Word root study question for a rather verbal kid

[anabelneri]

Hello! I've got a kinda specific question, so I'm not expecting a ton of responses (I'm just saying this to start with to remind myself of it later :) )

 

I'm looking for a word root study workbook/program for my older daughter. She is quite verbal, capable of reading graduate level material. Her spelling is so-so (but improving even without a spelling program), and she's also a little distractable. More importantly, I'm *very* distractable (currently unmedicated ADHD) and I also have a newborn. The newborn in particular is why I'm looking for a workbook word root program... it's more likely to actually get done.

 

We already have Ceasar's English 1 because we were planning on using it this year, but with the pregnancy it fell to the side. Same with Marcia Henry's Words. Both are too parent-intensive for me to realistically plan on getting done this year.

 

Are there any good programs that are workbookish that are comparable to Ceasar's English? Or does anyone know a way for a kid to do Ceasar's English independently?

 

Thank you!

[Bang!Zoom!]

I'll be back with the name of a series in a bit...having a friend research the spine titles.

 

Could you talk a little bit more about what sort of skills you are needing here? Like word builders, or entire histories of words? I might be able to give you a few ideas if I knew better, maybe an example word even?

 

Edit: This is what I was thinking of: http://www.amazon.com/English-Roots-Up-Vol-Spelling/dp/0964321033

 

I believe there are various root studies available also. Latin, Greek, etc.

 

If you combined something like the flash card sets (you could make your own easily) along with etymology, that would be pretty thorough. There are a lot of avenues to explore the mechanics of the words as well.

[AndyJoy]

Have you seen Vocabulary from Classical Roots? This one looks like it might fit the bill.

 

http://eps.schoolspe...eriesonly=2252M

 

It's also available cheaper on Amazon with Prime shipping, but there samples on the publisher's website.

[anabelneri]

 

Could you talk a little bit more about what sort of skills you are needing here? Like word builders, or entire histories of words? I might be able to give you a few ideas if I knew better, maybe an example word even?

 

Edit: This is what I was thinking of: http://www.amazon.co...g/dp/0964321033

 

 

 

 

Thank you! A friend is bringing her copy of that to park day for me to look at. I'm worried that it'll require too much input from me to actually happen.

 

I'm not entirely sure what is the most important right now... she's starting to ask what larger words mean (usually because she has encountered them but they're not common enough for her to have a variety of contexts to draw a clear meaning from) and it would be helpful to her to be able to pull apart words to figure out what they mean. I don't think the entire history of words is necessary, though she very well might enjoy that.

[anabelneri]

Have you seen Vocabulary from Classical Roots? This one looks like it might fit the bill.

 

http://eps.schoolspe...eriesonly=2252M

 

 

 

I was looking at this one online; have you used it? I wonder about placement. Placing her at grade level might not make much sense because her reading level is much higher than 5th grade.

 

Thanks!

[AndyJoy]

I have not used it--it was recommended by a friend and I have it bookmarked for possible future use. The sample section has word lists for each level, so maybe going over them with your daughter would help you place her? Also consider, though, that knowing the meaning of the full word doesn't mean necessarily knowing the separate roots, which is the valuable part for dissecting and decoding!

 

If you had the time for more direct supervision/involvement, there is a great resource that my mom used with me in jr. high. It was a much photocopied, probably never actually published as a "real book" resource called Word Dissection. Of course, it's now impossible to find, but fortunately, several Quizlet users have made flash cards/learning exercises/tests/games with its content. If you create and account for her, you could track her progress through it. If she is handy on the computer and OK with pretty bare-bones presentation style, this might work for her. Volume 1 has been broken down nicely into lessons of 5-8 roots, but Volumes 2-4 are not. Fortunately there is a lot in Volume 1, so that could keep her busy for a while. It's also free, so you can check it out and see if it will be useful for you! It only deals with memorizing the roots, not building/deconstructing words made of them, but if you do find some time to work with it you could probably create some exercises for her. The original "book" had activities like this. Or, maybe you could have her come up with words that use the roots on her own. I don't know if it will be too much work for you to use at this phase, but it might be a good future resource as well so I thought I'd mention it. Here is Volume 1 http://quizlet.com/hmollet

[quark]

My son has been playing around with a site called Membean. I know you can sign up for free but I am not sure if you need to upgrade to access the full site. He does it independently and I am not able to give you a full description of it but I do know that there were some videos included to help him remember meanings and a cool looking root tree to see words with common roots.

