Using root words as clues to the meaning of unknown words
I can use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word.
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General
Students learn to use root words as clues to help decipher the meaning of unknown words.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4c
Learning objective
Students will be able to use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root.
Introduction
Start the lesson by practicing prefixes and suffixes with the class. Ask the students if they can split up the words into their prefix- root word- and suffixes. You can challenge students by asking if they can come up with any other words that have prefixes/suffixes.
Instruction
Remind students that the root of a word is a word part that can form new words when you add an affix in the form of a prefix or suffix. Give an example with "disgrace" and help students unpack the word showing its prefix. Repeat with a demonstration of the word "baker" and the suffix. Explain to students that you can use the root of a word as a clue to help figure out the meaning of an unknown word. Show how this works with the words with the root "fair." Next, ask students to draw a line in which they match words with the same root. Now that they can match roots, ask if they can determine the meaning of the root words. Once you know the root and the meaning of a root, you can build new words by adding a prefix or suffix. Practice this with "act." Practice finding the root again with students. Then show students a root word, define the root, and then give the root with an affix, and as a class discuss what the meaning of this new word could be. Practice finding a root word in a set of given words and defining all the words in that set. When you come across an unknown word, tell students that their first step should be to see if they can discover the root, because often the root is familiar to them.
Quiz
Students first answer multiple-choice questions in which they must determine what the root of a given word is. They then are given a root and then the root with an affix and are asked what the likely meaning of that word is. They must then select the word that does not share a root with the other words and finish with questions in which they must fill in the root of the given words.
Closing
Remind students that their knowledge of roots will help them discover the meaning of unknown words. This will help them become better readers. Play a sort of memory with the students, in which they take turns uncovering words to match words with the same root word. Finish with an exit slip, on which students must work in pairs to read the given text and discover unfamiliar words and try to discover the meaning of them.
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With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.