Download pdf - Using Context Clues - Leon County Schools...Context clues can also help you figure out words with more than one meaning. For example, the For example, the table below has two sentences

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Lesson TitleLesson # X.#.#:

Language Handbook Lesson 15 Using Context Clues

Using Context CluesLesson 15

You can use context clues to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The chart below gives examples of different types of context clues.

Type of Clue Example

Definition Superfoods, or natural foods that may prevent disease, have become popular.

Cause/EffectSome superfoods, such as blueberries and red beans, contain antioxidants. These can help remove harmful substances from the human body.

ComparisonSome experts look dubiously on claims about superfoods, but other experts believe strongly that these foods can improve health.

Context clues can also help you figure out words with more than one meaning. For example, the table below has two sentences with the word source. What does source mean in each sentence? You can use the underlined context clues to figure out which meaning of source is being used.

Sentence Context Clues Definition

Choosing high-sugar drinks can be a source of health problems.

A problem has a cause. Therefore, the source of a problem is its cause.

the cause of something

The website MyPlate.gov is a source for facts about food choices.

A website can have information such as facts. Therefore, a source is something that gives information.

something that gives information

The sentences before and after the sentence with an unfamiliar word can also hold context clues.

Introduction

Some fads are fleeting, but more than a few people feel that

superfoods are here to stay. The idea of superfoods isn’t new, but the

amount of empirical information we have about them is. Scientific

observations and tests offer some evidence that certain foods can

help people stay healthy. Nobody claims that these foods are

a panacea—nothing can guarantee perfect health or cure every

disease—but they can be part of a sensible diet.

Determine the meanings of fleeting, empirical, and panacea. Then underline the words or phrases that helped you determine their meaning.

Guided Practice

HINT The phrases as a result of, because of, and thanks to all signal cause-and-effect relationships. Words such as but, too, also, and as well as all indicate comparisons.

LAFS.5.L.3.4a: Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

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Independent Practice

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Language Handbook Lesson 15 Using Context Clues

For numbers 1 and 2, read the paragraph. Then answer the questions.

For centuries, people in coastal areas of China and Japan have harvested a superfood found in marine environments. Recent studies show that eating seaweed protects against infection. It also might reduce the risk of serious diseases and extend peoples’ life spans. If true, these would be important benefits.

1 What does the word marine mean in this paragraph?

A very nutritious

B dark blue in color

C having to do with the ocean

D member of the armed forces

2 Which two words from the paragraph help you understand the meaning of marine?

A “China” and “Japan”

B “coastal” and “seaweed”

C “centuries” and “people”

D “superfood” and “studies”

For numbers 3 and 4, read the paragraph. Then answer the questions.

Closer to home, you can find superfoods right in your garden or local store. Think “crisp and crunchy.” Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale detoxify harmful substances. As a result, they may help to prevent some forms of cancer. These veggies also are low in calories and have lots of vitamins A, C, and K.

3 What does the word detoxify mean in this paragraph?

A to move in a wide circle

B to chew food slowly

C to make a difficult decision

D to remove bad effects

4 Which two words from the paragraph help you understand the meaning of detoxify?

A “crisp” and “crunchy”

B “prevent” and “cancer”

C “veggies” and “substances”

D “calories” and “vitamins”

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Reading Comprehension: Compare (tell similarities) and Contrast (tell differences)

Two Great Teachers Mrs. Weathers

Mrs. Weathers is one of the most loved teachers at our school. She has been a math teacher for over 25 years, and she still loves what she does. Many of the students think she is too strict and don't like the fact that she doesn't include technology or cooperative learning in her instruction. However, many parents prefer her to be their child's teacher because she makes sure that they know their multiplication facts and can do long division before they leave her class. She is a kind and caring teacher who enjoys seeing her students learn. She helps her students any way that she can to ensure that they leave her class with a clear understanding of the math skills that she teaches.

