Root Word Study
Vocabulary and Root
Words
Why Root Words?
Liberty
= Latin word: Libertas.
Telescope
Tele = far of
Skopos = to look at
Combined with prefixes and suffixes
Gives us clues when breaking words
apart to understand meaning
For what purpose would a scientist use a
telescope?
Vocabulary Notebook
Keep
track of root words and other
vocabulary
Write your own definitions
Add visuals and graphic organizers
Write a summary of what you
learned
Write example sentences
Write questions to show
understanding of the term
Root Words
What do you notice?
As I looked at the
mess on the floor, I
began to suspect
that the dog was
the culprit.
spectacl
e
suspect
The guy made
a spectacle of
himself as he
danced on the
table.
spec or spect
To
watch or see
In retrospect, I realized it wasnt a
good idea after all.
With
a partner, brainstorm as many
words as you can think of with the
word spec or spect in it
Share
Homework
Write
3 sentences that contain a
minimum of one root word for each
sentence.
Write these examples in your
vocabulary notebook.
Prize for the sentence with the most
words with the root spec or spect
that is written with proper
punctuation and sentence structure.
What do you notice?
deflect
reflectio
n
hose, although
flexibl The
flexible, would not
reach
around
the
e
bushes.
As my brother
flexed his muscles
in the mirror, he
admired his
reflection.
flect or flex
To
bend or curve
It
was obvious my new neighbor was
from the South because of the
inflection of her voice.
My
brother decided to go into
reflexology, but I dont believe it is a
legitimate career.
flect or flex
To
bend or
curve
retroflex
flexor
The young child had a
birth defect which
caused extreme
retroflexion of the head.
It was too bad he was
cut from the team just
because of a bad hip
flexor injury.
Progressive Root Web
+ity
deflectabil
ity
deflectab
le
+ed
le
+ab
deflect
deflecte
d
+de
flect
+in
inflect
s
+s
inflect
+io
inflectio
n
Share sentences
Read
your best sentence
Vote on the best sentence
Prize
Add a visual (picture or diagram) for
the root word flect and flex in your
vocabulary notebooks.
Distinguish between flect and flex
with your visual
Root words this week
gram
= a thing written or letter
(Greek)
miss
or mit = send (Latin)
morph
= shape (Greek)
Write each of these root words and
their definitions on the next 3 pages of
your vocabulary notebook in Root
Homework
With your partner, create as many
words from your root as you can by
adding affixes.
Decide how to demonstrate the
definition to your root by a skit, a
pantomime, or a cartoon.
Extra: This Week
Look
for words with spec/spect,
gram, miss/mit, and morph this week
when you are reading.
Bring
treat.
examples to show in class for a
Root Words
Present
your root word
Write
down examples of words in
your vocabulary notebooks during
presentations
Give
your list to another group and
create a Progressive Mind Map using
the list of words using the new root
word
Homework
Create a visual to illustrate each of the
root words we are learning in your
vocabulary notebooks.
*Dont forget, you can bring in
examples of words with the roots this
week from your reading for a treat or
reward
Root Words
Think~Pair~Share
vocabulary
notebooks
Co-author sentences using a variety
of words containing the roots we
learned this week. Be sure to
include all 4 roots.
Share with class
Vote on the best sentence and we
will compare with the other classes
and vote on the best one overall
Homework
Write
4 Jeopardy questions using
definitions of words representing each
of the 4 root words
Be sure to give each question a value:
$100 - $500
Example for Flect or flex (bend or curve)
FOR $100: An image that bounces back from
a mirror
What is a reflection?
Root Words
Share
jeopardy questions with a
partner
Do they make sense?
Are they correct?
Are they rated hard enough?
Play Pictionary using root words and word
lists
Homework
