Affixes Lesson Plan - Words With Friends...

Affixes Lesson Plan of 11

Affixes Lesson Plan

Students use Words With Friends (WWF) EDU to identify and spell affixes.

Primary Objective Students will be able to identify and spell common affixes (e.g., prefixes such as “re-” and “un-”; and suffixes such as “-ed” and “-ing”) during WWF EDU game play.

Secondary Objective Students will be able to develop a list of affixes that they encounter during game play to use as a resource for future games and other reading and writing assignments.

Aligned Common Core State Standards

L.4.1.b, L.4.4.b, L.5.1.b, L.5.4.b, L.6.4.b, L.7.4.b, L.8.4.b

Time 30 minutes

MATERIALS

• Student computers

• Index cards or student notebooks/digital notebooks

• Tile rack example: affixes

• Projector

• Poster and poster markers

• (Optional) Game board example(s): affixes


PREPARATION

1. Give students the opportunity to play WWF EDU before this lesson.

• Recommended practice time: at least 1 hour over a multi-day period or 3–5 game play sessions.

2. Identify a list of common affixes that can serve as a reference for you and for students. Review this list to identify low- and high-level affixes based on the grade level of the students you teach.

• If systems for an explicit practice with affixes already exist in your classroom, you may choose to use an affix list that will be familiar to students.

• If you do not have a preferred affix list, you may choose to access lists from affixes.org*.

3. Consider whether to teach this lesson in a large group or a series of small groups, depending on the resources that are available in your classroom (e.g., if you do not have a full set of student computers to facilitate a full-group lesson, this lesson may be taught in a series of small groups while other students are engaged in centers).

4. (Optional) Pair or group students together for practice with game board examples and/or game play.

PROCEDURE

1. Introduction

• Define: What are affixes? (8 minutes)

o SAY: Affixes are parts of word that you can recognize when you see them. They are like “building blocks” because they are made up of common combinations of letters that can be added to root words to change their meaning. Most affixes are very short and easy to use and read. When we know how to identify affixes and recognize their meanings, it helps us understand the meaning of more complex or unfamiliar words.

o SAY: When affixes are added to the beginning of root words, they are called prefixes. Examples are re- (retake, redo) and un- (undo, unable).

o SAY: When affixes are added to the end of root words, they are called suffixes. Examples are -er (greater, stronger) and -less (fearless, flawless).

§ SAY: You can create plural nouns by adding the suffix -s (apples, cans) or -es (dishes, matches).

§ SAY: Suffixes can also be used to change the tense of a verb. Adding -s or -es to a verb indicates present tense (walks, goes); adding -ed indicates past tense (lifted, showed); and adding -ing indicates the present participle (jumping, doing).

* Please note that this list is not affiliated with Words With Friends EDU, so we cannot fully vouch for its accuracy, but it can be a good resource if you do not have an affixes list of your own.


o SAY: Even though affixes might be easy to use, students often spell words incorrectly when adding affixes in writing. This is because some words with affixes have tricky spelling patterns that are not always easy to remember. Some examples of these are: running (add extra “n”) and writing (drop the “e” before adding “ing”).

o SAY: Knowing how to spell and construct common affixes can also increase your ability to make strategic moves as a WWF EDU player. For example, let’s say you have an N tile and a G tile in your tile rack, and you recognize a high-scoring opportunity to add the affix –ing to a word on the game board. You can click on the Tile Bag icon in the game’s Menu to see how many I tiles remain in the bag. Then, if there are a lot of I tiles left (making your chances of getting one on the next turn pretty good), you might choose to wait to play the N and G until you get an I tile. This is an advanced strategy, and only one that students who are familiar with affixes are likely to be able to use.

o SAY: Before we dive into WWF EDU game play today, let’s work together to identify some affixes we could add to root words using a WWF EDU tile rack.

§ Show the tile rack example on a projector. Lead students in identifying affixes that they could spell to make new words using the root words on the game board. Help students identify how the affixes alter the root words’ meanings.

§ (Optional, additional 5–10 minutes) Show one (or both) of the game board examples on a projector. Follow the directions provided for each to lead students in more guided practice with affixes. Then, give students the opportunity to extend this practice to their own game boards. Help them identify game boards in their Moves List that they might use; they can choose to use ongoing game boards (under “Your Move” or “Their Move”) or recently “Completed” game boards. Encourage students to collaborate with a partner or in small groups to identify affixes or opportunities to add affixes to root words on the board. Circulate around the room to support this practice.

