Using Clues for Unknown Vocabulary

Common Types of  Clues to the Meaning of Unknown Vocabulary

• Root words, prefixes, suffixes:  People who study birds are experts in ornithology.
•   -- The word part "-ology" means "study of."  The word part "ornith" means bird or birds.

• Similar to known words:   John's father made a sagacious comment.  (I've heard the word "sage" before, meaning a very wise person.  I will assume for now that John's father made a wise comment.  

• Grammar (Part of Speech): Many birds migrate twice each year.
• "Migrate" is being used as a verb, so it's something that the birds do.

• Contrast/Antonyms: Unlike mammals, birds incubate their eggs outside their bodies.

• Logic: Birds are always on the lookout for predators that might harm their young.
• What sort of things might harm their young?  "Predator" might mean something trying to harm something else.  I can also think of the word "prey."  Maybe a predator is the one looking for "prey,' something to kill and eat. 

• Definition: Frugivorous birds prefer eating fruit to any other kind of food.
• Wow!  It gave me the definition right in the sentence.  

• Example or illustration: Some birds like to build their nests in inconspicuous spots — high up in the tops of trees, well hidden by leaves.
• So an inconspicuous spot is one that's not easy to see. 
• Or I might know that if something is conspicuous, people will be looking at it,  so "inconspicuous"  might be the opposite of conspicuous.  
• Synonyms:  Some birds like to build their nests in inconspicuous spots, concealed spots.  

You can also use reference materials to look up the word. 
Or you could ask someone who might know. 

More examples: 

Synonyms:  His worst infraction, breaking the rules,  happened just yesterday.

Antonym: Littering is an infraction.  Instead of littering, we need to obey the rules. 

Example:  She committed an infraction at school by throwing snowballs at recess. 

Definition:  Littering is an infraction, a violation of the law. 

https://www.visualthesaurus.com/

http://www.ldonline.org/article/61511/

http://www.translationdirectory.com/article863.htm

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Announcements and Reminders:                            Have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year!

Targets for Today: I can read and summarize a story.  I can scan for words in text. I can recognize parts of  speech.

Today’s  Agenda: With a partner, get a Chromebook.     Go to Canvas, and find the Christmas Assignment.  Read the directions.  Go to the site linked there.  Select a story.  Read it together or on your own.  Complete the worksheet for summarizing.  Hand in the worksheet for a bit of extra credit.  https://americanliterature.com/christmas 2.  Do one or two color by verb papers, and/or work on the word search for your class.

If You Were Absent:

Vocabulary:

Help and Enrichment  Christmas Stories https://familychristmasonline.com/stories_other/shaefer/stubby_pringles_christmas.htm https://medium.com/the-mission/the-30-best-christmas-books-of-all-time-c492c468051b https://soundcloud.com/harpercollinspublishers/letters-from-father-christmas Christmas Mood: fireplace:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4f9QF0SGuQ And just for fun:  http://wacky.pomnitz.net/funny-stuff/wacky-interactive/snowglobe.htm

Monday, December 17, 2018

Announcements and Reminders:                            Announcements and Reminders:           Plan to hand in your unused hall passes today if you haven't already. Our Readathon is today!!!  September 26  Read-a-thon!  Bring treats, pillow to sit on,  blanket,  if you wish.  Make a note for yourself to bring treats!

Targets for Today: I can show that I have reading stamina!!

Today’s  Agenda: Pick up your folder from the black crate. Hand in your unused hall passes.  Today by the end of class you will hand in your unused hall passes, and your protective page covers and passages.  Final rounds of reading partner fluency practice. Readathon! [If you did not take the final last time, you may take it during the Readathon today.] 1.  One more round of partner fluency!    Complete partner fluency and record on your graph.   Turn in your unused hall passes.  Turn in your reading fluency passages -- left in the page protector.  Place your page protector and all fluency passages in the box provided. You may take or recycle your folder.     3. Readathon! with occasional breaks This is your brain on books! Today is our Readathon! If you want to bring treats, don't forget!  3.   Readathon -- not a talkathon!               You will be quietly reading MOST of the time.  You may sit ALMOST anywhere you want -- including sitting on the floor,    however, the teacher reserves the right to place you in a seat of her choosing     if you are not on task -- reading!  You may read your choice of materials.  Enjoy treats, but be careful not to make a mess, and do clean up after yourself.   * * * * * * * * * * * * If you have not taken -- or if I have contacted you to retake -- the final tests,  you will do that today during the Readathon.   I will assign you a place to sit while you test.  You may get out your treats and books once we begin the readathon.   [If you were not here last time, take the test today.  Final Test with CRAAP Retake and mnemonics test    Be able to apply the strategies from your BICUM Brochure to reading an article provided by the teacher.  Staple them together, and hand in your tests and your brochures. ] Give yourself a pat on the back for all you've accomplished in this class! Readathon -- with certain breaks Reagan Belle Studio C Flash Mob Possible breaks for. . . . .  Hamildolph  Greatest Snowman Brian Regan? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou4yaF-gACs Studio C https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mR8-loJNpU  Junior High https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHmH5oEpNVc  Save Will  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ-VnHbX180  Mad Scientist/Sports https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KmXPcSxz2g   Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Watch-a-Florida-Middle-Schools-Reading-Flash-Mob-Video

