Prefixes and suffixes 3rd grade: Learning About Prefixes and Suffixes {FREE Pack}

Learning About Prefixes and Suffixes {FREE Pack}

My oldest {just finished 3rd grade} has struggled to read longer words for some time now. He’s the reason I designed this organizer for reading longer words. And while we spent a little bit of time talking about prefixes and suffixes, we never camped on it for very long…until lately.

I created a bunch of hands-on activities to help him better read words with prefixes and suffixes in them and today, I’m sharing it for FREE!

*This post contains affiliate links.
**The free printable download can be found at the END of this post. Click on the teal download button.

Learning About Prefixes and Suffixes

I used the supplement books Word Sorts for Syllables and Affixes Spellers and Word Sorts for Derivational Relations Spellers from Words Their Way to define the words as well as pick the most common prefixes and suffixes. While these supplements are meant to help kids spell these words, at this point, I focused more on reading words with prefixes and suffixes. I also did not intend to include every prefix and suffix; this was only an introduction to them. The more difficult affixes will come later.

Try these Word Building Dominoes for some hands-on affix learning!

Here are most of the activities in action:

The first resource isn’t necessarily an activity,

but a one-page chart to help kids remember their prefixes and suffixes by listing them, sharing their definition, and providing a picture and word example. It was SO much fun to create, and I’m sure will be used as much as our Homophone Spelling Charts, Blends and Digraph Chart, and Vowel Chart.

In the pack are affix cards with their meanings and examples. I printed these on cardstock to make them harder to see through as well we more durable.

First, we matched them on our table top pocket chart by the prefix, the meaning, and an word example.

After he understood and knew them well, we played a little memory match. The prefix, prefix meaning and prefix example had to be matched each time {3 matches}. He beat me badly! {Note: there is one solid page of the stripe pattern that you can use to print the cards front and back like we did.}

I did not get around to taking pictures of the suffix matching, but there are cards for those as well in the pack. They are red with strips so that the prefix and suffix cards don’t get confused.

One of my favorite resources is the Match-a pages. I got pictures of the Match-a-Prefix, but there are matching activities for both prefixes and suffixes. Kids cut apart the affixes at the bottom and add them to the words to see how many combinations of real words they can make.

Once they’ve matched them up, they spell the words on the recording sheet, which can be printed front and back.

And my son’s favorite activity from the pack was Chop that Log! He secretly wanted me to go with the title, “Cut the Cheese” and use some cheese clip art, but I said no. 😉 Included are logs for prefixes, suffixes and words that contain both.

Another variation is to laminate the logs and ask kids to draw the division with dry erase markers.

This activity pack was one of the last things he did as a 3rd grader. Sniff, sniff. Where is the time going? He was super excited to finish the school year and this was such a fun way to do it.

More Resources You may Enjoy:

• Strategies for Reading Longer Words
• Baseball Reading Game for Inflecting Endings
• Homophone Spelling Chart
• Single Syllable Vowel Spelling Chart

~Becky

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The Complete Guide to Teaching Prefixes and Suffixes

Once students reach upper elementary, they have a lot of decoding strategies in their reading toolbox. At this point, many students have mastered decoding and have many tools in their decoding toolbox. As texts become more complex, introducing new vocabulary skills is crucial to their success. That’s where teaching prefixes and suffixes along with roots and root words comes in.

Why Study Word Morphology?

More than half of the English language comes from Greek or Latin roots. As students move into technical texts, Greek or Latin roots can account for closer to 75% of the vocabulary. If you have ELL students who speak Spanish, those same roots are often used in Spanish as well. This means teaching students just one root can help them tackle dozens of new words. Teaching prefixes and suffixes along with roots helps students unlock even more vocabulary and interpret unfamiliar texts.

There is so much we can add to the study of morphology as students grow their understanding, but here is how I introduce the concept with my students.

The Connection to Context Clues

One of the major vocabulary skills I introduce each year is context clues. We talk about all of the different context clues strategies, practice them, and use them day in and day out. After we’ve studied context clues in-depth, moving on to the morphology of words and studying prefixes, suffixes, roots, and base words is a natural progression for students. We discuss how prefixes, roots, and suffixes are actually context clues in and of themselves. Sometimes we use the clues these word parts offer to get a general meaning of the word, even if we can’t write a specific definition, much as we do when using context clues to determine the general meaning of a word.

