Roots Vocabulary Strategies
Mini-Workshop
Mary Barrett
Mayo High School
1420 SE 11th Ave.
Rochester, MN 55904
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 12
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3 Key Characteristics of Good Vocabulary Instruction
1. Integration
Vocabulary instruction is part of your everyday lesson, not an add-on that separates the vocabulary from the text.
2. Repetition
Students need to have multiple encounters with a word before it enters their speaking, listening, and writing vocabulary. Students need to see the words in varied contexts.
3. Meaningful Use
Multiple and meaningful exposures to words might occur when the teacher
Ø describes words;
Ø supports words with visuals;
Ø connects words to students’ lives;
Ø extends words with anecdotes;
Ø makes associations;
Ø gives definitions;
Ø compares and contrasts;
Ø questions;
Ø charts characteristics;
Ø rephrases sentences;
Ø analyzes word structure;
Ø provides tactile examples; and/or
Ø gives examples of correct and incorrect usage.
DO NOT simply give students word lists and tell them to look up words in the dictionary. Definitions may not have enough information, may not make sense if applied literally, or may be inappropriate for idiomatic usage.
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 12
ãMary Barrett These materials may be duplicated for nonprofit ,educational use.
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 12
ãMary Barrett These materials may be duplicated for nonprofit ,educational use.
Using Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes
Description: Can you figure out what this word means?
pneumoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
If you use your knowledge of prefixes and suffixes, you could break it down into the following parts:
pneumo (air, wind)
ultra (beyond the normal)
micro (small)
scopic (to see)
silico (hard stone)
volcano (fire)
coni (dust)
osis (disease)
You read Latin from right to left, so literally this word means the dust from burning a hard stone and that is too small to see in the air.
This is the longest word in the dictionary, and it is a term for black lung disease. (Miners breathed in a very fine coal dust that coated their lungs and made it difficult for the miners to breathe. Many coal miners died of black lung disease.)
Not only could you figure out this word if you had some knowledge of Greek and Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes, you could also pronounce it! A college dictionary will give you the etymology of the word, including its roots and their meanings.
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 12
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Why 99% Accuracy?
The man leaned against the current as he waded, waist-deep, upstream. His hands steadied either end of the FURNWUNCH balanced across his shoulders. He had moved about 90 yards from the DNUP where he had entered the stream. A few yards ahead, a part of the wooded bank had been replaced by an ACNRID FRUD. He came abreast of it, and with effort, pressed the FURNWUNCH up and over his head, and then set it on top of the FRUD. He placed his hands on his hips, pulled his elbows back, and arched his back in an attempt to stretch out muscles that were knotted from long exertion.
He relaxed somewhat and began a visual inspection of the FRUD. He moved closer to it and reached under the water to explore its surface. Moving slowly, he started the search from the downstream end. At about the RONDTIP he stopped and probed one area intently. Satisfied that he had located a GRUNDLE, he continued to the upstream end. There was only one GRUNDLE to contend with. He retrieved the FURNWUNCH and cradled the heavy implement as he made his way back to the RONDTIP. He gingerly lowered the FURNWUNCH, holding it perpendicular to the FRUD. When it reached the GRUNDLE, he slid it in its full length. He held it in place with one hand and turned the expansion lock handle until the instrument was seated tightly in place. His mission accomplished, he was clearly relieved. He waded easily downstream to the DNUP.
From: Harris, C. H. Curriculum Based Assessment: A Primer
297 Words/ 6.4 GE Flesch-Kincaid
Why 99% accuracy? This passage has 16 occurrences of six unknown words, or 93% known words, making it impossible to comprehend. Pre-teach vocabulary words that are essential to comprehension before students read!
Roots and Spelling
Words that are formed around roots are generally very predictable for spelling. Why? Because you only need to place the word parts next to each other in order to spell the world. As a rule, you don’t add any letters or leave any letters out.
Here is an example:
dis- – prefix meaning apart
simil – root meaning same, alike
-ar – adjective suffix
dis + simil + ar = dissimilar
Here is another example:
fin - root meaning end
-al – adjective suffix
-ly – adverb suffix
fin + al + ly = finally
Here is a third example:
re- - prefix meaning back, again
com- - prefix meaning with, together
mend – root meaning mind/remember
-ation – noun suffix
re + com + mend + ation = recommendation
Here is an example of a prefix combining with a word:
mis- - prefix meaning incorrect, bad
spell – word
mis + spell = misspell
If we are using a root as a word, we do have to make it conform to our phonics system for pronunciation, usually by adding an “e” at the end.
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ROOTS AND CONTEXT
My friend has become such an EGOMANIAC since he won the contest that I have trouble getting along with him.
Word part(s) I recognize: / Meaning(s) of word part(s):
ego / I, self
mania / crazy for, mad for
Other words I know with the word part(s):
maniac, egotist
Definition by analysis:
EGOMANIAC must mean someone who is crazy about himself, self-centered
Now you try:
Target Word in Context:Word part(s) I recognize: / Meaning(s) of word part(s):
Other words I know with the word part(s):
Definition by analysis:
ETYMOLOGY
When you study the etymology of a word, you are studying its history. Collegiate dictionaries often have the etymology of the word at the end of an entry. When you look at the etymology, you can see which roots originally made up the word as well as what each of the roots mean. You will also see which language first coined the word – L would mean Latin; G would mean Greek, OE would mean Old English, etc. Some dictionaries (such as the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) give a quote, source, and author showing the first time a new word was known to be used in print.
