Predictions,+Definitions,+and+Connections

**Predictions, Definitions, and Connections**
Section 4.1, (Instructional Strategy 5)

This is a "Word Study" activity in which students are asked to identify an unfamiliar word, contextualize it, predict possible definitions, determine the actual definition, and make connections to content and personal experiences.
 * Rationale:**

1. Identify a concept that might be difficult for your students. 2. Pass out the reproducible for Predictions, Definitions, and Connections and show students a passage and as a class pick out what you think is the most difficult word in the passage. 3. Have students write the word, the sentence it is from, and jot down possible definitions and share these in a small group. After discussing similarities between the possible definitions have students look up the actual definition, write it down, and make sure they know how to pronounce the word. 4. Ask students to make connections to the book you are reading, a cultural context, or their own lives. Have students their connections in small groups or with the entire class. 5. Have students store this sheet in their folder and provide them with blank copies which you will ask them to complete on their own throughout the year.
 * Instructions:**

Often in Shakespeare or more difficult texts there are words that are hard to understand while reading and too many of these can prevent the reader from being able to wade through a text. Showing students this sheet and exercise allows students to see that many of the predictions they might make based on the context the word is in will indeed be accurate. It will give them tools to get through texts with a larger number of unrecognizable words.
 * Application to Language Arts:**