Studying Word Parts to Increase Vivid Vocabulary

I love this unit of study because once students start really working with word parts, it opens up a whole new section in their “vivid vocabulary” toolbox! Sure, said might be dead, but there are so many other boring words out there that can be spiced up or modified by adding affixes to roots and base words, and students usually don’t even realize that’s what they are doing. Here are a few examples I give to students about using these words parts to create synonyms for “boring” words:

• weird = unusual
• nice = thoughtful
• bad = dreadful
• happy = cheerful
• said = remind, etc.
• yes = absolutely
• funny = amusing

Teaching the Difference Between Roots and Base Words

One misconception that often causes confusion is that a root word has to be a “stand-alone word.” This isn’t the case! I am always careful to explain to students that Greek and Latin Roots are important parts that make up a word, but they don’t always stand alone. They need either a suffix, prefix, or both in order to form a complete word. THIS site does a phenomenal job of thoroughly explaining the difference between roots and basewords, but here are a few examples of roots that can’t stand alone:

• Aud (hear or listen)
• Auto (self)
• Equi (equal)
• Magni (big or great)
• Script (to write)
• Vis (to see)
• Graph (to write)
• Words can also be made up of more than one root, like autograph

Base Words, on the other hand, are standalone English words that use affixes to form other words. A couple examples:

• Cycle (bicycle, tricycle, cyclist). Cycle is actually based on the root “cyc”, which means circle.
• Act (actor, acting, reenact, action). Act is also based on a root, act, which means “do.”

How To Introduce Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes

I like to introduce several roots, prefixes, and suffixes all at the same time to begin our morphology study. Then we continue adding new parts throughout the year. I’ve found that focusing on a select few each year is much more impactful than trying to master dozens and dozens of word parts. I have made a list of the prefixes, suffixes, and roots/bases that I tend to emphasize each year. Of course this will vary based on your students’ readiness, and of course you will likely end up naturally addressing more than what is listed here, but it’s a good starting point!

Here is the anchor chart I create with my students as we begin our study. Yes, there is a lot of information included, but it’s all done over the course of a day or two with students. My absolute favorite part of this prefixes and suffixes anchor chart is the interactive bottom portion. I used the small rectangular sticky notes (you can cut regular ones or just use paper) to let students form their own words. You can even see where some of them have multiple layers because once we started talking about a specific prefix or base word, they can go crazy coming up with others.

After we’ve created the anchor chart, they take notes in their notebook using the template below. I want to emphasize that they do this after we do the anchor chart together because it’s important to me that they are totally engaged with us while creating the anchor chart. I also give them some tiny sticky notes (which we actually get from our reading toolkits) and they love making their words using the notes!

Not only do they create their foldable, but I also provide them with this printable anchor chart to put in their notebooks for later reference. It very closely mirrors the chart we create together and serves as another piece of reference material for later. If you choose to, this is a great time to print the “suggested order” pages in a reduced size for their reference, too. The foldable and printable anchor chart are FREE via the link at the bottom of this post!

A note on spelling: We absolutely talk about the way adding suffixes can impact the spelling of words, and I note it on the chart they add to their notebook. By the time we talk about this, we have often already discussed it during our word study, they just might not realize with such clarity that they are working with suffixes.

Books For Teaching Prefixes and Suffixes

I am a huge proponent of using authentic texts to teach reading and writing skills, and I DO encourage you to go on a hunt (see below) for words. But there are some super cute books written specifically to help children understand prefixes and suffixes and their purpose. Here are my favorites. Click the image below or HERE to purchase them via my Amazon affiliate link:

Videos for Teaching Prefixes and Suffixes

I would be remiss to not mention some of the awesome YouTube videos out there for teaching prefixes and suffixes! So many of my students truly gravitate toward these types of videos, so I try to include them as often as I can.

• “Prefix or Suffix?” by The Bazillions for 3rd/4th
• 5-Minute Latin and Greek Roots for 4th/5th+
• Latin and Greek Roots and Affixes for 4th/5th+

Upper Elementary Prefix and Suffix Activities

Once students have started to grasp the way roots, prefixes, and suffixes work together, it’s time to reinforce their new skills. These activities are ideal for centers or independent work.

Word Sort

This FREE differentiated activity has three complexity levels. Students highlight either a prefix, root, or suffix in each word and place it under the correct category. Some are much easier than others, so it’s fun to see what parts they pick out of each word.

Book or Magazine Scavenger Hunts

This one really gets students thinking! They search through a book to look for one word with a prefix or suffix. Then they show their understanding by identifying the prefix, suffix, root or base word, explaining its meaning, using it in a sentence, and more.

If you have access to magazines, you can also have students create a prefix, suffix, or root collage. Students also love cutting out words and using them to create their own funny sentences.

Task Cards

These are not your typical multiple-choice task cards! They encourage students to use context clues and their new morphology skills to determine the meanings of common root words, prefixes, and suffixes. Because of their difficulty, they are best suited for grades 4+. CLICK HERE to see them on TpT.

