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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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.
  1. Choose the word with the right suffix to finish the sentence. We were ___ to our grandma for the gift. (thank) (thankment / thankful / thankless / thankness) → thankfulPrompt: Read the sentence with each choice.
  2. What does "repaint" mean? (paint again / paint badly / not paint / paint before) → paint againPrompt: Find the prefix at the start of the word.
  3. Which word fits? Use the clue in brackets. I could not open the box, so Dad helped me ___ the lid. (opposite of screw) (prescrew / rescrew / unscrew) → unscrewPrompt: Read the clue in brackets.

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 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.
  1. What does "darkness" mean? (the state of being dark / a person who is dark / able to be dark / without light) → the state of being darkPrompt: Cover the suffix. What is the root word?
  2. Which suffix do you need? Make "enjoy" mean "able to be enjoyed". (-ful / -able / -er / -ness) → -ablePrompt: Look at the meaning you want.

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.
  1. What does "teacher" mean? (the state of teaching / without teaching / able to teach / a person who teaches) → a person who teachesPrompt: Cover the suffix. What is the root word?
  2. Which suffix do you need? Make "dark" mean "the state of being dark". (-less / -ful / -er / -ness) → -nessPrompt: 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

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What does the suffix mean? (-less, -ful, -able, -er, -ness)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which suffix do you need? Make "play" mean "full of play".

    • A. -less
    • B. -ful
    • C. -able
    • D. -ness

  2. Question 2

    Use a suffix to make one word with this meaning. Type it. a person who paints

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    What does "thankful" mean?

    • A. a person who thanks
    • B. without thanks
    • C. full of thanks
    • D. able to be thanked

  4. Question 4

    Which suffix do you need? Make "dark" mean "the state of being dark".

    • A. -less
    • B. -ful
    • C. -er
    • D. -ness

  5. Question 5

    Use a suffix to make one word with this meaning. Type it. the quality of being kind

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    What does "darkness" mean?

    • A. able to be dark
    • B. without light
    • C. the state of being dark
    • D. a person who is dark

  7. Question 7

    Which suffix do you need? Make "soft" mean "the quality of being soft".

    • A. -less
    • B. -ful
    • C. -able
    • D. -ness

  8. Question 8

    What does "swimmer" mean?

    • A. without swimming
    • B. able to swim
    • C. full of water
    • D. a person who swims

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Answer key: What does the suffix mean? (-less, -ful, -able, -er, -ness)

  1. 1. B. -ful

  2. 2. painter

  3. 3. C. full of thanks

  4. 4. D. -ness

  5. 5. kindness

  6. 6. C. the state of being dark

  7. 7. D. -ness

  8. 8. D. a person who swims