Root Word Investigations

A Vocabulary Building Strategy

Word Part Investigation

Today’s Learning Objectives

Students will:• Recognize the differences between prefixes, suffixes,

root words, and base words.• Identify different parts of speech.• Practice dictionary skills.• Discover the meaning of selected prefixes and root

words using a part-to-whole graphic organizer.

Word Parts

Suffixes are word parts attached to the ends of a word or word part.

-ment

Prefixes are word parts attached to the beginning of a word or word part.

pre-

Affixes are added to a word part to change its meaning.

prefixessuffixes

Base Words contain meaning and can stand on their own.

Word Parts

-JUDGE-

Root Words are word parts that do not typically form a stand alone word.

-JECT-

Word Parts

Base Word SuffixPrefixpre = before judge (verb) = to

form an opinion about someone or something

ment = the act of; the state of

to form an opinion beforehand

prejudgethe act of

forming an opinion

judgement

verb noun

Root Words contain meaning but cannot stand on their own.

Root Word

Word Parts

scrip/scrib

Suffix

-tion

Prefix

pre-

Root Word Investigation

• Draw a circle in the center of the page.• Write the root word “scrip/scrib” inside.

Set Up Your Graphic Organizer

Root Word Investigation

• In your group, make a list of words with the root word “scrip” or “scrib” in them.

Create a Word List

• Write each word in a circle that’s connected to your target word.

• Leave plenty of blank space inside the circles.

Root Word Investigation

• Use the classroom dictionaries to look up the meaning of each word.

• Each group member must look up one of the words.

• Write the exact dictionary definition in the circle that matches your word.

Add the Definitions

Root Word Investigation

• Take turns sharing each of your definitions with the whole group.

• As other group members share their definitions, copy them onto your graphic organizer.

Share the Definitions

Root Word Investigation

1. Read all of the definitions.What do they have in common?

2. Find a common word or idea among the definitions.

3. One at a time, share your findings with the group.

Root Word Investigation

What do they have in common?

4. Decide together what most have in common and highlight the common word or idea.

5. In the center circle, INFER and write what you think that root word means.

writing

Root Word Investigation

Congratulations, word detectives.You just conducted your first root word

investigation and created a part-to-whole graphic organizer.

We will practice this all year.

• If you divided the word into a prefix, a root, and a suffix, where would you separate the word?

• Do you recognize a common suffix?• What do you think the root could be?• What about the prefix?• Somn|ambul|ist• What other words can you think of that have somn in

them?• Insomnia, insomniac, Unisom

What does somnambulist mean?Group Practice

What does somnambulist mean?Group Practice

Root word

ambul = walk

Suffix

-ist = one who

Prefix

somn-= sleep

Dyarchy: a government with two rulers Anarchist: one who rebels against governmental authority

Prefix Root Word Suffix

dy- (meaning two)

dox (meaning opinion or belief)

-ist (meaning one who)

an- (meaning without or no)

archy (meaning government)

Now, You Try It