ALEX Learning Activity

  

Greek and Latin Roots Introduction

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

You may save this Learning Activity to your hard drive as an .html file by selecting “File”,then “Save As” from your browser’s pull down menu. The file name extension must be .html.
  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Tomiko Masuoka
System:Phenix City
School:Lakewood Elementary School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2825
Title:
Greek and Latin Roots Introduction
Digital Tool/Resource:
Latin and Greek Roots and Affixes | Reading | Khan Academy
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

Students will view a video about prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Students will receive a Greek and Latin Roots Guide. Students will work in small groups to identify words that contain Greek and Latin roots. They will also identify the definitions of these words and use them in sentences. Students will complete an Exit Slip to show understanding of Greek and Latin roots.

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 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.

a. Locate similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and idioms and interpret their meanings in context.

b. Explain the meanings of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.

c. Use the relationships between synonyms, antonyms, and homographs to increase understanding of word meanings.

d. Explain how an author's vocabulary and style influence the tone and mood of a text and support his/her purpose for writing.

e. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meanings of words.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
12.
  • Domain-specific vocabulary
  • Academic vocabulary
  • Figurative language
12a.
  • Similes
  • Metaphors
  • Personification
  • Hyperbole
  • Imagery
  • Alliteration
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Idioms
12b.
  • Common idioms
  • Common adages
  • Common proverbs
12c.
  • Synonyms
  • Antonyms
  • Homographs
12d.
  • Author's vocabulary
  • Author's style
  • Tone
  • Mood
  • Purpose
12e.
  • Common Latin roots
  • Common Greek roots
  • Common Latin affixes
  • Common Greek affixes
Knowledge:
12. 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.
12a.
  • Figurative language is a creative way to use words and phrases beyond their literal definition to explain or describe something.
  • Examples of figurative language include similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and idioms.
12b.
  • Idioms, adages, and proverbs are all figures of speech, in which the words and phrases carry meaning beyond their literal definitions.
  • An idiom is a common saying with a meaning different from that of its individual words.
  • Adages and proverbs are well-known sayings that have been used for a long time.
  • Proverbs usually give practical advice about ways to behave and live.
12c.
  • Words with opposite meanings are antonyms, and words with similar meanings are synonyms.
  • Homographs are words that are spelled the same, but not necessarily pronounced the same and have different meanings and origins.
12d.
  • Authors choose particular vocabulary and write in a specific style depending on the purpose of the writing and the tone and mood they intend to create.
  • Tone is the attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience, and mood is the overall feeling, or atmosphere, of a text.
12e.
  • 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:
12. Students are able to:
  • Interpret the meaning of domain-specific vocabulary, academic vocabulary, and figurative language as they are used in texts.
12a.
  • Identify examples of similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and idioms in text.
  • Interpret the meaning of the figurative language in context.
12b.
  • Identify examples of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
  • Explain the meanings of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
12c.
  • Use synonyms, antonyms, and homographs to interpret word meaning.
12d.
  • Identify the tone and mood of a text.
  • Explain how an author's vocabulary and writing style influence the tone and mood of the text.
  • Identify an author's purpose for writing a text.
  • Explain how an author's vocabulary and writing style support their purpose for writing the text.
12e.
  • Identify and use Latin and Greek affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word.
Understanding:
12. 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.
12a.
  • Figurative language carries meaning other than the literal meaning of the words or phrases, and authors choose to include figurative language in text to enhance the text's meaning.
12b.
  • Idioms, adages, and proverbs are figures of speech that carry meaning beyond the literal definitions of the words.
  • To fully comprehend text that contains figures of speech, they must learn the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
12c.
  • The relationships between words can be used to increase vocabulary knowledge.
12d.
  • Authors select specific words and write in a particular style to set a tone and mood for the text, and indicate their purpose for writing the text.
12e.
  • The meaning of an unknown word can be learned by knowing the morphology and orthography of the word, including its origin.
Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
Before/Engage
Activity:

1. Have students view the video-Latin and Greek Roots and Affixes | Reading | Khan Academy. The video will go over Latin and Greek affixes and roots. After the video, discuss with students how Latin and Greek affixes and roots can help you identify the meaning of words. Review some of the roots that were talked about in the video. For example, dent is a Latin root that means "tooth". Write dentist on the board and model how knowing the Latin Root helps you define the word dentist.

2. The teacher will pass out the Greek and Latin Roots Guide. Go over each root and meaning. Give students a few minutes to fill in any example words they know with these Greek and Latin Roots. The Greek and Latin Roots Guide will be something the students keep in a folder and binder. Do not collect. It can be used as a guide for future activities and serve as a study guide for a test.

3. Divide students into groups of three to four. Each group will receive a large piece of white paper and markers. The teacher will assign the students a Greek or Latin root from the guide-loc, flect, cycl, phon, log/logos, and graph. The students will work together to create a graphic organizer that includes the following information: the Greek or Latin root, words that contain that root, sentences that use these words in context, and a picture for each word. Students will visit the provided websites to help them identify words that contain the Greek or Latin root they have been assigned:

loc

flect

cycl

phon

log/logos

graph

Show students this Example to help them organize their information. You could also complete an example on the board together.

3. The teacher should facilitate as students work. The teacher should listen in on groups and provide guidance where needed. After groups have finished, allow each group to present their words, definitions, sentences, and pictures. Students can fill in more example words on their Greek and Latin Roots guide as groups present.

4. Students will complete this Exit Slip at the conclusion of the lesson.
Assessment Strategies:

The teacher will assess the Greek and Latin Roots activity the students completed together in small groups. The teachers will check to see that the students have:

  • identified words with the assigned Greek or Latin Root

  • accurately defined words that contain the assigned Greek or Latin Root and used them correctly in sentences

The teacher will assess the completed Exit Slip. The teacher will check to see that the students:

  • are able to use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words.

  • have identified Greek and Latin roots they would like more practice with
Advanced Preparation:

The teacher will need to make copies of the Greek and Latin Roots Guide.

The teacher will need to have chart paper/big white paper and markers for the small group activity. 

The teacher will need to upload the Google Form (Exit Slip) to the digital platform students use for digital activities. The teacher will also need to upload the website links.
Variation Tips (optional):
 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

This learning activity can be used with the following activities:

Greek and Latin Roots

Greek and Latin Roots Independent Practice
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: Greek Roots, Latin Roots