Dear Advice Annie,
My name is Mildred and I am having a problem. I am
smart, funny and athletic, but the people outside of my
school think I’m dumb, poor and come from a bad
home. I know that I’m nothing like what they think, but it
makes me angry that people just assume these things.
Sometimes I really feel bad. What should I do?
Misunderstood Mildred
Soaring High, NC
Block Schedule
What is a Block?
Block scheduling is a type of academic
scheduling in which students have fewer
classes per day for a longer period of
time. This is intended to result in more
time for teaching due to less time
wasted due to class switching and
preparation.
Why the Block?
EOG Test Results
% of Proficient Students
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Overall
Reading
Math
Reading
Math
Reading
Math
Reading
Math
Our School
64
36
79
41
79
43
79
42
District
81
55
86
56
87
57
84
57
State
83
65
86
64
88
65
86
66
Why the Block?
EOG Test Results
% of Proficient Students
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Overall
Reading
Math
Reading
Math
Reading
Math
Reading
Math
64
36
79
41
79
43
79
42
71st Classical
School
>95
77
>95
84
>95
94
>95
84
Lewis Chapel
Middle
79
42
82
36
81
35
80
37
Luther Nick
Jeralds
66
46
78
50
83
52
76
49
Ramsey Street
Alternative
School
48
10
65
15
70
18
63
15
Our School
In ancient Egyptian mythology and in myths derived
from it, the phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird. Said
to live for over 500 years, the phoenix is a bird with
beautiful gold and red plumage. At the end of its lifecycle the phoenix builds itself a nest of cinnamon twigs
that it then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and
are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix
arises. The bird was also said to regenerate when hurt
or wounded by a foe, thus being considered immortal
and invincible It is believed that tears from a phoenix
can heal wounds. The phoenix often symbolizes fire,
divinity, death and resurrection. As a sacred symbol in
Egyptian religion, the phoenix represents the sun,
which dies each night and rises again each morning.
WHAT CAN WE DO THAT CAN GIVE US THE
REPUTATION OF THE PHOENIX?
What are some characteristics
possessed by a person who would be
described as a phoenix? Think of
someone who could be considered a
phoenix and tell why.
Success Scenario 1
Dear Advice Annie:
I am having trouble trying to figure out what to do about my bad grades. It’s getting close to the end of
the school year and I need to pass four core classes and both End of Grade Tests to be promoted to the
9th grade. My grades have been borderline all year. I really want to graduate from high school and I
don’t want to be embarrassed by being at the middle school in the SAME GRADE next year. What can I
do?
Worried Wallace
Fayetteville, NC
Success Scenario 2
Dear Advice Annie:
We have a couple of weeks left in school. Our principal has planned some fun activities
for us and I really, really want to participate. The problem is if we have any discipline
problems our names appear on the non-participation list. There are 2 girls in my
homeroom who keep talking about me and trying to start drama with some of my friends.
I am ready to confront both of them but I know it might end up in a fight. This is my last
year at this school and I don’t want to miss the opportunity to do fun things with my
classmates. What is a girl to do?
Feeling Froggy Freda
Fayetteville, NC
Success Scenario 3
Dear Advice Annie:
Last year I made 2’s on both my End of Grade tests. That
is not considered proficient by the state. I have to do
better this year or I might fail my grade! We are having
tutoring for the End of Grade test on Saturday, but I like
to sleep late and I might miss the new episodes of
Spongebob. Plus, my friends might call me a lame. This is
a hard decision for me. What do you think I should do?
Sam “Squarepants” Smith
Fayetteville, NC
Success Scenario 4
Dear Advice Annie:
I need your help right away! Fred, Chico and Herman are going to skip school
three times a week in April. Chico’s brother lets him drive his car while he is
at school. They have asked me to join them, all I have to do is put in a little
gas money. The problem is, we have block schedule coming up soon and for
every one day of school you miss its like missing 2 or 3 days! Do I have fun
riding around, or do I get my mind right for the End of Grade tests?
