Spelling Week 9
Numerical Prefixes
- Spell words with Numerical Prefixes correctly
- Identify word meanings using context clues and definitions
- Apply spelling words correctly in sentences
- Demonstrate mastery on the weekly post-test
Pre-Test
Word Lists & Grading
Look, Say, Cover, Write
Defining Words
Match definitions
Fill-in sentences
Word Practice
Letter Words
Secret Agent Words
Fun with Words
Word Connections
Speed Round
Post-Test
Spelling Test
Peer Grading
All 22 spelling words, 3 columns per page.
Print a few copies, cut along the dashed lines, and hand one strip to each student.
22 numbered blank lines, 2 columns per page.
Print a few copies, cut down the middle, and hand one strip to each student for Monday's pre-test.
22 numbered blank lines, 2 columns per page.
Same layout as the pre-test — print, cut, and hand out for Friday's post-test.
Pre-test + post-test sentences side-by-side.
Teacher reference for reading the spelling tests aloud — words are colored and underlined.
Numerical Prefixes
Numerical prefixes are word parts that come from numbers. They tell you "how many" of something. For example, uni- means one, bi- means two, tri- means three, and quad- means four. When you see these prefixes at the beginning of a word, they give you a clue about the word's meaning!
unicycle, bicycle, duplicate, monorail
Uni- and mono- both mean "one." Bi- and du- both mean "two." A unicycle has ONE wheel; a bicycle has TWO wheels. A monorail runs on ONE rail; a duplicate is a second copy.
triple, trilogy, triangle, quadruple, quadrant
Tri- means "three" and quad- means "four." A trilogy is THREE books. A triangle has THREE sides. Quadruple means FOUR times as much. A quadrant is one of FOUR sections.
Watch Out — Hidden Number Prefixes!
Some words have number prefixes that aren't obvious at first glance. Can you spot the hidden numbers?
Binoculars use TWO lenses — the "bi-" is right there but easy to miss! The word comes from Latin "bini" (two at a time) + "oculus" (eye). You look through binoculars with BOTH eyes.
Look for "bi-" hiding in longer words!
Words like April, French, eagle, bruise, saucer, sequence, order, matter, liquid, and solid do NOT have number prefixes — they are vocabulary words to learn alongside the pattern words.
Practice spelling these words even though they don't follow the number prefix pattern — they show up on tests too!
Today's Plan
1. Take the spelling pre-test (listen carefully!)
2. Get your word list and grade your partner's test
3. Practice with Look, Say, Cover, Write
The girls went for a _____ ride after school.
The new marketing strategy will help the company _____ their profits in one week.
The last book in the _____ was my favorite out of all three books.
Jan rode the _____ through the park.
I had a _____ key made.
The town seemed to _____ in size over the last 10 years.
The clown learned to walk on stilts, ride a _____ , and juggle.
The town is located in the northwest _____ of the state.
An equilateral _____ has three equal sides.
He focused his _____ on the building in the distance.
Did you know, _____ showers bring forth May flowers?
He is the author of two books on _____ history.
The _____ hovered, ready to swoop at any moment.
Bananas and other soft fruits _____ easily.
She replaced the cup carefully in the _____ .
The article describes the chronological _____ of events.
The tests in the book are arranged in _____ of difficulty.
All material that takes up space is called _____ .
He was on a strict _____ diet after his surgery.
The lesson was taught with three dimensional _____ figures.
⭐ CHALLENGE WORD ⭐
The building was shaped like a _____ with five equal sides.
⭐ CHALLENGE WORD ⭐
Use a ruler to measure the length in _____ s.
