University of Colorado
Strange New Planet
The first remote sensors were people in hot air balloons taking photographs of Earth to make maps. Expose middle school learners to space exploration with the use of remote sensing. Groups explore and make observations of a new planet by...
Scholastic
Choose Your Words Wisely (Grades 9-12)
Words, words, words. The function of words in persuasive writing is the focus of a group activity that asks members to analyze how words advertisers use are designed to influence targeted audiences.
Curated OER
Word Roots: Spect, Sta, Vert
How many words can you find? Use this word search towards the end of the unit to reinforce the new vocabulary words. Consider making it a game and timing it to see who can locate the words first.
Curated OER
High Five Blend and Word Family Game
Practice using word blends and learning about word families by participating in a class game. Learners will collaborate as teams in a game by throwing beanbags onto a shower curtain with word blends on it. They will say the sound their...
Curriculum Corner
Root Words
Ten pages offer useful information and five activities designed to reinforce the concept of root words. Scholars make a root word booklet, partake in a matching activity that challenges them to match root words to their meaning, record...
Curated OER
Dolch Word List- By Frequency and Grade Level
Have your learners practice their sight word recognition using this resource. The words, listed by frequency for each grade level, can be placed on flash cards, pinned up on bulletin boards, or otherwise displayed to aid in recognition.
Florida Center for Reading Research
Vocabulary: Morphemic Elements, Root-O!
Young readers get to the root of unfamiliar vocabulary with a collaborative learning activity. Given a deck of root word cards and copies of a graphic organizer, pairs of students take turns flipping over cards and brainstorming...
Curated OER
Making New Words
In this making words instructional activity, 1st graders put a letter before each word to create a new word. Students create 20 words and then alphabetize the words into two groups.
Curated OER
Making New Words
In this making words worksheet, students draw a line to match a syllable on the left with a syllable on the right to create a new word. Students write the new word on the lines.
Curated OER
Phonics: Identify Base Words and Affixes to Read Multi-Syllabic Words
Encountering a new an unfamiliar word can stump even the best readers. Third graders learn how to assess the base, prefix, and suffix of words to help them determine its meaning. The class works together to go over a series of common...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Make Way for Ducklings (McCloskey)
Use the Caldecott Award-winning book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (which can be found on YouTube if you don't have it) to guide budding readers through vocabulary in context. Although the instruction here is limited to the...
ABCya
New Year's Day Word Search
Take a cup o'kindness alongside a fun New Years' word puzzle! Players use a word bank to find holiday-themed words in both easy and difficult formats.
Curated OER
Dead Word Wall Kills Overused Words
Have your class attend a funeral for the words they overuse in their writing. They develop a list of alternate words for those overused words, and make an effort to employ alternatives whenever possible. This is a great way to improve...
Florida Center for Reading Research
Vocabulary: Morphemic Elements, Getting to the Root of It
Young readers learn how to get at the root of new vocabulary with this fun language arts activity. When working in pairs, children begin by matching unknown vocabulary words to their Greek or Latin roots. When all the vocabulary cards...
Curated OER
Compound Words - Two Words In One
Compound words sure do come in handy! For young readers, learning how two words can go together to make one word is a big deal. It's also a confidence builder because they are suddenly able to read "big" words. This sweet presentation...
Curated OER
Mythological Word Origins
No wonder the ship was called the Titanic. An investigation of Norse, Roman, and Greek Mythology provides insight into mythological characters and corresponding words in the English language. A close look at roots, prefixes, and suffixes...
Curated OER
Mythological Word Origins
Review myths and the characters therein, connecting them to vocabulary words in the English language today. Begin by searching online for myths and character names. With at least ten names that are familiar English words, students use...
Curated OER
Adding /s/ to Make Plurals
A 31-slide presentation demonstrates how to properly add the letter /s/ to words to make them plural. Learners get to practice all sorts of scenarios where adding /s/ makes a word into a plural. They get instant feedback as they attempt...
Curated OER
Analyze Complex Words
What is a complex word, and why is it so important we know what they are? Download this helpful PowerPoint to introduce root/base words, prefixes, and suffixes to your emerging readers. Clear, relevant examples are given, as well as a...
Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, University of Texas at Austin
Lesson 10 - Compound Words
Individually, words have power, but when added together, they can take on a whole other level of meaning. Readers learn about compound words in the 10th of 17 lessons of the Word Recognition and Fluency series. A script provides guidance...
Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, University of Texas at Austin
Sight Word Fluency Lists 31 to 45
Practice makes perfect. Scholars get a lot of practice with sight word recognition as they continue to read words from each list until they master all words. Lists offer both new and review words.
Curated OER
Split Suffixes
Make new words by adding suffixes to word beginnings. There are four suffixes here: -ible, -able, -ive, and -ion. After using them to complete five given words, they use their vocabulary skills to apply the suffixes to words they think...
Curated OER
Making More Words With "at"
Students explore phonetics by identifying words with one specific sound. In this rhyming words activity, students discuss the sound "at" and the many words that contain the same sound. Students utilize index cards to participate in a...
Curated OER
Word Endings
First and 2nd graders look at the 10 root words on the left using the rule for dropping 'e' and adding 'ed' or 'ing.' They make new words by adding 's,' 'ed,' or 'ing.' Good, basic practice!