Worksheet

A Kestrel Over the Field: Sentence Clues

Read a story about Yusuf watching a kestrel hunt over a field, then use sentence clues to find the meanings of new words and phrases.

Grade 2ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toL.2.4.a

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What’s included

Single worksheet
Auto-graded online
1 Common Core standard
Printable answer key
9 questions
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Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 2
Subject: ELA
Question types: Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Matching, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students use clues in a sentence to tell what an unknown word means.
Students use sentence clues to explain what a phrase means.
Students use new words correctly in new sentences.

How to use

Read the story aloud together. When students reach a bold question word, have them point to the other words in the sentence that give a clue before choosing an answer.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

L.2.4.a

Use the rest of the sentence as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Preview

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Name Date

A Kestrel Over the Field: Sentence Clues

Use the rest of the sentence to figure out what a word means.

Read the story

Read the story. Look for clues that tell what new words mean.

The Bird on the Wire

1Yusuf and Aunt Marisol sat on a wooden fence at the edge of a grassy field. Aunt Marisol handed him her binoculars so he could see the far-off birds up close. "Look at that small bird on the wire," she said. "It is a kestrel."

2The kestrel was perched on the wire, sitting very still with its feet wrapped around it. Its feathers were rusty orange with dark spots.

3Suddenly, the kestrel flew up. It hovered above the grass, flapping its wings fast but staying in one spot, like it was hanging on a string. Its head turned from side to side as it scanned the field, looking all around for something to eat.

4Then a strong gust of wind blew Yusuf's cap right off his head. All at once, the kestrel dove straight down into the grass, headfirst and fast.

5"Did it catch something?" Yusuf asked. "Maybe a grasshopper," said Aunt Marisol. "Kestrels eat lots of bugs." Yusuf grinned from ear to ear. He could not wait to come back and watch again.

Words in the story

Use the clues in each sentence to answer the questions.

Read paragraph 2. What does the word perched mean?

A. flying in circles
B. sitting and resting
C. singing a loud song
D. hiding under a leaf

Read paragraph 3. What does the word hovered mean?

A. stayed in one spot in the air
B. landed softly on the ground
C. flew far away over the hill
D. folded its wings to rest

Which words from paragraph 3 help you know what scanned means?

A. the kestrel flew up
B. above the grass
C. looking all around
D. flapping its wings fast

Use the clues in the story. Match each word to what it means.

gust
binoculars
grinned
dove

A. smiled a big smile
B. went down fast, head first
C. a quick, strong rush of wind
D. tools that make far things look close

In paragraph 3, the kestrel looked "like it was hanging on a string." What does this tell you about how the kestrel moved? Use clues from the sentence.

Use sentence clues

Use the other words in each sentence as clues.

Use the word bank. Write the word that fits each sentence. One word is not used.

Word bank: scanned · gust · binoculars · perched · hovered

A tiny hummingbird in front of the flower, beating its wings fast.
The owl on a high branch and rested all day.
Grace the shelf, looking at every book, until she found her favorite.
A of wind blew the dry leaves off the porch.