Balderdash!
Building Vocabulary by Studying Word Roots and Affixes
Stage of Literacy Development:
Stage 2: Consolidation / FluencyStage 3: Literacy for Growth
Ages:
7-12
Grade Range:
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6thFood Groups:
Primary:
Vocabulary, Spelling & Word Study
Activity Description
Preparation:
1. Select several new teaching words with word roots or affixes you would like to teach
a. You may wish to use words from the "Nifty Thrifty Fifty" list developed by Patricia Cunningham see Additional Comments for more details
2. Generate Balderdash transfer words that include the affixes or word roots from your teaching words
3. Look up the meaning of each transfer word in the dictionary and write the definition on an index card
Implementation:
1. Introduce the new teaching words
a. Identify the word root and any prefixes/suffixes of each
2. Brainstorm the possible meaning of the affixes/word roots for each teaching word
a. As a class, define the meaning of each chosen word root and affix
3. Form teams of 4-5 students and distribute blank index cards
4. Explain the rules of Balderdash!
a. In groups, students will guess the meaning of a word they may not know
b. For each round, the teacher will read aloud an unknown word
c. Each group will write their definition on an index card and present it to the teacher
d. All definitions will be read aloud, including the correct one provided by the teacher
e. Each group will vote on the definition they think is correct
f. 1 point will be awarded to the team who gets the most votes, and 1 point is also awarded to any team that guesses the correct definition
g. The team with the most points wins!
5. Play the game
6. After each round, engage the whole class in a discussion about which definitions were most plausible
a. Encourage students to think about the meaning of the prefixes/suffixes/root words contained within the Balderdash word
Adaptations For
English Language Learners/ESL:
- Student teams should be composed of mixed ability levels and experience with the English language - Provide English Language Learners with Balderdash words in advance to afford practice time
LD/Reading & Writing Difficulties:
- Students can participate in the game orallyProvide students with words in advance to afford practice time
Cultural Appropriateness & Diversity:
- Balderdash words should be accessible to all students or background knowledge should be provided
Differentiated Instruction:
- Balderdash words should range in difficulty level so that all students have the opportunity to be challenged
Related References
Source: Cunningham, P.M., & Allington, R.L. (2010). Classrooms that Work: They Can All Read and Write (5th Ed). Toronto: Allyn and Bacon.
Evidence: Carlisle, J.F. (2003). Morphology matters in learning to read: A commentary. Reading Psychology, 24, 291-322.
Activity Objective
The goal of Balderdash!: Building Vocabulary by Studying Word Roots and Affixes is to broaden students' vocabulary, spelling, and reading skills by using word parts to learn about new words.
What You Need
Prep Time:
15 minutes - Select several new teaching words with targeted word roots and affixes - Generate Balderdash transfer words that include some of the same word roots or affixes as the new vocabulary words
Task Time:
60 minutes - Teacher introduces the new teaching words - Class works to define word roots and affixes in the teaching words - Students work in small groups to guess the definition of the transfer words - Students vote on what they think the correct definition is - Points are awarded to teams who got the most votes or the correct answer
Materials Required:
Teacher: - List of several new teaching words with targeted word roots and/or affixes - List of several new transfer words for Balderdash Students: - Good quality dictionaries - Blank index cards - riting utensils
What You Do
Teacher Role:
Facilitator: - during game and closing discussions Direct instruction: - when introducing vocabulary and providing examples of other words with a similar root
Student Grouping:
Whole class: - while introducing activity and words Small group: - during the game when class is divided into teams of 4-5
Assessment Ideas:
- Retain index cards from each week's lesson to determine which groups/students are experiencing difficulty with the overall concept of root words/affixes or with the meaning of particular root words/affixes
Quick Tips
Activity Extensions:
- After students are familiar with the rules and goals of the game, they can begin taking turns selecting words and facilitating the game for their peers - If the game is played weekly, incorporate affixes/root words from previous weeks into the current week's game to encourage students to retain previous learning
Additional Comments:
The "Nifty Thrifty Fifty" is a list of fifty words created by Patricia Cunningham that contain important prefixes and suffixes for students to learn. - This activity is loosely based on the commercially available game Balderdash.
Other Adaptations/Modifications:
- Heterogeneous reading-ability groupings are highly encouraged for this game
