1.3.b 1.7.f

Context Clues 1st Grade

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 1.3.b
use illustrations and texts the student is able to read or hear to learn or clarify word meanings;
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 1.7.f
respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate.

Picture Clues and Word Clues

Clues: A clue is a hint. Clues help us learn what a new word means. They can also help us check what we think it means.
A picture can give a clue. The words around a new word can give clues, too.

How to use clues
We use the pictures and the words we read or hear to learn what a word means.
1. Read the new word. Say the sounds, and blend them.
2. Picture clue: What does the picture show?
3. Word clues: Read or listen to the words around the new word.
4. Think of a meaning. Say the sentence again with that meaning.
First we read the word. Then the clues help us learn what it means.

Example:

1. Read the new word: crest.

2. Picture clue: The picture shows red feathers on top of its head. They come to a point.

3. Word clues: The words say the crest is on its head. They do not tell us what it looks like.

A crest is a bunch of feathers on top of a bird's head.

The picture helped us see what the word means.

Example:

1. Read the new word: gather. There is no picture this time. So we use word clues.

2. Word clues:

They pick up the nuts from the grass.
They put all the nuts in one big basket.

To gather means to pick things up and put them in one place.

Say it again: Ana and Grandma pick up the pecans and put them in one place. The words helped us learn the meaning.

Use New Words When We Answer

Answer With New Words: When we answer a question, we can use new words. New words are words we just learned. We learned some from clues.

How to answer with a new word
1. Read or listen to the question.
2. Think of a new word. Think of what it means.
3. Check: Does its meaning fit? We use a new word only when it fits.
4. Answer in a sentence. Use the new word.

Example:

1. Think of a new word: gather. It means to pick things up and put them in one place.

2. Check: Does gather fit? Yes. They picked up the pecans. They put them in one basket.

Here is an answer without the new word: They picked up pecans. It is true. But it does not use our new word.

Ana and Grandma gathered the pecans.

This answer uses the new word. The ending -ed on gathered tells us it is done.

Example:

1. Try capital. A capital is the city where state leaders work. The leaders of Texas work in Austin. Capital fits.

2. Try border. A border is a line between two places. Austin is a city. It is not a line. Border does not fit.

Austin is the capital of Texas.

We answered with the new word that fits.

Context Clues

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 1.3.b

use illustrations and texts the student is able to read or hear to learn or clarify word meanings;

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 1.7.f

respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate.

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