Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues

Name

Context clues are words or phrases that help you figure out the
meaning of an unfamiliar word. Look at this example of context
clues in the sentence below.
There was a swarm of bees near our garage. The large group of
insects had built a hive on the roof.
The underlined words explain that swarm means “a large group of
insects.”

Read the sentences below. Read the underlined context clues to

help you understand the meaning of the word in bold. Circle the
letter of the best definition of the word.

1. Did you know there is concern for bees now? People are worried because
the number of honeybees has been decreasing. And no one knows why.

a. curiosity b. worry

2. This same process, or series of actions, helps many plants that farmers
grow.

a. amount of time b. series of actions

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

3. Honeybees take sweet fluid called nectar from plants. They use this liquid
to make honey in their hives.

a. a sweet liquid b. a seed

Read the instruction and model the example. Discuss which context
clues help make clear the meaning of the word in bold. Have students Practice • Grade 3 • Unit 6 • Week 4 287
work with partners to complete the exercises.
 r-Controlled Vowel Syllables/Latin Suffixes
Name

When a vowel is followed by the letter r, both letters must remain in

the same syllable because they form a special r-controlled vowel
sound. The syllable that contains this sound is called an r-controlled
vowel syllable.
sister = sis / ter perfect = per / fect

A. Read the words in each row. Write the word that has an
r-controlled vowel syllable. The first one has been done for you.

1. winter write repeat winter

2. chain later ringing

3. school reply actor

4. hiked dirty enjoy

5. report resting crate

A suffix is a word part that can be added to the end of a root word.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A suffix changes the meaning of the root word. The Latin suffix -able
means “able to” and -ment means “an act of doing something.”

B. Add the suffix to each word below. Write the new word on the
line. The first one has been done for you.

1. enjoy + able = enjoyable   4.  govern + ment =

2. move + ment =   5.  comfort + able =

3. agree + able =  

Model saying words with r-controlled vowel syllables. Have

288  Practice • Grade 3 • Unit 6 • Week 4 students repeat. For words with suffixes, have students explain
how the suffixes change the meaning.
 Writing Traits: Organization

Name

A. Read the draft model. Use the questions that follow the draft
to help you think about how you can add a strong conclusion that
retells the main idea.

Draft Model
I did not like pigs. I thought that pigs were dirty. I didn’t think
they were smart. Then I learned pigs are some of the smartest
animals on the planet. Pigs can even be kept as pets.

1. What is the main idea?

2. What did the narrator learn about pigs being dirty?

3. What did the narrator learn about pigs being smart?

4. What conclusion could be added to retell the main idea?

B. Now revise the draft by adding a strong conclusion that retells

the main idea.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the directions and questions. Review meaning. Pair students

of different language abilities to complete the page. Have them Practice • Grade 3 • Unit 6 • Week 4 289
read the answers to each other.
 Write to Sources
Name

The student who wrote the paragraph below used text evidence from
two different sources to respond to the prompt: Was Old Croc like a
real crocodile? Why or why not?

Old Croc in the story “The Monkey and the Crocodile” acted like
a real crocodile in many ways. I read in “Crocodiles and Alligators”
that crocodiles are carnivores. I know that Old Croc was a carnivore
because he planned to eat Monkey for lunch. In “Crocodiles and
Alligators,” I also read how crocodiles catch their food. They may
swim up to their prey very slowly. Or they may hold still and wait for
the prey to come closer to them. Then they snap it up in their strong
jaws. Old Croc acted just like this. He hid in the water until Monkey
stepped on his back. Then Old Croc grabbed Monkey by the tail.
Unlike a real crocodile, Old Croc could talk. Real crocodiles and
monkeys don’t talk to each other. But in many ways, Old Croc was
like a real crocodile. He was ready to catch and eat his lunch like a
real crocodile. Monkey was lucky to get away from Old Croc!

Reread the passage. Follow the directions below.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

1. Draw a box around the sentence that states the main idea.

2. Circle an example of a supporting detail in the first paragraph.

3. Underline an example of a supporting detail in the second

paragraph.

4. Write an example of an adverb that compares on the line.

 

Read the directions and give simple examples. Pair students

290  Practice • Grade 3 • Unit 6 • Week 4 of different language abilities to complete the page. Have
them read their answers to each other.