1
Resource Bookletby Peter Bowers
The Science of Spelling
Grade 5 Structured Word Inquiry
2
Guides for Structured Word Inquiry
Links & ResourcesWordWorks Literacy Centre
Lot’s to explore here if you are interested.
www.wordworkskingston.com
On-Line Resources So Far!
✦ Etymonline
✦ Word Searcher
✦ Mini MatrixMaker
SWI Investigations Page on Real Spellers
Click HERE to see investigations from Nueva
Some links to highlight:• Click HERE for a video with a conversation with
Douglas Harper of Etymonline helping Pete with an investigation
• Click HERE for the document we worked with on on <mean> <median> and <mode>.
Found an interesting word?Investigate with these *4 questions...
1. What does the word mean?2. How is it built?
• Can you identify any bases or affixes with a word sum?
3. What other related words can you think of? • Etymological relations: Use a word origin dictionary (e.g.
Etymonline) to find members of the “extended family” of your word that share the same root.
• Morphological relations: Try the Word Searcher to help you find members of the “immediate family of your word that share a base element (fit in the same matrix).
4. What are the sounds that matter? • What grapheme/phoneme correspondences can you find that
fit within your hypothesized morphemes?
*Note: While the order of question 1 & 4 is essential, there is no order to questions 2 & 3.
3
Gra
de 5
SW
I Wor
d In
vest
igat
ion
Ass
ignm
ent
Hand
this
pape
r in
stap
led
to y
our fi
rst a
nd s
econ
d dr
afts
Key
Item
sDo
ne
Title
(inc
ludi
ng y
our s
tarte
r wor
d) a
nd d
ate
Nam
es o
f peo
ple
in g
roup
Ova
l La
bel y
our o
val w
ith ro
ot a
nd o
rigin
al d
enot
atio
n fro
m E
tym
onlin
e or
ot
her e
tym
olog
ical r
efer
ence
. -Y
our o
val s
houl
d ha
ve a
t lea
st o
ne m
atrix
insid
e it.
-You
sho
uld
have
at l
east
one
wor
d th
at is
in th
is et
ymol
ogica
l fam
ily,
but w
hich
doe
sn’t
fit in
you
r mat
rix.
Mat
rixAt
leas
t one
mat
rix th
at re
pres
ents
you
r sta
rter w
ord.
You
r mat
rix is
in
side
the
oval
Wor
d Su
ms
Com
plet
ed w
ord
sum
s us
ed to
con
stru
ct y
our m
atrix
. Mak
e su
re y
ou
mar
k an
y su
ffixin
g ch
ange
s!
Com
plet
e th
e ab
ove
item
s be
fore
sta
rting
on
next
par
tCo
mpl
ete
the
abov
e ite
ms
befo
re s
tarti
ng o
n ne
xt p
art
Para
grap
hO
nce
you
have
the
abov
e ite
ms
com
plet
ed, w
ork
with
you
r tea
m to
co
mpo
se a
par
agra
ph th
at u
ses
at le
ast t
hree
wor
ds fr
om th
e et
ymol
ogica
l/mor
phol
ogica
l fam
ilies
of y
our s
tarte
r wor
d.
Que
stio
ns /
Obs
erva
tions
Eith
er o
n th
e sa
me
page
or a
sec
ond
page
iden
tify
inte
rest
ing
ques
tions
, obs
erva
tions
, you
had
dur
ing
the
proc
ess.
Sha
re q
uest
ions
yo
u st
ill ha
ve a
nd d
ecisi
ons
you
had
to m
ake
alon
g th
e wa
y.
Crea
tive
artis
tic fl
ouris
hes?
Af
ter y
ou h
ave
the
lingu
istic
cont
ent c
heck
ed b
y Pe
te, c
an y
ou th
ink
of a
cre
ative
, arti
stic
way
to p
rese
nt y
our l
earn
ing?
A fi
nal
pres
enta
tion
coul
d be
dig
ital,
inclu
de a
rt, b
e on
a p
oste
r, ha
ve h
ot
links
etc
. Hav
e fu
n wi
th re
pres
entin
g yo
ur le
arni
ng!
