Most Commonly Missed Terms

1. Most Commonly Missed Terms Myth: Story passed down orally, about gods and goddesses that answers questions on how things happen.

2. Fable Brief stories with animals characters that have a moral stated at the end passed Down orally. The moral is: slow and steady wins the race.

3. Fairy Tale • Fictional story with magical characters that is passed down orally.

4. Folk Tale • Brief story usually involving animal characters explaining how something came to be. “So this is how the snake got its poison.”

5. Theme • The central message that the author is trying to get across to the audience. • (If you try hard, you will succeed.)

6. Stated Main Idea The main idea is directly stated in the text. It is usually first sentence or Last sentence of a paragraph. It can also be a sentence in the middle. It States what the entire article is mostly about. Can also be a thesis statement.

7. Bias • Demonstrating prejudice or favoritism to one side.

8. Purpose • Authors write to inform, entertain, or persuade.

9. Tone • Is the author’s tone positive, negative, or neutral? The author speaks favorably toward what you are Reading. The author speaks negatively about what you are reading. Neutral: The author does not have an opinion. Just giving You information. Like Dragnet: “Just the facts, Ma’me, Just The facts.”

10. Implied Main Idea • The main idea is not directly stated in the passage. The reader needs to figure it out. Look for supporting details (bullets) and synthesize(put the bullets together) and come up with a sentence as to what the article is mostly about.

11. Compare and Contrast • Compare: How are two things alike? Contrast: How are two things different?

12. Parody • A humorous interpretation of something serious. For example: Making fun of the presidential election. If I win I promise everyone Cherry pie.

13. Satire • The use of irony or sarcasm and pop culture to make fun of something serious. Making fun of what someone wears to the music awards by dressing in an exaggerated version of his or her outfit. For example: If someone wore a hat with a feather in it to the awards, a comedian might dress up with a hat with a whole bird full of feathers.

14. Propaganda • Information, ideas, or rumors spread widely and on purpose to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution or nation, etc. Join the bandwagon: Everyone is doing it so you should too! Transfer: It works for me so it will work for you! Testimonial: I use nothing but ABC Hair products!

15. Dynamic Character • A character who changes dramatically by the end of the story. Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol Scrooge at the end Of the story.

16. Static Character • A character who does not change at all by the end of the story. Beterili, the bully, from The Smallest Dragon Boy.

17. Point of View • First Person: Character who is in the story is telling the story. • Third Person: Narrator is not a character in the story. Her or she is just telling it from the outside.

18. Steps to Guided Reading • Preview: Look at the title, pictures, graphs, and the questions. • Reread: Skim the article, read it closely for details, and review the article. This is your first, second, and third read. • Make sure your mouth matches the words on the page for pronouncing the words. • Tracking: Use your finger or pencil as a guide. • Always ask yourself, “Does this make sense.” If not, reread. • Answer the questions you are sure about first. Use the questions below an unknown question to gather more information to help you.