A vehicle with two wheels that you ride by pedaling
bi·cy·cle
Three times as great or as many; consisting of three parts
tri·ple
A group of three related books, movies, or stories
tril·o·gy
A railway or train that runs on a single rail or track
mon·o·rail
An exact copy of something; to make a copy
du·pli·cate
Four times as great or as many; to multiply by four
quad·ru·ple
A vehicle with just one wheel, ridden by pedaling and balancing
u·ni·cy·cle
One of four equal sections when an area is divided by two lines
quad·rant
A shape with three sides and three angles
tri·an·gle
A device with two lenses used to see things that are far away
bi·noc·u·lars
The fourth month of the year, between March and May
A·pril
Relating to France, its people, or their language
French
A large, powerful bird known for its sharp eyesight and strong wings
ea·gle
A dark mark on the skin caused by a bump or injury
bruise
A small, shallow dish that a cup sits on
sau·cer
The order in which things happen or are arranged
se·quence
The arrangement of things in a particular way; a command
or·der
Anything that takes up space and has weight; a subject or topic
mat·ter
A form of matter that flows freely, like water
liq·uid
Firm and stable; not a liquid or gas
sol·id
A shape with five sides and five angles
pen·ta·gon
A unit of measurement equal to one hundredth of a meter
cen·ti·me·ter
How to Practice
Use your Look, Say, Cover, Write worksheet to master each word.
Study the word carefully. Notice every letter.
Say the word out loud. Listen to each syllable.
Fold the paper to hide the word. Picture it in your mind.
Write the word from memory. Then check — did you get it right?
Today's Plan
1. Match words to definitions (Part A)
2. Complete sentences using words from the list (Part B)
3. Review answers together as a class
Teacher's Choice Menu
Pick from the activities below based on what the class needs:
Write each word as many times as it has letters, then alphabetize!
Crack the code — find the secret value of each spelling word!
Find relationships between words that share the same numerical prefix!
Count the letters in each word. Then write the word that many times. Example: April has 5 letters, so write it 5 times!
April
bruise
eagle
liquid
matter
order
solid
saucer
trilogy
triple
Write these words in alphabetical order from 1-10:
bicycle • binoculars • duplicate • French • monorail • quadrant • quadruple • sequence • triangle • unicycle
1. bicycle 2. binoculars 3. duplicate 4. French 5. monorail
6. quadrant 7. quadruple 8. sequence 9. triangle 10. unicycle
1. unicycle 2. triangle 3. sequence 4. quadruple 5. quadrant
6. monorail 7. French 8. duplicate 9. binoculars 10. bicycle
Letter Values
A=1 B=3 C=3 D=2 E=1 F=4 G=2 H=4 I=1 J=8 K=5 L=1 M=3
N=1 O=1 P=3 Q=10 R=1 S=1 T=1 U=1 V=4 W=4 X=8 Y=4 Z=10
s=1 + e=1 + c=3 + r=1 + e=1 + t=1
= 8 points
bicycle
triple
trilogy
monorail
duplicate
quadruple
unicycle
quadrant
triangle
binoculars
Which word has the HIGHEST secret agent value?
Which word has the LOWEST secret agent value?
unicycle • bicycle • binoculars • triple • trilogy • triangle • quadruple • quadrant • monorail • duplicate
unicycle
monorail
bicycle
binoculars
duplicate
triple
trilogy
triangle
quadruple
quadrant
A bicycle has ___ wheels. A unicycle has ___. How many wheels total?
A triangle has ___ sides. A quadrant is 1 of ___ sections. Multiply!
If you triple 4 and then duplicate it, what do you get?
How many wheels on a quadruple of bicycles?
"I have ONE wheel"
"I mean THREE books"
"I have TWO lenses"
"I multiply by FOUR"
"I run on ONE rail"
"I have THREE angles"
Test Time!
1. Listen to each sentence carefully
2. Write the missing spelling word
3. When finished, trade papers and grade your partner's test
Nick rode his _____ through the park.
The customer ordered a _____ scoop of ice cream.
The science fiction movie _____ was suspenseful.
The passengers boarded the _____ .
I began receiving _____ copies of the magazine every month.
The store sold their merchandise for _____ the asking price.
Max had a hard time learning how to pedal a _____ without handles.
