Have you ever looked at your context clues worksheets and thought, what the heck!
This needs a facelift, a glow-up, or something!
Teaching context clues is something that can be done in the classroom year-round. Middle schoolers need constant practice and repetition to find word meanings. And doing the same thing over and over can get boring!
Similar to teaching analogies.
And here’s the thing:
- Context clues don’t have to be complicated.
- They can be intertwined throughout the year.
- You can effectively teach this topic with some fun context clues worksheets and without a degree in Linguistics.
In this blog post, I am breaking down engaging, fun context clues activities that you can use with your middle school students today.
And the coolest parts?
- Planning is taken care of! (The slideshow is included!)
- Doodle notes will keep your kiddos engaged.
- It is tried and true with my students.
No Prep Context Clues Worksheets!
Yes, friend! No planning. The Powerpoint and Google Slides mini-lesson is a slide deck on both Powerpoint and Google Slides, and it has been created and included in the lesson.
If you know me, you know I am not a fan of adding fluff to my mini-lessons. Because of that, these lessons get right to the point so that your students have a good understanding and have time to engage in the planned activity.
What are Doodle Notes?
Obviously, Doodle Notes are one of my favorite resources because they completely changed the game of notes- in my middle school classroom.
I’m sure you have a set process for note-taking in your classroom that includes notebooks with their names, possibly a bin for them to store notebooks, or maybe you even have your students take notes on paper.
Ask yourself, are they engaged? Are they actually remembering what you’re teaching? Even more- are they actually learning from the notes? Gone are the days of wondering those questions, friend!
Doodle notes are a unique visual note-taking method with built-in features that increase focus and memory by taking advantage of a collection of brain research, including Dual Coding Theory. You can find out more about how I include Doodle Notes here.
Overall, If you’re still on the fence about giving up some control in the note-taking arena you can try a FREE Parts of Speech Lesson here!
A Context Clues Activity
These context clues worksheets are a fun game that your students can do with a partner… I know, I know; partner work isn’t that cool for a teacher. But your students absolutely love it. The idea of working with a friend provides students with the opportunity to get your students excited about language and grammar.
It is as beneficial as it sounds.
Students create their own context clues for their friends to figure out different things about them.
Check it out. To really amp things up when teaching context clues, I have this lesson complete for you right here!
The only prep work this includes is printing off the Doodle Notes for students to complete during the lesson and the context clues partner worksheet.
It’s a grammar and language activity that is actually fun for middle schoolers, plus it’s cheap, easy to prepare and facilitate, and engaging.
Remember, I’m cheering for you friend!
-Alisha- Mrs. A. Riley
