Reteaching Recommendations
Skill Cluster: Word Study
Grade 4
Word Study
Comprehension Strategy: Use Context Clues to Determine Word
Meaning
Use Context Clues
to Determine Word
Meaning
1. Say: Sometimes we don’t know what a word means when we read. When this
happens, we can often use context clues to figure out the meaning of the word.
Context clues are words and phrases in the same sentence or nearby sentences
that give us more information about the word. Here are five types of context clues
we often see in fiction and nonfiction books.
Identify Synonyms,
Antonyms, and
Homonyms
Create the following reference chart to use throughout the reteaching lessons:
Type of Context Clue
Description
Example
The blade on the windmill turned faster and faster and
pumped more and more water as the stormy breeze
passed through.
Examples
Animals journey in different ways, such as running,
swimming, hopping, and flying.
Definition
We have to make extemporaneous speeches in class
today, which means we can’t practice them ahead of
time.
Synonym
The ugly, unsightly park was full of trash.
Antonym
I thought the city museum would be massive, but it was
as small as the one in our town.
Use Knowledge of
Word Structures to
Determine Word
Meaning
Identify MultipleMeaning Words
2. Select a text at the students’ independent or instructional reading level that includes
opportunities to use context clues to determine word meaning. (See list of recommended titles below.)
3. Draw the Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning graphic organizer on the
board or display it on the whiteboard and make individual copies for each student.
4. Introduce a text. Tell students that you will write down the tricky words you find
and use context clues to determine what they mean.
5. As you read the text (or selected portions) together, model how to look for hard
words and record the page number and word on the chart. Then think aloud about
the context clues you find in and around the sentence and record those as well.
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Finally, think aloud about what type or types of context clues you found, and model
how to record the correct categories in the last column of the graphic organizer.
Remind students that they can refer back to the chart you posted at the beginning
of the lesson for the names and examples of each type of clue.
6. Invite students to work with a partner or in small groups to find additional examples or to use context clues to determine meaning in a different book. As they
work, use the prompts below that best fit your students’ level of understanding to
continue modeling and help students focus on the strategy, monitor their thinking,
and know when they’ve “got it.”
Goal Oriented
• I am going to read slowly and reread if necessary to find context clues.
• I am going to use clues in the text to figure out what this tricky word means.
• The context clues ______ show that this word means ______.
Directive and Corrective Feedback
• The passage says ______. What do these clues tell you about the word?
• What other sentences contain clues about this word?
• Read this sentence. It has a (description/example/definition/synonym/antonym)
that you can use as a context clue. What do you think the word means now?
Self-Monitoring and Reflection
• What could you do to figure out what this word means?
• Which words from this passage help you understand that this word means
______?
• How does using context clues help you as a reader?
Validating and Confirming
• Great job identifying the context clues!
• You found all the clues that help show what this word means. Good thinking!
• I like the way you used context clues to clarify your understanding of this word.
Recommended titles for reteaching the Use Context Clues to
Determine Word Meaning comprehension strategy:
Title
Reading Level
Our “Current” World
P/38
Global Alert
P/38
Our Government
P/38
Colonial Times
Q/40
The Northeast
Q/40
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Title (con’t)
Reading Level
The Milkmaid and Her Pails, Sun and Wind, The Bundle of Sticks
Q/40
Why Mole Lives Underground, The Story of Lightning
and Thunder, Why Opossum’s Tail is Gray
Q/40
Casey Jones, Pecos Bill and Sluefoot Sue
Q/40
Slow and Steady Wins the Race, Luke and the Books
Q/40
Pioneers in Medicine
R/40
Having Healthful Habits
S/44
The Transcontinental Railroad
S/44
Diamonds
S/44
Comprehension Strategy: Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and
Homonyms
1. Say: Words are fun! Authors use many different types of words in their writing.
Some of these words can help us, and some of them can confuse us. Here are
three categories of words we often see in fiction and nonfiction books.
Create the following reference chart to use throughout the reteaching lessons:
Category
Definition
Example
What These Words
Mean to Readers
Synonyms
words that have similar
meanings
The children held on tight as they jumped
and hopped on the giant bouncy balls.
We can use these as context
clues.
Antonyms
words that have opposite
meanings
The puppy plays too rough, so let’s let the
toddler pet this gentle kitten.
We can use these as context
clues.
Homonyms
homophones: words that
sound the same but have
different meanings and
spellings
homographs: words that
are spelled the same, have
different meanings, and may
or may not sound the same.
I rode my bicycle down the road, and then I
We must use context clues
rowed my boat back home.
to figure out the meaning of
the word the author intends
Mom felt sad when she saw the holes in her since the word may sound
or look like another word
felt pillows.
we know.
No one could desert the search party until
they had crossed the hot, sandy desert.
2. Select a text at the students’ independent or instructional reading level that includes
opportunities to identify synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms. (See list of recommended titles below.)
