Thursday, 8/29/13Vocabulary Assignment #1Entryways Ch. 3: Context CluesEntryways Ch. 4: DictionarySummarizing – Using Drive Ch. 1Introduction to Literature Circle

Vocabulary Assignment #1 Do one of two things for your words:

Write the definition/part of speech or Write one of your sentences.

Please do not duplicate!! Questions on the words?

While reading “Brainology” did you come across these words? Did it help you with the reading?

Review Reading with a Purpose How difficult did you find the article? Did the above strategy help you better

understand the article?

Attending college means dealing with changes in our life. You may…

Have just graduated from high school Be coming back to school after several

years Be raising a family Living with your parents Live five minutes away from PC

Attending college means dealing with changes in our life. You may…

Live in Terra Bella, Strathmore, Lindsay, or even Visalia

Are looking for a change to do something different

Are planning to transfer to a CSU, UC or private university

Want to obtain an AA

How long have you been attending college?

What have you had to change in your personal and professional lives as a result of being in college?

What do all college students have in common?

All students have unique skills that have already been developed in your lives. You will apply these skills in new situations.

What are some of the different types of texts we might encounter in our academic careers?

Textbooks Internet sources Novels

One of the adjustments, or changes you encounter in college is having to read more.

One key element to navigating textbooks, journals, newspapers, and other forms of academic reading is identifying and defining important vocabulary terms.

Context Clues – You be the detective.This chapter will introduce “context clues” which will help you figure out the meaning of certain words.

Vocabulary in Context Why do we have a chapter on vocabulary? There is a direct link between reading

comprehension and a reader’s vocabulary. To get meaning from what they read,

successful readers need both a great many words in their vocabularies and the ability to use various strategies to establish the meanings of new words when they encounter them.

Context Clues What do you do when you come across a

word that you do not know the meaning of? Do you skip the word Ask someone else what it means? Look it up in the dictionary?

The dictionary would be the logical choice, but what if you are doing an in-class assignment and forgot your dictionary?

Authors and Context Clues Writers and authors often include words or phrases to help

their readers understand the meaning of a new or difficult word.

As a reader you often need to act similar to a detective and put together clues from sentences surrounding an unknown word.

You make an intelligent “guess” as to what the definition of a word is without having to look up the word in the dictionary.

Using context clues will help you by saving you time when reading adding to your vocabulary

Context Clues Do you know the meaning of the word

consolidate? Look at the cartoon on the next page

and see if the context—the words surrounding the unfamiliar word—helps you figure out the meaning of the word.

What does consolidate mean?

a. separate b. cancelc. combine into one

Frank and Ernest are seeking to combine all their small debts into “one giant nightmare” of a loan.

The context tells you that consolidate means “combine into one.”

Let’s look at the word “conifer” Do you know what it means? Let’s look at this word in different sentences. Fifty conifers were delivered to the front door. She opened the package and then planted the 50

conifers. She planted the 50 conifers along the edge of her

property, each about 15 feet apart, and hoped they would grow larger to eventually block the wind.

When the conifers were about 6 feet tall, she planned to cut one down in December, bring it into her house, and decorate it with lights and ornaments.

Context CluesThere are five types of context clues

1. Definition or Synonym2. Contrast or Antonym3. Examples4. General Sense of the Sentence5. Information from Another

Sentence

Definition or SynonymWhat is a synonym?A synonym is a word that means

the same—or almost the same—as another word.

Sometimes you can determine the meaning of a word by finding its synonym in the sentence.

Which words in this cartoon help you understand what humiliate means?

The words “I feel worthless enough already” help you understand that humiliate means “to make feel ashamed.”

Synonyms & Definitions Watch for words that indicate that you

are being given a definition, such as defined as, means, is known as, the term is called.

Watch for synonyms, words that mean the same thing, such as big and large.

Contrast & AntonymWhat is an antonym?A word that means the opposite of

another word. Which word in the cartoon is an

antonym of “overwhelmed?”

Contrast Words that signal contrast

On the other hand In contrast However But Yet Instead Even though Unlike Although

ExamplesA sentence may contain an example

or examples of an unfamiliar word.Examples are probably the most

direct type of context clue.The author uses a word and then

gives an example that describes or explains it.

Example Context CluesAuthors will often use signal

words to let the reader know that an example is coming.For exampleFor instanceSuch asTo illustrate

Look at the cartoon and see if the examples help you understand the meaning of the word commitment.

Commitment means

A. a promise to do somethingB. an opinion about something C. an opportunity for something

The cartoon gives three examples of commitment: a 30-year mortgage, a 5-year car lease, and a lifetime gym membership. These examples help you understand that commitment means “a promise to do something.”

General Sense of the Sentence With context clues, the author usually

provides the meaning of a word with other words that surround that particular word.

However, sometimes you need to look carefully at the entire sentence in which an unfamiliar word appears to figure out the meaning of the word.

There may be clues within the sentence that help you figure out the word.

How does this cartoon about a job interview help you understand what the word impressive means?

The glowing reference (from the job applicant’s mother!) helps you realize that impressive means “very favorable.”

Information From Another Sentence Oftentimes we will need to look at the next

sentence in order to figure out an unknown word.

Sometimes authors include information in another sentence in the paragraph that allows readers to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

Therefore, it is a good idea to keep reading when you come across a word you do not know.

Information from Another Sentence There has always been controversy over

euthanasia. Opponents argue that doctor-assisted suicide is immoral.

What do you think euthanasia means? Doctor-assisted suicide.

Is it 12:50? If so, let’s take a 5-minute break, and when we come back, we will review what we have learned.

