CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4c
The Standard
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
What This Standard Means
Students need to use print and digital reference tools to check word meaning, pronunciation, and part of speech. They should know when a regular dictionary is enough and when a glossary, thesaurus, or subject-specific source gives a better answer.
Mastery looks like choosing the right tool, reading the full entry, and using context to pick the correct meaning. Students often stop at the first definition, misuse thesaurus words, or ignore part of speech. They also may trust a search result without checking the source.
Ways to Teach It
- Give pairs a dictionary, glossary, and thesaurus, then have them find the best source for ten tricky words from your current text.
- Ask students to explain why the first dictionary definition does or does not fit a sentence from their reading.
- Use an exit ticket with one word, asking for pronunciation, part of speech, best definition, and source used.
- Have students compare how a science glossary and a general dictionary define a term like cell, force, or adaptation.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.4c
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What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.4c
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word o...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4c
Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify i...