Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes Lesson Plan: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes, and supports the standard of using Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display the word “unhappily.” Ask students:

• What do you think this word means?
• How can you figure out its meaning?

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND

• Read the description on the Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes topic page.
• Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 

Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Language” or “Etc.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: ENGAGE

Students express what they learned about roots, prefixes, and suffixes, while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

• Make-a-Movie: Produce a movie answering this question: How can a suffix change a word from an adjective to a noun? (Essential Literacy Skill: Summarize key details)
• Make-a-Map: Identify and define as many words as you can make from the root word “move” by adding prefixes, suffixes, or both.  (Essential  Literacy Skill: Acquire and use academic words and phrases)
• Creative Coding: Code a sorting game where players determine whether a word has a prefix, a suffix, both, or neither. (Essential  Literacy Skill: Acquire and use academic words and phrases)

Step 4: APPLY & ASSESS 

Apply: Students complete the Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes Worksheet, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes Quiz. 

Step 5:  EXTEND LEARNING

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of vocabulary acquisition and use with these topics: Etymology and Context Clues. 

Additional Support Resources:

• Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how Pause Points actively engage students  to stop, think, and express ideas. 
• Modifications for BrainPOP Learning Activities: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
• BrainPOP Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.