English Essentials: Vocabulary Cards

For the last two weeks, we have been practicing our Language 4 standard, "I can accurately and independently determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words."

As we get ready for our first language four assessment, I wanted us to pick the best ten words and make Vocabulary Cards like the ones above.  Here are the instructions:

1) Pick three of your favorite words from the last two weeks.

2) Create one card for each word.

3) Each card should have the original sentence in which you found the word, the word's definition, and the word's part of speech.

4) On the back, use the word in a sentence that you wrote.  

5) Turn in to Dr. B with your name on it and she will make the master vocabulary list.

English Essentials: Reviewing Context Clues

Writing Warmup:
For the last week, we've been discussing our L4 standard, " I can accurately and independently determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words."  Part of this standard requires that we describe how context clues help you to come up with educated guesses about a word's meaning.

In the comments section below, please answer the following questions.
1) What is the difference between a context clue and an educated guess?
2) Why are context clues important?
3) In the following quote, what context clues help you to figure out the meaning of one of the unknown words?

"In between we'd worked on radio coms and general strategy, exchanged ideas about how to provide the best cover for the squads we'd be accompanying, and made a dozen tentative tactical decisions, such as deciding whether it would be generally better to shoot from the top floor or the one right below" (137). 

—Chris Kyle