Quick Review

I’ve written several posts about using pictures to teach. This FREE prefix sheet is a simple grammar review, which you can also use for a quick assessment. It’s just one more way to get kids thinking about and generating words with prefixes and suffixes.

I have also included these free graphic organizers/word study pages.

Download the FREE Prefix, Suffix, and Root Bundle

Are you ready to get started teaching prefixes and suffixes? Of course there are dozens of other amazing ways to practice this skill (and that’s probably how much practice they will need to fully grasp it!), but if you’d like to download the free resources featured throughout this post, you may grab printable and digital options below.

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Prefixes and suffixes | Presentation for the lesson in Russian (grade 3) on the topic:

Lesson topic: “Prefixes and suffixes”

Objectives: – to introduce new parts of the word – prefix and suffix;

– to practice the ability to form words with the help of a prefix and a suffix;

– – to form the skill of parsing a word by composition;

– development of spelling, calligraphy, pronunciation, speech skills;

– development of skills to analyze, draw conclusions, answer teacher’s questions; nine0003

– to create a condition for mutual understanding and interaction of students in the lesson.

Equipment: textbook “Russian language” – grade 3, computer, slides, screen.

Lesson type: mastering new knowledge.

Lesson progress

I. Beginning of the lesson.

1. Greeting.

– Hello guys?

– What is your mood like? (Wo!)

– Is everyone of the same opinion? (Yes!)

– Our friendly… (Hooray!)

2. Organizational moment. nine0003

Check, my friend,

Are you ready to start the lesson?

Is everything all right:

Book, pen and notebooks.

– Who is on duty in class today?

– What is the date today? (October 29th)

– What day of the week? (Today is Friday)

– Who is absent? (Everyone in the class)

(Okay, thank you, sit down.)

– The topic of our lesson today is “Prefixes and suffixes.” (Slide 2)

3. Phonetic exercises. nine0003

-Now, guys, let’s check which of you has the best pronunciation?

– Look at the blackboard. (Sasha walked along the highway and sucked dry. Slide 3) See, here is a very funny tongue twister about Sasha.

– Guys, first I’ll read it myself. (reads) Here it is, how funny. And now I’m reading, you repeat after me. (choral reading)

– Well, who wants to read a tongue twister? I’ll ask everyone, just in order. Come on, which one of you is the bravest?

( Ok, thank you, smart girl, very good, I really liked your answer, very complete answer, good answer, well done, sit down)

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4. Message about the tasks of the lesson.

– And today, guys, we will go to visit a fairy-tale land where all words and even letters come to life. They are friends and visit each other. I’ll tell you a secret that you already know some of its inhabitants. These are the root (Slide 4) and the ending (Slide 4).

– So, who knows what the root is? (Slide 5, 6)

– And who will tell me what the ending is? (Slide 5, 7) (Children answer.)

II. Central part of the lesson. nine0003

1. Introduction of prefix definition.

– All of you, it turns out, are well aware of the root and the ending.

And today a prefix (Slide 8) and a suffix (Slide 8) came to visit us.

Yes, yes, they are all so funny.

-Now let’s analyze each of them. So guys, look at the word prefix. What word does it look like? What does she say? (Children’s answers.) Yes, that’s right, he sticks, sticks to the root. But the prefix she is very proud and always wants to be ahead. Therefore, always, look here, always sits in front and nothing else. She is a fashionista and wears this cap. (teacher shows)

– Now tell me, what prefixes do you know? Let’s all raise our hands, and I’ll write it on the board. (pre-, sub-, from-, you-, s-, to-, from- … Well, think about whether she said correctly – if the answer is wrong.)

– Well done, it turns out that this is how many prefixes you know .

– And now, guys, listen to me carefully. Let’s take the word walk (Slide 9) and attach it with a prefix. So, where should I put the prefix, at the end of the word (no), or maybe in the middle? (no, go ahead) That’s right, just go ahead. nine0003

– For example, take the prefix y-, for-, re-, you-, before-.

-What new words have appeared? (leave, enter, pass, leave, reach)

– Now look at the meanings of these words. Do they mean the same thing? Why? (because they have different prefixes)

*Leave home and come to school.

*Come to see grandma, ask about her health.

*Cross the road, street.

*Go for a walk.

*To reach the forest.

– What have we changed? We only changed the prefix, nothing else. And magically the words changed their meanings.

– And now turn to page 66 and you will see the prefix rule. So, Milyausha, read. (Slide 10.11)

– (Teacher’s summary) So, because of the prefixes, new words are formed. Guys, you should learn this rule well!

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2. Primary consolidation of the topic.

– And now let’s check how well you learned this part of the lesson. I read the words, and you define the prefix in these words: swim, cloudless, write off, nail, ventilate, whiten, cry. (Slide 12)

– Dictionary work: beat-kagu, sugu. Grad nailed rye – aryshny boz sukty. City – boz. The hail broke the crops – igennarne boz sukty.

