Root Word Investigations Word Part Investigation A Vocabulary Building Strategy

Today’s Learning Objectives Students will: Recognize the differences between prefixes, suffixes, root words, and base words. Identify different parts of speech. Practice dictionary skills. Discover the meaning of selected prefixes and root words using a part-to-whole graphic organizer.

prefixes pre- -ment suffixes Word Parts Affixes are added to a word part to change its meaning. Prefixes are word parts attached to the beginning of a word or word part. Suffixes are word parts attached to the ends of a word or word part. prefixes pre- -ment suffixes

Word Parts -JUDGE- -JECT- Base Words contain meaning and can stand on their own. Root Words are word parts that do not typically form a stand alone word. -JUDGE- -JECT-

verb noun Word Parts pre judge judge ment Prefix Base Word Suffix pre = before ment = the act of; the state of judge (verb) = to form an opinion about someone or something pre judge judge ment to form an opinion beforehand the act of forming an opinion verb noun

pre- scrip/scrib -tion Word Parts Prefix Root Word Root Words contain meaning but cannot stand on their own. Suffix pre- scrip/scrib -tion

Root Word Investigation Set Up Your Graphic Organizer Draw a circle in the center of the page. Write the root word “scrip/scrib” inside.

Root Word Investigation Create a Word List In your group, make a list of words with the root word “scrip” or “scrib” in them. Write each word in a circle that’s connected to your target word. Leave plenty of blank space inside the circles.

Root Word Investigation Add the Definitions Use the classroom dictionaries to look up the meaning of each word. Each group member must look up one of the words. Write the exact dictionary definition in the circle that matches your word.

Root Word Investigation Share the Definitions Take turns sharing each of your definitions with the whole group. As other group members share their definitions, copy them onto your graphic organizer.

Root Word Investigation What do they have in common? Read all of the definitions. Find a common word or idea among the definitions. One at a time, share your findings with the group.

Root Word Investigation What do they have in common? Decide together what most have in common and highlight the common word or idea. In the center circle, INFER and write what you think that root word means. writing

Root Word Investigation Congratulations, word detectives. You just conducted your first root word investigation and created a part-to-whole graphic organizer. We will practice this all year.

What does somnambulist mean? Group Practice If you divided the word into a prefix, a root, and a suffix, where would you separate the word? Do you recognize a common suffix? What do you think the root could be? What about the prefix? Somn|ambul|ist What other words can you think of that have somn in them? Insomnia, insomniac, Unisom

What does somnambulist mean? Group Practice Prefix somn- = sleep Root word ambul = walk Suffix -ist = one who

Now, You Try It dy- dox -ist an- archy Dyarchy: Prefix Root Word Suffix dy- (meaning two) dox (meaning opinion or belief) -ist (meaning one who) an- (meaning without or no) archy (meaning government) Dyarchy: a government with two rulers Anarchist: one who rebels against governmental authority