SUCCESS ACADEMY
Language Arts/Reading
10th GRADE
Teacher Packet/
Answer Key
TUTORING SESSION 1
Focus Lesson: Word Meanings and Main
Idea
Mini-Lesson passage: “Kofi
Annan Wins Nobel Peace Prize”
Instructional Passage: The Lute
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA
Perla Tabares Hantman, Chair
Dr. Lawrence S. Feldman, Vice Chair
Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall
Carlos L. Curbelo
Renier Diaz de la Portilla
Dr. Wilbert “Tee” Holloway
Dr. Martin Karp
Dr. Marta Pérez
Raquel A. Regalado
Alexandra Garfinkle
Student Advisor
Alberto M. Carvalho
Superintendent of Schools
Milagros R. Fornell
Associate Superintendent
Curriculum and Instruction
Dr. Maria P. de Armas
Assistant Superintendent
Curriculum and Instruction, K-12 Core
Karen Spigler
Administrative Director
Division of Language Arts/Reading
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
Session 1
Reporting Category 1: Vocabulary
LA.910.1.6.3 – use context clues to determine meanings of new words
Target Lesson 1: Words in Context
Objective: Students will use strategies to develop grade appropriate vocabulary.
Discuss with students how they will build their vocabulary by identifying signal words
that provide clues to word/phrase relationships and their meanings.
Teacher
Define: context clues - words, phrases or sentences around an unfamiliar word that
provide clues to the word’s meaning.
Teach basic kinds of context clues. Write the sentence on the board or overhead.
Provide students with a sample for each type of clue.
Restatement Signal Words – words or phrases such as in other words and that is can
signal the meaning.
EXAMPLE: The umpire treated every player in an exacting manner; that is, he was stern
and uncompromising with them.
EXPLANATION: From the context, readers can tell that exacting means “stern and
uncompromising.” The phrase that is signals that the words stern and uncompromising
restate the meaning of the word.
Contrast Signal Words – words or phrases such as but, by contrast, or although indicate
that an unfamiliar word contrasts with another word in the passage.
EXAMPLE: Jose was disdainful of the new homework policy, but his friend found it
invigorating and inspiring.
EXPLANATION: From the context, readers can tell that disdainful means “scornful”,
“tedious” or “contemptuous.” The word but signals that disdainful contrasts with the
words invigorating and inspiring.
Definition/Explanation Clues – a sentence may actually define or explain an unfamiliar
word by using commas, hyphens, or parenthesis to signal the meaning of the word.
EXAMPLE: The ancient Egyptians used natron, a hydrated mineral, to dry the corpse
during the mummification process.
EXPLANATION: From the context, readers can tell that natron means “a hydrated
mineral” or salt. The commas signal the meaning of the word.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
Student Practice
Have students work in pairs to determine word meaning and signal words.
1. Many types of fauna, for example the Burmese python, the Yellow anaconda, and
the boa constrictor have invaded Everglades National Park.
ANSWER: From the context, readers can tell that examples of fauna include
pythons, anacondas, and constrictors.
SYNONYMS: animals of a given region or location; a group of animals
common to an area; creature; beast.
2. The police officer was judiciously protected by two fellow officers, but the suspect
was imprudently and unwisely alone.
ANSWER: From the context, readers can tell that the word but signals that
judiciously contrasts with the words imprudently and unwisely.
SYNONYMS: practical; discreet, prudent, exercising, or characterized by good or
discriminating judgment; wise, sensible, or well-advised.
3.
The king and his old guard were accused of rampant corruption and nepotism
(favoritism), when he appointed his nephew ambassador.
ANSWER: From the context, readers can tell that nepotism is defined within the
parenthesis.
SYNONYMS: favoritism; bias; patronage bestowed on the basis of family
relationship; discrimination; inequity, one-sidedness; preference.
4. The newspaper’s incredulous advertisement stated that the new eco-friendly air
cooler would reduce electric bills by 96% and reduce carbon emissions by 78%.
ANSWER: From the context, readers can tell that examples of incredulous ads
include claims of reduced electric bills and reduced carbon emissions.
SYNONYMS: disbelieving, distrusting, skeptical, unbelieving; not credulous;
disinclined or indisposed to believe; showing unbelief.
5. Bella is a typical belligerent character, that is, she is strong and quarrelsome.
ANSWER: From the context, readers can tell that the phrase that is signals that
the words strong and quarrelsome restate the meaning of the word.
SYNONYMS: hostile; pugnacious; warlike; aggressive; combative; contentious.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
Reporting Category 2: Reading Application
LA.910.1.7.3 – determine the main idea or essential message in grade level or
higher texts through inferring, paraphrasing, summarizing, and identifying
relevant details
Target Lesson 2:
Objective: Students will identify and compare elements of nonfiction text to determine
the main idea.
A main idea is a statement that expresses concisely, but completely, what the passage is
about. Supporting information includes details, examples and reasons. Each piece of
information is, by itself, not as important as the whole idea, or essential message of the
passage.
While reading, ask yourself the question, “What is the author saying about these ideas or
details?”
