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) (stillful / stillness / stilly / stillment) → stillnessPrompt: Read the sentence with each choice.
What does "repaint" mean? (paint again / paint badly / paint before / not paint) → paint againPrompt: Find the prefix at the start of the word.
Which word fits? Use the clue in brackets. We watched a ___ of the new film. (a look before) (unview / preview / review) → previewPrompt: 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 "brightness" mean? (without light / able to shine / the quality of being bright / a person who is bright) → the quality of being brightPrompt: Cover the suffix. What is the root word?
Which suffix do you need? Make "dark" mean "the state of being dark". (-less / -ful / -er / -ness) → -nessPrompt: 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.

Use a suffix to make one word with this meaning. Type it. able to be broken → breakablePrompt: Find the root word inside the meaning.
Which suffix do you need? Make "farm" mean "a person who farms". (-ful / -able / -er / -ness) → -erPrompt: Look at the meaning you want.

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