Welcome to Context Clues in Informational Text
Informational text is a type of nonfiction text that is used to present factual information about
the world around us. Students encounter informational text as they seek information they want
to know and/or need to know. As students progress through the grades, state and national
standards require them to read, respond to, and write an increasing amount of informational
text. This Teacher’s Note provides information to help you support your students in effective
skills practice using the Key Ideas & Details in Informational Text Activity Cards.
What are context clues? Context clues are hints in the surrounding text about the meaning
of a word or words. They are on-the-page, “self-service” tools authors provide to help readers
discover meaning.
A context clue helps readers understand 1) the meaning of an unfamiliar word, 2) which meaning
the author intends for a multiple-meaning word, or 3) the meaning of a known word used in an
unfamiliar way—for example, in an idiomatic expression.
How can the activities in this strategy pack help your students? Students need
repeated, targeted practice for successful skills mastery. The activities in this strategy pack
provide self-correcting practice in manageable chunks that allow students to read, skim,
and scan authentic content. The sample activity card pictured below shows the features of
each card.
Sample: Card 2 Activity 3
definition of selected
text feature
2
in Informational Text
Context Clues
Activity 3
Noses
1. Proboscis monkeys are named for the long fleshy
nose on the male. The purpose of the nose is to
invite females to mate. Scientists think the nose
helps 2. amplify the monkey’s mating call to reach
faraway females.
Did You Know?
Context means the
words, phrases, and
sentences surrounding a
word or term. A context
clue is a hint found in the
surrounding text.
The 3. snout of a star-nosed
mole is made up of 22 fleshy, pink
4. tentacles. The tentacles stick
out like fingers. The mole uses
them to feel along the ground to
decide what is food and what is
not food.
in Informational Text
additional tips
Unusual Animals
Use the context clues in the passages to find the
meaning of the words in bold print.
Context Clues
applying the
text feature
A male elephant seal can
5. inflate its large nose to make
it look even bigger. Its nose
6. resembles an elephant’s trunk.
During mating season, male seals
establish their territories. They
fight and make loud sounds by
blowing and 7. vocalizing into
their noses.
Tails
Scorpions have poisonous stingers on their tails. The
venom from the stinger is used to kill or 9. paralyze
their prey. Some scorpion venom is even deadly
to humans.
The difference between
a monkey and an ape is
that monkeys have tails.
Some monkeys even
have 10. prehensile
tails. They can use their
tail to grab and swing
from branches.
Reflect/Apply
Proboscis monkey
Spider monkey
Elephant seal
Read closely text that
has unfamiliar words.
Read ahead to see if
any clues come in the
text after the words.
Then reread to make
sure you didn’t miss any
important clues.
extension
activity
Kangaroos use
their tail as a fifth
leg. This muscular
11. appendage actually
pushes, or 12. propels,
the kangaroo as it hops
and walks.
An aardvark has a long snout that
resembles a pig’s nose. It uses
its snout to smell food. Aardvarks
have a very sharp sense of smell.
This is partly because they have
the most 8. olfactory structures
of any mammal.
Tip
Research additional
unusual animal noses
and tails. Make a list of
unknown words. Then
use context clues to
find the meaning of
each word.
fill with air
part of a
living thing
that sticks out
causes to
move, usually
forward
relating
to sense
of smell
capable of
grasping
make sounds
with a voice
make unable
to move
animal part
with the nose
and mouth
looks like
make louder
flexible limbs
long nose
Objective: Use sentence and paragraph context clues to find the meaning of unknown words
and academic vocabulary in informational text (description, comparison).
© ETA hand2mind®
66787
978-0-7406-9969-6
© 2015 by ETA hand2mind®
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
2
Activity 3
Unusual Animals
Use the context clues in the passages to find the
meaning of the words in bold print.
Noses
1. Proboscis monkeys are named for the long fleshy
nose on the male. The purpose of the nose is to
invite females to mate. Scientists think the nose
helps 2. amplify the monkey’s mating call to reach
faraway females.
Did You Know?
Context means the
words, phrases, and
sentences surrounding a
word or term. A context
clue is a hint found in the
surrounding text.
in Informational Text
Context Clues
The 3. snout of a star-nosed
mole is made up of 22 fleshy, pink
4. tentacles. The tentacles stick
out like fingers. The mole uses
them to feel along the ground to
decide what is food and what is
not food.
A male elephant seal can
5. inflate its large nose to make
it look even bigger. Its nose
6. resembles an elephant’s trunk.
During mating season, male seals
establish their territories. They
fight and make loud sounds by
blowing and 7. vocalizing into
their noses.
Proboscis monkey
An aardvark has a long snout that
resembles a pig’s nose. It uses
its snout to smell food. Aardvarks
have a very sharp sense of smell.
This is partly because they have
the most 8. olfactory structures
of any mammal.
Elephant seal
© ETA hand2mind®
Tails
Scorpions have poisonous stingers on their tails. The
venom from the stinger is used to kill or 9. paralyze
their prey. Some scorpion venom is even deadly
to humans.
The difference between
a monkey and an ape is
that monkeys have tails.
Some monkeys even
have 10. prehensile
tails. They can use their
tail to grab and swing
from branches.
Kangaroos use
their tail as a fifth
leg. This muscular
11. appendage actually
pushes, or 12. propels,
the kangaroo as it hops
and walks.
Tip
Read closely text that
has unfamiliar words.
Read ahead to see if
any clues come in the
text after the words.
Then reread to make
sure you didn’t miss any
important clues.
Reflect/Apply
Spider monkey
Research additional
unusual animal noses
and tails. Make a list of
unknown words. Then
use context clues to
find the meaning of
each word.
fill with air
part of a
living thing
that sticks out
causes to
move, usually
forward
relating
to sense
of smell
capable of
grasping
make sounds
with a voice
make unable
to move
animal part
with the nose
and mouth
looks like
make louder
flexible limbs
long nose
Objective: Use sentence and paragraph context clues to find the meaning of unknown words
and academic vocabulary in informational text (description, comparison).
Getting Started With
Four Easy Steps Make
VersaTiles Simple to Use!
®
Set up your VersaTiles Answer Case by placing
the numbered tiles in order from 1–12 in the top
2 rows. Now you are ready to begin your activity.
1
ANSWER QUESTIONS
2
CLOSE AND FLIP
3
MATCH
4
LEARN
Complete each question by placing the number tile
on the letter in the Answer Case that corresponds
to the correct answer.
Close the Answer Case and flip it over. Open the
case and look at the pattern on the tiles.
Check the tile pattern against the pattern in the
Activity Book. If it matches, all answers are correct.
If not, remove tiles that do not match and flip the
case over again.
Rethink the incorrect answer and
flip the Answer Case over again.
Once the pattern in the case and
the book match, the activity has
been successfully completed!
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