Context Clues: Comparisons

Use like, similar to, unlike, whereas to work out an unknown word.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 18

Comparisons help too. If two things are alike, the easy one explains the hard one. Like a cheetah, the runner was swift.
Contrasts work the opposite way. Unlike the talkative twins, Grandma was taciturn. So taciturn must mean quiet.
So check the signal word. Is the writer showing something alike, or different?
When you've picked a meaning, try it in the sentence. If it makes sense, you've likely got it.

Georgia's K-12 English Language Arts Standards:

5.L.V.3.a — Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) to determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases. (I)
5.P.EICC.3.g — Determine the meanings of unfamiliar words and concepts by applying knowledge of context and of academic vocabulary and word parts. (I)
5.L.V.1.a — Acquire a range of general, academic, and specialized vocabulary words and phrases through grade-level texts and content. (I)