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LANGUAGE ARTS :: SECONDARY RESOURCES :: RIGHT DIRECTION 3 :: CONTEXT CLUES AND VOCABULARY WORDS

CONTEXT CLUES AND VOCABULARY WORDS

Planning Points

Approximate Time Needed:30-45 minutes

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn how to analyze the meaning of vocabulary words based on their context

Materials Needed:

  • Handout with excerpt from "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (from "Harrison thrust his thumbs…" to "'I forget,' she said, ‘Something real sad on television.'"
  • Handout with questions about vocabulary in "Harrison Bergeron"
  • Colored pencils

* Description
Tell students the context of the attached selection.

This short story is written in the future, around 2081. During this time, all people are supposed to be treated equally. However, equality in this society is defined as "not different." If you are beautiful, you must be given a handicap, such as a mask, in order to be considered normal. If you are smart, you will wear headphones that emit loud noise to interrupt your train of thought. If you can dance, you must wear weights. Harrison Bergeron, the main character of the story, is exceedingly gifted and, therefore, exceedingly handicapped. As the story begins, he has decided that he will not tolerate his limitation any longer.

Ask students as the excerpt is read aloud to circle any words they do not know.

Explain to students that there are three ways to figure out unknown words.

Look at word clues in the sentence with the vocabulary word.

1. Look at word clues in the paragraph.

2. Look at word clues throughout the selection.

 

As a class example, use a colored pencil to highlight the word cowering. Ask students to find places in the text that hint at the meaning of the word and highlight these in the same color. Then, push them to defend their choices. After all clues are identified, have students predict the word's meaning and write it in the margin. A chart like the one below could also be used.

VocabularyWord Context CluesParagraph #Why It's a Clue

cowering

Thor, god of thunder

 2

if he's being compared to Thor, the god of thunder, he must be impressive-not like people around him

 

I shall now select my Empress

 3

HB must view himself as an Emperor, the leader of the people

 

looking down on the . . . people

 3

shows condescension

 

Music! he commanded.

 7

he told others what to do

 

waved them like batons

 9

he was powerful in all ways

What I think this word means: _____________________________________________

6. Either as a whole class or individually, have students continue the activity above. The teacher should decide how many words and/or which ones students should cover.

7. In groups or individually, have students answer the following questions to assess how well they determined the meaning of certain vocabulary words.

* Teacher's Notes

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