Welcome to the blog version of your Reader's Notebook! I'll occasionally have you answer questions on this blog so that you can read classmates' responses, as well as respond to each other.
Here is a quick tutorial for you:
1. Read my blog post. It will always be called "Homework...and then whatever the due date is"
2. Write your response in the "Comment" section. Make sure to include your name and section!
3. The blog makes you name yourself before you can publish your comment. There is a menu to choose from. Choose "Anonymous."
4. Click on "Publish."
5. You can also respond to a classmate's comment by clicking on "Reply."
YOUR HOMEWORK:
Now that you're in 4th grade, you encounter about 10,000 new words in your reading every year. Most of them are BIG words, meaning they are made up of 7 or more letters.*
What is one strategy you've used lately to figure out an unfamiliar BIG word?
*Nagy & Anderson, 1984.
Hi, girls! This is where you'll write your answer to the question. Don't forget to include your name and section. Remember, if you prefer to write your answer by hand, simply do so on a piece of binder paper and staple it to your cover sheet.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Ms. E, 4A
I have look it up in the ditionary or asked a friend
ReplyDeletekailen 4A
KK, do you prefer to use an online dictionary or an actual dictionary book? I have this gorgeous, old, navy blue Oxford dictionary set...sadly, I never touch it anymore because I use the Internet instead. When I was a kid, I used to just read the dictionary for fun. My favorite word was "serendipity." Do you have a favorite word? Love, Ms. E
Deletewhat does "serendipity" mean?
DeleteThat's a great word to look up! In the meantime, I'll give you a sentence so you can use context clues: Serendipity struck again when the girl reached down to pick up her dropped keys and found a shiny quarter lying next to them.
DeleteI sound it out and look for familiar words inside. I also read the rest of the sentence of the.
ReplyDeleteEileen 4A
Eileen, finding familiar words inside is one of the most effective strategies when reading books in 4th grade. I'm so glad you use that strategy. It looks like both you and Holland read the entire sentence, too. Fantastic. Love, Ms. E
DeleteMe too Eileen
DeleteSasha#14 4B.
I like to sound out big words or I read on and see if I can figure the word out
ReplyDeleteHolland #13 4A
Holland, I see that you and Eileen are both using the "reading on" strategy. I'm glad to hear it, as this is a fantastic way to use context to your advantage. Have a great weekend! Love, Ms. E
DeleteTHank you
DeleteHolland #13 4A
Sterling 4C
ReplyDeleteI like to sound it out or re read the sentence. I also might use my resources like asking a friend or a teacher.
Rereading is one of the best strategies good readers use!
DeleteSterling, what's the hardest word you've ever tried to figure out?
DeleteLucy W. #17, 4B
I start by trying to sound it out and if that doesn't work than what I will do is look for any other words in the big word because if you find a smaller word and you know what it means then the big word is usually related to the meaning of the smaller word. If that doesn't work I'll keep reading the sentence, but if I still have no idea what it means I will look it up with a dictionary or ask my parents.
ReplyDeleteLucy Stovell #16 4A
Lucy, it sounds like you have a good plan for deciphering unknown words. I bet it works well for you!
DeleteI try to sound it out first by looking to see if I can see smaller words in the bigger word. If I don't figure it out then I look in my dictionary or just in case I'll look in the sentence to see if I can figure it out.
ReplyDeleteNoelle #11 4C
Sounds like a good strategy, Noelle. I'd suggest "looking in" the sentence before even cracking open the dictionary. Knowing you, I bet you can use context clues most of the time, eliminating the need for a dictionary.
DeleteFirst I try to sound them out. If I still don't get it I'll try to find smaller words that are in that big word that I know. Then if I still don't get it i'll ask an adult or peer.
ReplyDeleteSasha #14 4B
Sasha, it's starting to sound like your whole class has the same plan of attack for big, unfamiliar words! Looking for small words inside big ones will prove so helpful this year as you read more complex books.
DeleteMe too!
DeleteJordan #5 4B
me three! *:]
DeleteMe four!
DeleteLucy W. #17, 4B
I look it up in the huge dictionary I have at home.
