Word Builders: Let's Explore Compound Words!

English Language Arts Grades Pre-K 11:14 Video
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Lesson Description

Join us for a fun adventure where we discover how small words can team up to make bigger, more exciting words! We'll learn about compound words and how they create new meanings.

Video Resource

What Are Compound Words? | Compound words for kids | Learn about the 3 kinds of compound words

Learn Bright

Duration: 11:14
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Compound words are made of two or more smaller words.
  • Compound words have a different meaning than the individual words that make them up.
  • Recognizing smaller words within compound words can help understand their meaning.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify compound words when heard.
  • Students will be able to separate simple compound words into their smaller component words.
  • Students will be able to understand that putting two words together can create a new word with a different meaning.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking children if they know what happens when we put two toys or blocks together. Explain that we can also put words together to make new words. Introduce the term 'compound word' as two smaller words joined to make a bigger word.
  • Video Time! (7 mins)
    Watch the "What Are Compound Words?" video by Learn Bright. Encourage the children to pay attention to the examples of compound words and how they're formed.
  • Word Detective! (8 mins)
    After the video, ask the children to name some of the compound words they remember from the video. Write these words on a whiteboard or chart paper. For each word, guide the children in separating it into its smaller words (e.g., airplane -> air + plane).
  • Picture Match Up (10 mins)
    Prepare picture cards showing images related to the individual words of compound words (e.g., a picture of the sun, a picture of a flower, a picture of popcorn, and a picture of corn). Prepare another set of cards with the compound words (sunflower, popcorn) written out. Have the children match the smaller pictures with the corresponding compound word card.
  • Let's Make a Compound Word! (5 mins)
    Show students two flashcards, and then ask them to put them together (sun + flower = sunflower). Repeat with other compound word flashcards.

Interactive Exercises

  • Compound Word Charades
    Act out compound words and have the children guess what they are. Examples: 'toothbrush' (brushing teeth), 'football' (kicking a ball), 'sunflower' (pretending to be a flower facing the sun).
  • Compound Word Drawing
    Give each child a piece of paper. Call out a compound word, and ask the children to draw a picture representing both of the smaller words (e.g., for 'butterfly', they can draw a stick of butter and a flying insect).

Discussion Questions

  • What is a compound word?
  • Can you think of a time you have heard a compound word?
  • Why do you think we put words together to make new words?

Skills Developed

  • Vocabulary Building
  • Listening Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Word Recognition

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which one is a compound word?

Correct Answer: Rainbow

Question 2:

What two words make up 'sunflower'?

Correct Answer: Sun and flower

Question 3:

Is 'airplane' one word or two words?

Correct Answer: One word

Question 4:

What does 'popcorn' remind you of?

Correct Answer: A popping sound and corn

Question 5:

What two things make up a bedroom?

Correct Answer: Bed and room

Question 6:

Which one is a place where planes take off?

Correct Answer: Airfield

Question 7:

Which two words make the compound word Fireflies?

Correct Answer: Fire and Flies

Question 8:

Which one is a place where you eat?

Correct Answer: Dining room

Question 9:

The word haircut is a big _________?

Correct Answer: Compound Word

Question 10:

What does school bus remind you of?

Correct Answer: School and bus

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A __________ is a word made of two smaller words.

Correct Answer: compound word

Question 2:

Air and Plane make the word __________.

Correct Answer: airplane

Question 3:

Blue and Berry make the word __________.

Correct Answer: blueberry

Question 4:

__________ words have spaces in between them

Correct Answer: Open

Question 5:

Another word for dash is _________.

Correct Answer: hyphen

Question 6:

Words can be put together to make a ___________ meaning.

Correct Answer: new

Question 7:

The words twenty one is a word with a _________.

Correct Answer: hyphen

Question 8:

A word for a place where planes take off is __________.

Correct Answer: airfield

Question 9:

Hi and school make the word _________.

Correct Answer: highschool

Question 10:

Sun and flower make the word __________.

Correct Answer: sunflower

Educational Standards

PK.2.PA.1:Students will count spoken words in a three- to four-word sentence with one-syllable words. PK.4.R.3:Students will begin to acquire new vocabulary and relate new words to prior knowledge. PK.8.R:Students will listen and respond to read-alouds, participate in shared reading, and interact independently with texts.

Teaching Materials

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