Nifty, Thrifty FiftySEPTEMBER

Language feature: Noun (when you add “er” or “or” to a word, you make the word

a person, which means it is a noun.)

composerStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

com (with or together)

pose (put in place)

er (person or thing that

does something)

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

Someone who writes music.

Someone who writes anything!

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Language feature:

Other words where “dis” means the opposite are: disappear, disagree, and dishonest.Other words ending with “-y” are robbery, victory, bakery, and pottery.

discoveryStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

dis(changes word to its

opposite form)cover

(to hide something)y

(person or thing that does something)

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

A new thing someone finds out.

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Language feature:

Other words where “en” means “make” are: endear, enclose, endanger.Other words ending with “ment” include development, amusement, and government.

encouragementStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

en(in or make)

courage

ment(the action of)

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

The ability to face difficulty without fear.

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Language feature: Similar words are painless, homeless, and joyless.

hopelessStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

hope

less(without)

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

Not expecting good things to happen.

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Language feature: Other words in which “im” changes the word to an opposite include

impatient and immature.

impossibleStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

im(changes the word to

its opposite)possible

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

Not able to be

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Language feature:

A beautician makes you beautiful. Notice that the pronunciation changes when you add “ian” to “beauty.”Magicians make magic. The pronunciation changes again. This is often the case when you add “ian” to a word.

musicianStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

music

-ian(indicates a person who

does something)

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

Someone who plays music.

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Language feature: Other examples of “est” include shortest, craziest, smartest, and

biggest.

richestStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

rich

est(the most)

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

The person with the most money in a group of three or more people.

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Language feature: Other –ly words that change a noun into an adjective include

fatherly and scholarly.

unfriendlyStudents repeat the word 3 times. Students chant the letters in the word while clapping or taping.

Prefix Base Word Suffix

un(changes words to the

opposite meaning)friend

ly(means “resembling” and

changes nouns to adjectives)

Friendly definition/multiple meaning:

A person who is not a good friend.

Students write word in their literacy notebooks.

Nifty, Thrifty Fifty Riddles!

1. Write the two-syllable word with a suffix that means “without.”2. Write the word that has the base word COVER.3. Write the word with only a prefix.4. Write the only word with a spelling change.5. Write the word with a suffix that changes the pronunciation of

the base word. 6. Write the four-syllable word with the prefix EN and a suffix.7. Write the word with a suffix that means “The most.”8. Write the word with a prefix that means “opposite” and the root

word “friend.”

Word Bankrichest musician impossible encouragement

hopeless discovery composer richest

Nifty, Thrifty Fifty Riddles!

1. Write the two-syllable word with a suffix that means “without.” (hopeless)2. Write the word that has the base word COVER. (discovery)3. Write the word with only a prefix. (impossible)4. Write the only word with a spelling change. (composer)5. Write the word with a suffix that changes the pronunciation of the base

word. (musician)6. Write the four-syllable word with the prefix EN and a suffix.

(encouragement)7. Write the word with a suffix that means “The most.” (richest)8. Write the word with a prefix that means “opposite” and the root word

“friend.” (unfriendly)

Word Bankrichest musician impossible encouragement

hopeless discovery composer richest

answer key

Let’s Make Morpheme Cards

prefix base suffixcom- pose -eren- courage -ment

hope -lessdis- cover -yun- friend -ly

rich -estmusic -ian

im possible

1. Can you find the morphemes to make the word “enrichment?” What does it mean?

2. What other words can you make?

3. Try these: hopelessly and discourage.

4. You can also make new words called “neologisms.” How about making “uncoverly. What does it mean?

Word Detectives• It’s important to think about words that look and sound like

words we already know when we study new words.• We should think about how words are related to each other.• Let’s list as many words as we can that look or sound like

“expanded form.”Expanded Form

Word Wall Words• It’s important that we learn to spell words that are giving us

trouble in our writing.• Here are words I noticed we need to work on this month:

• Now that these words are on our word wall, you must always spell them correctly, no matter where you are. MAKE SURE YOU USE THE WORD WALL TO DOUBLE CHECK YOUR SPELLING!

• You write them in your literacy notebook while I add them to the word wall.

Word Wall Riddles

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8.

Word Bank

Visual Checking Systemear cheer

carear careerappear appeer

reindear reindeerpionear pioneer

overhear overheerenginear engineerreappear reappeervoluntear volunteerdisappear disappeermultiyear multiyeermusketear musketeer