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Snail Spotting in the Woods: Prefixes and Suffixes worksheet preview

Worksheet

Snail Spotting in the Woods: Prefixes and Suffixes

Read an original story about a snail in the woods and use prefixes and suffixes like un-, re-, dis-, -ful and -less to find word meanings.

Grade 3ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toL.3.4.b

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What’s included

  • Single worksheet
  • Auto-graded online
  • 1 Common Core standard
  • Printable answer key
  • 11 questions
  • Classroom-ready

Details

Format
Interactive · Printable
Grade
Grade 3
Subject
ELA
Question types
Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Matching, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

  • Students find the meaning of a word made by adding a known prefix or suffix to a known word.
  • Students build new words with un-, re-, -ful and -less to match a given meaning.

How to use

Review what un-, re-, dis-, -ful and -less mean, read the story together, then have students box each prefix or suffix before they answer.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

L.3.4.b

Work out the meaning of a new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word, such as disagreeable, uncomfortable, careless, or preheat.

Preview

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Name Date

Snail Spotting in the Woods: Prefixes and Suffixes

Use a prefix or suffix to find what a new word means.

Read the story

Snail Spotting in the Woods

1Omar and his grandmother Leena walked along a shady path in the woods. The ground was damp and soft, and ferns grew beside the trail. Grandma Leena said it was a good morning to look for snails, because snails like cool, wet places.

2Omar spotted a snail on a fallen log. It was unhurried, sliding along so slowly that Omar could barely see it move. Its shell was a colorful swirl of brown and gold.

3Omar reached out to grab it, but Grandma Leena said, "Be careful. A snail's body is soft, and a careless grab could hurt it." She showed Omar how to let the snail crawl onto a leaf instead.

4When the leaf wobbled, the snail pulled its body into its shell and seemed to disappear. "Don't worry," Grandma said. "It is harmless and shy. Wait a minute and it will reappear." Soon its head and feelers came back out.

5Before they left, Omar set the leaf back on the log so the snail could crawl home. Then they retraced their steps, walking back along the same path. "I was unsure about snails before," Omar said, "but now I think they are amazing."

Word parts in the story

Look at the prefix or suffix in each word to help you answer.

1.
In paragraph 2, the snail is unhurried. What does unhurried mean?
  • A. rushing again
  • B. not rushing
  • C. rushing a lot
  • D. rushing first
2.
In paragraph 3, Grandma talks about a careless grab. What is a careless grab?
  • A. a grab done over again
  • B. a grab full of care
  • C. a grab done without care
  • D. a grab done before
3.
Match each word from the story to its meaning.
  1. colorful
  2. harmless
  3. reappear
  4. unsure
  1. A. not sure
  2. B. full of color
  3. C. appear again
  4. D. without harm
4.
In paragraph 4, the snail seemed to disappear. What does disappear mean?
  • A. to come back into view
  • B. to move to a new place
  • C. to grow a little bigger
  • D. to go out of sight
5.
In paragraph 5, Omar and Grandma retraced their steps. What did they do?
  • A. went back along the same path
  • B. looked for a brand-new path
  • C. stopped and did not walk at all
  • D. walked the path before sunrise

Build and sort words

Use what you know about prefixes and suffixes.

6.
Sort the words by what their prefix or suffix means.
refillunkindpainlessunsaferetellspotless
un- means "not"re- means "again"-less means "without"
7.
Add the suffix -less to the word fear. Write the new word.

The little wren hopped right up to Omar without any fear. It was  .

8.
Add the prefix un- to the word happy. Write the new word.

Omar was not happy when it was time to leave the woods. He felt  .

9.
Add the prefix re- to the word read. Write the new word.

At home, Omar read his snail book a second time. He was glad he could   it.

10.
Add the suffix -ful to the word help. Write the new word.

Grandma Leena gave Omar lots of good tips on the walk. She was very  .

11.
In paragraph 5, Omar says he was unsure about snails. Use the prefix un- to tell what unsure means. Then tell how Omar feels about snails at the end.

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