Lesson 1: exploring word derivations (developing morphological knowledge)

Links to the Victorian Curriculum – English

Level 5:

  • Understand how to use banks of known words, syllabification, spelling patterns, word origins, base words, prefixes and suffixes, to spell new words, including some uncommon plurals (VCELA312)

Level 6:

  • Understand how to use banks of known words, word origins, base words, prefixes, suffixes, spelling patterns and generalisations to spell new words, including technical words and words adopted from other languages (VCELA354)

Links to the Victorian Curriculum – English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Pathway B

Reading and viewing

Level BL:

  • Build a vocabulary that draws on words of interest, learnt words and sight words (VCEALL207)

Level B1:

  • Build a vocabulary that draws on words of interest, topic words and sight words (VCEALL287)
  • Identify common syllables and patterns within words (VCEALL288)

Level B2:

  • Read some common words or familiar phrases (VCEALL367)
  • Apply knowledge of letter–sound relationships to read new words with some support (VCEALL368)

Level B3:

  • Use knowledge of sentence structure and content to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words (VCEALL446)
  • Apply knowledge of letter–sound relationships to deduce the pronunciation of new words (VCEALL447)

Writing

Level BL:

  • Use topic-specific vocabulary encountered in classroom activities (VCEALL235)
  • Spell a number of high-frequency words accurately (VCEALL237)

Level B1:

  • Incorporate learnt vocabulary into writing (VCEALL315)
  • Spell accurately common words encountered in the classroom (VCEALL318)

Level B2:

  • Use modelled vocabulary appropriately (VCEALL395)
  • Spell frequently used words with common patterns with increased accuracy (VCEALL398)

Level B3:

  • Use a range of key vocabulary appropriately (VCEALL474)
  • Spell most words accurately, drawing on a range of strategies but with some invented spelling still evident (VCEALL477)

Theory/practice connections

Many words in the English language are derived from other languages, particularly Greek and Latin. “A derivative is a word containing a part that originated in another language’' (Snowball & Bolton, 1999, p.184).

Knowing about the origins of words can help students to write words. For example, knowing that the words autograph, autobiography and autopilot are derived from the Greek word, auto, meaning self, can help students to learn the meaning of these words and how to spell them (Snowball & Bolton, 1999, p.184).

Learning intentions

We are learning that some scientific vocabulary comes from words in other languages.

Success criteria

I understand that some words are derived from root words from other languages.

I understand the link between root words and the meaning of a derived word.

Role of the writer

Text encoder – knowing and using root words to write and spell other words.

Group size

Whole class, or small group (4-6 students).

Lesson sequence

  1. Teacher rereads page of information text ‘Koala’ to or with students. This text might be part of a Science inquiry around animal adaptation.
  2. After reading, consider the new scientific vocabulary in the text such as microorganisms. Ask students to predict the meaning of this word using prior knowledge and contextual clues. Have you heard of this word before? What do you think it might mean in the sentence here?
  3. Model writing predicted meaning of the word microorganism on a chart alongside the new word (see example vocabulary chart (docx - 23.37kb)).
  4. Ask students if they know of any other words that contain the root word micro. Add these to the list with predicted meanings. Explain that these words are derived from the word micro.
  5. With teacher support, the students find dictionary definitions for the listed words and add these to a new column.
  6. In small groups, allow students time to search other texts during subsequent shared, guided and independent reading times for words derived from micro. Continue adding these words to the chart, underlining the root word micro.
  7. Bring small groups together to discuss words on the chart. Ask:
    • what do you think micro means?
    • add this to the chart. ‘Micro’ is a Greek word that means ‘small’.
  8. Encourage students to think about the relationship between the meaning and spelling of micro and the words derived from it. Share generalisations and record these for reference during further writing lessons.
    • micro is a Greek word. If you can spell micro in one word it can help you spell other words.
    • micro only appears at the beginning of words.
    • micro always means the same thing.
  9. Use the chart to begin a class book that contains lists of words derived from other Greek and Latin roots. List each word with its meaning.

Note: Lesson modelled on ideas from Snowball & Bolton, 1999, p. 186.

Extra resources

The Membean website has interactive word trees based on a range of common root words.

In this Etymological spelling knowledge video, the Year 5 teacher explains how graphic organisers are used to explicitly teach root words.

Differentiation

Teacher modelling and small group work at different stages of the lesson allow for varying levels of support for individual students.