Mrs. Henry Mrs. Henry is a new math teacher at our school. This is only her second year to teach math since graduating college. She loves teaching math and enjoys watching her students learn. She wants her students to understand the real world application of math; therefore, she has her students participate in many hands-on projects in her classroom. She also likes to include technology whenever she can. When teaching area and perimeter, she has her students design a room on the computer and then determine the area and perimeter of the room in order to determine the amount of carpet and baseboards that would need to be purchased for their room. Students enjoy her class, and most parents like the way that she helps their child love to learn. 1. Based on the two paragraphs, how are Mrs. Weathers and Mrs. Henry alike? a. They both like to incorporate technology into their instruction. b. They both still enjoy teaching after more than 25 years. c. They are both thought of as strict by the students. d. They both enjoy teaching math and enjoy watching their students learn. 2. Based on the two paragraphs, how are Mrs. Weathers and Mrs. Henry different? a. Mrs. Weathers uses technology to teach math, but Mrs. Henry does not. b. Mrs. Henry has been teaching for many years, but Mrs. Weathers is a new teacher. c. Mrs. Henry uses technology and cooperative learning in her classroom, unlike Mrs. Weathers. d. Mrs. Weathers provides real world learning experiences, unlike Mrs. Henry. 3. According to the second paragraph, what example is given to show how Mrs. Henry uses real-world situations to help students understand math. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Which teacher would you prefer? Explain why. _____________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________

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Big Birds, Big City

Big Birds, Big City

World Almanac for Kids

Some peregrine falcons have moved to New York City.

Walk around New York City, and you may see some people looking skyward in awe. They might be admiring the city's high-rise buildings, or they might be admiring peregrine falcons instead.

These majestic birds of prey, which were on the verge of extinction, have made a comeback across the United States. Some have even moved to New York City. The falcons aren't alone in calling the Big Apple home. Bald eagles have also moved into the neighborhood.

Death by DDTPeregrine falcons are the fastest creatures in the air. They can chase their prey at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.

The birds were nearly wiped out in the 1960s from exposure to a pesticide called DDT. A pesticide is a chemical designed to kill insects and other pests that damage plants and crops. Scientists didn't realize in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s that DDT also harmed birds and other animals.

According to biologists, DDT made the eggshells of peregrines and other birds thin and fragile. The shells broke before the baby peregrine falcons were ready to hatch. By 1970, there were only 39 known nesting pairs of peregrine falcons in the lower 48 states.

Road to RecoveryThe U.S. government banned DDT in 1972. A year later, Congress passed the federal Endangered Species Act. The law protected many animals that were in danger of dying out, including peregrine falcons.

Today, more than 2,000 pairs of falcons nest nationwide, including at least 20 couples in New York City. The first two falcon pairs moved to the city in 1983.

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Big Birds, Big City

Peregrine falcons usually nest on high cliffs. In and around Manhattan, though, the birds have built nests on bridge girders, church steeples, and tall buildings. Peregrine falcons seem to like New York City, according to biologist Chris Nadareski. There are plenty of pigeons and other birds to dine on. Plus, the bridges and skyscrapers provide high, open perches, similar to the perches on cliffs. Bird-watchers and bridge workers monitor the falcons with web cameras.

In 2005, a 10-week-old peregrine falcon left its nest too soon and crash-landed on a street beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. A falconer gave the dazed bird a clean bill of health and released it.

Eagle Eye

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Biologists moved four bald eagles from Wisconsin to New York City.

Bald eagles can also be seen in New York City now. In the early 1700s, the birds were a common sight in and around New York. But egg collectors and pesticides almost destroyed the entire bald eagle population in the United States.

In 2004, biologists took two male and two female eaglets from northern Wisconsin to Manhattan. The scientists built a platform for the birds in a tree in northern Manhattan near the Hudson and Harlem rivers. Biologists brought four more eagles to New York from Wisconsin in 2006. All have been flying near the Hudson River in the Bronx.

The goal of the reintroduction program is to encourage the birds to nest and breed in the region, once again making it their home. To keep watch over the birds, scientists fitted them with radio-tracking devices.