ReplyDeletePaton #12 4B
Paton, if you want to build arm muscles to impress your brother and his friends, lugging your huge dictionary around whenever you're reading is a fabulous idea. (I would bet that you typically rely on myriad other strategies when a dictionary is not at your disposal...am I correct?)
DeleteI break it up into small parts and read each part and then put it all together.
ReplyDeleteSophia #5 4A
Breaking words into parts is a good strategy, Sophia. This year, I bet you'll discover that some of those smaller parts are in fact whole words that already look and/or sound familiar to you!
DeleteI do the same thing too, I break it into two or more parts and then put it into one word. what I also do is keep reading and if it explanes what it is, I know for sure. but if I keep reading and it does not explane, then I ether look in the dictionary or ask some boddy close to me. :] :]
DeleteNatalia, that sounds like a good plan of attack for unknown words. This year, I'll encourage you to first look for parts of the word that look or sound familiar BEFORE you break it up. The bigger the word is, the more apt it is to have a familiar looking or sounding part in it.
DeleteFirst I would sound it out then I then I break it into peices then read the sentence if that doesn't work i ask someone else.
ReplyDeleteSamantha #16 4C
Happy Birthday, Sam! Reading the whole sentence to use context clues is an excellent strategy. As you encounter bigger and bigger words, "sounding out" becomes a less useful strategy. I'm glad to see you have some others!
DeleteI use context to guess the meaning of the word. If I try really hard with that and it doesn't work, I ask an adult.
ReplyDeleteLola #10 4C
P.S I like kittens.
Dear Lola,
DeleteThank you for your non sequitur and for having a birthday today. What a shame it would be had you not been born and thus not been able to share this profound non sequitur with your teacher.
Love,
Ms. E
P.S.: Some people love papaya, but I find it too mushy.
I am not a fan of autolatry, but yes, my birthday is splendid.
DeleteP.S I don't like papaya either.
P.P.S. I also don't like gargalesis.
Lola, I had to look up "gargalesis" in the dictionary! Nice one. Unlike you, I am a fan of gargalesis. (Just don't tell my brother that or he will surely torture me.)
DeleteI mostly ask my parents, and sometimes look in the online dictionary
ReplyDeleteIzzy #15 4B
Izz, how is your dream to read the dictionary this year coming along? Here's a word for you: blighted (as in, "My bone condition has proven a blight on my running career. As far as I can tell, nothing has blighted yours, Ms. Torch Carrier!")
DeleteThe New York Times has a great learning blog in its education section which includes a "Word of the Day" section. You might be interested in checking it out! http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/category/word-of-the-day/
I usually ask my parents or a grown up but if no one is around to ask, I read ahead and see what the next words are like. This gives me an idea of what the word might mean.
ReplyDelete- Avery Roe #12 4A
Adults are great resources, aren't they? But you know what, Avery? So are YOU! Your brain is full of strategies that you can use to solve words. Your idea of reading ahead to use context clues is a terrific strategy. I suggest doing that before asking for help from an adult. You'll find that you just might figure out the meaning of the word without any grown ups!
DeleteI usually sound out the word or find little words in that big word.
ReplyDeleteJordan # 5 4B
Deleteme too
DeleteJordan, looking for parts of the word that you already know is a great strategy. I'm glad to hear you're doing that when you're reading at home!
DeleteI ask my parents, sound it out or look it up in a dictionary.
ReplyDeleteOlivia E. # 6 4B
These are two good resources you can use, Olivia. What do you do when you don't have these resources at your disposal? Do you have some strategies in your own brain that you can use? I bet you do...and they're probably faster than asking a parent or using a dictionary.
DeleteFirst I break it up into smaller words and then try putting it all together, then I ask my parents, and if they are not around, I look in the dictionary. Sometimes I also guess what the word means based on the sentence.
ReplyDeleteMargaret MacMillan 4C
Margaret, you have described a number of effective reading strategies used by good readers. Well done! I would suggest reading the whole sentence first to see if there are any context clues BEFORE asking a parent or looking in a dictionary. That will probably help you solve the word faster and not have to stop reading.