A symbol appeared in the upper _____ of the screen.
The base angles of an isosceles _____ are equal.
He raised his _____ and adjusted the focus.
In March and _____ , the weather is much less predictable.
We spent a month in the _____ town of Le Puy.
The _____ is the animal most sacred to the Native Americans.
She had a _____ where she hit her leg on the corner of the table.
The woman's tea sloshed over into her _____ .
Larry described the _____ of events leading up to the robbery.
The captain gave the _____ to abandon the ship.
Liquids, gases, and solids are forms of _____ .
A form of matter that flows freely is called _____ .
A _____ substance does not contain gas or a liquid.
⭐ CHALLENGE WORD ⭐
The U.S. Department of Defense is housed in the _____ .
⭐ CHALLENGE WORD ⭐
The pencil was about 19 _____ s long.
A vehicle with two wheels that you ride by pedaling
bi·cy·cle
Three times as great or as many; consisting of three parts
tri·ple
A group of three related books, movies, or stories
tril·o·gy
A railway or train that runs on a single rail or track
mon·o·rail
An exact copy of something; to make a copy
du·pli·cate
Four times as great or as many; to multiply by four
quad·ru·ple
A vehicle with just one wheel, ridden by pedaling and balancing
u·ni·cy·cle
One of four equal sections when an area is divided by two lines
quad·rant
A shape with three sides and three angles
tri·an·gle
A device with two lenses used to see things that are far away
bi·noc·u·lars
The fourth month of the year, between March and May
A·pril
Relating to France, its people, or their language
French
A large, powerful bird known for its sharp eyesight and strong wings
ea·gle
A dark mark on the skin caused by a bump or injury
bruise
A small, shallow dish that a cup sits on
sau·cer
The order in which things happen or are arranged
se·quence
The arrangement of things in a particular way; a command
or·der
Anything that takes up space and has weight; a subject or topic
mat·ter
A form of matter that flows freely, like water
liq·uid
Firm and stable; not a liquid or gas
sol·id
A shape with five sides and five angles
pen·ta·gon
A unit of measurement equal to one hundredth of a meter
cen·ti·me·ter
Numerical Prefixes — Key Takeaways
Numerical prefixes tell you HOW MANY — uni/mono = 1, bi/du = 2, tri = 3, quad = 4
Not all spelling words have number prefixes — 10 of our 20 words are vocabulary words without prefixes
Challenge words pentagon (5 sides) and centimeter (1/100 of a meter) also use number prefixes!
In April, Shoni's class took a field trip to the science museum. Liam brought his binoculars to get a closer look at the giant eagle statue near the entrance. Jenson rode the monorail that looped through the museum's four wings, and Cobie studied the map to find the northwest quadrant where the math exhibit was located. Inside, Maliah discovered that a triangle has three sides, and she learned that a pentagon — a shape she had never heard of before — has five. Duke measured a tiny fossil that was only one centimeter long.
In the French inventors hall, Raelynn found a display about the history of bicycles and unicycles. The exhibit showed a sequence of inventions in order from oldest to newest. Ethan was amazed to learn that early bicycles could triple a rider's speed compared to walking, and some racing teams could quadruple their distance in a single day. Faeliah accidentally bumped her shin on a display case and got a small bruise, but she didn't let it slow her down.
At the science lab, the class watched a trilogy of short films about states of matter. The first film showed how liquid water flows and takes the shape of its container, while solid ice stays firm. Shoni asked the guide to duplicate the experiment worksheet so everyone could have a copy. After the show, Jenson placed his cup of cocoa carefully on its saucer and said it was the best field trip ever — no matter what, he wanted to come back.
Answer these in your head or share with a partner:
1. Which 3 words were the hardest for you this week?
2. Did your score improve from the pre-test to the post-test?
3. What strategy helped you the most — Look Say Cover Write, the definition matching, or the games?
Sentence starter: "The strategy that helped me most was ___ because ___."