"We're bringing our nation's symbol back to New York," the city's former parks and recreation commissioner, Adrian Benepe, told National Geographic Today.

Birds of a Feather


Big Birds, Big City

Falcon Bald Eagle

Length: 18 to 20 inches Length: 3 feet

Wingspan: 36 to 45 inches

Wingspan: 6 feet to 7 feet

Maximum weight:2 pounds, 11 ounces (Females are about one-third larger than males.)

Maximum weight:Females can weigh up to 14 pounds. Males can weigh up to 10 pounds.

Food: other birdsFood: mostly fish, but sometimes snakes and small birds

Life span: 10 to 12 years Life span: 30 years

Did you know?A falcon's eyesight is eight times more powerful than a human's eyesight.

Did you know?The bald eagle can see more than a mile away.


Big Birds, Big City - Compare & Contrast Questions

Name: ___________________________________ Date: _______________

1. One thing the falcon and the eagle have in common is that both species

A. are about 5 feet long.

B. are slow fliers.

C. were almost made extinct by pesticides.

D. have recently moved away from New York City.

2. The eagle is __________________ than the peregrine falcon.

A. significantly larger.

B. slightly larger.

C. significantly smaller.

D. slightly smaller.

3. Neither the falcon nor the eagle would be likely to build a nest

A. on a high bridge tower.

B. under a bush.

C. in a tall pine tree.

D. outside a 15th-storey window.

4. Based on the text, what most likely contributed to the increase of the peregrine

falcon's population?

A. increase of New York City skyscrapers

B. exposure to DDT

C. increase of the bald eagle population

D. the government ban of DDT

5. What is the goal of the bald eagle reintroduction program in New York City?

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The Homework Hubbub

The Homework Hubbub

Students are spending more time studying at home, but is that a good thing?Homework is on the rise! Nine- to twelve-year-olds are spending 20 percent more time studying at home than they spent in 1997, according to a recent study from the University of Maryland. "Kids spend an average of 50 minutes to 75 minutes studying every day," says the study's author, Sandra L. Hofferth.

But is taking schoolwork home a good thing? Two recent books have education experts asking, is homework helpful?


The Homework Hubbub

In their new book, The Case Against Homework, writers Nancy Kalish and Sara Bennett write that homework keeps kids from participating in school sports and other after-school programs. "It's the youngest kids who seem to be getting the most homework," Bennett told WR News, "and they're the least ready to do it."

Alfie Kohn, the author of The Homework Myth, told WR News that "no scientific studies have shown that kids benefit in any way from homework before high school." Kohn thinks that too much homework can take the fun out of learning.

Many education officials say homework is good for learning. "It's important [for kids] to get used to doing homework," Harris Cooper of Duke University told WR News. Cooper is one of the country's leading researchers on homework. He says practicing homework now will help kids in high school. Cooper suggests that students should expect to do 40 minutes of homework each day.

Many teachers see the value of homework as well. "I think homework is helpful to most kids. It gives them more responsibility," fourth-grade teacher Pepper Schrock of Orlando, Florida, told WR News. "I try to give meaningful projects as homework."


The Homework Hubbub - Compare & Contrast Questions

Name: ___________________________________ Date: _______________

1. Compared to 1997, students in 2006 do

A. 20% less homework.

B. 50% less homework.

C. 20% more homework.

D. 50% more homework.

2. In contrast to Nancy Kalish, Sara Bennett, and Alfie Kohn who believe there are

negative effects to having too much homework, Harris Cooper states that

A. homework takes away kids' sense of responsibility

B. homework makes learning fun

C. practicing homework in grade school will help kids in high school.

D. homework cannot be meaningful.

3. Authors critical of homework argue that

A. too much homework can take the fun out of learning.

B. studies show no benefit from homework before high school.

C. homework keeps kids from participating in after-school sports.

D. all of the above.

4. In the passage the author seems to

A. support kids having lots of homework.

B. provide information from both sides of the argument.

C. not support kids having lots of homework.

D. support home-schooling.

5. What is your opinion about homework? Explain.

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