 

ETA: We tried English from the Roots Up when he was younger but dropped it because it became a little teacher intensive. He liked Red Hot Root Words 1 and 2 (workbooks from Prufrock Press):

http://www.amazon.co.../dp/1593630379/

and also the workbooks from Critical Thinking Co:

http://www.amazon.com/Word-Roots-Learning-Building-Vocabulary/dp/0894558056/

He did a bit of A2 and B1 as well if I remember correctly but he started it younger than your DD. Your DD might find B1 and B2 a better placement for her.

[sunriseiz]

I'm glad you asked this question! DD has used Words on the Vine, which seems pretty good, but she's not crazy about it, so I've been thinking about alternatives. Red Hot Root words is one I'm considering. I just need to figure out placement. I am also going to check out Membean since quark mentioned it! :)

[Bang!Zoom!]

Something we did this last year was to take the spelling words from Scripps spelling bees and use those as vocabulary/spelling choices. I know what you are after is a little bit different than this, but it is a source of interesting lists with various rules and roots.

 

Just an option to think about as an add on/cross. :)

[sunriseiz]

My very verbal, wordy dd used Words on the Vine in 5th grade and enjoyed it. It was completely independent.

 

It could just be that we started this one too early. DD is very verbal and is totally capable of doing it; she just doesn't like it. It might be different in a year!

[macmom28]

My son has been playing around with a site called Membean. I know you can sign up for free but I am not sure if you need to upgrade to access the full site. He does it independently and I am not able to give you a full description of it but I do know that there were some videos included to help him remember meanings and a cool looking root tree to see words with common roots.

 

 

I saw the author of Membean give a presentation at the VA Homeschoolers Conference this past spring.  I thought he was fascinating and I really loved Membean.  I've been considering starting it with my DS who is soon turning ten and also has a verbal comprehension/reading level similar to your daughter.  

 

Maryann

[ElizabethB]

It is not exactly a workbook. But I would have her work through Ida Ehrlich's Instant Vocabulary. There is a short workbook type thing at the end of each "key," there are 259 keys. Answers are in the back of the book.

 

It is less than $7, so if it does not work out, you have not wasted a lot of money.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Vocabulary-Ida-Ehrlich/dp/0671677276/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378324523&sr=8-1&keywords=instant+vocabulary

[acurtis75]

I was looking at this one online; have you used it? I wonder about placement. Placing her at grade level might not make much sense because her reading level is much higher than 5th grade.

 

Thanks!

We recently started using this and dd8 likes it and does it completely on her own. There are lots of words listed for each root that I use to do spelling bee practice but the actual lesson is completed on her own and then I check it.

 

Here is an excerpt from the website with sample words from Book A which we are using.

 

The themes presented in Book A include: Numbers, All or Nothing, More or Less, Before and After, Creativity, Travel, Sports, and Animals. Some of the words presented in this book include: trilogy, monarch, monolith, unilateral, quatrain, panacea, posthumous, nihilism, magnate, copious, artisan, fetish, salient, and decimate.

 

For context, dd reads on an adult level and has done a few years of Latin studies already. After looking through the books I just decided to start with the first one instead of trying to place her based on level.

[nansk]

There are lots of options.

 

Red Hot Root Words Book 2 (linked above) will be the most fun option.

 

There is EPS' Vocabulary From Classical Roots (linked above). This starts from gr 6. It is recommended in the WTM, but some reviews here said it is not fun.

 

Also, Vocabulary from Greek and Latin Roots by Prestwick House. This is for high schoolers. Some reviews here said it is better than VFCR.

 

Another single-book option - Vocabulary For the High School Student. There is a separate workbook for this. This is highly-rated and used in several private high schools.

 

And Building Vocabulary from Teacher Created Materials, which starts from gr 3. I have only seen the gr 3-5 books. They are colourful (unlike the three options above) so your dd may prefer them.

 

And another single-book option - The Greek and Latin Roots of English. This appears to be high school/college-level work. It includes medical terms. I liked this very much, but it is too advanced for my dd.