Determine what words mean and how context affects the meaning of these words and phrases, (i.e., is the author using a word in a literal or a more figurative, connotative way to suggest something else). Consider how the repeated use of words and phrases work together to achieve some cumulative effect (e.g., a series of words and phrases evoking images or notions of conflict might contribute to meaning or tone).
Which words or phrases contribute the most to the meaning in the text?
Does the author use these words literally or figuratively?
How do the different words contribute to the author’s tone?
How does the author’s choice of words affect the meaning of the text?
11–12 Literature
Gist: Examine what words mean and how context affects the meaning of these words and phrases, analyzing whether the author is choosing to use a specific word in a literal or more figurative way to suggest something else. Readers study how specific words and phrases make the text beautiful, powerful, or otherwise engaging. Such language is common in Shakespeare and writers such as Hopkins, Morrison, and Conrad.
Which specific words most affect the meaning in the text?
What does the dictionary say about the different meanings and etymology of these key words?
How does this author use words to evoke a sense of wonder in the reader?
Which key words have multiple meanings in this context?
9–10 Informational Text
Gist: Examine what words mean and how context affects their meaning, assessing whether the author is using words literally or figuratively and how the repeated use of words achieves some cumulative effect. For example, an article reporting a court opinion about gun rights would differ from an op-ed responding to the opinion the next day.
What are the different possible meanings of this word or phrase as it is used in this text?
How do the words chosen reflect or respond to the original setting, occasion, or audience?
How would this subject be described in a newspaper or a blog, for example?
What is the cumulative effect of the author’s chosen words on the purpose, setting, meaning, or tone?
11–12 Informational Text
Gist: Examine how the author uses specific words in relation to context and the author’s purpose, determining whether the author uses the words literally or figuratively and analyzing how their meaning affects the text. For example, students might track how Madison uses the word faction over the course of Federalist No. 10.
What are the different possible meanings of this word or phrase as it is used in this text?
How do the author’s words reflect or respond to the original setting, occasion, or audience?
How would this subject be described in a newspaper or blog, for example?
How do the author’s words and phrases contribute to the meaning of the text?
9–10 History/Social Studies
Gist: Focus on words and phrases that describe ideas, movements, or eras discussed in articles, textbooks, primary source documents, and other text types. Such words often express concepts and abstractions such as liberty.
What are the key words in this document? How are they used?
Why does the author use this word or phrase in this context?
How has the meaning of this word changed over time?
11–12 History/Social Studies
Gist: Analyze words and phrases in context as used in articles textbooks, primary source documents, and other texts, noting the author’s use of key words in the text to refine their meaning and impact through repeated use.
What are the key words in this document? How are they used?
Why does the author use this word or phrase in this context?
How does the meaning or effect of repeated words change over time?
9–10 Science/Technical Subjects
Gist: Concentrate on how the author uses key symbols and words in different contexts to direct, explain, inform, or persuade readers of texts and topics appropriate to grades 9 and 10.
When, where, how, and why are symbols used here?
What specialized terms are used that are necessary to know in order to understand key concepts?
How do the words and symbols contribute to or affect the text?
11–12 Science/Technical Subjects
Gist: Concentrate on how the author uses key symbols and words in different contexts to direct, explain, inform, or persuade readers of texts and topics appropriate to grades 10 and 11.
When, where, how, and why are symbols used here?
What specialized terms are used that are necessary to know in order to understand key concepts?
How do the words and symbols contribute to or effect the text?
Common Core Reading Standard 4: What the Teacher Does
To have students interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, do the following:
Direct students’ attention to the words, phrases, and other details (captions, diagrams, images) in a sentence and those around it. Point out the ways authors add details to clarify the meaning of words: definition clues such as explanations, synonyms, phrases, and clauses; restatement of the word or phrase (e.g., In other words); contrast or antonym clues that help define what a word means by using words that mean the exact opposite; other clues such as typography, proximity to images, and the author’s general tone.
Tell students that not all words can be understood through context clues; help them see where context clues can confuse.
Complete a think-aloud while reading to the class to show how you puzzle out a word or phrase using syntactic, semantic, typographic, etymological,
