Use key words surrounding the target word, as well as prior knowledge to decide the word meaning. These will be the clues to help decide the target word meaning. Circle the clues in the passage that help with the word meanings. Check the word meaning with the dictionary definition. Provide a page of text with three unknown words highlighted .
Students read the selection and apply the strategy to gain clues from the text for any unknown word.
Students should check the meaning for accuracy using a dictionary. The scientist discovered a sarcophagus. While exploring the ancient pyramids in Egypt, the scientist discovered the mummy of a king buried in a sarcophagus with elaborate designs. Students should give meanings for each of the words circling the context clues they used from the text. Students who have difficulty using the context to determine word meaning may need further modeling and verbalizing of the thought process.