– Before doing the writing exercise, we do a hand massage.

Fingers came to visit,

(clapping hands.)

Knock-knock-knock – they knocked on the door.

(Tapping on the table

with fingertips.)

Only the door was not opened for them.

They thought it was a terrible beast. nine0003

Open the textbook page 67, exercise 146. Rinat, read the task.

(Does everyone understand how to do it?)

– Everyone got up, doing a physical exercise.

If you like it

9002 9002 9002 9002 9002 cotton behind the knees.)

If you like it, then do it

(2 stomps.)

If you like it, then say:

“Good!”

If you like it, show it to others.

If you like it, then do everything.

(2 clicks, 2 claps, 2 claps, 2 stomp.)

– Guys, I will call you words with prefixes and without prefixes. If you hear a word with a prefix – tilt to the right, and if without a prefix, then tilt to the left. (write, blow, jump, exit, watch, blow out, burn out, write, hike, do, finish reading, draw, shout …)

3. Introduction of the suffix definition.

– Now, guys, you know three inseparable friends (the root is the most important thing in the country and its employees are the ending and the prefix). The time has come to get acquainted with the last hero of the fairy tale. Who is it guys? (Slide 13) (Children: suffix) Well done!

– Suffix – very tricky. He always follows the root, that is, the main thing. And always sucks up to the root. Suffix is ​​very fond of fun and never takes off his party cap.

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– I wonder why a suffix is ​​needed in a magical land? Does he just walk around and have fun?!

– I have specially prepared for you some suffixes of the Russian language. I read these suffixes and you repeat after me. (-ear-, -ik-, -ok-, -sk-, -ist-, -ost-, -n-, -k-, -tel-) (Slide 14)

– Let’s take the word game and with the help suffix -ushk- form a new word. What word came out?

There was a game that you like to play outside with your friends, and a toy is an item that is on someone’s shelf, and someone is lying on the floor. (key, table; fungus, circle; Russian, Tatar; chess player, hockey player; courage, pride; winter, summer, autumn; handle, book, builder)

– now we will open page 67, read the rule about the suffix . Salavat, read. (Slide 15, 16)

– But the suffix, guys, not only forms new words, but also adds some shade to the meaning of the word. This shade is called diminutive. That is, for example, when I call you Alfina, it seems like just a name. By adding a suffix, we get the name Alfinushka. You must be pleased when you are more called Alfinushka. Like this: the suffix changes the meaning of the word. (Slide 17)

– And now let’s see ex. 147 on page 67. (Write on the board!) (Slide 18)

Ilnur is reading the task.

– Guys, pay attention to the screen. In Russian there are suffixes indicating the cubs of animals.

Suffixes -onok-, -yonok-: (Slide 19)

Tiger – tiger cub.

Fox – fox cub.

Eagle – an eagle.

Hare – hare.

Elk – calf.

Suffixes -at-, -at-: (Slide 20)

Mice, ducklings, cubs. nine0003

The suffixes -its-, -ih- denote the female (ana) of animals: (Slide 21)

Tigress, fox, eagle, hare, moose.

Suffixes -an-, -yan-, -anin, -yanin- indicate the area: (Slide 22)

Russia – Russian,

Earth – earthlings,

south – southerners,

city.

– In addition to these suffixes, there are also “teaser” suffixes -south-. (Slide 23)

Cunning, greedy, beast.

– At the end of the lesson, let’s play a little. “Game with consoles” (Slide 24)

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– I will only name prefixes, and you can guess what needs to be done.

Imagine that you are standing in front of a house. I tell you: B-! What will you do? (We enter the house.)

– And if I say: U-? (We leave the house.)

– About-? (We go around the house.)

– From-? _We leave the house.)

– What conclusion can be drawn from the game? (Each prefix has its own meaning.)

– Right. Therefore, we understood each other.

III. The final part of the lesson. nine0003

1. Lesson summary.

– What did we learn in the lesson?

– What characters did you meet? (Slide 25)

– What is a prefix?

– What is it for?

– What is a suffix?

– And what is it for?

2. House. ass Ex. 149 on page 68. I explain the house.zad.

3. Grades.

You were very active in class today. I gave some of you grades today: “4” and “5”

4. Farewell to the students. nine0003

– Get up, guys.

– The lesson is over, you can leave.

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Composition of the word.

Prefix. Suffix, p. 28 — 30

Answers in Russian. Grade 3 Checking work. Kanakina V.P., Shchegoleva G.S.

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Composition of the word
Prefix. Suffix

Answers to pages 28 – 30

1. Read. Fill in the missing words in the sentences. nine0297