Cracking Content Words
Aligned to RI.5.4 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
Nonfiction is full of subject words you may not know. Use the sentence around a word, and any definitions the author gives, to figure out its meaning.
Worked examples
Example 1
A science text says, 'The tadpole's metamorphosis, its change into a frog, took weeks.' The phrase after the comma tells you metamorphosis means a change.
Example 2
A text says 'Erosion, the wearing away of rock by wind and water, shaped this valley.' The commas hand you the definition.
Example 3
Content words are precise on purpose. 'Weather' and 'climate' are not interchangeable, and a science text will not treat them as if they were.
Practice questions
- Define a science or history word using its sentence.
- Find where an author explains a hard term for you.
- List one clue that unlocked a word's meaning.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Descifrar Palabras del Tema
Los textos informativos están llenos de palabras del tema que quizá no conozcas. Usa la oración que rodea la palabra, y cualquier definición que dé el autor, para descubrir su significado.
Ejemplo 1: Un texto de ciencias dice: 'La metamorfosis del renacuajo, su cambio en rana, tardó semanas.' La frase después de la coma te dice que metamorfosis significa un cambio.
Ejemplo 2: Un texto dice 'La erosión, el desgaste de la roca por el viento y el agua, formó este valle.' Las comas te entregan la definición.
Ejemplo 3: Las palabras de contenido son precisas a propósito. 'Tiempo' y 'clima' no son intercambiables, y un texto de ciencia no los tratará como si lo fueran.
More Reading: Informational lessons
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