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Lesson Plan Template

  • Grade

  • Subject

  • Section

Third

ELA

Production and Distribution of Writing

  • Competency

Prefixes and suffixes

  • Aligned Standards

Writing

  • Strand

W.3.5

  • Vocabulary

Prefix: A group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning (e.g., re- means again).

Base word: The main part of a word that can stand alone and has meaning (e.g., help).

Suffix: A group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning (e.g., -ful means full of).

Word Building Blocks

Recognize Base Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes

Prerequisite Skill

Materials and Preparation

  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Prefix cards (e.g., re-, un-, pre-, dis-)
  • Word cards (e.g., reenter, reappear, unhelpful, dishonest)
  • Worksheet pack (guided practice, independent practice, exit tickets, homework, assessment)
  • Chart paper and markers

Learning Objectives

  • Students will identify and understand the role of prefixes in words.
  • Students will be able to decompose words into prefixes, base words, and suffixes.
  • Students will use prefixes to determine the meaning of new words.

Introduction

Introduce the concept of prefixes, base words, and suffixes. Write the word "unhelpful" on the board. Explain that "help" is the base word, "un-" is the prefix meaning not, and "-ful" is the suffix meaning full of. Discuss how adding "un-" changes the meaning to not helpful.

Provide another example with the word "reappears." Write it on the board and break it down:

  • Base word: appears
  • Prefix: re- (meaning again)

Explain that "reappears" means to appear again.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

Explain how prefixes modify the meaning of base words. Show examples of words with prefixes, highlighting how the meaning changes with the addition of the prefix. For example, re- (again), un- (not), pre- (before), dis- (not/opposite).

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Guided Practice

Hand out the prefix cards and word cards to the students. In pairs, have them match the prefix cards with the correct base words to form new words. For example, match "re-" with "enter" to form "reenter."

After they form words, ask them to write down the meaning of each new word based on the prefix. Discuss the meanings as a class.

Independent Practice

Provide students with a worksheet that includes a list of base words and prefixes. Ask them to create new words by adding the prefixes to the base words and write sentences using each new word.

Differentiation

Support

  • Provide visual aids and examples for students who need additional support.
  • Work with small groups to reinforce the concept of prefixes and base words.

Extension

  • Encourage students to find and list more words with prefixes from their environment or reading materials.
  • Have students create a prefix chart for the classroom with examples of words that include different prefixes.

Assessment

Based on the worksheet pack, assess students' understanding of prefixes through their ability to break down words, match prefixes to base words, and use new words in sentences.

Review and closing

Review the key points of the lesson, addressing any common misconceptions encountered. Ensure clarity and understanding by asking students to share their observations or any final questions they have.

Misconceptions

  1. Students may think that all words with prefixes can stand alone as base words (e.g., "rely" is not "ly" with the prefix "re-").
  2. Students might confuse suffixes with prefixes.
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