DeleteI continue reading the paragraph to see if that will help me. If it doesn't I ask a friend or parent.
ReplyDeleteTalia
I do the same thing that you do too! :]:]
DeleteUsing context clues from continuing to read is an effective reading strategy, Talia. I'm glad to hear you're doing that before asking for help!
DeleteYou can think of what other words are inside of it
ReplyDeleteAli #13 4B
thats a good one !!!!!! CHAR N #11 4A
DeleteYou've got it, Ali. As words become longer, many are like puzzles made up of all sorts of word parts that will be familiar to you. Here's one: unbelievable (un / believe / able)
Deletei break down the word then if that does not help i read the rest of the paragrah and then if that does not help i ask a parent or friend. charlotte noble #11 4a
ReplyDeleteThat's a great plan of attack, Char! I like hearing that you use your good reading strategies first before asking someone else for help. I would bet that most of the time, you're able to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words by using context clues and your own schema.
DeleteSarah 4A
ReplyDeleteI like to find the words inside of the longer word and then piece the meaning of the word together.
This is a great strategy, Sarah, and you'll find that you'll be doing a lot of this in fourth grade!
DeleteI first sound it out and if i can not get it i keep on trying, i also ask a friend but if they do not know I look it up in the dictionary and try to practice the word to remember how to spell it.
ReplyDeleteJessica Schwarz #15 4c
ReplyDelete-I will sometimes read on to try to figure out the meaning of the word.
ReplyDelete- I also ask an adult
Charlotte Read #12 4c
I would sound it out, look for smaller word in it or read the sentence & if that doesn't work I ask a friend. Katie.s #15 4A
ReplyDeleteWhould you ask a teacher?
DeleteHolland #13 4A
When I come across a big word I ask the dog or ask an adult.
ReplyDeleteSofia Gatti # 5 4C
P.S. The dog never answers me
Nice going Sofia! Dog are very helpful.
DeleteOlivia C. #3 4B
Yeah! They have such a great vocabulary, huh?
DeleteLola #10 4C
definately
DeleteHolland #13 4A
Lola, guess what the dog I was talking about is named Lola too!!
DeleteSofia Gatti #5 4C
First I would look for any resources in the classroom. Then If there aren't any resources I would quietly ask a friend nearby. Then if the friend does not know, I would ask a teacher. If the teacher is busy I would look it up in a dictionary.
ReplyDeleteMirabelle 4a
I found the strangest word ever!Floccinalcinilhilipilifaction it means an estimation that something is valueless.When I come across a big word I sound it out or read ahead to see if the writer tells you what the word means.If I still don't know what the word means I ask my sister or an adult.
ReplyDeleteP.S I don't even know if i spelled that word correctly!
Emily #6 4c
Deletewhere did you find floccinalcinilhilipilifaction?
DeleteHolland #13 4A
online!
DeleteWhen I come across a difficult word I sound it out or either ask my mom or look it up in the dictionary.
ReplyDeleteMaddie 4A
When it's a name I make up a name that sounds right. If it's a word then I sound it out. If I can't sound it out I ask a parent.
ReplyDeleteLucy W. #17, 4B
I find smaller words in the word I know and if I still have not figured it out I look it up in the Dictionary.
ReplyDeleteOlivia C. #3 4B
I ask a parent for definition,help,or,use,a dictionary,or use my resources
ReplyDeleteCampbell Tsung #16 4B
I forgot to right my name and section!Mine is the one on top of the one that says Emily #6 4C sorry about that!
ReplyDeleteEmily#6 4C
My earlier repliy didn't show up! But First I would sound it out then I would look it up in the dictionary and if non of thous work I'll ask my parants.
ReplyDeleteEmma 4A
I also can't see my earlier reply?! I usually try to figure out the word by reading the rest of the sentence but my resolution for this year is to write down the words I don't know and talk to my Mom or Dad about it.
ReplyDeleteSaffron 4B
I usually sound it out, ask my parents or finish the sentence and go back to it.
ReplyDeleteOlivia E 4B
I either ask a classmate or sound it out and figure out the word or ask my mom or dad to explain in detail.
ReplyDeleteAthena #3 4c