Transcript Word Study - Book Units Teacher

Word Study
SPI 0601.1.15 multi-meaning words
SPI 0601.1.16 meaning of unfamiliar words
SPI 0601.1.17 Use dictionaries, thesauruses, electronic sources, and glossaries as aids in
determining the meaning of unfamiliar words.
SPI 0601.1.20 Use knowledge of root words, affixes, syllabication, and/or spelling
patterns as aids in determining meaning within context.
Part 1
Context Clues
When you see an unfamiliar word try
these steps.
Try to figure the meaning of the word by using
context clues. By using other words and
sentences near the unfamiliar word, along with
your knowledge of the topic, you can get a good
idea of what the new word means.
Definition Context Clue
an explanation for an unknown word is given
Example
When Sara was sick, her voice was almost
inaudible. We couldn't hear what she was trying
to say clearly.

Repeat Context Clue
synonym
Example
You can trust the salesmen at that store because
they always conduct business in an aboveboard
manner.

Contrast Context Clue
antonym
Example
I thought the painting of the waves crashing
into the shore was very picturesque, but I
thought the one next to it was quite ugly.

Association or General Sense
Context Clue
lets the reader puzzle out a word meaning
from whatever information is available
Example
After the harvest, we had an abundant
amount of apples. We made apple pie, apple
sauce, and apple juice because we had so
many apples!

Specific Examples Context Clue
Using examples or illustrations, an author
tries to show what a word means. A writer
may give just one example or several..
Signals for examples include:
such as
 including
 consists of
 colons (:)
 dashes (-)
Specific Examples Context Clue
(examples)

Projectiles include those items that are shot
forward such as a cannon shell, bullet, or rocket.

A sleuth, such as Sherlock Holmes, can be very
helpful in solving crimes.

Zack was a good at many sports. He excelled in
swimming, running, horsemanship, fencing, and
target shooting. He decided to compete in the
pentathlon rather than having to choose one of
the events.
Practice



Context Clues
http://www.tlsbooks.com/contextclues.pdf
Direct Definition Context Clues
http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/samos
et/ccdirect.htm
Using Context Clues
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/assessment_assis
tance/assessment_preparation_language_arts_context_
clues.htm
Part 2
Break the word apart. See if the
word contains prefixes or
suffixes.
Prefixes
A prefix is a group of letters added to the
beginning of a word to change the meaning of
the word (known as the root word).
Prefix
Meaning
Examples
dis-
opposite of, apart,
away, not
disagree
discontinue
en-
cause to be, put in
or on
enclose, enforce,
entangle
mis-
wrong
misspell, misdeed
pre-
before: in place, in
time, in rank, in
order
preview, precook
re-
again, back
return, redo
sub-
under, beneath
substandard
un-
not, in reverse
unhurt, unafraid
What does this mean?
disappear
opposite of appear
Since appear means to come into
view, this disappear must mean the
opposite of come into view or to
vanish.
What does this mean?
enrage
cause to be in a rage
Since rage means anger, then enrage
must mean to cause anger.
What does this mean?
miscalculate
wrong calculation
Since calculation means sum up, then
miscalculation must mean to sum up
incorrectly or make a mistake.
What does this mean?
hopeful
full of hope
Since hope means wish, then hopeful
must mean full of wishing or looking
forward to.
What does this mean?
prepay
pay before
Since pay means give money for an
item, then prepay must mean to
pay money before being given an
item.
What does this mean?
retie
tie again
Since tie means to knot, then retie must
mean to knot again.
What does this mean?
submarine
under ocean
Since marine means of the ocean, then
submarine must mean under the
ocean.
What does this mean?
unreal
not real
Since real means genuine, then unreal
must mean not real or fake.
Organizer
Glue Prefix Organizer in your notebook.
Meaning
Examples
-ment
action or process
movement,
bewilderment
-ness
state of, condition of
ruthlessness
-able -ible
can be done
capable, visible
-ful
full of, having some or
useful
much
-or
a person connected
with (changes verb to
noun)
Suffix
-er
-ar
-ous -eous -ious
actor, runner
possessing the quality
courteous, delicious
of
What does this mean?
government
process of governing
Since govern means to rule, then
government must mean the process
of ruling – authority, leadership, or
supervision.
What does this mean?
kindness
state of being kind
Since kind means to caring, then
kindness must mean the state of
being kind or compassion.
What does this mean?
comfortable
can be of comfort
Since comfort means to coziness, then
comfortable must mean can be of
comfort or cozy and restful.
What does this mean?
joyful
full of joy
Since joy means to happy, then joyful
must mean full of happiness or
jubilant.
What does this mean?
beggar
a person connected with begging
Since beg means to plead, then beggar
must mean a person who pleads.
What does this mean?
religious
Possessing the quality of religion
Since religion means to faith or belief,
then religious must a person who
possesses the quality of faith or belief
or spiritual.
Practice

http://leadingfamilies.com/learning/writing/fla
sh/bold.swf
Organizer
Glue Suffix Organizer in your notebook.
Part 3
Resources
When using context clues or breaking the word
apart does not help you figure out its meaning,
then try one of these resources.
Dictionary
 Thesaurus
 Electronic Source
 Glossary

dictionary

a reference book composed of an alphabetical
listing of words with their meanings
thesaurus

a book that lists words grouped together
according to similarity of meaning (containing
synonyms and sometimes antonyms)
electronic source

information stored in electronic format: over the
Internet (WWW), on CD-ROM or computer
disk and accessed directly or via
telecommunications
glossary

an alphabetical list of technical terms in some
specialized field of knowledge; usually published
as an appendix to a text on that field


Be Bold (Context Clues and Dictionary)
http://leadingfamilies.com/learning/writing/fla
sh/bold.swf
Never Fear (Thesaurus on MS Word)
http://leadingfamilies.com/learning/writing/fla
sh/never_fear.swf
Practice
Dictionary Skills Review
 http://www.tlsbooks.com/dictionaryskillsreview
.pdf
Sample Test Questions