Table of Contents
Context Clues (1.d). .................................................................. 4
Genres (2.a.4)............................................................................. 8
Main Idea (2.b.1). ..................................................................... 12
Text Structure (2.a.3)............................................................... 16
Cause and Effect (2.b.5). ........................................................ 20
Fact and Opinion (2.e.1).......................................................... 24
Characters (2.d.1). ................................................................... 28
Plot and Setting (2.d.1)............................................................ 32
Rhythm and Rhyme (2.d.3). .................................................... 36
Generalizations (2.b).............................................................. 40
Conclusions (2.b.6).................................................................. 44
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Connecting Your Experiences (2.b.6). ................................... 48
Evaluation of Text (2). ........................................................... 52
Connect, Compare, and Contrast Texts (2.d). ..................... 56
Text Support (2.d)................................................................... 60
Acknowledgments................................................................ 64
1.d
MS
At the beginning of each lesson, you will see a box with the shape of
Mississippi and a Language Arts Curriculum Objective code in it. This
code tells you what is being covered in the lesson.
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1.d
Context Clues
What does the word
watch mean? A watch
is something you
wear on your wrist to
tell time. When you
watch a bird fly, you
look at the bird
making its way
through the air. Both
meanings of watch
are correct. How do you
know which meaning is right?
When you read, you will
encounter words that have
more than one meaning. You will also encounter
words you have never seen before. You can use a
word’s context to help you figure out its meaning. A
word’s context is the words and sentences around
it. These words are clues to the meaning of a word
you are unsure of. Clues are hints to help you learn a
word’s meaning.
WORD BANK
context
clues
A
build a bridge
Read the following
sentence.
Maria was afraid to take
the perilous journey down
the wild river.
What does the word
perilous mean?
A fun
B dangerous
C easy
D short
Read the following sentence:
The chickens are kept in a pen.
A pen is something you write with. It is also a fencedin place where animals are kept. Which meaning
does pen have in the sentence you just read? The
words around pen are clues to its meaning. In this
sentence, a pen is an enclosure where chickens are
kept. A
Mississippi has a river
bottom plain to its west
and a coastal plain to
its south. The word
plain has more than one
meaning. Here it means
“level countryside.” It can
also mean “common” or
“ordinary.”
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MS
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GUIDED PRACTICE
Read the following selection. As you read, circle any words that are unfamiliar to you.
Papyrus
Papyrus is a paper-like material ancient Egyptians used to write on.
Papyrus is also the name of the plant from which the material was made.
This plant was cultivated in Egypt. Ancient Egyptians grew it near the
Nile River. B
1 What does the word cultivated mean?
B
build a bridge
Look at Number 1.
Now continue reading the selection.
Ancient Egyptians collected the papyrus plant.
They used the center part of its stalk. This pith
was cut into thin strips. The strips were pressed
together. Then they were dried. Eventually, they
formed a smooth writing surface. C
2 Complete this sentence:
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Pith is Cultivated may be a word
you are unfamiliar with.
What does it mean? The
words Egyptians grew it
are context clues. They
help you figure out that
cultivated means “grew as
a crop.”
C
build a bridge
Now read the following sentences.
The paper-like material made from papyrus was
very thin and quite delicate. Ancient scribes had to
handle it carefully when writing.
Reread the first two
sentences. Underline the
context clues that can
help you figure out the
meaning of the word pith.
3 Based on the context clues, what do you think a scribe is? Circle your answer.
a pen used for writing
a person who writes
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PRACTICE
Read the following selection.
The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt
Since ancient times, the pyramids of Egypt have captivated people. People
want to know who built these huge structures. They also want to know how
and why they were constructed.
The pyramids were built to house the bodies
of pharaohs after death. The Egyptians believed
that the bodies of their kings had to be protected
for the afterlife. Each pharaoh was mummified.
The pharaohs were buried with things they
thought they might need in the afterlife. Gold,
furniture, and food were often placed in the
burial chambers.
A great architect named Imhotep is believed
The pyramids in Egypt were built to
to have designed the earliest known pyramid. It
house the bodies of dead pharoahs.
is called the Step Pyramid. It is located where
the ancient city of Memphis once stood.
Use context clues to answer the following questions.
4 Someone who is captivated by something
A is very interested in it
C doesn’t care about it
D is caught by it
5 A pharaoh is
A any ancient Egyptian
B a king of ancient Egypt
C a type of pyramid
D a kind of mummy
6 An architect is someone who
A designs buildings
B writes history books
C works for kings
D makes bricks
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B feels upset about it
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Continue reading “The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt.”
Ancient Egyptians had no machinery. They used copper chisels and saws
to cut large blocks from limestone. Some stones came from areas near the
pyramids. Others were brought by boat from distant places. Large groups of
workers dragged these stones. They pushed the first layer of stones into place
either by hand or with ramps that slanted upward. Once in place, the stones
were polished by hand.
Tens of thousands of builders may have worked on the pyramids.
These workers lived in nearby villages. Historians believe the villages were
thriving places. The bakeries found in the pyramid villages could have made
thousands of loaves of bread weekly. Although most of the workers were men,
some researchers believe that women also did hard labor.
7 Circle the sentence that uses the underlined word from the selection in the
same way.
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Word
Use 1
Use 2
cut
I cut a square out of
a piece of paper.
Joelle has a cut
on her finger.
blocks
The fallen tree blocks cars
from driving on the road.
The house was built out
of blocks of stone.
hard
The bike helmet is made
from a hard plastic.
It is hard to push this wagon
up the steep hill.
Write a definition for each word below. Use context clues in the passage above to
help you.
8 chisels: 9 thriving: 10 researchers: Mississippi natives built
earthen mounds similar
to Egyptian pyramids.
Emerald Mound outside
Natchez is 35 feet high
and 770 feet by 435 feet
wide. Emerald Mound
was built between 1200
and 1700.
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