CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4b
The Standard
Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known prefix is added to a known word (e.g., happy/unhappy, tell/retell).
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
What This Standard Means
Students need to use a prefix they know, like un-, re-, or pre-, to figure out a new word. They should notice the base word, name what the prefix means, and put the two parts together to explain the word in a simple sentence.
Mastery looks like hearing or seeing a word such as reread and saying, “Re means again, so reread means read again.” Students often get stuck when the base word changes meaning slightly, or when they guess from the whole sentence without looking at the word parts.
Ways to Teach It
- Give students prefix cards and base word cards, then have them build words and sort them by meaning, such as not or again.
- Ask students to write: “If I undo something, what did I do first?” and explain using the word parts.
- Show five prefixed words on the board, and have students underline the base word and write the meaning on a sticky note.
- Bring in classroom directions like rewrite, unpack, and reread, then ask students how the prefix changes what they should do.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4b
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.3a
Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.4b
Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4c
Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., addition, additional).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.K.4b
Use the most frequently occurring inflections and affixes (e.g., -ed, -s, re-, un-, pre-, -ful, -less) as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word.