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Root Word Investigations
A Vocabulary Building Strategy
Word Part Investigation
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.
Word Parts
Suffixes are word parts attached to the ends of a word or word part.
-ment
Prefixes are word parts attached to the beginning of a word or word part.
pre-
Affixes are added to a word part to change its meaning.
prefixessuffixes
Base Words contain meaning and can stand on their own.
Word Parts
-JUDGE-
Root Words are word parts that do not typically form a stand alone word.
-JECT-
Word Parts
Base Word SuffixPrefixpre = before judge (verb) = to
form an opinion about someone or something
ment = the act of; the state of
to form an opinion beforehand
prejudgethe act of
forming an opinion
judgement
verb noun
Root Words contain meaning but cannot stand on their own.
Root Word
Word Parts
scrip/scrib
Suffix
-tion
Prefix
pre-
Root Word Investigation
• Draw a circle in the center of the page.• Write the root word “scrip/scrib” inside.
Set Up Your Graphic Organizer
Root Word Investigation
• In your group, make a list of words with the root word “scrip” or “scrib” in them.
Create a Word List
• Write each word in a circle that’s connected to your target word.
• Leave plenty of blank space inside the circles.
Root Word Investigation
• 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.
Add the Definitions
Root Word Investigation
• Take turns sharing each of your definitions with the whole group.
• As other group members share their definitions, copy them onto your graphic organizer.
Share the Definitions
Root Word Investigation
1. Read all of the definitions.What do they have in common?
2. Find a common word or idea among the definitions.
3. One at a time, share your findings with the group.
Root Word Investigation
What do they have in common?
4. Decide together what most have in common and highlight the common word or idea.
5. 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.
• 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
What does somnambulist mean?Group Practice
Root word
ambul = walk
Suffix
-ist = one who
Prefix
somn-= sleep
Dyarchy: a government with two rulers Anarchist: one who rebels against governmental authority
Prefix Root Word Suffix
dy- (meaning two)
dox (meaning opinion or belief)
-ist (meaning one who)
an- (meaning without or no)
archy (meaning government)
Now, You Try It