A Prefix Game

I got this lesson idea from the recent Word Torque conference.  The inquiry is whether any word can be given the un- prefix.  You set up stations and the children go around the room, doing and then undoing the given action.  

Can you paint and then un-paint a picture ?

Here are some examples that would be really fun:

cut and un-cut a feather

tie and un-tie a ribbon

staple and un-staple paper

bite and un-bite cheese

sing and un-sing a song

break and un-break a cracker

squish and un-squish a marshmallow

lock and un-lock a lock

string and un-string beads

stack and un-stack blocks

When you are done, you discuss whether you can un- everything!

In Waldorf, this activity would go in Grade 2. Although Steiner did not propose this, it is now common to do a Word Families block in second grade. It is the perfect time to begin a little bit of SWI! There are things that we wait until after the nine year change to do, however, so be thoughtful about that. My colleague Virginia Berg and I have an article -- "Sparking Curiosity Through Spelling" -- in the current issue of the Research Bulletin about this.

I'm also available for consultations about how to bring SWI into the Waldorf environment. Feel free to contact me!