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English lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 30 minutes

Using roots to work out a whole word's meaning

Vocabulary

CCSS L.7.4.BCCSS L.7.4.DEngland: KS3 English (vocabulary)England: 11+ English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Using roots to work out a whole word's meaning.

  • 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: Latin roots: bene, mal, cred, sequ, vert and more; Greek roots: path, phil, phob, psych, poly and more

Leads to: Decoding advanced words from their roots

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 (Latin roots: bene, mal, cred, sequ, vert and more; Greek roots: path, phil, phob, psych, poly and more). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What does the Latin root "sequ / secu" mean? (as in consequence, sequence, consecutive) (voice, call / follow / join / hold) → followPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
  2. What does the Greek root "path" mean? (as in pathetic, sympathy, empathy) (love / feeling, suffering / circle, wheel / human) → feeling, sufferingPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
  3. Which word contains a Latin root that means "follow"? (consequence / convert / junction / captive) → consequencePrompt: Split each word into parts. Which part could mean "follow"?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
  • Share the objective: Using roots to work out a whole word's meaning. 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: Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. incredulous
  • Step 1: Combine the meanings of the parts to define a word, then check it makes sense.
  • Step 2: in = not + cred = believe + ulous = tending to.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: unwilling or unable to believe something
  • Answer: unwilling or unable to believe something
  • 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. Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. intercept (throw away / hang up / build again / catch something on its way between two places) → catch something on its way between two placesPrompt: Split the word into prefix, root and suffix.
  2. Which word has this meaning? change from one form to another (convert / polyglot / intercept / incredulous) → convertPrompt: Which root or prefix matches part of the meaning?

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. Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. polyglot (a shape with many sides / a type of plant / a person who speaks many languages / a fear of crowds) → a person who speaks many languagesPrompt: Split the word into prefix, root and suffix.
  2. Which word has this meaning? a ruler with total power (autocrat / intercept / incredible / incredulous) → autocratPrompt: Which root or prefix matches part of 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: Latin roots: bene, mal, cred, sequ, vert 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

  • Move on to: Decoding advanced words from their roots.
  • 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-7.

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

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Using roots to work out a whole word's meaning

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. benevolent

    • A. very wealthy
    • B. unable to decide
    • C. wishing harm
    • D. kind and wishing to do good

  2. Question 2

    Which word has this meaning? change from one form to another

    • A. advocate
    • B. convention
    • C. pandemic
    • D. convert

  3. Question 3

    Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. incredible

    • A. easy to see
    • B. badly made
    • C. hard to believe
    • D. very loud

  4. Question 4

    Which word has this meaning? the ability to share someone else's feelings

    • A. empathy
    • B. claustrophobia
    • C. pandemic
    • D. convention

  5. Question 5

    Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. claustrophobia

    • A. love of open spaces
    • B. a type of illness
    • C. fear of small, enclosed spaces
    • D. fear of heights

  6. Question 6

    Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. monotone

    • A. a single, unchanging tone of voice
    • B. many different sounds
    • C. a loud shout
    • D. a musical instrument

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Answer key: Using roots to work out a whole word's meaning

  1. 1. D. kind and wishing to do good

  2. 2. D. convert

  3. 3. C. hard to believe

  4. 4. A. empathy

  5. 5. C. fear of small, enclosed spaces

  6. 6. A. a single, unchanging tone of voice