Subject(s): Language Arts Grades(s): Junior High/High School

Title – Stems and Roots
By – Sondra S. Hennessee
Primary Subject – Language Arts
Grade Level – 8

Length: 5 days per unit

Purpose: To provide a bell ringer for students incorporating word roots and stems.

Process: Weekly

 

Day One, Two, & Three:
(Time: 10-15 minutes each day)

Put five ‘roots/stems’ on overhead for students to copy. They should copy the root, its meaning, and the two sample words. Then, they should develop a word of their own and show its meaning in an original sentence. Allow students to use a dictionary if necessary. Review student samples.

Day Four: Play Bingo.
(Time: 15-30 minutes)

Ideas:

Look for top row only,

 

Look for the border,

Look for the Hummer H,

Look for checkerboard,

Look for center diamond, or

Play two boards at once.

 

Day Five: Give Quiz.
(Time: 15 minutes)

Materials: Overheads (provided), Bingo Boards (10 different boards per ‘unit’ provided), Chips (pennies, beans, anything small), and Quizzes (provided).

Objectives / SC 8^th Grade Standards:

 

8-R3.2

Demonstrate the ability to use a knowledge of roots and affixes to analyze the meaning of complex words.

8-W4.1
Demonstrate the ability to write legibly using print or cursive handwriting.

 

Evaluation: Weekly Quizzes.

Reflection: You should notice the students’ ability to learn stems more quickly each and every week causing you to increase the difficulty of the bingo game.

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Overhead 1

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

ante	before	anterior	antebellum
anti	against	antibody	anticlimax
bi	two	bilateral	bicycle
circum	around	circumspect	circumvent
com	together	comfort	combination
con	together	contract	confidence
de	down	deposit	denounce
dis	away	distract	distort
equi	equal	equinox	equation
extra	beyond	extraordinary	extrovert
inter	between	international	interject
intra	within	intracellular	intrastate
intro	into	introduce	introvert
mal	bad	malevolent	malicious
mis	bad	misfit	mistake

 

 

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Overhead 2

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

non	not	nonchalant	nonconformity
post	after	posterior	posthumous
pre	before	premature	premonition
semi	half	semi aquatic	semiformal
sub	under	subtract	substantial
super	over	superfluous	superior
syn	together	synchronize	synonym
sym	together	sympathy	symphony
tri	three	triangle	triceratops
un	not	unequivocal	unconventional
archy	government	monarchy	hierarchy
ard	always	coward	dullard
cide	kill	suicide	genocide
ician	specialist	technician	physician
itis	inflammation	gastroenteritis	appendicitis

 

 

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Overhead 3

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

 

aqua	water	aquarium	aqueduct
audi	hear	audiophile	audience
bell	war	belligerent	rebel
cap	take	captivate	caption
cise	cut	incision	precise
bio	life	biography	biogenesis
auto	self	autobiography	autograph
port	carry	important	transport
scrib	write	ascribe	transcribe
logy	science	geology	mythology
dict	say	dictionary	contradict
cred	believe	incredulous	incredible
cent	one hundred	century	centipede
neo	new	Neolithic	neonatal
ad	to	adapt	adhesive

 

 

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Overhead 4

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

 

cede	go	antecedent	secede
miss	end	dismiss	emission
centri	center	centrifugal	decentralize
biblio	book	bibliography	bibliophile
anthropo	man	anthropology	anthropomorphic
homo	same	homogenize	homophone
spec	look	spectacles	specter
duct	lead	conduct	reproduction
fer	carry	aquifer	conifer
pend	hang	pendulum	impending
micro	small	microcosm	microwave
hydro	water	hydrant	hydrophobia
photo	light	photograph	photosynthesis
pan	all	panorama	pandemic
penta	five	pentagon	pentameter

 

 

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Overhead 5

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

tele	far	telepathy	telescope
vid	look	video	evidence
omni	all	omnipotent	omnipresent
ex	out	exculpate	exorbitant
poly	many	polyphony	polygon
re	again	reiterate	regenerate
hyp	under	hypodermic	hypocrite
pseudo	false	pseudo pod	pseudonym
neuro	nerve	neuron	neurosis
tomy	cut	lobotomy	appendectomy
hema	blood	hematology	hema toma
proto	first	prototype	proton
phon	sound	telephone	phonograph
mono	one	monotonous	monogamous
viv	life	vivacious	vivid

 

 

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Overhead 6

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

 

morph	shape	morphology	protomorphic
vest	clothes	vestment	divestiture
bene	good	benefit	benevolent
pond	weight	ponderous	preponderant
corp	body	corpse	corpulent
dorm	sleep	dormant	dormitory
pater	farther	paterfamilias	patriarch
nov	new	novice	novel
punct	point	punctuate	acupuncture
ject	throw	conjecture	interject
tion	act or state	devastation	transition
loco	place	location	dislocate
dox	opinion	orthodox	doxology
amphi	both	amphibious	amphibian
magn	great	magnificent	magnanimous

 

 

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Overhead 7

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

 

eu	good	euphony	eulogy
endo	within	endocrine	endogamous
phobia	fear	hydrophobia	claustrophobia
ortho	straight	orthodontist	orthopedics
put	think	reputation	computer
ver	true	verify	verity
matri	mother	matricide	matriarch
mega	large	megalith	megaphone
pop	people	popular	population
sangui	blood	sangria	sanguine
vita	life	vitamin	revitalize
demo	people	democracy	demography
stereo	solid	stereotype	stereophonic
ism	doctrine	capitalism	pluralism
cogn	know	incognito	cognizant

 

 

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Overhead 8

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Stems & Roots

 

Write the stem/root, meaning, and examples. Think of a word on your own that uses the stem. Use is in a sentence to prove you know its meaning.

