Common Core: Kindergarten English Language Arts : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: Kindergarten English Language Arts
All Common Core: Kindergarten English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Grow Flower, Grow by Marie Smith
A flower starts out as a very small seed.
The seed gets planted in the dirt.
The seed needs lots of water to help it grow.
Soon, a green stem and green leaves will poke out of the dirt.
Then, a flower will start to bloom.
Water and sunlight are a flower's food.
So, water and sunlight will help keep a flower alive.
What does "bloom" mean?
To have flower petals
To eat
To live
To die
To have flower petals
To help us answer this question, we need to think about what we know about flowers.
They start as a seed. They have a stem and leaves. But what makes flowers pretty and colorful? Their flower petals.
The text says, "Then, a flower will start to bloom" This is the final step to grow a flower, and the petals are the final thing to show on a flower. The best answer, is "To have flower petals".
Example Question #2 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Adapted from Mother Goose in Prose by L. Frank Baum (1897)
The Black Sheep by L. Frank Baum
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full;
One for my master,
And one for my dame,
and one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
What is wool?
A house
A bag
A house on a lane
Hair from a sheep
Hair from a sheep
Wool is hair from a sheep. We can infer this from the poem because the man is asking the sheep for the wool. Based on our other answer choices, "Hair from a sheep" makes the most sense. Wool is not a bag or a house. A bag is something you carry full of things and a house is something we live in.
Example Question #3 : Craft And Structure
Baby Animals
Baby animals have many different names.
A baby cat is called a kitten.
A baby dog is called a puppy.
A baby chicken is called a chick.
A baby lion is called a cub.
A baby cow is called a calf.
A baby goat is called a kid.
A baby sheep is called a lamb.
A baby horse is called a foal.
A baby elephant is called a calf.
A baby bear is called a cub.
A baby fox is called a pup.
What is the title?
Animal Babies
Animals and Their Babies
Baby Animals
Babies
Baby Animals
The title is the heading of a text.
Example Question #3 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Which word does not belong?
Which word does NOT belong?
calf
lamb
cow
foal
cow
Cow is the adult animal name. The other words are baby animals.
Example Question #3 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Baby Animals
Baby animals have many different names.
A baby cat is called a kitten.
A baby dog is called a puppy.
A baby chicken is called a chick.
A baby lion is called a cub.
A baby cow is called a calf.
A baby goat is called a kid.
A baby sheep is called a lamb.
A baby horse is called a foal.
A baby elephant is called a calf.
A baby bear is called a cub.
A baby fox is called a pup.
The letter “a” can make a short or long sound. The short “a” sound is used in the word apple, hat, and dad. Which word from the passage also makes the short a sound?
baby
cat
foal
bear
cat
The “a” in cat makes the short a sound. In the words “baby” and “bear” the a makes the long a sound. In the word “foal” the a is silent.
Example Question #4 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Penguins
Penguins are birds.
Like all birds, penguins have feathers and lay eggs.
Penguins live on land and in water. Some penguins live in cold places. Some penguins live in warm places.
Penguins can be different sizes. Some penguins are big. Some penguins are small.
Penguins can be different colors. Some penguins are black and white. Some penguins are blue and white. Some penguins are all black. Some penguins have yellow or orange spots.
Penguins are birds but penguins cannot fly.
Some penguins walk. Penguins can walk on ice.
Some penguins slide. Penguins can slide on snow.
Some penguins hop. Penguins can hop on rocks.
All penguins are good swimmers. Penguins use their wings to help them swim.
Penguins are amazing birds.
Which word does not belong?
Feathers
Beak
Wings
Hand
Hand
Beak, feathers and wings all describe parts of birds. Hand does not describe a part of birds.
Example Question #5 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Penguins
Penguins are birds.
Like all birds, penguins have feathers and lay eggs.
Penguins live on land and in water. Some penguins live in cold places. Some penguins live in warm places.
Penguins can be different sizes. Some penguins are big. Some penguins are small.
Penguins can be different colors. Some penguins are black and white. Some penguins are blue and white. Some penguins are all black. Some penguins have yellow or orange spots.
Penguins are birds but penguins cannot fly.
Some penguins walk. Penguins can walk on ice.
Some penguins slide. Penguins can slide on snow.
Some penguins hop. Penguins can hop on rocks.
All penguins are good swimmers. Penguins use their wings to help them swim.
Penguins are amazing birds.
Based on the passage, which word does NOT below?
Walk
Fly
Slide
Swim
Fly
Walk, slide and swim are all ways penguins move. Penguins do not fly.
Example Question #6 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Penguins
Penguins are birds.
Like all birds, penguins have feathers and lay eggs.
Penguins live on land and in water. Some penguins live in cold places. Some penguins live in warm places.
Penguins can be different sizes. Some penguins are big. Some penguins are small.
Penguins can be different colors. Some penguins are black and white. Some penguins are blue and white. Some penguins are all black. Some penguins have yellow or orange spots.
Penguins are birds but penguins cannot fly.
Some penguins walk. Penguins can walk on ice.
Some penguins slide. Penguins can slide on snow.
Some penguins hop. Penguins can hop on rocks.
All penguins are good swimmers. Penguins use their wings to help them swim.
Penguins are amazing birds.
Which word does not belong?
White
Purple
Blue
Black
Purple
Black, White and Blue are all colors of penguins. Penguins are not purple.
Example Question #8 : Craft And Structure
Animals That Swim
Many different animals can swim.
Fish can swim. Fish use their tails and fins to help them swim.
Ducks can swim. Ducks use their webbed feet to help them swim.
Penguins can swim. Penguins use their wings to help them swim.
Turtles can swim. They use their flippers to help them swim.
Sharks can swim. They use their tails and fins to help them swim.
Otters can swim. They use their feet and tails to help them swim.
Bears can swim. They use their paws to help them swim.
Seals can swim. They use their flippers to help them swim.
Snakes can swim. They use their bodies to help them swim.
Frogs can swim. They use their feet to help them swim.
What category would you put the words feet, fins, flippers, wings, and paws in?
Body parts animals use to swim
Body parts animals use to walk
Body parts animals use to hide
Body parts animals use to eat
Body parts animals use to swim
According to the text, feet, fins, flippers, wings and paws are all body parts that animals use to swim. Frogs, otters and ducks use their feet to swim. Fish and sharks use their fins to swim. Seals and turtles use their flippers to swim. Penguins use their wings to swim. Bears use their paws to swim.
Example Question #7 : Understand Unknown Vocabulary
Animals That Swim
Many different animals can swim.
Fish can swim. Fish use their tails and fins to help them swim.
Ducks can swim. Ducks use their webbed feet to help them swim.
Penguins can swim. Penguins use their wings to help them swim.
Turtles can swim. They use their flippers to help them swim.
Sharks can swim. They use their tails and fins to help them swim.
Otters can swim. They use their feet and tails to help them swim.
Bears can swim. They use their paws to help them swim.
Seals can swim. They use their flippers to help them swim.
Snakes can swim. They use their bodies to help them swim.
Frogs can swim. They use their feet to help them swim.
The “i” in the word “fin” makes the short “i” sound. The short “i” sound is also used in the words big, hit, and tip. Which of the words from the passage below also make the short “i” sound?
Their
Can
Fish
Tail
Fish
The “i” in fish makes the short sound. In their and tail, the “i” does not make the long or short sound. There is no “i” in can.
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