- Teacher works with class to determine a definition of "eligible" that is more specific than the provided "to be able."

- Class discusses relationship between the words "requirement" and "eligibility."

- Class discusses the meaning of "maintain." Teacher asks students for examples of use.

- Teacher uses examples of "previous" to remind students of meaning.

- Class discusses "affect" v. "effect" (noun/verb). Students note the difference.

- Teacher begins the discussion of "prerequisite" by reviewing the meaning of "pre-."

[clip length–6:20]

TEACHER: What were some of your vocabulary words that were new this week, Fadrea?

STUDENT: Eligible

TEACHER: What does eligible mean, Fadrea?

STUDENT: To be able?

TEACHER: To be able to do it, so I can tie my my shoes - am I eligible to tie my shoes?

STUDENTS: yes

TEACHER: Really? I am eligible to tie my shoes?

STUDENTS: No! That wouldn't really make sense.

TEACHER: Who can use eligible in a different way? 'Cause eligible does mean to be able, but it does have a little twist on it. Mikeesha?

STUDENT: I am eligible to pass the 6th grade.

TEACHER: How do you become eligible to pass the 6th grade? That's a very good use...hold it.

STUDENT: By paying attention?

TEACHER: What kind of things do you have to do to be eligible?

TEACHER: Do you want to call on someone else to help you out?

STUDENT: Homework and classwork.

TEACHER: And what is your homework and classwork help with?

STUDENT: To be eligible also has something to do with, um, requirements.

TEACHER: So requirements, so what are the requirements for passing 6th grade? You get F's you wouldn't be eligible... Not only for sports ....I put my stamp of approval, and say this child is eligible to enter the 7th grade. They know, they have met the requirements to get into the 7th grade.

STUDENTS: No

TEACHER: So you can be eligible for a lot of different things. How many people like to enter contests? In a lot of contests to be eligible you have to be over the age of?

STUDENTS and TEACHER: Eighteen...

TEACHER: Not always, some contests are for kids.

TEACHER: So what was another word this week? We got eligible which is great, but I wanna make sure we know all the words.

STUDENT: Maintain

TEACHER: Maintain, What does maintain mean? Maintain... I see all these same people (kids raising their hands). What does maintain mean?

STUDENT: To keep up

TEACHER: What do you maintain in your house? What do you keep up with in your house. I hear a lot of side conversation, it makes it very hard for me to hear, and it also makes me know not everyone is listening. You tend to be a neat person, what do you keep up?

TEACHER: Do you maintain your notebook? How do you maintain your notebook?

STUDENT: Keep everything in order.

TEACHER: You keep everything in order. Tyreen, what do you maintain?
STUDENT: I maintain speed.

TEACHER: Oh! so you maintain speed, so if I was maintaining the legal speed on the highway what would I be going?

STUDENT: 45

STUDENT: 50 mph

STUDENT: No you could die

TEACHER [laughing]: We would all be safe drivers. On the highway you can go 65mph. Alright, wait, wait, wait. We’ve got more words, we’ve got more words, before we get to the math problem. Previous! The assignment you do. What's the assignment you do that comes previously...I almost said the definition...What means previously? Marie Clair?

STUDENT: Earlier

TEACHER: Earlier....So what is the previous assignment to the word chart.

STUDENT: The weekly paragraph.

TEACHER: The weekly paragraph

TEACHER: Who was the teacher previous to Mr. Clark and I?

STUDENT: I don't know

STUDENT: Ms Principe.

TEACHER: Ms. Principe.some of you had Ms. Principe, some of you had Mr. Branch..Some of you had teachers at other schools right? Most of you had Mrs. Principe and Mr. Branch, so previous means? Earlier or something that happened before.

TEACHER: What about affect? I used to get affect and effect messed up when I was a kid. 'Cause one has an E and one has an A. So who can clarify for me what affect means?

STUDENT: Affect is a verb, affect is a verb.

TEACHER: Put your finger on affect. It's a verb. If I can save you from the confusion I had as a kid were gonna do it.

STUDENT: It's a verb.

TEACHER: Alright it's a verb. If I say "The Butterfly Effect." Is that a noun? An adjective?

STUDENT: That’s a movie

TEACHER: it is a movie…The effect...Is it a thing? Or is it a verb?

Students: A verb!

TEACHER: so, Yosetti help me out, were trying to decide the difference between affect with an A and effect with an E.

STUDENT: Effect is something that....Something that I think already happened.

TEACHER: So it's some thing that already happened. It is the result of right? Effect with an E is what already happened. Something affecting it, the cause of it is the action. Like you not doing homework affects your grade. You studying in the right way or redoing problems that you know how to solve and checking your answers on your own on your own time also affects your grade. Things can affect positively or negatively. Make sure that you have that effect is the thing that happens.

STUDENT: Where are we writing this?

TEACHER: In the note section in the last column of your box. That way when you have Ms. Maher next year for ELA she is gonna be so happy.

TEACHER: Alright Isiah, You raised for me. What is prerequisite? If it is pre. What if I say preview or prefix what does that pre part mean?

STUDENT: It means pre

TEACHER: If I say prehistoric times...It's before?

STUDENT: Before history

TEACHER: Before historic time right? If I say I'm going to see the movie preview have I viewed the movie?

STUDENT: No

TEACHER: It's the little bit that comes what? When does it come?

STUDENT: Before

STUDENT: Earlier

TEACHER: Earlier. If I have a prefix on a word. Where does it come? Before or after?

STUDENT: Before

TEACHER: So pre means before, Requisite means required, so if we put it together prerequisite means...It's a requirement you have to meet what?

STUDENT: Requirement...Doesn't that mean you have to get something?

TEACHER: You have to do it when? Pre means what? You have do?

STUDENT: Before

TEACHER: Before. Good job. Make sure you have it in your notes. It’s a "have to do" before.