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Cause and Effect
When identifing cause and effect, your child needs to be able to tell why something happened and what happened because of it. When searching for the cause, you should ask yourself the question "Why?". When searching for the effect, you ask yourself, "What Happened?"
For example, Kevin studied hard for his Math test. He got an A on his test.
What is the cause? Kevin studied hard for this Math test. (That tells us why he got an A on his test.)
What is the effect? He got an A on his test. (That tells us what happened when he studied)
Cause and effect can be very confusing for students; they often switch the two. However, with continuous practice, your child will easily be able to identify the cause and the effect.
Activities: Discuss with your child what the different effects would be based on their behavior. For example, what would an effect be if they did not tell the truth. You can also ask your child to give you examples of cause and effects from his/her favorite television show.
Use the graphic organizer to identify examples of causes and effects in a newspaper article or magazine article. You may need to give them the cause and ask them to identify the effect.
Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer
Use these links to find fun games that work on cause and effect:
Cause and Effect Activities
Examples of Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect Book List
Cause and Effect Transitions
Cause and Effect Game
Cause and Effect Dominoes
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Author's Purpose
Author's Purpose is as easy as PIE!
There are three purposes for writing:
1. To Persuade- When the author is trying to persuade the reader, the author is trying to change the readers mind or convince them of something.
Examples of where you can find the purpose to persuade:
- Editorials
- Advertisements
- Campaign speeches
- Bumper stickers
- Billboards
- Commercials
2. To Inform- When the author's purpose is to inform, the author is giving the reader true facts and information. The reader is learning new information.
Examples of where you can find the purpose to inform:
- News articles
- Textbooks
- Biographies
- Technical Manuals (How-to books)
- Charts, graphs, tables
3. To Entertain- When the author is telling a story, their purpose is to entertain. When the purpose is to entertain, there are usually characters, setting, and a problem.
Examples of where you can find the purpose to entertain:
- Short story
- Poetry
- Novels
- Drama
Activities: Search through a newspaper or magazine to find examples of each type of purpose and sort them into each group. Or, choose any object in the house. Ask you child to tell you something about that object using each type of purpose. For example, with a juice box, you can make up a story about a family that goes on a picnic and brings juice boxes to drink. This purpose would be to entertain. Then, you can try to sell the juice box, this purpose would be to persuade. Finally, you can give facts about the juice box, this purpose would be to inform. An alternative to this, is to have your child write out each of these different types.
Check out this website to find games that work on Author's Purpse:
Reading Skills Rocket
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Context Clues
Students use context clues when they do not know the meaning of a word. A dictionary is not always available for them to use. By using these various context clues students will be able to determine the meaning of a word. Context clues may be found in the same sentence or the same paragraph.
1. Examples- The meaning of the word is given through examples.
Rodents, such as mice, rats and squirrels, have whiskers.
2. Definitions- The definition is given right in the sentence.
The musician played the tympani, a set of large drums, in the orchestra.
3. Comparisons- The sentence compares the word to something else. The reader uses their own prior knowledge of the comparison to determine the meaning.
The flan tasted just like thick vanilla pudding with caramel on top.
4. Contrasts- The sentence tells you what the word is not.
The frigid air in the movie theater was a welcome relief after the heat of the day.
5. Synonyms- The sentence will give you words that mean the same thing.
We planned a gala, or party, for the 100th day of school.
6. Antonyms- The sentence will give you words that mean the opposite.
The team's exciting triumph was not the defeat some people expected.
7. Prefixes and Suffixes- Look at the beginning or end of the word to determine meaning of part of the word.
Dad put antifreeze in our car to keep it running smoothly in the winter.
Activities: Check out these links to games that reinforce context clues:
Context Clues Tutorial
Flip-a-Chip
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Story Plot and Elements
Stories have many different parts. There is more than a beginning and ending. Here are a few terms you should know about the parts of a story:
1. Setting- This is where and when the story takes place. Sometimes the setting is not told to you. You may need to use clues from the story to help you determine the setting.
