Write the following words in your notebook, leaving space after each to record definitions and sentences: buttress, degradation, eloquence, enjoin, enshrine, erudite, immutable, implication, increment, innate, magnitude, proliferation, refuge, rendition. Work with two or three other students to define the words. Write them into sentences of your own and provide synonyms when possible. Use a dictionary and a thesaurus if necessary. You will be encountering these words as you read the selection.
1. Follow along in the text as your teacher reads the first section aloud, ending with “Change Happens—Slowly.” As you follow along, note any difficult vocabulary you encounter. Record the word or words in your notebook. Then, go back to the word in the text and use context clues and word parts to unlock meaning. If necessary, consult a dictionary. Then, write a sentence of your own for each word you record. Also, list a synonym of the word if possible.
2. Read the remainder of the selection on your own. Jot down difficult vocabulary as you read and use context clues and word parts to identify meaning. Use each word you record in a sentence of your own and provide a synonym if possible.
If you have difficulty tackling difficult vocabulary, choose a new strategy. Instead of defining words as you read, you might instead skim the text for unfamiliar words first and work to unlock their meanings before you read. Doing so will cause less interruption while reading. Or choose another strategy of your own, whichever works best for you.
Choose ten words from the text that you found difficult and write a quiz using these words. You can use multiple choice, matching, true/false, fill in the blank, or short answer questions in your quiz. When you have finished, exchange your quiz with a partner and complete your partner’s quiz. When you complete the quiz, trade papers and work together in grading the quizzes.