Maryland ELA RF.4-5.3.c

ELAGrades 4–5Reading Foundational Skills

The Standard

RF.4-5.3: Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in reading (decoding) and writing (encoding) words. Know and apply phonics skills to read (decode) and write (encode) words. Read (decode) and write (encode) multi-syllable words. Read (decode) and write (encode) words with prefixes and derivational suffixes. Read (decode) and write (encode) words containing Greek combining forms. When appropriate, consider the etymology (word origin) of unknown words to support reading (decoding) and writing (encoding). Use knowledge of spelling rules, syllable types, morphology, and etymology to Write (encode) words with accuracy and automaticity.

Read (decode) and write (encode) words with prefixes and derivational suffixes.

Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for English Language Arts (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students break words like unhelpful into a prefix, a base word, and a suffix. They read and spell the whole word, then explain how the added parts change its meaning or use.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student reads unkindness without skipping a part and spells it from un, kind, and ness. They explain that un means “not” and ness turns unkind into a noun.
Common Misconceptions: Students may read unkindness as kindness or spell it unkindnes. They may think ness only makes the word longer, missing how it changes the word's use.
How to Assess It: Show students unkindness and have them read it aloud. Cover it, then ask them to write it from un, kind, and ness and explain what it means.

Lesson moves

Give pairs cards labeled un, kind, help, ful, and ness; have them build, read, and write unkindness and unhelpful.
Ask students to write one sentence with kind and one with unkindness, then explain what un and ness change.
Play a word-building relay: say “not helpful,” then have teams write unhelpful, underline its parts, and read it aloud.
Show a library sign that says “Be respectful”; students read respectful, write it from respect and ful, and explain the request.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to RF.4-5.3.c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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