Down to Ride Roy
Fayetteville, NC
Lori’s mom stayed awake with
the sick baby all night but
found herself in quite the
stupor the next day. STUPOR
means:
a. Tired state b. Awake
c. Enthusiastic d. Energetic
What’s Missing?
1.The dog ran to fetch the ______.
2.The customers ____ about the product because
they were so dissatisfied.
3.I thought camp food would be gross, but actually
I found it to be quite _____.
4.“Come to the kitchen at ____,” shouted his
brother.
What’s Missing?
5.It was so cold in the room that I put on my coat,
___, and gloves.
6.Look how ___ that dog is! I think that’s the
smallest dog I’ve ever seen!
7.The crowd ___ as their favorite team entered the
field.
8.They ____ a lot of their time playing when they
should have been working.
What is a Context Clue?
You can use context clues to help you
find the meaning of an unknown
word. The context of a word is the
words and sentences nearby.
Using Context Clues
We were all ecstatic.
What does the word ecstatic mean?
Can you figure it out from this
sentence? Why or why not?
Unless you already know the word,
you can’t work out its meaning
from only this sentence.
Now read this selection.
We just arrived at the playoffs. We
had the best tickets we have ever had!
Our team played wonderfully and
they won. We were ecstatic.
What does the word ecstatic mean?
Can you figure it out from this
selection? Why or why not?
If you read the selection carefully,
you can figure out what ecstatic
means. It means happy and
excited. The words and sentences
around it help you to work out this
meaning. You were able to figure
out what the word ecstatic means
from the context of the selection.
The Replacement Test
Suppose you use context clues to guess the
meaning of a strange word. How can you check
your guess?
Use The Replacement Test!
these three simple steps:
Try
 Take the strange word out of the sentence.
 Replace it with your guess. (You may have to
reword the sentence a little)
 See if your guess makes sense in the
sentence. If it does, it is probably correct.
Practice Exercise 1
At first I thought Harvey was really eccentric. He
always wears old clothes, and outside of school
he’s always wearing his football helmet. But now
that I’ve come to know him, I’ve gotten used to
him. He does not seem quite as eccentric
anymore.
What does ECCENTRIC mean?
A.Angry
B.Happy
C.Strange
D.Sad
You can tell from the context of the
selection that the writer did not think
that Harvey was angry, happy or sad.
So choices A, B and D are incorrect.
Wearing old clothes and a football
helmet are the context clues that help
you figure out that eccentric means
STRANGE. The correct answer
choice is C.
Practice Exercise 2
May was the most vulnerable person I have ever
known. If something went wrong she would just
fall to pieces. Others would rider out the bad
times and come through, but she just fell apart. I
could never figure out why this happened, but it
was certainly hard to watch.
What does VULNERABLE mean?
A. Brief
B. Beautiful
C. Strong
D. Weak
Practice Exercise 3
The dark clouds were a caveat of the coming storm.
It was not the only warning we received. The
town tornado alarm sounded soon after and gave
us enough notice to seek shelter.
What does CAVEAT mean?
A. Celebration
B. Withdrawal
C. Keep
D. Warning
Practice Exercise 4
Famous conquistadors include Cortes, who
conquered Aztec Mexico and Pizarro, who
conquered Inca Peru.
What does CONQUISTADORS mean?
A. Losers
B. Conquerors
C. Geographers
D. Victims
Practice Exercise 5
In court, Carl defended himself against spurious
accusations that he robbed the local bank. The
truth was revealed when the real crook was
arrested.
What does SPURIOUS mean?
A. False
B. Genuine
C. True
D. Correct
Practice Exercise 6
No matter what is going on in Mary’s life, she
always remains nonchalant, or calm.
What does NONCHALANT mean?
A. Alive
B. Bitter
C. Angry
D. Calm
Practice Exercise 7
Vicissitudes, such as circumstances, developments,
or journeys, or journeys in life, can change a
person forever.
