As part of my students’ vocabulary building and preparation for tests like the SAT, I implemented the Root of the Week exercises.
Each week, I assign a Greek or Latin root, which students must then come up with a word fits the root. I always give three examples each week of what I want them to do with the words they choose; they must:
1- present the word,
2- define it,
3- identify the correct etymology (break it into its prefixes, root, and suffixes, and define each), and
4- use the word correctly in a grammatically correct sentence.
For example, here is Week #1:
Root of the Week #1: vinc/vict
Latin: VINCERE, VICTUM which means “to conquer”
Example 1: INVINCIBLE
Unable to be conquered
“in” (not) + “vincere” + “ible” (having the ability to) = not able to be conquered
Although the Romans thought of themselves as invincible, they too were eventually conquered.
Example 2: VICTORY
Success
“victor” (from victum) + “y” (act or state of) = the act of conquering
Many Buffalonians are counting on Terrell Owens to lead the Bills to victory this season.
Example 3: EVINCED
To establish; to reflect the truth of
“e” (out of) + “vincere” + “ed” (makes past tense) = overcame (with evidence)
Many results of the Stock Market crash of 1929 evinced the old saying, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”
We do this every week for 35 weeks in the school year.
I have been doing this as an online activity since 2008 when I discovered Ning programs. When it was a fully free site, I created an online classroom (for each class, so I maintained 5 classroom sites) for not only Root of the Week responses, but for responses to all units of study. When Ning began charging for their services, I shopped around until I found something more affordable (because I pay for these sites with my own funds). I used Spruz for several years until I was approached by FlashPoint Interactive about trying their Shakespeare sites.
Not only was I impressed with the work for Romeo and Juliet, but when I spoke with the owner, Prad, many times over the summer, I mentioned to him my Root of the Week exercises. He was interested in seeing what I had been doing with my students, and from there he used my exercises to develop the Roots program on FlashPoint Interactive!
I was awarded a certificate of authorship today:
Thank you, Prad and FlashPoint Interactive! My students are now using FlashPoint, and I am excited to see how they do with The Odyssey exercises you created as well.
Binders Full of Evidence 13-14 