Here is a sample dictionary entry:
re-duce (rĭ-dōōs′, -dyōōs’) v. –duced, -ducing, -duces. – tr. 1. To lessen in extent, amount, number, degree, price, or other quality; diminish. 2. To gain control of, conquer. 3. To put in order or arrange systematically. 4. To separate into orderly components by analysis. 5. To bring to a certain state or condition 6. To powder or pulverize. 7. To tint (paint) with a solvent
8. Chemistry a. To decrease the valence of (an atom) by adding electrons. b. To deoxidize. c. To add hydrogen to. d. To change to a metallic state by removing nonmetallic constituents; to smelt.
9. Mathematics. To change the form of (an expression) without changing the value. 10. Photography. To remove some of the silver from (an emulsion) forming a photographic image. 11. Surgery. To restore (a fractured or displaced body part) to a normal condition. –intr. 1. To become diminished. 2. To lose weight, as by dieting. – (See Synonyms at decrease. [Middle English reducen, bring back, from Latin redicere: re- back, again + ducere, to lead (see deuk- in Appendix*).] -re duc’er n. –re duc’i’bil’ i’t y n. -re duc’ i ble adj. – re duc’ i bly adv.
*Transitive:
We will reduce the amount of toxic waste produced by the
Silver Lake power plant.
**Intransitive:
Hatred and discrimination reduce all humanity.
Making New Words
As you have learned, different combinations of prefixes, roots or words, and suffixes can create different words. When you can make several words based on one root, you can recognize WORD FAMILIES. Remember that the prefix will change the meaning of a word.
Common Prefixes:
sub- under ob- against
in- ; im- in, into, not pro-- for, before, forward
counter- against, opposite re- back, again
inter- between de- away, down
infra- against ex- out, away, from
circum- around con- with, together
post- after pre- before
ad, ac- to, toward, near
Some prefixes change to match the consonant that follows. Here are some examples:
ad- (to, toward, near) can become: sub- (under, beneath) can become:
addict suffrage
accent succulent
affirm suggest
assent support
aggravate surrender
con- (with, together) can become:
comment
connect
correlation
collect
Here is a practice just using prefixes.
How many prefixes can you add to the root DICT to make new words?
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 9
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Prefix Pail
Look at the root in the center of the page. Try to think of as many words as you can that would use that root. Now see how many of those words contain prefixes! Put your list of prefixes in the pail on the left; write the words using prefixes in the pail on the left.
Prefix Pail
Look at the root in the center of the page. Try to think of as many words as you can that would use that root. Now see how many of those words contain prefixes! Put your list of prefixes in the pail on the left; write the words using prefixes in the pail on the left.
Prefix Pail
Look at the root in the center of the page. Try to think of as many words as you can that would use that root. Now see how many of those words contain prefixes! Put your list of prefixes in the pail on the left; write the words using prefixes in the pail on the left.
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 12
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Word Families
A single root can be the foundation of multiple words. Words are constructed in different ways:
1. Sometimes a word is made up of multiple roots
BIO (LIFE) + LOGY (STUDY OF, SCIENCE) = BIOLOGY
FAC (MAKE) + SIMIL (SAME) = FACSIMILE
Write your own example here:
2. Some words consist of a root that is preceded by a prefix and followed by a suffix.
SUB (UNDER) + SCRIP (TO WRITE) + ION (Noun) = SUBSCRIPTION
PRE (BEFORE) + SUMP (TAKE, USE) +TION (Noun) = PRESUMPTION
Write your own example here:
3. Sometimes roots are combined with words.
ARCH (CHIEF) + ENEMY = CHIEF ENEMY
Write your own example here:
4. Occasionally a root can stand as a word all on its own.
SCRIBE = Writer
Write your own example here:
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 12
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Word Families: SCRIB, SCRIP, SCRIPT
Word Famlies: ARCH, ARCHE, ARCHAE
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 15
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Scavenger Hunt: Word Families for Content Areas
TEAM NAME: Date: Hour:
Members:
The Challenge: Find as many words as you can that use the following root. Identify in which content area you are most likely to encounter the word. Then give the word’s meaning. Your team has 1 day to try and find the most words using:
DICT
Word / Content Area / Word Meaning1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Roots Vocabulary Strategies 25
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Flashcard Review Game
1. Divide one set of flash cards into two equal stacks. Each player takes one stack.
2. Player A deals out 12 (or 4 or 8 if fewer roots cards are involved) with either the roots face up or meanings face up, but with all flash cards showing the same side.
3. Player B then says what is on the face-down side of the card. For example, if "aqua" is showing, Player B will say "water." If "life" is showing, Player B will say "bio."
If Player B correctly identifies the flip side of the card, he adds the card to his points pile. Player B continues naming the flip side of each card until he cannot go on or until all cards have been collected.
If Player B leaves any cards unidentified, Player A can then name what is on the flip side of the card. If Player A correctly names the flip side, he can add the card to his points pile. If neither player can claim the card, the card remains in place until the end of one round.
4. Play then moves to Player A as described in step 3.
5. If cards remain face down at the end of one round (each player has had a chance to add to his points pile), then the remaining cards will be turned over, studied, divided evenly, and returned to the bottom of the player's stacks.
6. Play rotates until all cards have been claimed. When all the flashcards have been dealt and claimed, each player will tally his points pile and record a score with the teacher.
7. If time remains, players will then find new partners and repeat the game.
Roots Review
NAME: DATE: HOUR:
In each of the following sections, you will use the root labeling the section to create a word for each blank in each sentence. Sometimes the word will begin with the root; sometimes you will need to add a prefix or another root. In order to receive credit, your word will need to be spelled correctly and be a real word. No word may be used more than one time.
AMBULO
1. The policeman called for a(n) as soon as he arrived at the scene of the accident.
2. The nanny put the baby in the and took the baby to the park.
3. The authors of the Declaration of Independence wrote a(n) to introduce the body of their document.