English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
What does the suffix mean? (-less, -ful, -able, -er, -ness)
Vocabulary
CCSS L.3.4.BCCSS RF.3.3.AEngland: Y3/4 Vocabulary (suffixes)England: Y3 GPS (suffixes)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: What does the suffix mean? (-less, -ful, -able, -er, -ness).
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly; Prefixes un-, re- and pre- change the meaning
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly; Prefixes un-, re- and pre- change the meaning). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Choose the word with the right suffix to finish the sentence. The ___ in the room was so deep you could hear a pin drop. (still) (stillment / stilly / stillful / stillness) → stillnessPrompt: Read the sentence with each choice.
- What does "preschool" mean? (school again / the school before big school / a school for teachers / not school) → the school before big schoolPrompt: Find the prefix at the start of the word.
- Which word fits? Use the clue in brackets. I could not open the box, so Dad helped me ___ the lid. (opposite of screw) (unscrew / rescrew / prescrew) → unscrewPrompt: Read the clue in brackets.
Hook · 3 min
- Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
- Share the objective: What does the suffix mean? (-less, -ful, -able, -er, -ness). Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: What does "painless" mean?
- Step 1: A suffix at the end of a word changes its meaning, and often its word class.
- Step 2: So the answer is: without pain
- Answer: without pain
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- What does "darkness" mean? (a person who is dark / the state of being dark / without light / able to be dark) → the state of being darkPrompt: Cover the suffix. What is the root word?
- Which suffix do you need? Make "sing" mean "a person who sings". (-less / -ful / -er / -ness) → -erPrompt: Look at the meaning you want.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- What does "readable" mean? (full of reading / able to be read / a person who reads / without reading) → able to be readPrompt: Cover the suffix. What is the root word?
- Use a suffix to make one word with this meaning. Type it. without a sound → soundlessPrompt: Find the root word inside the meaning.
Watch out for
- Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
- Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly.
- Use concrete materials: word cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder