Building New Words with Prefixes un, re, dis and pre
About this lesson
Children work in pairs to attach the prefixes un, re, dis and pre to base words. They explain how each prefix changes a word's meaning and then use one new word in a sentence. You need only the whiteboard and scrap paper, and the activity takes about 12 minutes.
- Grade
- 4
- Subject
- ELA
- Time
- 12 min
- Prep
- 3 min
Objective
Students will add common prefixes to base words and explain how each prefix changes the word's meaning.
Prep
3 min: write the prefixes un, re, dis, pre and 12 base words on the board (happy, read, agree, view, kind, fill, like, heat, lock, write, honest, pay)
Materials
- whiteboard and marker
- scrap paper
- pencils
Steps
- Point to each prefix and give its meaning: un and dis mean not or the opposite of, re means again, and pre means before. Model with un + lock = unlock, which means the opposite of lock.
- In pairs, students join prefixes to base words to make as many real words as they can in 4 minutes. Next to each word they write a short meaning, such as rewrite = write again.
- Each pair shares one word and its meaning. The class gives a thumbs up if it is a real word and the meaning uses the prefix correctly.
- Read three quick clues aloud, such as 'heat the oven before cooking' or 'not honest', and students hold up their paper with the matching word (preheat, dishonest).
- Each student writes one sentence using a prefix word from today and hands it in on the way out.
Quick Check
Say a new word such as 'unpack' or 'replay' and ask students to tell a partner what it means and which part of the word told them.
Differentiation
Make it easier: Use only un and re, and give each pair a list of base words that work with them.
Make it harder: Add the prefixes mis and non, and ask pairs to find base words that can take two different prefixes, such as unlike and dislike, then explain the difference.
Good For
- Before lunch
- End of day
- Supply teacher
- Review