See
exam
ples
of a
Dra
ft #1
and
Dra
ft #
2 ba
sed
on <
sens
e> b
ase
on n
ext p
age
as a
re
fere
nce.
4
5Etymological and Morphological Relatives of the Free Base Element <sense>By Pete Oct 27, 2015
sentinel
Paragraph for <sense>It was a sensational night of music at Neil Young’s Bridge Concert. Not only was the music wonderful, the sentiment on stage and in the crowd was so positive given the cause of supporting the cause of sup-porting the children of the Bridge School. You could say there was a consensus of the power of music to bring people together to make the world a better place.
Questions and observations• At first I had just the <sense> matrix, but then I noticed that three of
my words shared the <sent> base, so I added the second matrix. • AtI was not sure how to analyze <sentinel> with a <sent> base. I
didn’t know what to do with the <inal> part, so I left <sentinel> as a base for now.
• The suffixes <-ibility> and <-ibly> made me wonder. It was hard to believe <-ibility> is just one suffix. At first we tried <-ible + ity>, but this doesn’t explain the <i>. The Oxford Dictionary describes <-ibility> as a suffix forming nouns and gives the example of <accessi-bility> which works with a word sum with the base or stem <access>. Until I find a way to analyze <-ibility> deeper, I will treat it as a suffix until I find a deeper analysis.
• I wonder if there are more morphological families that grow from the Latin root ‘sent(ire)’.
• I’m curious to better understand the connection between the idea of “perceive, feel” and the word <sentence>.
• In some of my searches, I found the Latin root “sensus’ for “perceive feel” too. I wonder if that explains the spellings <sense> and <sent>. I’ve heard of ‘twin bases’ and wonder if that might relate here.
Word Sums for <sense> matrixsense/ + or ➔ sensorsense + less ➔ senselessnon + sense ➔ nonsensesense/ + ibly ➔ sensiblydis + sense/ + ion ➔ dissensioncon + sense/ + us ➔ consensussense/ + ibility ➔ sensibilitysense/ + ate/ + ion ➔ sensation
Word Sums for <sent> matrixdis + sent ➔ dissentsent + i + ment ➔ sentimentsent + ence ➔ sentence
Latin ‘sent(ire)’ "to perceive, feel"
Draft #2
6
hyp
er-
hy
po
-
hyp-
in-
il- im-
ir- infr
a-
inte
r-
intr
a-
intr
o-
ma
le-
mal-
me
ta-
met
h-m
et-
mis
-
mo
no
-
mon
-
no
n-
ob
-
o- oc-
of-
op-
para-
par-
per-
peri
-
a-
(O
E)
a-
(G
k)
an-
ab
-
abs-
ad
-
a- ac-
af-
ag-
al- an-
ap-
ar-
as-
at-
al-
(O
E)
am
b-
am
ph
i-
an
a-
an-
an
te-
an
ti-
ant-
ap
o-
be
-
be
ne
-
bi-
bin-
by
-
ca
ta-
cath
-ca
t-
cir
cu
m-
co
m-
co-
col-
con-
cor-
co
ntr
a-
cont
ro-
de
-
di-
dia
-
dis
-
dif-
di-
dy
s-
ec
-
en
-
em-
ep
i-
eph-
ep-
eu
-
ex
-
e- ef-
ex
tra
-
for-
po
ly-
po
st-
pre
-
pro
-
re-
red-
re
tro
-
se
-
se
mi-
su
b-
suc-
suf-
sug-
sum
-su
p-su
r-su
s-
su
per-
sy
n-
sym
-sy
l-sy
s-sy
-
tele
-
tra
ns
-
tra-
tran-
ult
ra
-
un
-
wit
h-
Pre
fixes
Pre
fixes
and
thei
r var
iatio
ns
A g
ood
dict
iona
ry w
ill li
st p
refix
es a
s se
para
te e
ntri
es
© M
elvy
n R
amsd
en 2
004
ww
w.r
eals
pelli
ng.c
om
this
li
st
is n
ot
ex
ha
us
tiv
e
Ma
ny
ele
me
nts
cla
ime
d a
s “p
refix
es”
are
no
t n
ece
ssa
rily
so
.
