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Word Trees and Spelling Bees

A Seventh Grade Curricular Unit

Name:____________________________

Section:___________________________

Word Trees and Spelling Bees

Have you ever wondered how words are created? Where they come from? Why some words look the same in many languages?

Have you ever stumbled over long words and wished you could decode them without referencing a dictionary? Have you ever wished that somehow, some way, you just knew the definition of unfamiliar words?

What about spelling? Sure, our computers and electronic devices come with the handy and efficient spellcheck and autocorrect features. But what about handwriting? Are you a spelling whiz? Or could you use a few tips to improve?

If you haven't guessed by now, this unit is all about WORDS.

In the next two weeks, we will be growing our knowledge of words and building strategies for more effective reading, writing and word comprehension.

Unit RationaleAt the seventh grade level, students are reading increasingly difficult texts. Whether it's literature, textbooks, or non-fiction articles, it is essential that students are able to comprehend the material that they are presented with. By featuring a unit on words, spelling and other conventions of the Standard English language, students are given the chance to build on literacy skills that are integral to the higher-level tasks that they will soon encounter.

Essential QuestionHow does knowledge of words and their origins influence our understanding of texts?

Learning Objectives I can determine the meaning of unfamiliar words by identifying

stems within it. I can make inferences regarding the meaning of new words by

using context clues and details. I can apply my knowledge of word roots and affixes to improve

my spelling accuracy.

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.1Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.2Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.3Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.4Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Name:______________________________Section :______________________________

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/7/4/



http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/7/1/

Roots and StemsWords are composed of two different parts: __________ and ___________. .

STEMS are responsible for carrying the _________ _________ of a word..

AFFIXES are parts of words that are added to _______ to _________ or _________ their meaning.

Affixes come either at the ____________ or the _______ of a root.

Those at the beginning are called ____________. Those at the end are called ______________

Give examples of the following:

Word Stem _______________ _______________ Prefix _______________ _______________ Suffix _______________ _______________

Some affixes are known as __________ ___________..

Word roots have origins from a number of different languages. The majority of roots used in ____________, _____________, and _____________, come from the ___________ languages Greek and Latin.

A __________ ___________ is a language that is no longer used in everyday spoken use.

Can you think of some possible word stems?

_______________ _________________ ________________

Stem List One

Directions: For each stem, write two words that include the given stem. Underline the stem in each of your examples.

1. Ante _________________________________ __________________________________

2. Anti _________________________________ __________________________________

3. Bi _________________________________ __________________________________

4. Circum _________________________________ __________________________________

5. Com _________________________________ __________________________________

6. Con _________________________________ __________________________________

7. De _________________________________ __________________________________

Word Stem Definition OriginAnte Before LatinAnti Against GreekBi Two LatinCircum Around LatinCom Together LatinCon Together LatinDe Down LatinDis Away LatinEqui Equal LatinExtra Beyond LatinInter Between LatinIntra Within LatinIntro Into LatinMal Bad LatinMis Bad LatinNon Not GermanicPost After LatinPre Before LatinSemi Half LatinSub Under LatinSuper Over LatinSyn Together GreekSym Together GreekUn Not Old English

8. Dis _________________________________ __________________________________

9. Equi _________________________________ __________________________________

10. Extra _________________________________ __________________________________

11. Inter _________________________________ __________________________________

12. Intra _________________________________ __________________________________

13. Intro _________________________________ __________________________________

14. Mal _________________________________ __________________________________

15. Mis _________________________________ __________________________________

16. Non _________________________________ __________________________________

17. Post _________________________________ __________________________________

18. Pre _________________________________ __________________________________

19. Semi _________________________________ __________________________________

20. Sub _________________________________ __________________________________

21.Super _________________________________ __________________________________

22. Syn _________________________________ __________________________________

23. Sym _________________________________ __________________________________

24. Tri _________________________________ __________________________________

25. Un _________________________________ __________________________________

Stem List 2

Directions: For each stem, write two words that include the given stem. Underline the stem in each of your examples.

1. Ad _________________________________ __________________________________

2. Anthropo _________________________________ __________________________________

3. Aq _________________________________ __________________________________

4. Archy _________________________________ __________________________________

5. Ard _________________________________ __________________________________

6. Audi _________________________________ __________________________________

7. Auto _________________________________ __________________________________

Word Stem Definition OriginAd To LatinAnthropo Man GreekAqua Water GreekArchy Government GreekArd Always Germanicaudi Hear LatinAuto Self GreekBell War LatinBiblio Book GreekBio Life GreekCap Take LatinCede Go LatinCent One Hundred LatinCentri Center LatinCide Kill LatinCise Cut LatinCred Believe LatinDict Say LatinIcian Specialist LatinItis Inflammation GreekLogy Science GreekMi Send LatinNeo New GreekPort Carry Latin

8. Bell _________________________________ __________________________________

9. Biblio _________________________________ __________________________________

10. Bio _________________________________ __________________________________

11. Cap _________________________________ __________________________________

12. Cede _________________________________ __________________________________

13. Cent _________________________________ __________________________________

14. Centri _________________________________ __________________________________

15. Cide _________________________________ __________________________________

16. Cise _________________________________ __________________________________

17. Cred _________________________________ __________________________________

18. Dict _________________________________ __________________________________

19. Ician _________________________________ __________________________________

20. Itis _________________________________ __________________________________

21. Logy _________________________________ __________________________________

22. Miss _________________________________ __________________________________

23. Neo _________________________________ __________________________________

24. Port _________________________________ __________________________________

25. Scrib _________________________________ __________________________________

Directions: Choose TEN out of the 25 stems. For each, find TWO words that are new or unfamiliar to you. Write the word, its part of speech, and a sentence using that word.

1. ______________

Word:____________________________ Part of Speech: ______________________________

Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

7. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

8. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

9. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

10. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Name:_____________________ Section:_____________________

Identifying Words in Context

Sometimes, we run into unfamiliar words while reading. These words may or may not contain stems that help us to figure out their meaning.

One strategy to that helps to figure out the meaning of new words is reading them ____ __________ .

_____________ is defined as the parts of something written or spoken that immediately ____________ and ______________ a word or passage and ___________ its meaning.

___________ ___________ may be as long a few _____________, or as short as a single _________ or __________. . The process of using context clues to guess the meaning of a word is called making an _____________ .

Using context clues and inference, guess the meaning of the underlined words.

During the antebellum period before the Civil War in America, African Americans were seen merely as property.

Antebellum: _______________________________________________________

The purpose of anthropology is to make the world safe for human differences.

Anthropology:_______________________________________________

Directions: Choose TEN out of the 25 stems. For each, find a word that is new or unfamiliar to you.. Write the word, its part of speech, and a sentence using that word.

For these sentences, try to include some CONTEXT that gives a hint at what the word means.

1. ______________

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/ruthbenedi101294.html?src=t_anthropology

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/ruthbenedi101294.html?src=t_anthropology


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

7. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

8. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

9. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

10. ______________


Sentence:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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