English lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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.
- What does the Latin root "bene" mean? (as in benediction, benevolent, benign) (hang / voice, call / good, well / make, do) → good, wellPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
- What does the Greek root "crat / cracy" mean? (as in autocrat, bureaucracy, aristocrat) (feeling, suffering / rule, power / star / love) → rule, powerPrompt: What do the example words have in common?
- Which word contains a Latin root that means "hang"? (invent / pendant / benediction / infect) → pendantPrompt: Split each word into parts. Which part could mean "hang"?
Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. intercept (catch something on its way between two places / hang up / build again / throw away) → catch something on its way between two placesPrompt: Split the word into prefix, root and suffix.
- Which word has this meaning? a single, unchanging tone of voice (monotone / advocate / intercept / amorphous) → monotonePrompt: Which root or prefix matches part of the meaning?
You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which word has this meaning? fear of small, enclosed spaces (claustrophobia / amorphous / polyglot / monotone) → claustrophobiaPrompt: Which root or prefix matches part of the meaning?
- Use the roots you know to choose the most likely meaning of the word. amorphous (without a clear shape / full of love / very old / brightly coloured) → without a clear shapePrompt: Split the word into prefix, root and suffix.
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