Word Detectives

Using the clues to figure out unknown words.

Use Clues

Detectives use clues to solve a mystery.

Readers can use context clues to figure out words they don’t know.

Context

Context is the words or sentences that surround a word

Context Clues

Context clues are the words or sentences around the word you don’t know that help you to figure it out.

Re-read the sentence before and after the sentence the word is in.Think, “what fits here?”

Context Clues – Here’s an Example

John was having trouble removing thecap from his bottle. He just couldn’t get it off.

unknown word

Context Clues – Here’s an Example

John was having trouble removing thecap from his bottle. He just couldn’t get it off.

unknown wordcontext

Context Clues – Here’s an Example

John was having trouble removing thecap from his bottle. He just couldn’t get it off.

unknown word

context clues

context

Let’s Try it

• Now we’re going to try the strategy. First we’ll read a passage from the book about the Great Wall as a shared reading. Then I will demonstrate using the

strategy to figure out an unknown word.

Shared Reading

• Ch’in Shih Huang Ti was right. The Great Wall was so strong that the Mongols did not threaten China again for more than 1,000 years. Later other emperors improved Ch’in Shih Huang Ti’s Great Wall. The last improvements were made by the Ming Emperors between A.D. 1368 and 1644. Today the Great Wall creeps across northern China like a wounded dragon. Sections of the 3,750 miles of wall lie in ruin. However, the People’s Republic of China is fixing the Great Wall. The Wall will remain a testament to China’s long history, her strength and the constant toil of her people.

Dates – “A.D.”

• Ch’in Shih Huang Ti was right. The Great Wall was so strong that the Mongols did not threaten China again for more than 1,000 years. Later other emperors improved Ch’in Shih Huang Ti’s Great Wall. The last improvements were made by the Ming Emperors between A.D. 1368 and 1644. Today the Great Wall creeps across northern China like a wounded dragon. Sections of the 3,750 miles of wall lie in ruin. However, the People’s Republic of China is fixing the Great Wall. The Wall will remain a testament to China’s long history, her strength and the constant toil of her people.

New Words - toil

• Ch’in Shih Huang Ti was right. The Great Wall was so strong that the Mongols did not threaten China again for more than 1,000 years. Later other emperors improved Ch’in Shih Huang Ti’s Great Wall. The last improvements were made by the Ming Emperors between A.D. 1368 and 1644. Today the Great Wall creeps across northern China like a wounded dragon. Sections of the 3,750 miles of wall lie in ruin. However, the People’s Republic of China is fixing the Great Wall. The Wall will remain a testament to China’s long history, her strength and the constant toil of her people.

Shared Reading

• Ch’in Shih Huang Ti was right. The Great Wall was so strong that the Mongols did not threaten China again for more than 1,000 years. Later other emperors improved Ch’in Shih Huang Ti’s Great Wall. The last improvements were made by the Ming Emperors between A.D. 1368 and 1644. Today the Great Wall creeps across northern China like a wounded dragon. Sections of the 3,750 miles of wall lie in ruin. However, the People’s Republic of China is fixing the Great Wall. The Wall will remain a testament to China’s long history, her strength and the constant toil of her people.

• Ch’in Shih Huang Ti was right. The Great Wall was so strong that the Mongols did not threaten China again for more than 1,000 years. Later other emperors improved Ch’in Shih Huang Ti’s Great Wall. The last improvements were made by the Ming Emperors between A.D. 1368 and 1644. Today the Great Wall creeps across northern China like a wounded dragon. Sections of the 3,750 miles of wall lie in ruin. However, the People’s Republic of China is fixing the Great Wall. The Wall will remain a testament to China’s long history, her strength and the constant toil of her people.

• Ch’in Shih Huang Ti was right. The Great Wall was so strong that the Mongols did not threaten China again for more than 1,000 years. Later other emperors improved Ch’in Shih Huang Ti’s Great Wall. The last improvements were made by the Ming Emperors between A.D. 1368 and 1644. Today the Great Wall creeps across northern China like a wounded dragon. Sections of the 3,750 miles of wall lie in ruin. However, the People’s Republic of China is fixing the Great Wall. The Wall will remain a testament to China’s long history, her strength and the constant toil of her people.

Work Period – What to do

• Khrystyna, Alberto, Alejandro, Marlene and Zhicheng will work on another page from the book about the Great Wall. Your job is to look at the words and the pictures and try to figure out what the underlined word means. Once you finish, you may read a book from your book baggy.

• David, Samvel and Erica will be working with me, please go to the round table.

• The rest of the students will read a non-fiction book from your book baggies. If you come across a word you don’t know, try to use context clues to figure out what it means. Write down the word on a post-it and be prepared to share how you tried to figure it out.