Context Clues Sentence Diagrams
RWA 1.3 Initial Instruction AMERCIAS
Vocabulary and Concept Development
• In order to help readers understand new or
complex ideas, writers often use context clues
within the text to clarify words.
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They define words.
They give examples of words.
They restate words in another way.
They contrast words with their opposites.
• We do the same when we are trying to insure our
readers understand our ideas and our teachers
are clear about our understanding.
Let’s Practice
• We’re going to choose some vocabulary words
from the history textbook.
• We’ll read to understand their meanings.
• We’ll look for ways the textbook writer used
context clues.
• We’ll write original sentences which include
context clues to show our understanding of
the term.
Context Clues Sentence Diagram
Name:
Date:
Definition
Example
AB:
Step 1: Write your
vocabulary word in
the center box.
codices
Word
Restatement/Synonym
pg. 461
Contrast
Step 2: READ
Let’s read page
461 from Chapter
9.2 The Americas
to see what
context clues the
textbook writer
gave us to
understand what
codices are.
Among the important responsibilities of
the priests was preserving the religion, history,
and poetry of the people. To record
their religion and history, the Aztec made
books that historians refer to as codices
(KOH•duh• SEEZ). Aztec codices were painted
on deerskin, cloth, or paper made from the
bark of fig trees. The Aztec produced so
many books that they used the equivalent
of nearly 500,000 sheets of paper per year.
Each Aztec book, or codex, was a single
strip, up to 40 feet (12 m) long, that was
folded in a zig-zag pattern to make a book.
Pages were read from top to bottom and
consisted of brightly painted images and
pictograms showing events and people in
Aztec history. Most of these Aztec books
were lost after the Spanish conquered the
Aztec and broke up their empire. Those that
survive provide historians with much
information
about Aztec life.
Textbook authors
don’t always give
all four context
clues.
What words from this
text helped us
understand?
Let’s take some
notes from this into
our definition box.
Among the important responsibilities of
the priests was preserving the religion, history,
and poetry of the people. To record
their religion and history, the Aztec made
books that historians refer to as codices
(KOH•duh• SEEZ). Aztec codices were painted
on deerskin, cloth, or paper made from the
bark of fig trees. The Aztec produced so
many books that they used the equivalent
of nearly 500,000 sheets of paper per year.
Each Aztec book, or codex, was a single
strip, up to 40 feet (12 m) long, that was
folded in a zig-zag pattern to make a book.
Pages were read from top to bottom and
consisted of brightly painted images and
pictograms showing events and people in
Aztec history. Most of these Aztec books
were lost after the Spanish conquered the
Aztec and broke up their empire. Those that
survive provide historians with much
information
about Aztec life.
Context Clues Sentence Diagram
Name:
Date:
Definition
Notes:
•Aztec priests used them
•To record history, religion, poetry
•Painted on deerskin, cloth. Paper
Original Sentence:
Example
Codices are Aztec books written by
priests on deerskin, cloth, or paper.
AB:
To record their religion and history,
the Aztec made books that historians
refer to as codices.
codices
Each Aztec book, or
Word
pg. 461
codex, was a single strip,
up to 40 feet long, that was folded in While American books are written on
multiple pages, Aztec codices are
a zig-zag pattern to make a book.
written on a single strip of paper
which can be up to 40 feet long.
Restatement/Synonym in appositive
Contrast
Context Clues Sentence Diagram
Name:
Date:
Definition
Example
AB:
quipu
Word
Restatement/Synonym
pg. 464
Contrast
Let’s read page
464 to learn what
a quipu is.
Building large structures required the
Inca to develop a method for doing
mathematical calculations. The Inca used a
quipu (KEE • poo), a rope with knotted cords of
different lengths and colors. Each knot
represented a number or item. Quipu was also
used to keep records. Like the Aztec, the
Inca relied on oral tradition to pass on most
of their wisdom and knowledge.
The Inca were also skilled engineers.
Workers fit stones so tightly together that a
knife could not slip between them. Because
the Inca used no mortar, the stone blocks
could slide up and down without collapsing
during earthquakes.
What words
helped us learn
what a quipu is?
Building large structures
required the Inca to develop a
method for doing mathematical
calculations. The Inca used a quipu
(KEE • poo), a rope with knotted
cords of different lengths and
colors. Each knot represented a
number or item. Quipu was also
used to keep records. Like the
Aztec, the Inca relied on oral
tradition to pass on most
of their wisdom and knowledge.
Context Clues Sentence Diagram
Name:
Date:
Definition
Example
•Rope of knotted cords of different lengths
and colors
•Used for keeping records
A quipu is a system of knotted ropes
that the Inca used for keeping
records and doing mathematical
calculation.
AB:
One way the Inca keep track of
mathematical calculation was by
using a quipu which was a system of
knotted ropes of different lengths
and colors.
quipu
The Inca used a quipu, knotted
ropes, to keep track of
Numbers.
Restatement/Synonym
The Inca had no writing system for
writing, so they had to use a quipu to
keep records while the Aztec kept
their records in a written form.
Contrast
Context Clues Sentence Diagram
Name:
Date:
Definition
Example
conquistador
Word
Restatement/Synonym
pg. 471-472
Contrast
AB:
Let’s read pages
471-472 to find
out what a
conquistador is.
Columbus Returns Columbus set out again
in 1493. This time, he came to conquer,
bringing
soldiers to help him. In the spring of
1494, the Spanish landed on Hispaniola.
The Taino who lived on Hispaniola got
their first look at the conquistadors (kahn •
KEES • tuh • DAWRZ), the soldier-explorers
sent
to the Americas by Spain. What they saw
frightened them. Armor-clad men rode on
armor-clad horses. Snarling dogs ran by
their sides. In a show of power, the soldiers
fired guns that spit out flames and lead
balls.
What words help
us understand
what a
conquistador
is?
Columbus Returns Columbus set out again
in 1493. This time, he came to conquer,
bringing soldiers to help him. In the spring of
1494, the Spanish landed on Hispaniola.
The Taino who lived on Hispaniola got
their first look at the conquistadors (kahn •
KEES • tuh • DAWRZ), the soldier-explorers
sent to the Americas by Spain. What they
saw frightened them. Armor-clad men rode
on armor-clad horses. Snarling dogs ran by
their sides. In a show of power, the soldiers
fired guns that spit out flames and lead
balls.
Context Clues Sentence Diagram
Name:
Date:
Definition
•Soldiers with Columbus
•Soldier-explorers sent to America by Spain
•Armor-clad men and horses w/ dogs and guns
Example
A conquistador is a Spanish soldierexplorer.
AB:
Spain sent conquistadors to
Hispaniola to frighten the Taino and
force them into slavery for Spain.
conquistador
The soldiers, or
conquistadors, used their armor,
guns, and dogs to over-power the
Taino of Hispaniola.
Restatement/Synonym
In contrast to the conquistador who
had armor and weapons, the Taino
were no match.
Contrast
Context Clues Sentence Diagram
Name:
Date:
Definition
Example
AB:
Step 3: Record your notes in the
Step 5: Write a sentences that has an
definition box.
example of the term.
Step 4: Write a sentence that defines the
term using context clues.
You Try!
Step 1: Write your vocab
word in the center box.
Step 2: Read the selection
which has the vocab word.
Step 6: Write a sentence that restates the
Term using a synonym. If you use an
Step 7: Write a sentence that contrasts
Appositive, don’t forget the commas.
your word to something it is not.
Restatement/Synonym
Contrast