Root words & word parts

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Archive : 2007 : February : 4

Root words & word parts
By FxyWhtCoco

I found it easier to teach my students about root words while I was teaching about prefixes/suffixes. I taught 3 or 4 common prefixes. Put words on the board and broke them into the word parts and explained the meaning of
the word and how it could be decoded since we now knew the meaning of the prefix/suffix. We practiced and practiced for several days about 15 minutes each day. They tell me whether it is a prefix or suffix, what the prefix/suffix means, what the meaning of the word is, what the root word is, and how to spell the root word. (Sounds time consuming, but it is actually very quick when they

get the hang of it!) Then we palyed a game. I split the class into groups. I gave each student a list of common prefixes and suffixes. I then wrote words on the board that were on the list. I chose words that we had not previously discussed. When it was that team's turn they had to answer all of the above questions to get 2 points. If they answer wrong another team can steal for 1 point. My students love this game!!! They can't understand why we can't play it everyday!