1. Academic Vocab.
Weeks 3 & 4

2. character
The people or animals who take part in the events of a story. You can understand characters by their words and actions, as well as how other characters speak about them or act toward them.

3. theme
the main idea or central meaning that the author wants you to learn
The theme may be stated directly in the text, but usually the reader has to figure it out.

4. inferring Making conclusions based from evidence, prior knowledge,
and reasoning

5. symbolism The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities
The American flag can represent America’s country and symbolize patriotism.

6. rate
a measure of quanity, or value, typically one measured against some other quanity or measure

7. compare and contrast
Telling how two or more things are alike or different

8. mood
the general atmosphere created by the author’s words (overall feeling and emotions you feel while reading) Some literature makes you feel sad, joyful, or angry. Mood can change throughout a story depending on the plot or change in characters.

9. context clues Clues that readers use to find the meanings of
unknown words

10. summarize
To briefly state the most important ideas in a selection (when summarizing, focus on the main ideas rather than the details)

11. tone of voice
expresses a writer’s attitude toward a subject as well as his or her personality (tone is set by the setting, choice of vocabulary, and other details) For example: serious and humorous