Teaching Context Clues

I love teaching vocabulary! One of the best strategies I've come up with is to use a graphic organizer and PowerPoint. The PowerPoint is set up to give first the word and then the sentence. After revealing the word and sentence, I have the students guess what synonym would best replace the vocabulary word. It helps to actually put their guess in the sentence. That way they can see if it makes sense or not. I also show them how sometimes the definition to the word can be found in the sentence. Finally I reveal the synonym and picture for the vocabulary word and the students fill in their graphic organizer. Notice there is no section for the sentence. I don't think it is necessary, and it takes many students entirely too long to copy it all down. I only have them write the synonym and not an entire definition for the word, too. I find my students retain this bit of information far better than a long definition, and also the standardized test ask for the synonym only. For your FREE COPY of the graphic organizer and PowerPoint visit my TpT store  HERE or click on the picture above.

These vocabulary words can be found in the book Bad Case of Stripes. This book can be viewed for free on the website Storyline Online. Use this vocabulary lesson before or after listening to the book online.

 Click on the video for the link to the online book.