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 · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 30 minutes

Greek roots: bio, geo, graph, phon and more

Vocabulary

CCSS L.6.4.BEngland: KS3 English (vocabulary and etymology)England: 11+ English

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Greek roots: bio, geo, graph, phon and more.

  • 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: Greek and Latin roots

Leads to: Greek roots: path, phil, phob, psych, poly and more

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 (Greek and Latin roots). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What does this root mean? therm (as in thermometer, thermal) (water / cold / heat / measure) → heatPrompt: Think about what the example words have in common.
  2. Use the word parts to work out the meaning. What does "transport" mean? (trans = across, port = carry) (write again / break apart / carry across from one place to another / look closely) → carry across from one place to anotherPrompt: Put the meanings of the parts together.
  3. What does this root mean? aqua (as in aquarium, aquatic) (fire / water / air / earth) → waterPrompt: Think about what the example words have in common.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
  • Share the objective: Greek roots: bio, geo, graph, phon and more. 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 Greek root "micro" mean? (as in microwave, microchip, microorganism)
  • Step 1: Knowing what a Greek root means helps you work out unfamiliar words that contain it.
  • Step 2: micro means "small", as in microwave, microchip, microorganism.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: small
  • Answer: small
  • 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 Greek root "photo" mean? (as in photosynthesis, photocopy, photon) (earth / write or draw / far / light) → lightPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
  2. Which word contains a Greek root that means "self"? (automatic / paragraph / kaleidoscope / dehydrated) → automaticPrompt: Split each word into parts. Which part could mean "self"?

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 Greek root "meter / metr" mean? (as in diameter, perimeter, symmetry) (measure / life / write or draw / look at, examine) → measurePrompt: What do the example words have in common?
  2. Which word contains a Greek root that means "measure"? (teleport / symmetry / saxophone / geocentric) → symmetryPrompt: Split each word into parts. Which part could mean "measure"?

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: Greek and Latin roots.
  • 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: Greek roots: path, phil, phob, psych, poly and more.
  • 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-6.

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

eurekami

Greek roots: bio, geo, graph, phon and more

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    What does the Greek root "scope" mean? (as in stethoscope, periscope, kaleidoscope)

    • A. sound
    • B. look at, examine
    • C. small
    • D. measure

  2. Question 2

    Which word contains a Greek root that means "small"?

    • A. diameter
    • B. thermos
    • C. microwave
    • D. television

  3. Question 3

    These words share a Greek root that means "time". Type it. chronicle, anachronism, synchronise

    Answer

  4. Question 4

    What does the Greek root "phon" mean? (as in saxophone, megaphone, symphony)

    • A. sound
    • B. far
    • C. light
    • D. water

  5. Question 5

    Which word contains a Greek root that means "sound"?

    • A. saxophone
    • B. automatic
    • C. paragraph
    • D. microwave

  6. Question 6

    These words share a Greek root that means "earth". Type it. geophysics, geocentric, geocache

    Answer

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Greek roots: bio, geo, graph, phon and more

  1. 1. B. look at, examine

  2. 2. C. microwave

  3. 3. chron

  4. 4. A. sound

  5. 5. A. saxophone

  6. 6. geo