• Set the intention for game play (2 minutes)

o SAY: Today, while we play WWF EDU, I want you to keep track of any words with affixes that you play on an index card (or in your notebook/digital notebook, pass out index cards if this is your choice). We will use the notes that you take on your index card (or in your notebook/digital notebook) to build an affix list as a class. Why are we doing this, you ask? Building our familiarity with affixes helps us become stronger readers and writers. Also, one of the great things about many affixes is that they are SHORT and allow you to build upon words that have already been played! Using your knowledge of affixes, you can build longer words, which is a strategic way to earn points and get new tiles on your rack. Use the Tile Bag icon to help yourself make the most strategic moves possible if you see opportunities to extend words using specific affixes. If we have a list of affixes that we can reference easily, it might help us be better WWF EDU players in those moments when we’re stuck and trying to think of completely new words to play. After all, even though we’d like to play a Power Word on every turn, it’s not always possible.


o SAY: As always, I encourage you to look for the green light on the Power Word list that indicates that there is a Power Word you can play; seize those opportunities to grow your academic vocabulary and score some major points! You can keep track of any Power Words you play on your index card (or notebook/digital notebook) as well, and we will study these words at the end of the lesson.

2. Practice/Play time (10 minutes)

• Circulate around the room as students play WWF EDU, focusing on affix identification and spelling strategies. Encourage, troubleshoot, and support students as they work/play. Publicly praise students when you see them playing words with affixes and Power Words. Remind them to use their index cards (or notebooks/digital notebooks) to take notes.

3. Closure (10 minutes)

• Lead students in a discussion that sums up the game play experience, noting how many words with affixes were played, along with Power Words. Work together to create a “WWF EDU Affixes Poster” based on the students’ notes. Discuss any tricky spelling moments and help students connect words played to their meanings by categorizing words by their parts of speech (you may consider organizing your poster in this way). Help students make a connection between how knowledge of affixes helps us in game play, and, more importantly, how that knowledge helps us become stronger readers and writers.

EXTENSIONS AND VARIATIONS

Use these ideas to further engage students in activities aligned to the learning objectives of this lesson. For those of you who may be searching for ways to provide more student-led activities in your classroom, we’ve labeled the activities that can be easily led by students with #StudentLed.

• If students are less familiar with the game, or a significant number of students are English language learners, play a demonstration round (or two) of WWF EDU to show affixes and Power Words in action.

• Make the “WWF EDU Affixes Poster” a living document on your classroom wall by encouraging students to add to it as they continue playing WWF EDU. #StudentLed

• Play an affix matching game! After reviewing common prefixes and suffixes, give students the chance to play a game that would allow them to match X affix in a list to Y meaning in a corresponding list. #StudentLed

• Have students choose root words from their game board and challenge them to work individually or in groups to brainstorm all of the possible affixes that could be added to the words. #StudentLed


TILE RACK EXAMPLE: AFFIXES

Prompt: What affixes could we add to these root words using the letters in the tile rack?


TILE RACK EXAMPLE: AFFIXES

Brainstorm Possibilities:

• undo

• does

• doing

• finding

• finds

• What other ideas did your students have?


GAME BOARD EXAMPLE: AFFIXES (1 OF 2)

Prompt: What affixes can you identify on this game board?



Answer Key: Here is the er in “WINKER”, meaning somebody who winks. The suffix -er is added to the root word, “WINK” to make the word “WINKER.” We can also see that the suffix -s has been added to “QUID” and “DOVE” to form plural nouns.



Prompt: How can you use your knowledge of affixes to make a strategic move on this game board? Hint: there is at least one way you could add to the root “give” and at least one way you could add to the root “WORN.” Which of these moves would help you score the most points?



Answer Key:

• REWORN = [WORN (8) + RE (2)] x 3 for the triple word score = 30 points

• GIVEN = GIVE (10) + (N x 3) [2 x 3 = 6] for the triple letter score = 16 points

Note: The letter s could also be added to both words, but this would not yield the most possible points.


Aligned Common Core State Standards

STANDARD DESCRIPTION

L.4.1.b Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. b. Form and use the progressive (e.g., I was walking; I am walking; I will be walking) verb tenses.

L.4.4.b Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., telegraph, photograph, autograph).

L.5.1.b Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. b. Form and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have walked) verb tenses.

L.5.4.b Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).

L.6.4.b Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., audience, auditory, audible).

L.7.4.b Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel).

L.8.4.b Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede).

Affixes Lesson Plan - Words With Friends...

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