Grade 4 · Week 6greek latin roots
Words From Far Away
Students read a short informational passage about the Greek and Latin roots tele, photo, port, and dict, then answer five questions applying those roots to unfamiliar words, supported by teacher and homeschool guidance.
On screen - your kid, alone
- 1Day 1 - Meet the story
- 2Day 2 - Word work
- 3Day 3 - What it means
- 4Day 4 - Fix & re-read
- 5Day 5 - Show what you know
Offline - with you
Print the pages for offline work together; the answer key is for you.
Start by reading the passage together, then say something like, "Let's be word detectives. The passage tells us what four roots mean—can you find them and tell me in your own words?" A strong answer will connect each root to its meaning (tele = far, photo = light, port = carry, dict = say) and use the example word to explain it, like "portable means easy to carry because port means carry." Then try a few new words together—television, photographer, transport, predict—and ask your child which root is hiding inside and what clue that gives about the meaning. If your child gets stuck, point back to the passage and have them underline the root inside the new word, then reread the sentence in the passage that defines that root. You can also act words out: carry a small object across the room for port, or whisper something "far" away for tele. End by asking your child to find one word with one of these roots in a book, on a sign, or in conversation during the day—real-world spotting helps the roots stick.
Words From Far Away
Many English words are built from older Greek and Latin roots. A root is a small word part that carries a big idea. Once you learn a few roots, you can figure out new words on your own. The root tele means "far." You can see it in the word telephone, a tool that lets you talk to someone far away. The root photo means "light." It shows up in photograph, which is a picture made by capturing light on film or a screen. The root port means "carry." Think of the word portable, which describes something light enough to carry from place to place. The root dict means "say" or "speak." You can hear it in the word dictate, which means to say words out loud for someone else to write down. When you see one of these roots inside a longer word, use it as a clue. Ask yourself what the root means and how that meaning fits the sentence. Soon you will spot tele, photo, port, and dict in many words you read every day.
What this lesson checks
- Derived word meaning: A scientist uses a telescope to study stars. Using the root from the passage, what does the root tele tell you about how a telescope works?
- Derived word meaning: Maya's teacher said the class would 'transport' their science projects to the library. Using a root from the passage, what does 'transport' most likely mean?
- Derived word meaning: A 'photoflash' is a quick burst from a camera. Using the root from the passage, what does 'photoflash' most likely have to do with?
- Derived word meaning: The word 'predict' means to say what will happen before it happens. Name the root from the passage that you see in 'predict,' and explain how its meaning helps you understand the word.
- Derived word meaning: An artist keeps her drawings inside a 'portfolio' that she brings to art class each week. Name the root from the passage that you see in 'portfolio,' tell what it means, and use its meaning to explain the word.