Prefix/ Suffix War
From FreeReading
| Lesson Type: | Build Mastery |
| Grade: | 2, 3 |
| Group Size: | Pairs |
| Length: | 10 minutes |
| Goal: | Given cards with words that contain prefixes and suffixes, students will become more familiar with those parts of speech by playing a game similar to the card game War. |
Materials: Index cards, board or chart paper
What to Do
Prepare
Divide students into pairs.
Prepare a deck of cards for each pair. The deck should include some words with prefixes, some words with suffixes, and some words with neither.
Display the prefixes and suffixes that your students have learned so far on the board or on a piece of chart paper.
Model/Instruct
1. Review the prefixes and suffixes that your students have learned so far.
Today, we will learn more about prefixes and suffixes by playing War.
2. Choose a student to help you model how to play the game. Complete each step together with the class.
One person in each pair should deal out the cards so that you each have an even amount. Each person should put his or her cards in a pile face down on the table.
Allow students time to deal out the cards.
The person who did not deal will be the counter. In my pair, (student’s name) dealt the cards so I will be the counter.
I will count to three. After three, each person will turn the top card from his or her pile face up.
Turn over your top card. Let student turn over his or her top card.
The person whose card includes a prefix or suffix gets to keep both cards.
If neither person’s card has a prefix or suffix, you leave the cards on the table, and each turn over another card.
If both cards have a prefix or a suffix, you have a war.
The counter will count to three again. Then, both people will put one card face down and another card face up.
The war continues until one card has a word with a prefix or a suffix.
The person whose card includes a prefix or a suffix gets to keep all of the cards on the table.
Look at the cards that my partner and I have displayed. What happens in this situation?
Let students tell you what to do.
Great! The goal is to get the most cards. When time is up, the person in each pair with the most cards is the winner!
Practice
3. Have students play Prefix and Suffix War.
Now, we are going to play Prefix and Suffix War. Remember to take all of the cards on the table when you have the only card that has a word with a prefix or a suffix.
4. Walk around the classroom to monitor the students’ performance during the game.
Adjust
For Advanced Students:
Have these students create some cards with words containing both prefixes and suffixes to add to the deck. Cards with words that have both prefixes and suffixes would trump cards with words that have only a prefix or only a suffix, or neither.
For Struggling Students:
Have these students focus on either prefixes or suffixes only during the game. For example, if they are playing with the focus on prefixes, then words with suffixes would not count.
For ELL Students:
Have these students focus on either prefixes or suffixes only during the game. For example, if they are playing with the focus on prefixes, then words with suffixes would not count.
In addition, ELL students may need an explanation of the meaning of the root word before adding a prefix or a suffix.
Related activities