Lesson 1

"Contex Clues"

 

Bell Ringer:

 

 

Can you tell the ralation between the two pictures above?

 

PA Standard addressed: 1.1/1.3

 

(?) Essential question:

How do you use "contex clues" to decode unknown words?

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(!) Activity Strategy:

Discuss the following questions with the students:

1) The students will be able to describe what a detective is

2) The students will be able to anali zewhat a job of a detective is

3)The students will discuss how reading is like detective work

 

</> Procedure:

1) Explain to the students that often times when we read, we have to be like a detective. Sometimes we all have trouble figuring out a word or sometimes the meaning of a word. Today we are going to learn a strategy that could help us figure out words when we are stuck.

2) Read a paragraph on page 9 of the first Harry Potter book. Model reading this paragraph and when you come to a word that you get stuck on "bleep it out" (leave it out) and continue reading until you come to the end of the sentence. Model this by using the word "rummaging". Use an overhead projector during this activity so the students can find it easier to visualize what you are doing. Circle the clues and make a list of possible words on the side that might fit in the blank. Model this by saying "Ask yourself what word would make sence?" Giving the clues we are using "contex clues" to help us figure out the word.

 

(=) Exampling together:

Do a few more examples together, Have the children come up to the overhead and circle clues for each example that we do together.

 

:) Playing a "Contex Clue" game:

First hand out detective name tags so the students can pretend to be a detective. Next, get all the materials needed to get your game started. Explain to the students the instructions on how to play this game. The students will be eager to play this educational game. The students will complete this "cloze" activity while playing this game. A cloze activity is an activity where you give the students a paragraph in a story and you leave blanks throughout the passage and the children will need to try and figure out which words belong in the blanks.

 

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THE GAME:

* Pratice reading by bleeping at the blank and proceed on reading to the end of the sentense.

* Circle the words in the paragraph that will help discover the word and/or its meaning.

* Students will need to list two words in the right column what they think the word might be.

* At the end, we will come back and discuss which words fits in the blanks.

* We then will roll the dice and which ever pair of students get the words in the blanks correct gets that number of points.

 

{+} Summary:

Everyone reforms into a group and they all will share their finding and we will tally up all our points that we earned.

 

@ Assessment:

Teacher observation, conference with the students during reading workshops to see if they are using this reading strategywhen they "get stuck" on a word. Give an individual "cloze" activity on the students reading level to complete independently.

 

Web quest: http://www.pampetty.com/persuasive.htm

New York Times : http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/18/edlife/EDPARENTT.html