Stem/Root

Meaning

Example 1

Example 2

 

 

scope	look	telescope	periscope
son	sound	unison	sonar
dec	ten	decade	decimal
stell	star	stellar	interstellar
amat	love	amateur	amorous
germ	vital or related	germicide	germane
greg	group	gregarious	segregate
mar	sea	marina	submarine
prim	first	primary	primo
pyro	fire	pyromania	pyre
clam	cry out	clamorous	exclamatory
plu	more	plural	plus
tang	touch	tangible	tango
string	bind	astringent	stringy
liber	free	liberty	deliberate

 

 

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Quiz 1

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

1.	_____	ante		A.	against
2.	_____	anti		B.	around
3.	_____	bi		C.	away
4.	_____	circum		D.	bad
5.	_____	com		E.	bad
6.	_____	con		F.	before
7.	_____	de		G.	between
8.	_____	dis		H.	beyond
9.	_____	equi		I.	down
10.	_____	extra		J.	equal
11.	_____	inter		K.	into
12.	_____	intra		L.	together
13.	_____	intro		M.	together
14.	_____	mal		N.	two
15.	_____	mis		O.	within

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

 

 

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Quiz 2

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

 

1.	_____	non		A.	after
2.	_____	post		B.	always
3.	_____	pre		C.	before
4.	_____	semi		D.	government
5.	_____	sub		E.	half
6.	_____	super		F.	inflammation
7.	_____	syn		G.	kill
8.	_____	sym		H.	not
9.	_____	tri		I.	not
10.	_____	un		J.	over
11.	_____	archy		K.	specialist
12.	_____	ard		L.	three
13.	_____	cide		M.	together
14.	_____	ician		N.	together
15.	_____	it is		O.	under

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

 

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Quiz 3

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

1.	_____	aqua		A.	believe
2.	_____	audi		B.	carry
3.	_____	bell		C.	cut
4.	_____	cap		D.	hear
5.	_____	cise		E.	life
6.	_____	bio		F.	new
7.	_____	auto		G.	one hundred
8.	_____	port		H.	say
9.	_____	scrib		I.	science
10.	_____	logy		J.	self
11.	_____	dict		K.	take
12.	_____	cred		L.	to
13.	_____	cent		M.	war
14.	_____	neo		N.	water
15.	_____	ad		O.	write

 

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

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Quiz 4

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

1.	_____	cede		A.	all
2.	_____	miss		B.	book
3.	_____	centri		C.	carry
4.	_____	biblio		D.	center
5.	_____	anthropo		E.	end
6.	_____	homo		F.	five
7.	_____	spec		G.	go
8.	_____	duct		H.	hang
9.	_____	fer		I.	lead
10.	_____	pend		J.	light
11.	_____	micro		K.	look
12.	_____	hydro		L.	man
13.	_____	photo		M.	same
14.	_____	pan		N.	small
15.	_____	penta		O.	water

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

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Quiz 5

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

1.	_____	tele		A.	false
2.	_____	vid		B.	again
3.	_____	omni		C.	all
4.	_____	ex		D.	blood
5.	_____	poly		E.	cut
6.	_____	re		F.	far
7.	_____	hyp		G.	first
8.	_____	pseudo		H.	life
9.	_____	neuro		I.	look
10.	_____	tomy		J.	many
11.	_____	hema		K.	nerve
12.	_____	proto		L.	one
13.	_____	phon		M.	out
14.	_____	mono		N.	sound
15.	_____	viv		O.	under

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

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Quiz 6

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

1.	_____	morph		A.	act or state
2.	_____	vest		B.	body
3.	_____	bene		C.	both
4.	_____	pond		D.	clothes
5.	_____	corp		E.	farther
6.	_____	dorm		F.	good
7.	_____	pater		G.	great
8.	_____	nov		H.	new
9.	_____	punct		I.	opinion
10.	_____	ject		J.	place
11.	_____	tion		K.	point
12.	_____	loco		L.	shape
13.	_____	dox		M.	sleep
14.	_____	amphi		N.	throw
15.	_____	magn		O.	weight

 

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

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Quiz 7

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

1.	_____	eu		A.	true
2.	_____	endo		B.	blood
3.	_____	phobia		C.	doctrine
4.	_____	ortho		D.	fear
5.	_____	put		E.	good
6.	_____	ver		F.	know
7.	_____	matri		G.	large
8.	_____	mega		H.	life
9.	_____	pop		I.	mother
10.	_____	sangui		J.	people
11.	_____	vita		K.	people
12.	_____	demo		L.	solid
13.	_____	stereo		M.	straight
14.	_____	ism		N.	think
15.	_____	cogn		O.	within

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

 

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Quiz 8

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Stems & Roots

Name______________________________________________

Date____________________ Score____________________

Write the letter of the stem’s definition in the blank. Some definitions will be used more than once. (5 points each)

1.	_____	scope		A.	bind
2.	_____	son		B.	cry out
3.	_____	dec		C.	fire
4.	_____	stell		D.	first
5.	_____	amat		E.	free
6.	_____	germ		F.	group
7.	_____	greg		G.	look
8.	_____	mar		H.	love
9.	_____	prim		I.	more
10.	_____	pyro		J.	sea
11.	_____	clam		K.	sound
12.	_____	plu		L.	star
13.	_____	tang		M.	ten
14.	_____	string		N.	touch
15.	_____	liber		O.	vital or related

Choose 5 stems. Write the stem then one word using that stem. It must be a legitimate word, written legibly in cursive, and spelled correctly. (5 points each)

 

1. stem_____________

___________________

 

2. stem_____________

___________________

 

3. stem_____________

___________________

 

4. stem_____________

___________________

 

5. stem_____________

___________________

 

 

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