. The water was crystal clear and there was a cool, brisk breeze that sent shivers down my spine. I could hear multiple types of birds singing in the trees and the smell of moss was heavy in the air. I'll have to go back there soon.
describe
When the principal called Martha into the office, she knew what it would be about. He looked uncomfortable and unhappy because he felt guilty about making Martha feel like she might not get the scholarship jacket.
third person ominiscient
In 1066, France invaded England. We are still feeling the effects of that invasion today. Why? Because when France invaded, many French words found their way into the English language. For example, the words beef and pork come from French, while the words cow and pig come from English.
Many French words are in the English language because France invaded England in 1066.
Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000… wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children.
Be thankful for what you have.