Teaching Context Clues is Baloney! {FREEBIE}

In searching for a new way to teach context clues, I ran across this blog post showing how to use the book Baloney (Henry P.)  In Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith's story, Henry is an alien schoolkid who needs to come up with one good reason for why he is late for szkola again. Otherwise, his teacher promises that he will have detention forever.

I decided this would be perfect for my 2nd graders.  I read the book to my little aliens, and we made a chart just like Mrs. Whitehurst.  Since my kiddos are a year older than hers, we were able to talk a little bit more about word parts, word roots, and derivatives as the clues to the words and their meanings.

After reading the book, I told my students that they were to come up with one more reason to explain why Henry was late for school.  They had to include a nonsense word in their excuse which could be figured out using the context clues given in their explanation.  It was a lofty goal, and I wasn't sure if they could do it.  With a few examples and a little tweaking, they got the hang of it and they LOVED it!

I was late for school because I couldn't find the page that came off my zeading log.

 

I was late for school today because my mom's zack broke down on the way to school.

 

Henry P. Baloney was late to school because he forgot to put grape junes on his bread.  The bread would be dry without it.

I wish you could see all of the Henry P.'s they created; they were ADORABLE!  I know what you really want...the files!

Baloney (Henry P.) Alien Body

Grab the writing paper {here}.

Enjoy!