Prefixes/Suffixes

[CP]

Hello all, I am in need of some creative ideas on working with prefixes and suffixes. I was thinking of having the kids keep a ring of them, with the prefix/suffix on one side of the index card and the definition on the other, but that just doesn't seem too fun. Do any of you have ideas on how to get the kids to learn what each means so then when they come to a word in reading, they can use the clues of the prefixes/suffixes to identify what the word may mean?

Thanks in advance!

 

[cestabrook]

Affixes Rummy

I used excel to make 60 root word cards, prefix cards, and suffix cards.

Ex. heat, re-, -ed

Play the rules of rummy. Kids try to make words. You can build on another person's word that he or she puts down.

Ex. unusual - an opponent can put down -ly for that word.

I am AMAZED at the words they come up with. Set a few computers to dictionary.com or wordcentral.com so that they can check if their words are truly words. Have them challenge each other as in Scrabble.

 

[MsYork]

Matching Games / "Journals"

Yes, word sorts work well. I recently used a matching game in my room. I printed prefixes/suffixes and their meanings onto game cards. These were over a picture of a blank journal, so we dubbed the game "Journals". On one card (with the word journal at the top), there was a suffix. On another card (without the word journal), there was the meaning of the suffix. Simply hand out the cards randomly to each student and see how long it takes for everyone to pair off and find their match. Then they can continue each new round by trying to beat their time score. Matching games work for everything.