Vocabulary
V.043
Words in Context
Looking for Meaning
Objective
The student will use strategies to identify the meaning of words in context.
Materials
Text
Choose text within students’ instructional-independent reading level range.
Copy and attach to the student sheet.
Student sheet (Activity Master V.043.SS)
Provide students with multiple sheets, if necessary.
References (e.g., dictionary or glossary)
Optional: Provide students with a Word Winner bookmark (Activity Master V.044.AM1).
Pencil
Activity
Students determine the meanings of unfamiliar or unknown words and rewrite sentences
to demonstrate understanding.
1. Provide the student with a copy of the text, a student sheet, and references.
2. The student reads the text silently and thinks about the meaning.
3. Rereads the text and underlines unfamiliar words.
4. Writes the underlined words on the student sheet.
5. Writes the meaning of each word by using context clues, word parts (affixes and roots),
and references.
6. Rewrites sentences containing the unfamiliar words by using the learned meanings.
7. Continues until all unfamiliar words are defined and used in rewriting original sentences.
8. Teacher evaluation
located
Sentence
rmous house
He lived inside an eno
to a river.
that was located next
ing
Looking for Mean
situated
Meaning
Name
Reading Research
Center for
2007 The Florida
Unknown Word
Feline Flees
V.043.SS
y
: Vocabular
Center Activities
4-5 Student
Sam was an ora
nge, fat feline.
He lived inside
house that was
an enormous
situated next to
a river. Everyday,
chair and gaz
Sam lounged
ed out the win
in a
dow. His desire
play. But Sam’s
was to go outside
owner, Matt, nev
and
er
allo
wed him to go
looked out the
outside. As Sam
window, he day
dreamed abo
outside to play.
ut
bei
ng able to go
Through the win
dow, he watche
fly in the air, and
d the river flow
rabbits run thro
, birds
ugh the yard.
chair and think
He would relax
about the day
in the
whe
n he could go
he would contrive
outside. He dec
a way to get out
ided
side. He was sure
more fun outside
he would have
than sitting on
a chair inside.
The next day, Sam
waited patient
ly by the door
Matt was getting
when he was sure
ready to leave.
Sam knew tha
up the car key
t when Matt pic
s, he had to ma
ked
ke his move! He
waited. Matt pic
sat by the doo
ked up his car
r and
keys, moved tow
the doorknob
ard the door, turn
and opened the
ed
doo
r. At that same
out of the house.
instant, Sam bol
Sam was finally
ted
free! He ran as
was finally goi
fast as he cou
ng to be able
ld.
He
to
pur
sue the birds and
in the grass bes
rabbits and sit
ide the river. Sud
denly, something
running. He had
made Sam stop
to suddenly stop
or else he wou
ld run into the
garage
Extensions and Adaptations
Discuss the meaning of the text with a partner.
Write a summary of the text using the learned words.
4-5 Student Center Activities: Vocabulary
2007 The Florida Center for Reading Research
Name
V.043.SS
Unknown Word
Meaning
Sentence
Looking for Meaning
2007 The Florida Center for Reading Research
4-5 Student Center Activities: Vocabulary