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
3. Draw the Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms graphic organizer on the
board or display it on the whiteboard and make individual copies for each student.
4. Introduce a text. Tell students that you will write down the synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and homographs you find and how you think about each word as a reader.
5. As you read the text (or selected portions) together, model how to look for a targeted word and record information about it on the chart. Then think aloud about
the word and record your thoughts in the last column. For example:
I could tell that it means almost the same thing as the word _____.
I used the word ______ to figure out that ______ means the opposite.
______ sounds like a word that means ______, but I can tell from the context
clues that it really means ______.
Remind students that they can refer back to the chart you posted at the beginning of
the lesson for the names and examples of each type of word.
6. Invite students to work with a partner or in small groups to find additional examples or to find synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and homographs in a different
book. As they work, use the prompts below that best fit your students’ level of understanding to continue modeling and help students focus on the strategy, monitor
their thinking, and know when they’ve “got it.”
Goal Oriented
• I can use the meaning of the word ______ to help me figure out the meaning of
the word ______.
• The clues in the text show me that these two words are opposites.
• The context clues ______ show that this word means ______ in this passage.
Directive and Corrective Feedback
• The passage says ______. Which two words mean almost the same thing?
• Which sentence has an antonym for this word?
• Read this sentence. It has a (homophone/homograph). How will you figure out
what meaning of the word the author intends?
Self-Monitoring and Reflection
• How can you use synonyms and antonyms to help you figure out what words
mean?
• Which words from this passage help you understand that this homograph means
______?
• How does learning about homophones help you as a reader?
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Validating and Confirming
• Great job identifying synonyms and antonyms!
• You found all the clues that help show what this word means in the passage.
Good thinking!
• I like the way you used context clues to clarify your understanding of these
homophones and homographs.
Recommended titles for reteaching the Identify Synonyms,
Antonyms, and Homophones comprehension strategy:
Title
Reading Level
Medical Pioneers
O/34
Citizens Who Made a Difference
O/34
The Life Cycle of Plants
O/34
Liquids and Gases
P/38
Animals of Asia
Q/40
The Maya
Q/40
Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin
Q/40
Ben Franklin, Apprentice Printer,
The Education of Abigail Adams
R/40
Conquering Mount Everest
S/44
Animal Adventures
S/44
Comprehension Strategy: Use Knowledge of Word Structures to
Determine Word Meaning
1. Say: Sometimes we can determine the meaning of a long or tricky word by breaking it down into its structures, or parts. One type of structure is a root word. Many
English words come from Greek and Latin roots. Another type of structure is a
prefix attached to the beginning of a word. A third structure is a suffix attached
to the end of a word. We can find the meaning of these structures in a dictionary,
but it is handy to learn as many as we can by memory. By knowing the meanings
of different structures, we can figure out the meaning of the words that use them.
Here is an example.
Create the following reference chart to use throughout the reteaching lessons. In addition, it is important to create a prefix, suffix, and root word poster for your classroom.
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Begin with the required structures for your grade level, and invite students to add new
structures and examples from their reading.
Category
Definition
Example
What These Words
Mean to Readers
Synonyms
words that have similar
meanings
The children held on tight as they jumped
and hopped on the giant bouncy balls.
We can use these as context
clues.
Antonyms
words that have opposite
meanings
The puppy plays too rough, so let’s let the
toddler pet this gentle kitten.
We can use these as context
clues.
homophones: words that
sound the same but have
different meanings and
spellings
Homonyms
homographs: words that
are spelled the same, have
different meanings, and may
or may not sound the same.
I rode my bicycle down the road, and then I
We must use context clues
rowed my boat back home.
to figure out the meaning of
the word the author intends
Mom felt sad when she saw the holes in her since the word may sound
or look like another word
felt pillows.
we know.
No one could desert the search party until
they had crossed the hot, sandy desert.
2. Select a text at the students’ independent or instructional reading level that includes
opportunities to use knowledge of word structures to determine word meaning.
(See list of recommended titles below.)
3. Draw the Use Knowledge of Word Structures to Determine Word Meaning graphic
organizer on the board or display it on the whiteboard and make individual copies
for each student. Point out that not all of the words they record will have all three
structures.
4. Introduce a text. Tell students that you will write some of the long or tricky words
you find and use your knowledge of word structures to determine what they mean.
5. As you read the text (or selected portions) together, model how to look for appropriate words and record a page number and word on the chart. Then think aloud
about the word structures you find and what they mean. Remind students that they
can refer back to the charts you posted at the beginning of the lesson for the meanings of common prefixes, suffixes, and root words.
6. Invite students to work with a partner or in small groups to find additional examples in the book you’re reading or in a different book. As they work, use the
prompts below that best fit your students’ level of understanding to continue
modeling and help students focus on the strategy, monitor their thinking, and know
when they’ve “got it.”
Goal Oriented
• I am going to break this word apart and think about what each structure means.
• I am going to use our (prefix and/or suffix) and root word charts to help me figure
out what this tricky word means.
