This module is for Grades: 9-10 Welcome

Have you ever had the problem of reading your social studies textbook and finding unfamiliar words? This makes understanding the passage difficult. There are several ways to approach this problem. You could use the dictionary, but often times the dictionary‘s definition can be as confusing as the unfamiliar term.  You could use the glossary, which provides the definition to the term as it is used in the book. However, what do you do when the book does not have a glossary, or the term is not listed in the glossary? In this activity, you will look at two strategies, using context clues and examining word parts, to help you determine the meaning of an unfamiliar term.

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

  • Effectively use strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases as they are used in a text.
finger pointing at a word in a book

Context clues and examining word parts are two strategies that can be used to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar term.

Focus Standard

RH.9-10.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.

Skill(s)

  • Use prior knowledge and context clues to determine the meaning of words, phrases and other discipline-specific vocabulary.