Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Building Background Knowledge: The Dinka and Nuer Tribes Until the Mid-1980s (“Sudanese Tribes Confront Modern War” Excerpt 1) (Version 1)

For Teachers 7th Standards
Readers consider comparisons between the Dinka and Nuer tribes in South Sudan, making connections between an informational article about Sudanese tribes and the novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. They annotate the text to help...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Building Background Knowledge: The Dinka and Nuer Tribes

For Teachers 7th Standards
Building on a previous lesson plan, readers continue using context clues to learn new vocabulary. Additionally, they continue working on their Gathering Evidence graphic organizers, making connections between an informational text and A...
Worksheet
K12 Reader

Waves & Currents

For Students 2nd - 3rd Standards
Challenge your young readers with a passage about physical science. After reading about sound waves and electric currents, kids answer five reading comprehension questions about what they have read.
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Using Quotes to Explain Relationships: The Invention of the Electric Motor

For Teachers 5th Standards
Read it and read it again. Scholars do multiple reads of the text The Electric Motor. During the first pass, they read to discover the gist of the text. In the second, pupils use quotes from the article to explain the use of the electric...
Worksheet
Macmillan Education

Slang

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
A four-part worksheet challenges scholars' knowledge of American, Australian, and British slang. Learners use context clues to decide which country a slang word is from, complete sentences, decipher a conversation, and answer...
Organizer
Curated OER

Context Helps: The Wild Foundation

For Students 6th - 8th
In this Context Helps:  The Wild Foundation worksheet, students read 7 words in context and write their own sentences, read a 2 1/2 page article about The Wild Foundation, use a graphic organizer to record the details, and rewrite...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shizuko’s Daughter: Before, During, After Lesson Plan

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Shizuko's Daughter by Kyoko Mori presents a vivid picture of Japanese culture and history. As kids read through the third chapter, they find novel-specific vocabulary to enhance their understanding and use context clues to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Cloze Passage: Animal Survival

For Students 3rd - 5th
Combine your lessons on animals and context clues with this cloze procedure. Fifth graders fill in the fifteen missing words in the passage to help identify their reading level. There is no word bank provided, so you could create one for...
Worksheet
Teach-nology

Harold Searches for the Book

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Practice using context clues with a reading passage about Harold's day. Once kids approach a blank in the sentence, they use the word bank to find the word that fits.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching the Novel in Context

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students write a context paper.  In this teaching the novel in context lesson, students view a primary sources to recreate the cultural and historical context of the novel.  Students make the connection between the literary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: A Picture Book of Abe Lincoln (Adler)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The story of Abe Lincoln serves as the backdrop to this vocabulary-in-context activity as you read David Adler's A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln. Scholars learn these politically themed words before listening to you read the story...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Airport (Barton)

For Teachers K - 3rd
This vocabulary-in-context strategy can be applied to any book that learners read with you; however the activity here is designed around Byron Byrton's fiction book, Airplane. First, introduce the new words you will learn: attendant,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Clap Your Hands (Cauley)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Lorinda Cauley's book Clap Your Hands is a fun way to expand budding readers' vocabulary in context (although you could use any book for this strategy). To prepare kids, introduce the following terms before...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Alphabears: An ABC Book (Hague)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Learn new words in the context of Kathleen Hague's whimsical alphabet book, Alphabears: An ABC Book (note: you can use these strategies for any text). Get pupils ready by introducing the new words they will...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Animal Tracks (Dorros)

For Teachers K - 3rd
What kind of animal made those tracks? Explore some wild vocabulary in context as learners listen to Arthur Dorros' book, Animal Tracks. Before your read this, introduce the new words like bother, dam, reed,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (Aardema)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The African plains come alive as scholars learn vocabulary in context through Verna Aardema's story Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (tip: this strategy can be applied to any book). Precede reading by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Vocabulary: Christopher Columbus (Weinberger)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The story of Christopher Columbus has fascinated young historians for centuries; use this vocabulary-in-context strategy to dive into Kimberly Weinberger's picture book about this classic explorer. Begin by introducing the new words:...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Clifford the Big Red Dog (Bridwell)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Clifford the Big Red Dog is here to introduce some new vocabulary terms in context to young readers. Although this activity is designed around Norman Bridwell's picture book, the strategies are applicable for any text. Introduce the new...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Barrett)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Although this vocabulary strategy would work in the context of any text, it's a piece of cake if you're reading Judi Barrett's book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Go over the terms they will hear so pupils are ready to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Countdown to Kindergarten (McGhee)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Budding readers will relate to Allison McGhee's story Countdown to Kindergarten in which a young girl is worried about not being able to tie her shoes once she gets to school. This is a fun way to teach vocabulary in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Curious George Rides a Bike (Rey)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Are your learners curious about new words? Take them on an adventure with Curious George as they learn vocabulary in the context of H.A. Rey's book, Curious George Rides a Bike. Prepare budding readers by introducing the terms...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Dolphin's First Day (Zoehfeld)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Travel out to sea as scholars learn vocabulary in context through Kathleen Zoehfeld's informational book Dolphin's First Day. Go over the new words scholars will hear before reading: approach, coast, expert, feeble,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy (O'Connor)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Although this vocabulary-in-context activity could be used with any text, it's a piece of cake if you're reading Jane O'Connor's Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy. What new words will pupils learn here? Find comprehension questions for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Franklin Goes to School (Bourgeois)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Join Franklin the turtle at school as youngsters learn new vocabulary in the context of Paulette Bourgeois' story (or apply this strategy to any book). Scholars are acquainted with new words before reading and raise hands when...