As I reflect over my teaching this past school year, there are many things to celebrate, but also ways I want to improve upon. I noticed that my students struggle with vocabulary, especially in nonfiction text. I have shared in the past how I focus and incorporate root words into our ELA block using a circle map Frayer model. I created Prefix Pockets to be yet another tool for my students to have while they attack those nonfiction text they love so much!
Each prefix has a colorful pocket, along with 8 words using that prefix. They can be printed out, laminated and displayed as an interactive bulletin board or used inside their Language Arts Interactive Notebooks.
I plan on introducing one a week in the beginning of the school year. I will have them brainstorm all the words they can think of that have their prefixes on my Teach a Root Word All Year product. Then I will ask them to look at what they notice those words have in common and make a prediction of what they think the prefix means. After we go over the definition, in partners they will review the 8 words that go inside the pocket and define the words, and write them in a sentence.
With these tools to help support them, they will be better prepared to attack those confusing nonfiction passages that use top tier vocabulary words. Setting them up for success, allowing them to see commonalities between the root words and giving them a reference tool will give them more confidence and set the school year off on the right foot!
Leave a Reply