Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

English lesson plan · 10th grade (Year 11 in England) · 30 minutes

Advanced prefixes: ante-, hyper-, hypo-, pseudo-, retro-…

Vocabulary

CCSS L.9-10.4.BEngland: GCSE English Language (vocabulary)England: SAT Reading and Writing (Words in Context)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Advanced prefixes: ante-, hyper-, hypo-, pseudo-, retro-….

  • 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: What prefixes mean: pre-, sub-, inter-, trans- and more; Decoding advanced words from their roots

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 (What prefixes mean: pre-, sub-, inter-, trans- and more; Decoding advanced words from their roots). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What does the prefix "anti" mean? (as in antivirus, antiseptic, antifreeze) (between / against / out / above, beyond) → againstPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
  2. Which word contains a prefix that means "across"? (translate / semifinal / coexist / decode) → translatePrompt: Split each word into parts. Which part could mean "across"?
  3. These words share a prefix that means "against". Type it. antiseptic, antisocial, antivirus → antiPrompt: Look for the letters that appear in every word.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
  • Share the objective: Advanced prefixes: ante-, hyper-, hypo-, pseudo-, retro-…. 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 the prefix "hypo" mean? (as in hypothermia, hypodermic, hypothesis)
  • Step 1: Knowing what a prefix means helps you work out unfamiliar words that contain it.
  • Step 2: hypo means "under, below", as in hypothermia, hypodermic, hypothesis.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: under, below
  • Answer: under, below
  • 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.
  1. What does the prefix "intra" mean? (as in intravenous, intranet, intramural) (false / against / equal / within) → withinPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
  2. Which word contains a prefix that means "over, too much"? (hyperactive / ultramarathon / hypodermic / pseudoscience) → hyperactivePrompt: Split each word into parts. Which part could mean "over, too much"?

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.
  1. What does the prefix "hypo" mean? (as in hypodermic, hypothermia, hypothesis) (under, below / over, too much / before / outside) → under, belowPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
  2. Which word contains a prefix that means "under, below"? (hyperactive / contrast / hypothesis / circumstance) → hypothesisPrompt: Split each word into parts. Which part could mean "under, below"?

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: What prefixes mean: pre-, sub-, inter-, trans- and more.
  • 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-10.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Advanced prefixes: ante-, hyper-, hypo-, pseudo-, retro-…

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which word contains a prefix that means "together, with"?

    • A. ultraviolet
    • B. contraband
    • C. hypodermic
    • D. symphony

  2. Question 2

    What does the prefix "hypo" mean? (as in hypodermic, hypothermia, hypothesis)

    • A. around
    • B. beyond, extremely
    • C. under, below
    • D. backwards

  3. Question 3

    These words share a prefix that means "over, too much". Type it. hyperbole, hyperactive, hypersensitive

    Answer

  4. Question 4

    Which word contains a prefix that means "backwards"?

    • A. retrograde
    • B. antenatal
    • C. pseudonym
    • D. extraordinary

  5. Question 5

    What does the prefix "intra" mean? (as in intravenous, intranet, intramural)

    • A. under, below
    • B. within
    • C. equal
    • D. over, too much

  6. Question 6

    These words share a prefix that means "backwards". Type it. retrograde, retrofit, retrospect

    Answer

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Advanced prefixes: ante-, hyper-, hypo-, pseudo-, retro-…

  1. 1. D. symphony

  2. 2. C. under, below

  3. 3. hyper

  4. 4. A. retrograde

  5. 5. B. within

  6. 6. retro