Remember that sometimes the main idea is implied rather than stated directly; you may have
to infer what the main idea is.
Discuss with students how they find main idea and supporting details that support the
central idea of a selection. Students should understand that often the main idea is
explicit: the author states the central idea within the text. However, sometimes the
main idea is implicit: that is, the main idea is not stated anywhere within the text and
readers must infer the message from the supporting details. Use the following
examples of both explicit and implicit main idea.
Read the following sample passages. Notice the position of the sentence stating the
main idea.
The main idea is in the first sentence followed by details:
Clara Barton, known as America’s first nurse, was a brave and devoted humanitarian.
While caring for others, she was shot at, got frost bitten fingers, had severe laryngitis
twice burned her hands, and almost lost her eyesight. Yet she continued to care for the
sick and injured until she died at the age of 91.
The main idea is in the middle of the paragraph with details on both sides:
The coral have created a reef where more than 200 kinds of birds and about 1,500 types
of fish live. In fact, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef provides a home for many interesting
animals. These include sea turtles, giant clams, crags, and crown-of-thorn fish.
The main ideas is the last sentence summarizing the details that came before:
Each year Antarctica spends six months in darkness from mid-march to mid-September.
The continent is covered year-round by ice that causes sunlight to reflect off its surface. It
never really warms up. In fact, the coldest temperature ever recorded was in Antarctica.
Antarctica has one of the harshest environments in the world.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
The main idea is not stated in the paragraph and must be inferred from the supporting
details (implicit):
The biggest sea horse ever found was over a foot (45 cm) long. Large sea horses live
along the coasts of New Zealand, Australia, and California. Smaller sea horses live off
the coast of Florida, in the Caribbean Sea, and in the Gulf of Mexico. The smallest adult
sea horse ever found was only one-half inch (1.3 cm) long.
In this example the implied main idea is that sea horses’ sizes vary based on where they
live.
In order to make sense of text, students must be able to find evidence that supports the main idea. The
following are some tips for helping students find key textual evidence when reading:
1. Reread the text, skimming and scanning for important information.
2. Reread the headings and subheadings to determine supporting evidence.
3. Look at the text features and read the captions.
4. Reread the introduction and conclusion.
5. Work with a partner to discuss and find evidence from the text.
Student Practice
Read the following passage: “Kofi Annan Wins Nobel Peace Prize”, with your teacher. After
reading, reread and use the graphic to take notes on the key points and supporting details you
believe to be important in the passage.
Supporting detail
Supporting detail
Main Idea
Supporting detail
Supporting detail
Source: Exploring Nonfiction-Social Studies- Secondary. (2003). Teacher Created materials & TIME
Learning Ventures.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
ANSWER KEY
Supporting detail
Supporting detail
Answers may vary.
Answers may vary.
Nobel Prize began in 1901 to honor
the accomplishments of people who
helped humanity.
Kofi Annan was awarded Nobel Peace
Prize in 2001. He has spent many
years working on peacekeeping
missions and dreams of a more
peaceful world.
Main Idea
Supporting detail
Supporting detail
Kofi Annan worked for World Health
Organization to reduce poverty and
prevent spread of HIV/AIDS.
United Nations was created in 1945 to
work for peace, security, and economic
and social justice for all people.
SAMPLE MAIN IDEA:
The Nobel Prize is a prestigious award given to influential people such as Kofi Annan in
recognition of promoting a more peaceful world.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
FCAT Question Task Card
Create an FCAT type question using the FCAT Task Cards. Write the question on the board.
Select key words from the questions to alert students as to which benchmark the question is
targeting. Ask students to make predictions based on the title of the following passage.
Discuss with students what their knowledge is of cattle and cowboys being in Florida.
HIGH SCHOOL QUESTION TASK CARDS Design questions that require students to identify main idea
and relevant details in a passage. Support answers with details and information from the text.
HIGH SCHOOL QUESTION TASK CARDS
Design questions that require students to find the main idea of the passage. Support answers with
details and information from the text.
(LA.910.1.7.3)
• What is the main idea of this article?
• What would be another good title for the article?
• Based on all the information given, how does each piece
contribute to the idea that_______________?
• Which sentence gives the best summary?
• Which statement best describes the lesson/moral of this story?
• What is the primary topic in the article?
• What is the essential message in the article/story?
What is the central idea of the article?
• What is the main goal of?
RELEVANT SUPPORTING DETAILS
• Which sentence best characterizes‘s attitude toward?
• How does support the idea that?
• How can the reader prove the idea that is the main idea of this text?
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
DIRECTIONS: Read the article “The Lute” and answer the questions in your Student Answer Book.
The Lute
The term “lute” refers to any roughly pear-shaped musical instrument having four to six sets of strings, each
set producing a different pitch. The main parts of this instrument include the belly, which the strings pass
over, the back, which gives the instrument its characteristic shape, and the arms on which the tuning pegs are
located. The major variations use either skin or wood as the belly. The animal skin variety dates back to
prehistoric times (around 5000 B.C.), while the wood-belly type is
more
recent. In its many forms, the lute is the most widely used
instrument in the world.
The lute began as a crude, single-stringed instrument of
communication around 4000 - 5000 B.C. in the Middle East and
As its popularity grew, it began to evolve into a musical
instrument. One of the first cultures to use the lute for what it is
was Egypt. Egyptians modified the primitive form consisting of
one string and created the first multiple stringed wood-bellied lutes
in ceremonies and festivals. These lutes were similar to the present
Japanese instruments, the shamisen and biwa. Throughout the
East the lute evolved into many different forms, the most famous
the Egyptian ’ud, created during the third century A.D.
Africa.
today
only
for use
day
Middle
being
When the Europeans traveled to the Middle East and Asia during the Crusades, they found the lute in wide
use as a musical instrument. They liked its rich sound and took the instrument back with them to Europe,
simplifying the Arabic name, “al’ud,” to “lute.” They fashioned and adapted the Middle Eastern skin and
wooden instruments to fit the purposes of their culture and created the best-known version of the instrument,
the European wood-bellied lute. This lute was immortalized when Medieval and Renaissance minstrels used
it as instrumental accompaniment for their stories and songs.
Later, during the Baroque period, the European lute surpassed even the harpsichord in popularity, and many
composers, including J.S. Bach, wrote musical selections for the instrument. During this time many
extravagant types of lutes were created, some having as many as 12 sets of strings—24 in all! Today, we
know that simple wood-bellied lute in America as the guitar, and the skin-bellied one as the banjo. If it is
hard to recognize a five-thousand-year-old instrument in the humble banjo, it should be easy to see how very
adaptable this instrument is and how easily it has been molded by diverse cultures. If the Middle Eastern and
Asian cultures contributed to its initial design, and Europeans helped it spread beyond its original home.
Nearly every culture has made the instrument its own through unique design, as in the triangular Russian
Balalaika, or exotic materials, as in the armadillo shell instruments of the Charango of South America.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
DIRECTIONS: Read the article “The Lute” and answer questions 1 – 6.
1. Read the sentence below:
Later, during the Baroque period, the European lute surpassed even the harpsichord in popularity, and
many composers, including J. S. Bach, wrote musical selections for the instrument.
What is the meaning of the word surpassed?
A. exceeded
B. resembled
C. eliminated
D. supplemented
2. Which statement BEST states the main idea of this article?
F. The lute has been traced to prehistoric times.
G. The lute was immortalized by singing minstrels.
H. The lute has evolved into a widely used instrument.
J. The lute was originally a single-stringed instrument.
3. What is the author’s purpose for writing the article?
A. to encourage the reader to play the lute
B. to tell the reader of the value of the lute
C. to show the reader the functions of the lute
D. to inform the reader of the history of the lute
4. How would you identify the origins of an antique lute? Use details and information from the article
to support your answer.
Short-Response 2-Point Rubric
Locates, Gathers, Analyzes, and Evaluates Written Information
An example of a top score response would indicate the identification of the shape, materials used,
and number of strings on the antique lute.
5. You are helping a researcher who is trying to document the evolution of the pen. Using the ideas
from the article about lutes, what steps would you use to identify the stages of a pen’s evolution?
Support your answer using details and information from the article.
Short-Response 2-Point Rubric
Real World Task
An example of a top score response would indicate that a researcher would look for the simplest
forms of writing instruments, notice the modifications that various cultures have made to them,
and note how they have evolved into more complex writing instruments.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
6. What point does the author make by saying, “In its many forms, the lute is the most widely used
instrument in the world”? Use details and information from the article to support your answer.
Extended-Response 4-Point Rubric
Author’s Purpose/Point of View
An example of a top score response would include information on how various cultures have
adapted the instrument. Examples may include the lute’s beginning as a single stringed
communication tool. Later it was adopted by another culture that changed the use of the lute to a
musical instrument for use in celebrations. Another culture adapted it to accompany storytelling.
Still another culture wrote musical pieces especially for the lute.
Curriculum and Instruction
2010-2011
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Federal and State Laws
The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida adheres to a policy of
nondiscrimination in employment and educational programs/activities and strives
affirmatively to provide equal opportunity for all as required by law:
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
color, religion, or national origin.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended - prohibits discrimination in
employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, or national origin.
Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 - prohibits discrimination on the basis
of gender.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), as amended - prohibits
discrimination on the basis of age with respect to individuals who are at least 40.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended - prohibits gender discrimination in payment of
wages to women and men performing substantially equal work in the same
establishment.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - prohibits discrimination against the
disabled.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) - prohibits discrimination against
individuals with disabilities in employment, public service, public accommodations and
telecommunications.
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) - requires covered employers to
provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to “eligible” employees for certain
family and medical reasons.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 - prohibits discrimination in employment on
the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
Florida Educational Equity Act (FEEA) - prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
gender, national origin, marital status, or handicap against a student or employee.
Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 - secures for all individuals within the state freedom
from discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap,
or marital status.
Veterans are provided re-employment
rights
in accordance
Curriculum
and
Instruction with P.L. 93-508 (Federal
Law) and Section295.07 (Florida Statutes),
which stipulates categorical preferences for
2010-2011
employment.
Revised 9/2008