Applications Flashcards
Metaphor
Making a comparison of two or more things without using the words “like” or “as.”
Life is a bowl of cherries.
Stanza
lines chunked together in a poem, similar to a paragraph in prose
Summary
a short retelling of the main points of a text
literature review
Diversity
Representations of people with their different cultures, which can be in language, social status, age, ethnicity, or other traits within a group.
Many schools today are encompassed with multicultural diversity
Lyric Poem
a poem that conveys feelings or emotions through imagery and figurative language
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
Plot
The events included in a story (may or may not be sequential).
Characters
The persons, animals, or other figures who are in stories.
Cultural Sensitivity
dealing with difficult topics carefully and considering how different cultures would interpret the information.
Epic
a long, narrative poem featuring a hero on a journey while performing extraordinary acts
The Iliad
Hyperbole
To exaggerate or overstate something that is being described.
Some of my clothes seem as old as the hills.
Personification
Giving human traits to inanimate, non-living objects.
The stars seemed to dance in the glow of the moon.
Universal Theme
common ideas that appear in literature across all cultures
Some common universal themes include love, courage, friendship, and good succeeding over evil.
Figurative Language
A word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning
hyperbole: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!
Imagery
heavily descriptive language
Textual Evidence
Proof or support of the meaning of what is being read or has been read. This evidence can be a direct quote, transition words in time and space, a statement of purpose, and/or making an argument.
Students had to write down proof of their answer to the questions on the test over the story they just read.
Genre
Various forms of texts including short stories, essays, folktales, fairy tales, poetry, historical fiction, biographies and autobiographies, memoirs, comedies and tragedies.
Night by Elie Wiesel is an example of a memoir.
Informational Text
Text that provides factual information such as in newspapers, magazines, chapters in a textbook, how-to manuals or directions.
The school newspaper is considered an informational text.
Retell
a comprehension strategy in which students retell or tell differently what they have read or listened to
When students retell a story, they are demonstrating their comprehension of the most important parts.
Story Map
a graphic organizer in which elements from a story (characters, setting, problem, solution, etc.) are recorded to help with literary analysis
Theme
The big idea or major message in a story which is often universal in that it goes beyond cultural boundaries.
Harry Potter books have several themes including good vs. evil and making good choices.
Poetry
Creative writing written in verse and often including rhymes or heavy use of figurative language
Onomatopoeia
Using words that make the sound of what the text is describing.
The buzzing bee flew into the room.
Summarizing
Writing or speaking a brief description of more extensive information by covering only the main/most important points, without details.
Literary Analysis
The careful examination of a text or one element of a text, including theme, plot, characters, or setting, in order to determine why and how the particular text was written.
Literature Circles
A strategy in which a teacher organizes students into small groups to discuss a common text.
Moral
Lesson or message to be learned. Common in fables or children’s stories.
Free Verse
a poem that can be on various topics and lacks any pattern
poems from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Author’s Point of View
An attitude or perspective toward the topic of what is being written or spoken by the author or narrator.
In an argument against bullying, the author’s point of view was that ‘bullying was caused by previous social issues.’
Narrative Text
Fictional stories, plays, poems. Usually contains some element of plot or conflict.
Peter Pan, Romeo and Juliet
Interest Survey
questions that ask students the types of books they enjoy reading
given by the teacher at the beginning of the year to determine what books to assign to meet the interests of the class
Frustrational Reading Level
A reading level that is difficult for the student and would require extensive teacher support for student comprehension
Informal Reading Inventory
A multi-step reading assessment used to gauge a student’s oral and silent reading abilities
Rhyme Scheme
the pattern of end rhyme in a stanza or poem
Primary Purpose / Author’s Purpose
why the author wrote a text
Charlie wrote an OpEd for the paper to convince people to stop littering.
Reader’s Response Journal
a journal in which students record their initial responses to their reading
Students read a portion of the text and then recorded their thoughts in a Reader’s Response Journal before discussing with classmates.
Repetition
use of the same word, phrase, or idea to call attention to its significance
Tone
The attitude of the author in writing, and which might be comical, serious, frightening, joyful. Sometimes called diction.
Folktale
stories that are orally passed through generations
“The Three Little Pigs” and “Little Red Riding Hood” are examples of folktales featuring animals.
Digital Resources
resources that provide content beyond what is available in print
In an ELA classroom, students may be able to use digital resources to hear a word said aloud, see more examples of words being used, and/or see visual representations of a word.
Inference (when reading)
A conclusion or opinion based on information that is given, and that is sometimes called an educated guess.
Sam’s parents inferred that he had gotten in trouble at school when they received a call from the principal.
Alliteration
A sentence or phrase in which most of the beginning letters or sounds begin with the same consonant sound.
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Dictionary (Digital)
an online dictionary
dictionary.com
Instructional Reading Level
A reading level that is challenging for the student but manageable with teacher support. They have difficulty with no more than one out of every ten words.
Author’s Purpose
The author’s intention for writing. Could be persuasive, narrative, expository, or informative. Organization and style choices should reflect the purpose for writing.
Drama
serious and thought-provoking dramatic literature
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Symbolism
When an item stands for an idea or larger meaning. Usually used throughout a piece of literature.
dove = peace, red rose = love and romance
Sonnet
a fourteen line stanza with a specific rhyme scheme
Shakespeare’s sonnets
Journaling
a literacy development strategy in which students write personal reflections
Journaling is an opportunity for students to respond to literature and practice their writing skills.
Haiku
short, three line poems usually written about nature
“In the Twilight Rain” by Matsuo Basho
Rhythm
Music’s pattern in time; has three parts: tempo, beat, and meter
Denotative Meaning
a literal, dictionary meaning of a word
Graphic Organizer
a visual display of the relationships between facts and ideas
Graphic organizers, such as story maps, timelines, venn diagrams and K-W-L charts, help students organize information.
Ballad
ABCB or ABAB rhyming stanzas as part of a longer poem
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Memoir
A story or account of someone’s life or a part of that person’s life.
A Moveable Feast is a memoir written by Ernest Hemingway during his time of living in Paris.