2. Characters- Characters can be main characters or minor characters. A main character is a character who plays an important role in the story. The main character usually learns something or has something happen to them. Minor characters are supporting characters that help the story but are not as important in the story. You should be able to identify the characters and also be able to describe the characters. What words could you use to describe the characters you read about?
3. Conflict- Conflict is the problem in the story. The conflict, or problem, can be with another character, with a group of people, with an animal, or within themselves.
4. Resolution: Resolution is how the problem is solved. How does the story end? What happens to the conflict, or problem, at the end of the story?
Activities: Have a discussion about a book after you finish reading it. Ask your child to tell you the important parts in the book. Have them identify the characters, setting, conflict and resolution from the book they read or even the t.v. show they just watched.
Also, use the links below to complete a story map or graphic organizer.
Literary Elements Graphic Organizer- This graphic organizer can be completed on the computer. You can complete a graphic organizer on setting, characters, or events in a story.
Plot Diagram
Story Map
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Vocabulary
Vocabulary is a very important part in reading. Students must be able to understand the words they are reading.
Word Family Sort
Compound Words
Making Words
Word Building
Homographs
1. Prefixes and Suffixes- If students are able to identify the meaning of a prefix or suffix of a word, then they will be able to determine part of the word's meaning. The games below provide practice in prefixes and suffixes.
Flashcard Game
Printable Worksheets and Online Games
Prefix Skills
Roots and Prefixes
Word Builder
Bingo- Printable Game
Spin-A-Word- Printable Game
2. Synonyms and Antonyms- Synonyms are words that have the same meaning. Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. The games below provide additional practice in identifying synonyms and antonyms.
Synonym Matching
Antonym Matching
Word Jungle
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Sequencing
Sequencing is the order of events in a story. To help students identify the order of events, they look for clue words. Some clue words for sequencing are:
* First
*Next
*Last
*Finally
*When
*Then
*Following
*Afterwards
*Before
Dates and times also signal when events happen.
Activities: To practice sequencing at home, ask your child to tell you what happened in a story they just read. Encourage them to tell them in order. Also, have your child create a comic strip or complete a Sequence Map on the story.
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Drawing Conclusions
Drawing Conclusions and Inference can be very difficult for students since an answer is not stated directly in the story. Students must learn that information and clues are given to help them find an answer. When asked to draw a conclusion, it is important to think about the facts that you have read and use the clues to make a decision. Students may also need to rely on information that they already know about to help them draw a conclusion. For example, if a story talks about a party, cake, balloons, and presents, the students would be able to infer that the story is talking about a birthday party. A birthday party is not directly stated but that conclusion can be made based on the clues.
While reading, ask your child the following questions to help them draw conclusions:
- How does the character feel? How do you know?
- What just happened? Why do you think that happened?
- Where are they? What clues are in the story that let you know that?
Activities: To help your child with drawing conclusions, continue to ask them questions while they are reading. Ask them what clues they found in the story to help them find an answer. Look at pictures; ask your child to tell you what is happening in the picture or how the person feels. How do they know? Also, try the following links to web games that reinfoce the skill drawing conclusions.
What Can you Infer?
Inference Ahead
Inference Tips
Inference
Drawing Conclusion Quiz
Inference Battleship
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Downloads
Here are some games you can print and play at home:
These brochures contain more information on the reading skills and strategies your child is learning at school:
Fun Games and Websites
Arthur Facts and Opinions
Lots of games
Reading Planet
Scholastic Games
Book Adventure
National Geographic
PBS Kids
Time for Kids
Math Websites
Cool Math 4 Kids
Gamequarium
A+ Math
Websites for Parents
Treasures- Reading Series
Harcourt- Math Series
Orland Park Public Library
Lexile Book Find
Reading Rockets
Reading is Fundamental
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