What is a context clue?a. An interesting word that authors like to

put in their stories.b. Word or words surrounding an

unknown word that give a clue to the meaning of the word.

c. A context clue is not a synonym or an antonym

What does a contrast or antonym context clue do?a. It give a clue that is difficult to figure

out.b. It gives a word that is the opposite

mean of the word in question.c. It is the same thing as a synonym.

What is a definition/synonym context clue?

a. A synonym context clue is a word that is similar or the same of the word in question. Or the definition is given.

b. A synonym context clue is the same thing as an antonym context clue.

c. Synonyms are not used as context clues.

General Sense of the Sentence Context Clues…a. give a general definition of the word.b. are more difficult to understand;

therefore, you must read the passage very carefully.

c. provide the topic of the sentence.

An example context cluea. Is when in which you have to figure out

what the definition is.b. Is when the author provides examples

of what the word means.c. Is the same thing as a definition

context clue.

Martin had acted in a juvenile manner. Yelling, screaming, and calling the bank teller names had been childish and immature.

Juvenile means: A. childish. B. serious. C. noticeable.

Which words are the context clues?a. Actedb. Had beenc. Immature

Martin had acted in a juvenile manner. Yelling, screaming, and calling the bank teller names had been childish and immature.

What type of context clue is used in the above sentence?

a. Synonymb. Antonymc. Exampled. General sense of the sentence

When I was sick with the flu, my favorite spicy foods looked awful to me; all I wanted was bland foods such as broth and toast.

Bland means: A. fattening. B. dull. C. expensive

Which word(s) are the context clues?a. sick, flub. Spicy foodsc. Broth and toast

What type of context clue is used in this sentence?When I was sick with the flu, my favorite spicy foods looked awful to me; all I wanted was bland foods such as broth and toast.a. Definition/Synonymb. Antonymc. Exampled. General sense of the passage

In the “Coca Cola” case, Sarah Jones pled guilty Friday to the extreme crime of computer crime and identity theft while her mother, Carrie Jones, pled guilty to the lesser charge of computer crime.Extreme means:a. great in degree b. moderate c. ridiculous

What type of context clue is used & which word(s) are the clues?

b. Definition/Synonym-crimec. Contrast/Antonym-lesser d. Example-computer crimee. General sense of the sentence-the entire

sentence.

When it comes to flying saucers, most scientists are skeptics—they question why no spaceships have ever landed in public places.Skeptics means:A. supporters B. doubters C. victims.What type of context clue is used?a. Synonym or definitionb. Antonym/contrastc. Exampled. General sense of the sentence

What makes sense to you might be foreign to someone else. You cannot assume that what is clear to you will also be clear to your audience.

What type of context clue is being used? Information from another sentence.

Time permitting Context Clues Practice

SummarizingUsing Drive Ch. 1

Summarizing When we summarize a text, we focus on

figuring the big ideas and condensing the information provided in the text. Summarizing is a critical skill for both readers and writers because it not only helps us understand the main ideas, but also helps us explain the text in writing to those who have not read it

Summarizing During the last hour of class (unless time

permits earlier), we will read the first chapter of Drive. (Distribute assignment)

While you read, keep track of any information you might need to summarize what you think the author is trying to communicate to you.

Reread and review your notes, then write a one-page summary of the text. Your summary should be written so that someone who has not read this text can understand the main idea.

The Literature Circle

The Literature Circle Distribute We will have two different circles. You will choose from one of three books:

Freedom Writers Diary The Happiness Project The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

You may purchase your book on line. (They are not sold in the bookstore.)

The Literature Circle The first literature circle will start on

9/10/13. Next Thursday I will give you a sign-up sheet for the books. You will put your books in preference order. The second literature circle will start week 9, and you will do this circle with Mrs. Long.

Let me tell you just a little about each book.

Freedom Writers Diary As an idealistic twenty-three-year-old English teacher at Wilson

High School in Long beach, California, Erin Gruwell confronted a room of “unteachable, at-risk” students. One day she intercepted a note with an ugly racial caricature, and angrily declared that this was precisely the sort of thing that led to the Holocaust—only to be met by uncomprehending looks. So she and her students, using the treasured books Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl and Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo as their guides, undertook a life-changing, eye-opening, spirit-raising odyssey against intolerance and misunderstanding. They learned to see the parallels in these books to their own lives, recording their thoughts and feelings in diaries and dubbing themselves the “Freedom Writers” in homage to the civil rights activists “The Freedom Riders.”

Author: Erin Gruwell

The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game One day Michael Oher will be among the most highly paid

athletes in the National Football League. When we first meet him, he is one of thirteen children by a mother addicted to crack; he does not know his real name, his father, his birthday, or how to read or write. He takes up football, and school, after a rich, white, evangelical family plucks him from the streets. Then two great forces alter Oher: the family's love and the evolution of professional football itself into a game in which the quarterback must be protected at any cost. Our protagonist becomes the priceless package of size, speed, and agility necessary to guard the quarterback's greatest vulnerability: his blind side.

This is an autobiography (nonfiction) by Michael Oher.

The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the

unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.

In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.

Also nonfiction by Gretchen Rubin.

The Literature Circle There will be five people in each group. I

am going to assign groups alphabetically. Once I have done this, please get into

your groups and nominate a “coordinator” of the group.

The Literature Circle will meet every two weeks.

During this time, you will read the assigned pages and complete your “role.”

Literature Circle At each Literature Circle meeting, you

will present to your group. Also, one person from each group will

present to the entire class.

For next week If you don’t finish in class, complete the

Drive Ch. 1 summary assignment. Entryways Ch. 4: Chapter Check page

93, review exercises pp. 94-98. Read Drive Chapter 4.