• By using my knowledge of word structures, I know that this word means ______.
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Directive and Corrective Feedback
• The word has a root and a prefix. How can you use these structures to figure out
its meaning?
• What other words do you know that have this suffix? What do you think it might
mean?
• Read this word. It has a (root word/prefix/suffix) that you know. What do you
think the word means?
Self-Monitoring and Reflection
• What could you do to figure out what this word means?
• Which word structures help you understand that this word means ______?
• How does using knowledge of word structures help you as a reader?
Validating and Confirming
• Great job identifying the word structures you know!
• You found all the structures that help show what this word means. Good thinking!
• I like the way you used your knowledge of word structures to clarify your
understanding of this word.
Recommended titles for reteaching the Use Knowledge of Word
Structures to Determine Word Meaning comprehension strategy:
Title
Reading Level
Great Inventions and Where They Came From
O/34
Our Solar System: The Moon
O/34
Math to Munch On
P/38
Communities Helping Communities
P/38
Animals at the Extremes
Q/40
A Trip to Remember
Q/40
A Voice for the Animals
R/40
Sports Math
R/40
American Beginnings: You’re Right There!
R/40
Earth: Measuring Its Changes
R/40
The Southwest
R/40
Father, Son, and Donkey, The Miser and His Gold
R/40
Marian Anderson, Frida Kahlo
R/40
Plants We Use
S/44
Weatherworks
S/44
The World War II Years
S/44
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Comprehension Strategy: Identify Multiple-Meaning Words
1. Say: Sometimes we read a word that has more than one meaning. When this happens, we must use context clues to figure out the meaning the author intends. Context clues are words and phrases in the same sentence or nearby sentences that
give us more information about the word. Here are some examples of multiplemeaning words with context clues.
Create the following reference chart to use throughout the reteaching lessons:
Word
Multiple Meanings
bark
I wish my dog wouldn’t bark all night long.
Some trees have white bark, while others have black or brown.
fair
I love to go to the county fair each summer.
It’s not fair for your team to have more players than mine!
present
Every student must be present at the assembly.
I need to buy a present for my friend’s birthday party.
second
I’ll be with you in just a second!
This is the second time I’ve been to the store today.
yard
The shelf is one yard and two inches tall.
I need to mow the yard before we can go to the park.
2. Select a text at the students’ independent or instructional reading level that includes
opportunities to identify multiple-meaning words. (See list of recommended titles
below.)
3. Draw the Identify Multiple-Meaning Words graphic organizer on the board or
display it on the whiteboard and make individual copies for each student.
4. Introduce a text. Tell students that you will write down the multiple-meaning words
you find and use context clues to figure out what they mean.
5. As you read the text (or selected portions) together, model how to look for
multiple-meaning words and record the page number and word on the chart. Then
think aloud about what the word might mean in the context of the story or topic
and what clues you use to figure it out.
6. Invite students to work with a partner or in small groups to find additional examples or to identify multiple-meaning words in a different book. As they work, use
the prompts below that best fit your students’ level of understanding to continue
modeling and help students focus on the strategy, monitor their thinking, and know
when they’ve “got it.”
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Goal Oriented
• I am going to read slowly and reread if necessary to find context clues.
• I am going to use clues in the text to figure out which definition the author is using
with this multiple-meaning word.
• The context clues ______ show that this word means ______.
Directive and Corrective Feedback
• The passage says ______. What do these clues tell you about the word?
• What does the word ______ mean as it is used in this sentence?
• Read this sentence again and think about what the author is discussing. What do
you think the word means now?
Self-Monitoring and Reflection
• What could you do to figure out what this word means in this passage?
• Which words from the passage help you understand that this word means
______ this time?
• How does using context clues help you figure out the right definition to use?
Validating and Confirming
• Great job identifying the meaning of that word!
• You found all the clues that help show what this word means. Good thinking!
• I like the way you used context clues to figure out which meaning of the word the
author used.
Recommended titles for reteaching the Identify Multiple-Meaning
Words comprehension strategy:
Title
Reading Level
Music Counts
O/34
Survival at Plymouth, A Helping Hand in New
Amsterdam
P/38
Making Great Greeting Cards and Gifts
Q/40
A Joyful Moment
Q/40
Doomed to Disappear? Endangered Species
R/40
Brer Rabbit and Sis Cow, Terrapin Races Rabbit
R/40
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Name
Date
Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning
Page
Word
Context Clues
Type(s) of Clues
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Name
Date
Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
Page
Word
Type of Word
What I Did When I Read This Word
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Name
Date
Use Knowledge of Word Structures to
Determine Word Meaning
Page
Word
Root Word(s) and
Meaning(s)
Prefix and Meaning Suffix and Meaning
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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Grade 4 • Reteaching Recommendations
Name
Date
Identify Multiple-Meaning Words
Page
Word
Meaning
How I Know
©2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC • Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 4
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