Latin Roots/Greek Stems




This particular activity is designed to help students build their vocabularies. A large majority of our English words are borrowed from other languages, among them Latin and Greek. By recognizing roots or stems from these languages and learning thier basic meanings, students can increase their vocabularies tremendously.

I do this activity in two segments: a unit for the Latin roots and a unit for the Greek stems.

  1. First I present the list of roots or stems and their meanings by using an overhead projector.
  2. Next I assign each student one of the roots or stems. He/she is to research words containing this root or stem and make a list of as many words as possible, noting the word's definition and how the root's meaning pertains to it.
  3. I then ask each student to select ten words from his/her list with which everyone should become familiar. They write these words on an index card, along with their definitions and turn them in to me.
  4. I compile these words into a master list from which I select 20-25 per week as a combined spelling/vocabulary list. I have enough words to make lists for an entire grading period.
  5. Finally, I have my students create a visual display of all the words they have found for their root or stem, a tree (for the Latin Roots) and a flower (for the Greek Stems). I provide colored construction paper; the students supply their imaginations.
    • They cut out a tree trunk from black paper and write the Latin Root with white crayon.
    • From green or autumn colored paper, they cut leaves on which they write with marker, all the words they have found for that root, one leaf per word.
    • Have them glue the leaves to the trunk and display the trees on a bulletin board.
    • For the Greek stems, have them cut a flower stem from green paper on which they write the Greek Stem with black marker.
    • From brightly colored paper, they are to cut flower petals on which they write all the words they have found for their stem.
    • Attach the petals to the stem and display their completed flower on a bulletin board.

The table below contains possible Latin Roots and Greek Stems. The meanings are given in parentheses following each root or stem.

LATIN ROOTS GREEK STEMS
  • AQUA (water)
  • AUDI (hear)
  • CENT (hundred)
  • CREAT (make)
  • EQU (same, even)
  • FRACT (break)
  • GRESS (step, go)
  • JECT (throw)
  • LIBER (free)
  • LOC (place)
  • MANU (make)
  • MEM (keep in mind)
  • MARE (sea)
  • MISS/MIT (go, send)
  • OCT (eight)
  • PED (foot)
  • PORT (carry)
  • SCRIB/ SCRIPT (write)
  • UNI (one, single)
  • VIS (see)
  • ASTRO (star)
  • AUTO (self)
  • BIO (life)
  • GEO (earth)
  • GRAM (something written)
  • GRAPH (something that writes)
  • METER (measure)
  • MICRO (small)
  • MONO (single, one)
  • OLOGY (study of)
  • PHONE (sound)
  • PHOTO (light)
  • TELE (far away)
  • PHOBIA (fear)





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Last updated June 24, 1997