Second graders learn how prefixes (at the beginning) and suffixes (at the end) change what a word means — so “un-” makes “unlock” and “-ful” makes “helpful” — unlocking hundreds of new words.
Students will be able to…
Add “un-” to the front of “lock” and you get the opposite: “unlock”! How do little word parts change the whole meaning?
Project this and tap each word part. Have students see how prefixes and suffixes change what a word means!
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Add “un-” to “lock” — what happens to the meaning?
Teacher models.
Class uses the Word-Part Explorer.
Students build words.
Students share a word.
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.
Determine the meaning of a new word when a known prefix is added.
Use a known root word to figure out an unknown word with the same root.
Determine word meanings using multiple strategies.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have families add un-, re-, -ful, and -less to base words and talk about how the meaning changes. A printable word-parts sheet is in the ELA library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.