Context Clues
The hiker was exhausted after the ten-mile trek; she could barely keep her eyes open and her legs felt like lead. What does exhausted mean?
Really Tired
If a scientist says a certain type of liquid is colorless, what does that tell you about the liquid?
Without color
"While the ants were busy storing food for winter, the grasshopper spent all day singing and playing." Based on these actions, what is a trait that describes the grasshopper?
Lazy
Main Idea: "Honeybees are vital to our food supply." Which is a relevant detail: "Bees have stripes" or "Bees pollinate 1/3 of the food we eat"?
What is "Bees pollinate 1/3 of our food"?
What is a noun, verb, and adjective?
Noun: Person, Place, or Thing
Verb: Action Word
Adjective: Describing word
"While some parts of the movie were dull, other parts were incredibly exciting and fast-paced." Which word in the sentence is an antonym clue for the word dull?
exciting or fast paced
After the messy art project, the students had to rearrange the desks. Based on the prefix, what did they do to the desks?
Arrange again
"James saw the giant spider and his heart began to race as he backed away slowly." Is this sentence describing a character trait or a character feeling?
Feeling
Central Idea: "Dogs are helpful animals." Which is the best detail: "Some dogs have fluffy ears" or "Guide dogs help people cross the street safely"?
What is "Guide dogs help people..."?
This part of the story happens after the climax, when the tension starts to go down and the problem begins to wrap up.
Falling Action
"The scientist observed the miniscule bacteria through a microscope, as they were far too small to be seen with the naked eye." What specific clue tells you the meaning of miniscule?
to small to be seen with the naked eye
The hiker was warned that the mountain path might be unsafe in the dark. How does the prefix change the meaning of the word "safe"?
"Two characters see a huge rainstorm. One character says, 'Now I can't play baseball!' while the other says, 'My garden will finally grow!' What is the main reason their perspectives are different?"
One is sad about the rain while the other is happy
"Polar bears have thick fur to stay warm. They also have a layer of fat called blubber and wide paws for walking on ice." What is the Central Idea?
"Polar bears have special body features to survive the cold"?
"The cafeteria's new pizza is a soggy, tasteless mess that no one should have to eat." What is the author's opinion of the pizza?
The cafeteria's new pizza is gross
"The rain was ceaseless; it pounded on the roof all morning, all afternoon, and through the entire night without a single break." Based on the passage, what does the suffix -less help you understand about the word ceaseless?
less means without, so without care
A student is described as being very thoughtful during the class discussion. Based on the suffix, how would you describe this student's behavior?
Full of thought
Two characters are looking at a dark cave. One says, "It looks like an adventure!" and the other says, "It looks like a trap!" This is a difference in their ________.
Perspective
"Some people think bats are scary, but they are actually very helpful. Bats eat thousands of mosquitoes in one night. They also help spread seeds so new plants can grow." What is the Central Idea?
"Bats are helpful animals (even if people are afraid of them)"?
This is the specific event that happens at the beginning of the story to start the problem or "kick off" the plot.
Rising action
"The artist was versatile; she could paint, sculpt, sing, and dance with ease." Based on the list of skills, what does versatile mean?
Many different talents or skills
The suffix -less means "without" and the prefix re- means "again." What does it mean if a battery is rechargeable?
What is "able to be charged again"?
The Inference Challenge: "Even though Olivia was tired, she stayed late to help her teacher clean up the messy classroom." Use this evidence to identify a trait for Olivia.
Helpful
You read a book about a girl who practices piano every day and finally wins a contest. Is "The Piano Contest" the Central Idea or just the Topic?
Topic (The Central Idea would be "Practice and hard work lead to success").
If a story is about a boy who lies to his friends and then has no one to help him when he's in trouble, what is a likely theme?
Always be honest