What does VICISSITUDES mean?
A. Life experiences
B. Vacations
C. Families
D. Clock
Practice Exercise 8
Johnny was besotted by not checking the depth of
water before he jumped in, but it was a good
thing that his father was wise and checked it first.
What does BESOTTED mean?
A. Unaware
B. Decent
C. Incomplete
D. Foolish
Practice Exercise 9
The valiant solider saved many men in his platoon
unlike others who have been cowardly during
wartime.
What does VALIANT mean?
A. Brave
B. United
C. Stupid
D. Nice
CONTEXT
CLUE
QUIZ
Quiz #1
The hike was a strenuous one. Afterward I felt
very sore and wanted to go to bed to take a nap.
What does STRENUOUS mean?
A. Short
B. Easy
C. Pleasant
D. Demanding
Quiz #2
Lu-wei left her dog Wonder-Girl with Rudolfo when she went
away. Rudolfo first gave Wonder-Girl a big can of dog chow,
and when that wasn’t enough, he gave her two more cans.
Still, Wonder-Girl didn’t seem to be slowing down at all. He
tried giving her a cold hamburger from the refrigerator, and it
disappeared in a moment. Wonder-Girl didn’t seem any less
hungry. Rudolfo called Lu-Wei and said, “Your dog’s stomach
is a bottomless pit.”
What does “BOTTOMLESS PIT” mean?
A. it is dirty
B. it can never be filled
C. it is a disease
D. it is a big circle
Quiz #3
Sentence 1: He loved to play with his dog, Bighead.
Sentence 2: She went to the ball game and ate a hot dog.
Sentence 3: This project is turning into a real dog.
Sentence 4: His bad temper continued to dog him all his life.
Which sentence uses the word DOG to mean a frankfurter?
A. Sentence 1
B. Sentence 2
C. Sentence 3
D. Sentence 4
Quiz #4
What does REDISTRIBUTE mean?
A. divide places into districts
B. give out again
C. destroy valuable things
D. praising someone over and over
Quiz #5
What does SUSPENSEFUL mean?
A. like a movie
B. hanging from something
C. full of suspense
D. unclear
Quiz #6
My family bought a rustic house in the woods when we
were just kids. We used to go there for weekends to
get out of the city.
Which word would you use to substitute for the word
HOUSE in this sentence?
A. dwelling
B. cabin
C. residence
D. abode
Quiz #7
Which word is similar to HOUSE but means
“a house that is very large”?
A. cottage
B. lean-to
C. shack
D. mansion
What exactly is
goobledygook?
Use it in a
sentence.
EOG Question Stems for
CONTEXT CLUES
 Based on the context of paragraph
_____, what does _____ mean?
 Which word would be best
substituted for the word _____ in
paragraph/line _____?
 What does the word _____ mean in
paragraph _____?
EOG Question Stems for
CONTEXT CLUES
Which clue helped you determine the
meaning of the word _____ as it is
used in this selection?
 When the author uses the word
_____, which meaning does he/she
want you to associate with it?
 What is another meaning for the
word _____?
Context Clue Practice Activity
Use the context clues to decide on the meaning of
the unfamiliar word in each sentence.
1. The pen is broken so throw it in the corbeille.
2. The dentist told me I have a cavity. He also told me
I must brosser my teeth at least twice a day.
3. Write this down because I do not want you to
oublier it.
4. My grandma lives on a farm and has lots of farm
animals. When I spend the night with her I am
always awakened by the coq early in the morning.
5. She cleaned up her room so lentement that I
thought it would take her all day to get the job done.
Context Clue Practice Exercise
TEAM COMPETITION ACTIVITY
Context Clue Practice Exercise
If we don’t collaborate on the plan, it will never
work because too many of us won’t work
together.
What does COLLABORATE mean?
