Time Frame
1 class periods of 15 minutes each
Summary
This strategy will focus on the prefix "re-" to help predict the meaning of words. The same strategy can be used to introduce other common prefixes such as "dis-", "in-" and "im-".
Materials
Dictionaries and Vocabulary Notebooks for extension.
Background for Teachers
Know that a prefix is a word part that comes at the beginning of a word, and that "re-" means again or back.
Student Prior Knowledge
- Students should know that a prefix is a word part that comes at the beginning of a word.
- Students should have knowledge of base words.
Intended Learning Outcomes
The students will have:
- Ability to identify the meaning of simple prefixes.
- Ability to use knowledge of prefixes to predict the meaning of words.
Instructional Procedures
This is a mini-lesson.
BRAINSTORM:
- Remind the students that a prefix is a word part that comes at the beginning of a word.
- Tell the students that you're going to name some words that begin with the prefix "re-". (Say the words and write them on the board).
- Say the words:
- reread
- rerun
- rewrite
- redo
- remake
- or any words of your choice
- Ask students to generate "re-" words of their own by adding the prefix to action words (verb) and write these words on the board. Silly words are acceptable.
TEACH/MODEL:
- Print the prefix "re-" on the board and say it aloud.
- Tell the students that it means again or back.
- Use the words that you wrote during brainstorming and underline the prefix "re-".
- Identify the base words.
- Point out that the word "rewrite" that it means write again.
- Go back to the words that were written in the Brainstorming activity and a couple of the students words. Discuss the meaning of each word (prefix and base).
*Some words will be non-examples, such as rest or ready.
- This would be a good time to tell students that the letters "r" and "e" in a word are not always a prefix.
- Print the following sentence on the board, underlining the word remake:
My mom asked me to remake my bed.
THINK ALOUD:
- Say, "I see the word "remake" begins with "re-", which can be a prefix that means again or back. If I take "re" away from remake, I have the word make, which means to put something together."
- Say "Now I'll try one of the prefix meanings in a sentence. Make again makes sense in this sentence. My mom wants me to make my bed again."
- Print the following sentence on the board underlining the word rest.
We worked so hard, we needed to rest.
- Remind students that the letters "r" and "e" together in a word are not always a prefix.
Example: If I take the "re" away in rest, they aren't left with a word. So "re" in rest is not a prefix.
APPLY TO TEXT:
- Tell students that they should always use context clues and what they know about prefixes to get the meaning of the word.
- Ask pairs of students to practice the "Think Aloud" using the following sentences and underlined target words.
- After practicing, call on pairs of students to share their "Think Aloud's" with the whole class.
Example sentences:
- The bird reappeared with a twig.
- I want to replay my favorite movie.
Extensions
- Encourage students to look for examples of words with the prefix "re-" in the texts they are reading. Tell them to bring the examples to class together with the sentences they found them in. Students should explain how they arrived at a word's meaning. Dictionaries could be used to check accuracy.
- Students might want to use common prefixes to invent silly words. They can write the definition, draw pictures and make it into a book.
Bibliography
Adapted from Core Teaching Reading Resource by Honig, Diamond, and Gutlohn.
Created: 08/02/2005
Updated: 02/05/2018
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