Mini-Lesson

Students will use context clues to learn new vocabulary.

1. After students read the article A Delicious Oscar Win, ask, "Did you come across any words that were new to you?" Have students give examples.

2. Point out the word "culinary" in paragraph 2. Ask students how they would define the word "culinary." (If students already know the word's meaning or have seen the movie, Ratatouille, that's ok. The point of the mini-lesson is to identify strategies that can help readers learn new words.)

3. Next, ask students to find clues in paragraph 1 that might help them unlock the meaning of the word "culinary." Say: Let's look at the third sentence in paragraph 1: Last summer, Remy the rat cooked his way into the hearts of foodies everywhere. Even if I haven't seen the movie, I know by reading this sentence that this rat likes to cook. I also see this word "foodies," which makes me think that the movie appeals to people who like to eat. Based on what I've read here, it's a pretty safe guess to say that the word "culinary" has to do with cooking.

4. Finally, use a dictionary to confirm your definition of the word "culinary."