Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
Topic & Grade Level: Affixes (8th grade)
Objective: 1) Students will recognize affixes and know their meanings.
2) Students will be able to define words using unfamiliar words using their knowledge of
affixes.
Standard: L8.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.
Materials: Puzzle Pieces template
List of words with affixes
List of Common Latin and Greek Roots (from Reading Rockets)
Scissors
Paper Clips
Hole Punch
Setting: Begins as whole group before it moves to small group. Assessment is an individual activity.
Procedures: (Depending upon your class time allotment, this lesson may take more days than suggested
here.)
Day 1: 1) Display a word on the board that has a prefix.
2) Ask students how they might decode the word if it were unfamiliar. (Students should
acknowledge the point that using parts of words, like suffixes and prefixes, will help
to decide on the meaning of the word.
For example: Preassess (pre- means “before,” so preassess would mean to assess
before.)
3) Distribute copies of prefixes and suffixes.
4) Distribute copies of puzzle pieces.
5) Instruct the students to copy the prefixes and suffixes into the top portion of the
puzzle piece and the meaning of the affix in the second part of the puzzle piece.
6) As the lesson continues, students will include a word that uses the affix in the third
piece of the puzzle.
Lesson Plan by: Trish McCoy
Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
7) Students are to cut the puzzle pieces apart and punch a hole in the top corner of
each. All of the prefix puzzle pieces will go on one paper clip, and the suffix puzzle
pieces will go on a second paper clip. These can be attached to their interactive
notebook.
8) Pair the students and give each group a set of ten words that contain affixes. (These
can be put in a baggie and labeled by group.)
9) Students are to write their words and underline the affixes. Using the base word and
the meanings of the affixes, students are to define the words and list them on a sheet
of paper.
10) Students are to then cut the words apart. They need to cut off all prefixes and
suffixes.
11) Students then put the word pieces back into their baggie.
Day 2: 1) Distribute the baggies to different groups. (Be sure that no group gets back their
words from the previous day.)
2) Using their list of affixes, the new groups are to put the word parts back together to
create words.
3) The students then write the words and define them using their knowledge of prefixes
and affixes.
4) Students are to write ten original sentences using words that contain prefixes and
suffixes. (This is also an opportunity for differentiation as described below.)
Questions: 1) Locate the affixes in the words and underline them. (Recall, Listing, Identifying)
2) Give examples of other words that use this same affix and define the word. (Discuss,
Explain, List, Apply)
3) How will this lesson help you in other classes and in life? (Apply, Synthesize, Analyze)
4) Have students read one or two of their sample sentences and teach the class what their
“affixed” word means and how it could be decoded. (Apply, Create, Write, Explain)
Differentiation: LOWER: The number of affixes can be adjusted so that they are not dealing with so
many affixes at once.
The teacher can model how to locate affixes and define words with several examples as
students volunteer answers and assist.
Groups can be modified so that a peer tutor is available in each group. (Groups might
be better for lower-performing students.)
HIGHER: Instead of writing sentences, higher-performing students may be asked to
write a paragraph or a story.
Lesson Plan by: Trish McCoy
Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
Higher-performing students could be asked to include more than one “affixed” word per
sentence.
Higher-performing students could be given more affixes and/or more words to dissect
and define.
Assessment: Affix Assessment
Students will also be held accountable for using the skills taught in the lesson for the remainder
of the year.
Resources:
Common Latin and Greek Roots (from Reading Rockets)
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/root-words-roots-and-affixes
Puzzle Piece Template
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Free-Puzzle-Piece-Templates-2-Creative-Clips-DigitalClipart-777355
Lesson Plan by: Trish McCoy