Learning Activity

Greek and Latin Roots

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

5

Overview

Students will complete a Google Slides activity where they practice defining and using words with Greek and Latin Roots. Students will work with a partner or small group to play a Greek and Latin Roots Matching Game.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.12

Interpret the meaning of words, phrases, and patterns as they are used in texts, including domain-specific and academic vocabulary and figurative language.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.12

Vocabulary

  • Domain-specific vocabulary
  • Academic vocabulary
  • Figurative language

Knowledge

Student know:
  • Academic vocabulary is language that is more formal than spoken language.
  • Domain-specific vocabulary refers to words that are used specifically in school subject areas, like math, science, and social studies.
  • Figurative language is a creative way to use words and phrases beyond their literal definition to explain or describe something.
  • Strategies to determine the meaning of words, phrases, and patterns in text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Interpret the meaning of domain-specific vocabulary, academic vocabulary, and figurative language as they are used in texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are multiple strategies they can use to interpret the meaning of academic and domain-specific vocabulary, including using context clues in the text, their background knowledge, the morphological structure of the word, and outside resources.
  • Words and phrases, including figurative language, can have different meanings in different texts.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.12e

Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meanings of words.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.5.12e

Vocabulary

  • Common Latin roots
  • Common Greek roots
  • Common Latin affixes
  • Common Greek affixes

Knowledge

  • Many English words and English morphemes originated from ancient Latin and Greek languages.
  • Understanding Latin and Greek roots and affixes can provide clues to meanings of unknown words.

Skills

  • Identify and use Latin and Greek affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word.

Understanding

  • The meaning of an unknown word can be learned by knowing the morphology and orthography of the word, including its origin.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words.

Activity Details

1. Students will open the Google Slides activity. The teacher will go over slide two with the students. This slide goes over some Greek and Latin Roots and their definitions.

2. Students will move to slide three. On this slide, the students will come up with their own definitions for words containing Greek or Latin roots. They will also look up the dictionary definition. Give students time to complete slide three. Then, discuss the definitions as a class. Ask students what they noticed about their definition versus the dictionary. Was their definition similar? More concise?

3. Move on to slide four. On this slide, students will use the words from slide three in a sentence. Give students time to work, and then allow students to share a few of the sentences they wrote with a partner. As students share, the teacher should listen in to check for understanding. If the teacher notices that there was a word that students struggled using in a sentence, stop and go over this word with the class. 

4. Students will complete the rest of the slides independently, and then submit them. On slide five, students will fill in the paragraph with the correct word, and slide six will provide directions for slide seven. On slide seven, students will choose one of the Greek or Latin roots from slide two and complete the graphic organizer. The teacher should monitor students as they work and answer any questions and provide guidance where it may be needed.

5. After students submit their Google Slide activity, they can get with a partner or small group and play the Greek and Latin Roots Matching Game.

For the Greek and Latin Roots Matching Game, students will need space on the floor, a few desks, or a table. Students will take the cards and lay them so that the Greek and Latin Roots and meanings are face down. Students will take turns trying to find a match. To make a match, students must match the root with the correct meaning. If students find a match, they get to go again. The winner of the game is the person with the most matches.

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will assess the Greek and Latin Roots Google Slides completed by the students. The teacher will check to see that the student has:

  • written a definition for words with Greek or Latin Roots (Slide 3)
  • used words containing Greek or Latin Roots correctly in a sentence (Slides 4 and 5)
  • identified words that contain Greek and Latin Roots and defined them correctly (Slide 7)

Related Learning Activities

Learning Activity (Before)

Greek and Latin Roots Introduction

Learning Activity (During)

Greek and Latin Roots

Learning Activity (After)

Greek and Latin Roots Independent Practice

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to upload the Google Slides activity to the digital platform students use for digital activities.

The teacher will need to print, copy, and cut out the Greek and Latin Roots matching game.

Digital Tools / Resources

Greek and Latin Roots Google Slides
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nCa0OMDPMDaQQsdj9ZrRphHHZR4XkIVcWEDxMH0…

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

tmasuoka
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