Excerpted from All About Reading Level 3
Lesson 35 - Prefixes
In this lesson, students will decode words containing prefixes and apply the
Prefixes syllable division rule.
You will need:
Swing into Reading pages 205-214
prefix tiles mis, non, over, pre, re, semi, and un
Syllable Division Rules chart
Word Cards 213-222
Before You
Begin
Preview Prefixes
Prefixes are word parts such as re and non that are placed in front of a
base word to make a new word. Here are some common prefixes:
mis non over pre
re
semi
un
Take a look at the following examples.
recharge
mistake
misinform
nonsense
rethink
unripe
preplan
semiweekly
nonmelting
overdue
Usually, no change is made to the base word when the prefix is added.
semi
c ir c
l
e
To help students distinguish between prefixes and phonograms, the
prefix tiles are a different color and size than the letter tiles. All the
prefixes are decodable. Using the prefix tiles will help your student
recognize these common word parts as units, thereby helping speed up
the decoding process.
Of course, there are
many more prefixes
than listed here,
such as anti, dis, and mid.
If necessary, just build
those prefixes with letter
tiles.
The prefix tiles are just a
shortcut for spelling the
most common prefixes.
Lesson 35: Prefixes
At this stage, students are not required to memorize the meanings of
prefixes. For your own reference, following is a list of the most common
prefixes and their most common meanings.
mis
non
over
pre
re
semi
un







wrong, wrongly (mistake)
not, opposite (nontoxic)
much more than (overdue)
before (preplan)
again (return)
half (semicircle)
not (unfriendly)
© 2016 by All About® Learning Press, Inc.
233
Excerpted from All About Reading Level 3
Review
Phonogram
Cards
Shuffle and review the Word Cards that are behind the
Review divider in your student’s Reading Review Box. If
your student has difficulty reading a word, build the word
with letter tiles and have your student sound it out using the
decoding procedure shown in Appendix C.
Word
Cards
New Teaching
Review the Phonogram Cards that are behind the Review
divider in your student’s Reading Review Box. Show each
card to your student and have him say the sound(s). If
necessary, remind your student of the sound(s).
Introduce Prefixes
Build the word pay and place the prefix tiles next to it.
mis
non
over
re
semi
un
pre
p ay
Point to the prefixes. “These are called pref ixes, and they can be added
to the beginning of base words like pay. Find the prefix that says pre, and
add it to pay to form prepay.”
pre
Remember,
students are
not required
to memorize prefix
meanings at this stage.
p ay
“Good. Prepay means to pay before. Now form the word repay.” Student
builds the word.
re p ay
“Repay means to pay back. Now form the word overpay.
over
p ay
“Each prefix has a meaning. Over means much more than. Therefore,
overpay means to pay much more than one should.”
Line up the prefixes.
mis non over pre
re
semi
un
Have your student read these word parts and practice until it becomes
easy.
234
© 2016 by All About® Learning Press, Inc.
Lesson 35: Prefixes
Excerpted from All About Reading Level 3
New Teaching
(continued)
Sometimes the
individual meanings
of the prefix and
base word are not clear
or easy to explain. For
this exercise, that is
okay. The goal is for the
student to decode and
understand the complete
word as a whole.
Play “Change the Word”
Build the word ripe.
r
i
“I’m going to add a prefix.”
p e
over
i
r
p e
“What does this new word say?” Overripe.
Continue to change one or two tiles at a time to form the following
words. Each time, have your student sound out the new word.
overripe  unripe
order  reorder  preorder
prepare  preplan  prewash
Teach Syllable Division Rule: Prefixes
Take out the Syllable Division Rules chart. Refer to it during this activity.
Build the word misjudge with tiles.
mis
j
u
dge
“When a word has a prefix, the prefix forms its own separate syllable.
We can divide the word into syllables by dividing it after the prefix, as
follows.”
mis
j
u
dge
“This is the Prefixes rule.” Read the chart with your student.
Have your student practice this rule by dividing the following words.
resold
Lesson 35: Prefixes
prefill
rethink
© 2016 by All About® Learning Press, Inc.
235
Excerpted from All About Reading Level 3
New Teaching
(continued)
Complete Activity Sheet
“Let’s practice reading words with prefixes.”
Word Flipper for Prefixes
Remove pages 205-211 from the Swing into
Reading activity book.
Each page will create one flipper. There are four
Word Flippers in this lesson.
See the assembly instructions on page 82 of
Lesson 8.
Have your student turn the pages and read the
words that are formed.
Practice Reading Words
Have your student practice reading the words on Word Cards 213-222.
redo
misplace
nonsense
presoak
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 213
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 214
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 215
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 216
nonstop
mistake
repay
overfill
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 217
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 218
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 219
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 220
unhappy
semicircle
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 221
AAR Level 3 – Lesson 35 Word Card 222
File the Word Cards behind the Review divider in the Reading Review
Box.
236
© 2016 by All About® Learning Press, Inc.
Lesson 35: Prefixes
Excerpted from All About Reading Level 3
New Teaching
(continued)
Practice Fluency
Turn to pages 213-214 in the activity book.
Have your student read from the Practice Sheets.
Read-Aloud Time Read a Story or Poem
Read aloud to your student for twenty minutes.
Track Your
Progress
Lesson 35: Prefixes
Mark the Progress Chart
Have your student mark Lesson 35 on the Progress
Chart.
© 2016 by All About® Learning Press, Inc.
237
Excerpted from All About Reading Level 3
238
© 2016 by All About® Learning Press, Inc.
Lesson 35: Prefixes