The Greek and Latin Roots

Art Book Lesson Plan

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The Greek and Latin Roots Art Book Lesson Plan

About the Update On October 23, 2011, I updated the lesson plan to include the Common Core Standards

that are relevant to this lesson.

Materials Notebooks or composition books, one for each student; or 21 pieces of paper per

student, folded in half and stapled like a booklet.

Pencils

Crayons or colored pencils.

Activity 1. Write 5 Greek or Latin Roots, their English meaning, and five examples on the board.1

2. Give each student a notebook, a composition book, or 21 pieces of paper, as

described above.

3. Give each student a copy of the handout, The 42 Most Common Greek Roots.

4. Make the coloring and drawing materials available to the students.

5. For each root, the student draws a picture that represents the MEANING of the Greek

root. For example, the Greek root bio means life. So they should draw the root bio

fairly large. They would also draw a picture that represents life, such as a flowering

tree or buzzing insects. Finally, they would write five or more words that use the root

bio, such as autobiography, biology, biotic, etc.

Additional Notes on the Project One very important stipulation I make is that they are not to write the meaning of the root/stem

anywhere in their Art Book. They are to DRAW a pictorial representation of the meaning. This forces

them to internalize, process, and synthesize the meaning. Also, I let them use the art book on the

quizzes so I don't want the meanings written in there.

I did this project with a summer high school English class, mixed grade levels. Classes were 2 hours per

day. I gave them 5 class periods to finish. I also interspersed crosswords, word searches, and quizzes. I

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gave extra credit for coloring. The more time they spend on the imagery, the more they are absorbing

the meaning of the root.

I can't over-state how much success I have had with this lesson. It keeps the kids interacting with roots

and stems over long periods of time. It forces them to synthesize the information and apply it in an

original way, a personal way that has meaning for them. The best part is, it is simple and doesn't require

a lot of complex input or instructions from the teacher. Just show them an example, give them the

materials and the list of roots and away they go. And did I mention that is easy to grade?

Student Work: Actual Examples

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Student Work: Actual Examples - The PowerPoint Option For a digital alternative to this project, you can take the students to the computer lab, where they can

build a PowerPoint of slides that contain an image, the root, and five words that make use of the root.

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The 42 Most Common Greek RootsRoot Meaning Example

1 anti against, opposite antonym antibacterial antibiotic antithesis antacid antimatter2 astro star astronomer astrology astronaut astrophysics asteroid asterisk3 auto self autograph automobile autobiography automatic autopilot autoimmune4 bi two bicycle binoculars biannual binary bifocals bidirectional5 bio life biology biotic autobiography biomechanical bionic antibiotic6 chron time chronograph chronology chronic synchronize chronicle chronological7 cine/kine motion cinema kinetic kinesiology cinemascope kinesthetic cinematography8 cosm universe, world, order cosmos microcosm cosmology macrocosm cosmetic cosmological9 cracy type of government democracy theocracy autocracy technocracy bureaucracy aristocracy10 crat member of a type of government democrat theocrat autocrat technocrat bureaucrat aristocrat11 cycl circle, wheel bicycle tricycle cycle cyclic unicycle cyclone12 dem people demograph democrat democracy demographer epidemic pandemic13 geo earth geologist geography geophysics geometry geopolitical geodesic14 gon angle polygon octagon pentagon hexagon septagon decagon15 graph/gram drawn, written photograph polygraph graphic graph lithograph telegram16 hemi/semi half hemisphere semiautomatic hemicranial hemialgia semicircle semi-annual17 hydro/hydra water hydroplane hydrometer hydrologist hydrophobia hydrant dehydrate18 hyper over, too much, a lot hyperspace hyperactive hyperactivity hypercritical hypersensitive hyperbole19 mania madness, crazy pyromania kleptomania bibliomania megalomania maniac maniacal20 mech machine mechanic mechanistic mechanize biomechanical mechanism micromechanical21 mega big megabyte megalopolis megahertz megaton megastar megalith22 meter measure of kilometer hydrometer speedometer odometer metric meter23 micro small microphone micrometer microscope microbiology microcosm microchip24 mon/mono one monotonous monotone monotheist monochrome monoxide monosyllable25 ologist one who studies biologist geologist astrologist physiologist hydrologist theology26 ology study of biology geology astrology physiology hydrology theology27 pan all, every pantheism panorama pandemonium pandemic pantheist panchromatic28 path suffering, disease pathological empathy sympathy psychopath apathy pathos29 penta five pentagram pentane pentameter pentagon pentathalon pentacost30 phobia fear hydrophobia acrophobia agoraphobia ablutophobia satanophobia necrophobia31 phon/phono sound microphone telephone phonograph phonic phoneme headphones32 photo light photograph photon photosynthesis photoelectric photogenic photoshphere33 phys nature/body physics physiology metaphysics physical geophysics astrophysics34 pod/ped foot pedal bipedal podiatrist pedestrian tripod impede35 poly many polygon polynomial polytheism polyandrous polygraph polygamist36 psych mind psychopath psychology psyche psychic psychiatry psychotic37 pyro fire pyrotechnics pyrotechnician pyrolysis pyromania pyroclastic pyrometer38 scope watch, see microscope telescope scope stethoscope periscope kaleidoscope39 tele distance television telephone telescope teleport telekinesis telegraph40 theo god, religion theology theist theocracy theocrat monotheist theologian41 therm heat thermal thermometer thermonuclear thermostat hypothermia thermodynamics42 tri three triangle trifecta tricycle tripod triple trimester

