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Saturday, March 9, 2013

Prefix Task Cards

This past week my students and I worked on learning affixes-more specifically we focused on prefixes. Learning affixes in my classroom in previous year hasn't been the most exciting thing that we do. Every year, I would try a new way to present them and would do my best to make it more engaging and fun...so when I saw Rachel Lynette's Prefixes Suffixes and Roots Task Cards Set I knew I found the answer to my quest!

I printed the cards onto cardstock and laminated them. Then while my students were reading I hung the cards around the classroom. (My students were dying to know what the cards were for as I hung them.) The cards were hung on windows, bookshelves, tables, boards, doors, etc in random number order. After a short mini-lesson on prefixes I partnered my students up, gave them each a recording sheet and had them move around the room answering the task card questions together.
I gave them a few rules:
1. They were not to wait in line for a task card; with only 8 groups and 32 task cards there was no need to wait.
2. They had to discuss their answer with their partner and both be in agreement. (I didn't want one child doing all the work.)
3. They also both had to keep track of their answers.
My students loved the activity. My active boys loved it because they were up and moving. All of my students were on task and engaged throughout the entire activity. During this time I walked around and checked in with my kiddos that struggle. I was able help them talk through some of the task cards until they got the hang of it.
Some groups finished quicker than others so I had them correct their own work and then go back and recheck the cards that they missed (as time allowed.)

The task cards made learning prefixes a fun and exciting time. I'm thankful I bought the Task Card Bundle...I plan to use the Suffix set next week! If you haven't used Rachel's task cards before, be sure to check out other ways to use them here.

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1 comment:

  1. I have used her cards in a similar way by passing them out on desks in a random order with extras at my tables or back counter. Students can go to any open card to complete and record their answer. This lets them work at their own pace. I really like your partner idea. I will have to try that way. :)

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