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Lesson 9

We will determine the meaning of unknown words, and we will develop strategies for determining when to use a vocabulary strategy.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I determine the meaning of unknown words based on context from “A Quilt of a Country”?

  • Can I use another strategy besides context to determine the meaning of unknown words to use for future reading?

Texts

Core

  • Unit Reader
    • “A Quilt of a Country,” Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, 2001

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Write

We will determine the meaning of Unknown words that cannot be defined by contextual information (context clues).

In a text, there will often be unknown words or phrases. Often, readers use context (other words near the unknown word that provide clues or a definition) to determine the meaning of the unknown word.

Sometimes, there is not enough context to determine the meaning of an unknown word, so the reader has to use another strategy: examining the prefix, suffix, or root; consulting a reference such as a dictionary; or using an online tool such as Google.

Respond to the following question:

  1. How do you know when to use context clues and when to use another strategy to determine the meaning of an unknown word?

The following vocabulary words do not have enough context in the passage to determine their meaning, so your teacher will define them for you. Add each of the words and their definitions to your Vocabulary Journal. You can find them on the unit’s Vocabulary List.

  • striving bigotry

  • conundrum

  • bemoan,

  • ascendancy

  • clinging

  • apartheid

  • gilded

  • quaint

  • incendiary

  • ghettos

  • fisticuffs

  • communism

Activity 2: Read – Write

We will determine the meaning of Unknown words that can be defined by contextual information (context clues).

The vocabulary words found below have enough context in the passage to determine the meaning.

Work with a partner to determine from context the meaning of unknown words:

  • disparate

  • discordant

  • chauffeur

Use context by referring to the sentences directly above and below the unknown words. Ask yourself the following questions from the Vocabulary in Context Tool to help you determine the meaning of the vocabulary words:

  1. Are there any metaphors the author uses to help determine the meaning of the word?

  2. Does the author use any contrasting language (e.g., but, however, yet, nevertheless, despite, sometimes) to show an exception?

  3. Does the author use any words that add an additional example (e.g., and, again, and then, next, in addition)? What does the sentence mean before the word in question?

  4. What does the sentence mean after the word in question? Does the word have a root word?

  5. Do I understand what the root word means?

  6. Does the word use any prefixes or suffixes that can give clues to the word’s meaning?

  7. Does the author use any words to indicate synonyms (i.e., words that mean the same thing as the unknown word) near the word in question?

  8. Does the punctuation help me determine the meaning of the word in question?

Annotate or highlight the contextual clues you used to determine the meaning of the unknown words. Add the words and their definitions to your Vocabulary Journal.

Activity 3: Read – Write

We will determine when to use context clues and when to use another strategy to determine the meaning of an Unknown word in a text.

Some of the vocabulary words below have enough context to determine the meaning; some of them do not have enough context.

Respond to the following question:

  1. How will you know when to use context clues and when to try another strategy?

Work with a partner to determine the meaning of the following words:

  • bemoan

  • clinging

  • coexist

  • incendiary

  • vexing

Some of these words’ definitions can be figured out by context clues; others cannot. You might use the Vocabulary in Context Tools to assist you.

Discuss each word and strategy you will use to determine the meaning. Proceed with the following:

  • Use context clues to determine the meaning of words that have enough context in the passage to provide the meaning.

  • Use another strategy for the words that do not have context clues.

Add the words and their definitions to your Vocabulary Journal.

Next to each word, note whether you used context or another strategy to determine the meaning of the unknown word.

Finally, respond to the following question:

  1. How do you know your definition is right?

Activity 4: Discuss

We will discuss what vocabulary strategies to use when reading texts with Unknown vocabulary words in the Future.

Reflect and discuss the following questions:

  1. How do you know when to use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown vocabulary words?

  2. What strategies will you use the next time you are reading and do not know the meaning of some of the words?