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The 42 Most Common Latin RootsRoot English Meaning Examples

1 ann, enn year, yearly anniversary annual millennium perennial millennial2 aqu water aquarium aquamarine aqueous aquifer aquarius3 arch chief, most important, rule archenemy archbishop monarch archetype archeangel4 bene good, well benefit benign beneficial benefactor benevolent5 bi two bicycle binary bifocal bicep binoculars6 cent hundred cent centennial centurion percent percentile7 circum around circumference circumnavigate circumscribe circumvent circumstance8 con, co, col, com with, together, joined connect collide compress cohabitate cooperate9 contra against, opposite, different contrast contraindicate contradict contrary contrarian

10 cred, credit, creed believe credit credence credible incredible creed11 dict say, speak dictation diction dictionary dictate dictator12 duo/du two dual duet duplex duplicate duo13 fract, frag, fring, break fracture fragment refract fragile infraction14 inter among, between interval internet intermission intercollegiateinterlude15 jac, ject cast, throw eject interject trajectory project deject16 lumen, lumin light, shine; source illuminate illumination luminous lumen luminary17 mal bad, wretched, evil malcontent malice malicious malign malfeasance18 medi, midi middle medium median medieval mediate mediocre19 migr wander, moving migrant migrate immigrate immigrant emigrate20 min less, smaller mini minus minuscule minute minutia21 mis, mit send missile transmit remit omit remit22 mort death immortal morgue mortal mortality mortician23 multi many multiply multitude multiple multiplex multiplicity24 non not nonviolent nonfat nonstop nonverbal nonprofit25 pre before previous predict predicate prenuptial prescription26 quad four quad quadrangle quadruple quadrilateral quadruped27 quer, quir, ques, quis search, seek, ask quest inquisition query question inquire28 re- again, back, backward redo rewind resubmit rebound react29 scrib, script write inscribe scripture script scribe scribble30 sent, sens feel senses sensitive sensible sensitivity insensitive31 spect watch, look at spectator spectacle spectate inspector introspective32 stru, struct build, put together, arrange construct structure destruct instruct construction33 sub below suburbs subway submarine subzero sublime34 tempo time tempo temporary temporal contemporaryprotem35 ten, tain hold tentacles tent tenacious tentative retain36 tract pull tractor attract subtract tractable traction37 trans across transport transcribe tradition transcend transportation38 tri three triangle trifecta tricycle tripod triple39 uni one unicorn unicycle universe unity unite40 vac empty vacant vacancy evacuate vacuum vacate41 vid, vis see video vision visionary visualize television42 volv, volut roll, turn convolution revolution revolve revolver devolve

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Common Core Content Standards for English Language Arts

relevant to this lesson plan

Phonics and Word Recognition

RF.3.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

o Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational

suffixes.

o Decode words with common Latin suffixes.

o Decode multisyllable words.

o Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

RF.4.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

o Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication

patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar

multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

RF.5.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

o Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication

patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar

multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

Craft and Structure

RI.4.4. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or

phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.

RI.5.4. Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and

phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.

RI.6.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including

figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.

RI.7.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including

figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word

choice on meaning and tone.

RI.8.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including

figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word

choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

RI.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,

including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact

of specific word choices on meaning and tone.

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RI.11-12.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,

including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses

and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text.

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California’s Common Core Content Standards for English Language Arts

& Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects that

apply to this lesson plan

Grade 3 a. Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.

b. Decode words with common Latin suffixes.

Grade 4 Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word

(e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).

Grade 5 Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word

(e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).

Grade 6 Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g.,

audience, auditory, audible).

Grade 7 Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g.,

belligerent, bellicose, rebel).

Grade 8 Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g.,

precede, recede, secede).

Grades 9-10 Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech

(e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate,

advocacy) and continue to apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and affixes.

Grades 11-12 Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech

(e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable). Apply knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and

affixes to draw inferences concerning the meaning of scientific and mathematical terminology.

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Links to our other word-origins lessons and tools: Greek Roots PowerPoint Flash Cards

Greek Roots Visual Flash Cards

Introduction to Greek Roots PowerPoint Presentation

The 42 Most Common Greek Roots Mnemonic Unit

The Mega List of Greek and Latin Roots with Examples

Latin Roots PowerPoint Flash Cards

Etymology Powerpoint Presentation

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