Root
Word
Word
PartInvestigations
Investigation
A Vocabulary Building Strategy
Today’s Learning Objectives
Students will:
• Recognize the differences between prefixes, suffixes,
root words, and base words.
• Identify different parts of speech.
• Practice dictionary skills.
• Discover the meaning of selected prefixes and root
words using a part-to-whole graphic organizer.
Word Parts
Affixes are
added to a
word part to
change its
meaning.
Prefixes are
word parts
attached to
the beginning
of a word or
word part.
Suffixes are
word parts
attached to
the ends of a
word or word
part.
Word Parts
Base Words
contain
meaning and
can stand on
their own.
Root Words
are word
parts that do
not typically
form a stand
alone word.
Word Parts
Prefix
Base Word
pre = before
Suffix
judge (verb) = to
form an opinion
about someone
or something
prejudge
to form an
opinion beforehand
ment = the act
of; the state of
judgement
the act of
forming an opinion
Word Parts
Prefix
Root
Root Word
Words
contain
meaning but
cannot stand on
their own.
Suffix
Root Word Investigation
Set Up Your Graphic Organizer
• Draw a circle in the center of the page.
• Write the root word “scrip/scrib” inside.
Root Word Investigation
Create a Word List
• In your group, make a list of words with the
root word “scrip” or “scrib” in them.
• Write each word in a
circle that’s connected
to your target word.
• Leave plenty of blank
space inside the circles.
Root Word Investigation
Add the Definitions
• Use the classroom
dictionaries to look up the
meaning of each word.
• Each group member must
look up one of the words.
• Write the exact dictionary
definition in the circle that
matches your word.
Root Word Investigation
Share the Definitions
• Take turns sharing each of
your definitions with the
whole group.
• As other group members
share their definitions,
copy them onto your
graphic organizer.
Root Word Investigation
What do they have in common?
1. Read all of the definitions.
2. Find a common
word or idea among
the definitions.
3. One at a time,
share your findings
with the group.
Root Word Investigation
What do they have in common?
4. Decide together what
most have in common
and highlight the
common word or idea.
5. In the center circle,
INFER and write what
you think that root
word means.
writing
Root Word Investigation
Congratulations, word detectives.
You just conducted your first root word
investigation and created a part-to-whole
graphic organizer.
We will practice this all year.
What does somnambulist mean?
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Group Practice
If you divided the word into a prefix, a root, and a
suffix, where would you separate the word?
Do you recognize a common suffix?
What do you think the root could be?
What about the prefix?
Somn|ambul|ist
What other words can you think of that have somn in
them?
Insomnia, insomniac, Unisom
What does somnambulist mean?
Group Practice
Prefix
Root word
Suffix
somn-
ambul
-ist
= sleep
= walk
= one who
Now, You Try It
Prefix
Root Word
Suffix
dy-
dox
-ist
(meaning two)
(meaning opinion or belief) (meaning one who)
an-
archy
(meaning
without or no)
(meaning government)
Dyarchy:
a government with two rulers
Anarchist:
one who rebels against governmental authority