TENDERTOES ACADEMYLesson Plan: Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Subject: English Language
Topic: Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Class Level: Primary one
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Define root words.
Explain what prefixes and suffixes are.
Identify prefixes and suffixes in words.
Form new words using prefixes and suffixes.
Instructional Materials
whiteboard
Introduction (l
Begin by writing a simple word on the board, e.g., “happy”.
Ask: What happens if we add “un” to it? → unhappy
Ask: What changed?
Lead students to understand that words can change meaning.
Presentation
1. Root Words
Explain:
A root word is a real word that does not come from another word.
Examples:
play
care
slow
2. Prefixes
Explain:
A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning.
Common prefixes:
un (not)
im (not)
non (not)
dis (opposite)
Examples:
unable
uncommon
nonsense
impatient
immoral
disagree
3. Suffixes
Explain:
A suffix is added to the end of a word to change its meaning.
Common suffixes:
ing
ful
less
ness
ly
s
Examples:
play + ing = playing
care + ful = careful
slow + ness = slowness
pay + less = payless
Practice
Activity 1: Identify
Write words on the board:
unhappy
careless
disagree
Students identify:
Prefix
Root word
Suffix (if any)
Activity 2: Word Building
Give root words:
help
use
kind
Students add:
Prefixes → unhelpful, misuse
Suffixes → kindness
Evaluation
Ask students to:
Define:
Root word
Prefix
Suffix
Break these words:
unhappy
playing
careless
Form new words using:
“un”
“ful”
Conclusion
Recap:
Root words are the main words.
Prefixes come at the beginning.
Suffixes come at the end.