A. work together
B. friendly
C. socialize
D. harm
Context Clue Practice Exercise
The insidious burglar was able to sneak into the
house without being seen or heard.
What does INSIDIOUS mean?
A. Strong
B. Sneaky
C. Clumsy
D. Loud
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Mary always brought a sense of serenity home
with her because of her calm ways, while Max
brought a sense of chaos with him.
What does SERENITY mean?
A. Calmness
B. Chaos
C. Disorder
D. Confusion
Context Clue Practice Exercise
The lead dog was so incompetent that he had to
be replaced by one that was more useful to the
pack.
What does INCOMPETENT mean?
A. Adventurous
B. Useless
C. Intact
D. Accurate
Context Clue Practice Exercise
In court, Carl defended himself against spurious
accusations that he had robbed the local bank.
The truth was revealed when the real crook was
arrested.
What does SPURIOUS mean?
A. False
B. Correct
C. Genuine
D. True
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Grandmother was punctilious; that is, she was
very strict about her grandchildren following
good manners.
What does PUNCTILIOUS mean?
A. Bad-mannered
B. Weak
C. Careless
D. Strict in observing good manners
Context Clue Practice Exercise
The cavalry, such as the Confederate soldiers,
rode into towns to defend their values.
What does CAVALRY mean?
A. Meadow
B. Generous
C. Frontier
D. Horse soldiers
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Mom is going to be so mad when she finds out
that Peter broke her fragile, or easily broken,
lamp.
What does FRAGILE mean?
A. Easily broken
B. Purple
C. Strong
D. Too expensive
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Brian’s project is supposed to oscillate, or swing,
back and forth.
What does OSCILLATE mean?
A. Swing
B. Remain still
C. Rest
D. Never move
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Larceny, such as stealing a car, can cause you to
spend a lot of time in jail.
What does LARCENY mean?
A. Conflict
B. Murder
C. Bravery
D. Theft
Context Clue Practice Exercise
The lists comprise of seven rules, but talking
while you mouth is open is not included.
What does COMPRISE mean?
A. Include
B. Brain
C. Summarize
D. Value
Context Clue Practice Exercise
The Amish are very humble people, unlike the
uppity people in the surrounding communities.
What does UPPITY mean?
A. Spiteful
B. Reformed
C. Relieved
D. Stuck-up
Context Clue Practice Exercise
In order to avoid a lawsuit, Bridgett made
recompense for the damage caused in the
accident. The money she paid was much less
than what was being demanded.
What does RECOMPENSE mean?
A. Reward
B. Compensation
C. Penalty
D. Damage
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Katie appeared infallible in math class because
she had never gotten a problem wrong.
What does INFALLIBLE mean?
A. Incorrect
B. Mistaken
C. Never wrong
D. Wrong
Context Clue Practice Exercise
The camaraderie in the class made it feel like a
big family.
What does CAMARADERIE mean?
A. Resentment
B. Friendliness or kindness
C. Unkindness
D. Anger
Context Clue Practice Exercise
I had to stop and think about the unfathomable
quote of the day.
What does UNFATHOMABLE mean?
A. Clear
B. Easy
C. Deep or profound
D. Simple
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Plants from the arbutus group, such as flowering
trees and shrubs with berries, grow mainly in
North America.
What does ARBUTUS mean?
A. Fruit
B. Vegetable
C. Group or trees and shrubs
D. Flower
Context Clue Practice Exercise
Houses and other dwellings can be made of many
materials. Dwellings are built to ______ people.
A. Find
B. Trick
C. Feed
D. Shelter
E. Recognize
Context Clue Practice Exercise
An astronomer is a person who studies the
stars and planets. Astronomers often look at
the ________.
A. Beach
B. Soil
C. Mirror
D. Field
E. Sky
Context Clue Practice Exercise
A microphone is a device that makes sounds
louder. People who use microphones can be
_______ more easily.
A. Seen
B. Heard
C. Found
D. Weighed
E. Lifted