If You Were Absent:

Vocabulary:

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Help and Enrichment

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Announcements and Reminders:                            December 13 --  Final Test --                               Turn in your completed BICUM Brochure December 17 --Readathon and Test make-up, if needed               Bring treats, if you wish, to the Readathon.  December 17 Read-a-thon!  Bring treats, pillow to sit on,  blanket,  if you wish.  Make a note for yourself to bring treats!        Remember to be studying the words and meanings for the CRAAP Test,  the topics of the Bill of Rights, and the First Ten Presidents of the United States.    You will use your BICUM Brochure as you apply the strategies to a specific article.           If you need to redo your brochure, you can find the information at https://cavereading.blogspot.com/p/mind-map-for-lewis-and-clark-expedition.html

Targets for Today: I can read for enjoyment.  I can apply the BICUM strategies to reading an article.   I can show that I know how to use mnemonics and other strategies to memorizing sets of information.

Today’s  Agenda: Pick up a book to read and your brochure. Take the Final Test.  Use the rest of the time to read your choice of materials.

If You Were Absent:

Vocabulary: C = Currency --  How up-to-date is it?      R = Relevance -- Is it what I need or want?  Does it help me? A = Authority --    Who wrote or published this?    What makes them an expert? A = Accuracy --  Is the information correct? Can you verify it in more than one place? P = Purpose --   Why did they create this?   to inform or teach?   to persuade?   to sell?   to entertain?          and How biased is it?    If you're dying to watch the music video we watched in the media center, here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ8ajc5FrT8

Help and Enrichment  Our Mini-Field-Trip:  George Washington   (Counseling office -- picture the counselors washing a ton of clothes) John Adams       (Financial office -- picture Mrs. Cleveland adding up money -- she add'ems) Thomas Jefferson    (Attendance office -- A man named Jeff is picking up his son.) James Madison    (Main office -- A man is  mad at his son because the son was sent to the office.) James Monroe  (Commons area -- a mon/man is rowing a rowboat across the commons.) John Q. Adams  (Math wing --  Your math teacher add'ems up the numbers.) Andrew Jackson   (Doors out of the math wing -- You are playing jacks with Jack's son.) Martin VanBuren   (The windows of the principal's office -- You turn around and see a suspicious van in the parking lot.) William H. Harrison  (The caveman mural -- A caveman would have a hairy son.) John Tyler  (Near Mr. Moon's and Mr. Houle's classrooms --They sometimes wear ties.)   Peg System: 1. Bun – Picture a bun wrapping about the first amendment:  "Speakin' of freedoms, oh what could they be Freedom of Religion and Assembly, Freedom of Petition and Freedom of Press, Freedom of Speech, now don't distress." 2. Shoe – Picture a Bear wearing shoes – The right to bear arms. 3. Tree – It’s a quarter tree – You don’t have to quarter soldiers. 4. Door – You don’t have to let them in unless they have a valid search warrant. Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. 5. Hive --  Bees are buzzing in your ears saying, “Tell us what you did!  Admit you’re guilty!” Freedom from self-incrimination (due process of law) -- You don't have to testify against yourself.  6.  Sticks – Chasing the judge with sticks demanding the right to a speedy trial. 7. Heaven – Picture a jury box full of jurors up on a cloud (in heaven).  This is the right to a trial by jury. 8. Gate – It would be cruel and unusual for someone to slam a person’s hand in a gate. This amendment protects us from cruel and unusual punishment. 9. Line – Stand in the RIGHT line to get your Individual RIGHTS. Many individuals would be standing there. 10.  Hen – Picture the Governor standing on the Capitol steps holding a hen, demandingSTATES RIGHTS.

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