Fo
r in
sta
nce
, <
mid
> a
nd
<fo
re>
are
ba
ses,
so
<m
idd
ay>
an
d
<fo
reca
st>
are
act
ua
lly c
om
po
un
d w
ord
s.
!
7
49
Mor
phem
es
base
saf
fixes
pref
ixes
suff
ixes
vow
el s
uffix
esco
nson
ant s
uffix
es
conn
ectin
g vo
wel
lett
ers
Rea
l Spe
lling
Too
l Box
™ C
onne
ctio
n6
H -
con
nect
ing
vow
el le
tters
; 5
H -
twin
bas
e el
emen
ts;
5 J -
the
twin
bas
es <
cede
> / <
cess
> an
d <s
ede
/ <se
ss>
(Exp
lore
the
Inde
x at
ww
w.w
ordw
orks
king
ston
.com
for p
osts
on
con
nect
ing
vow
el le
tters
and
twin
bas
es. F
ind
vide
os o
n
ww
w.y
outu
be.c
om/w
ordw
orks
king
ston
of M
elvy
n R
amsd
en
teac
hing
abo
ut th
ese
conc
epts
to a
Gra
de 5
/6 c
lass
.)Spel
ling
Term
s
free
ba
ses
boun
d ba
ses
twin
ba
ses
mor
phem
e:
- i
ndiv
isib
le w
ord
or w
ord
part
that
car
ries m
eani
ng
- b
ases
, pre
fixes
and
suff
ixes
are
mor
phem
es
e.
g., <
undi
scov
ered
> ha
s 4 m
orph
emes
<un
->, <
dis-
>,
<cov
er>
and
<-ed
>.
-
one
of m
y st
uden
ts d
efin
ed a
mor
phem
e as
“th
e bi
ts
betw
een
the
plus
sign
s in
a (f
ully
ana
lyze
d) w
ord
sum
.”
-
conn
ectin
g vo
wel
lette
rs a
lso
act l
ike
mor
phem
esba
se:
- c
an st
and
on it
s ow
n as
a w
ord,
or h
ave
affix
es o
r oth
er b
ases
atta
ched
to it
to fo
rm c
ompl
ex w
ords
- c
arrie
s the
mai
n m
eani
ng o
f any
wor
d it
build
s
e.
g., T
he w
ords
<un
disc
over
ed>,
<re
cove
r> a
nd <
cove
ring>
are
bui
lt on
the
free
bas
e <c
over
>.
- fr
ee b
ase:
bas
e th
at is
“fr
ee”
to st
and
on it
s ow
n as
a w
ord
(e.g
., <c
over
>, <
love
>, <
jum
p>, <
cem
ent>
)
- bo
und
base
: bas
e th
at c
arrie
s the
mai
n m
eani
ng o
f a w
ord,
but
is n
ot u
sed
on it
s ow
n as
a w
ord;
it m
ust b
e
“bo
und”
to a
t lea
st o
ne o
ther
ele
men
t to
form
a w
ord
-
twin
bas
e: b
ase
that
has
two
form
s tha
t bui
ld a
sing
le w
ord
fam
ily
e.
g., T
he tw
in b
ase
<ce
pt/c
eive
> fo
r ‘ca
tch,
hol
d’ b
uild
s a m
orph
olog
ical
fam
ily o
f wor
ds th
at in
clud
es
<d
ecep
tion>
, <de
ceiv
e>, <
rece
ptio
n> a
nd <
rece
ive>
. Wor
ds b
uilt
on tw
in b
ases
are
usu
ally
of L
atin
orig
in.
pre
fix:
- mor
phem
e th
at is
fixe
d to
the
fron
t of a
bas
e or
ano
ther
pre
fix
- a
ffec
ts w
ord
mea
ning
, can
not s
tand
on
its o
wn
as a
wor
d, n
ever
cau
ses c
hang
es in
the
spel
lings
of w
ords
suff
ix:
- mor
phem
e th
at is
fixe
d to
the
end
of a
bas
e, a
noth
er su
ffix
, or c
onne
ctin
g vo
wel
lette
r
- aff
ects
wor
d m
eani
ng, c
anno
t sta
nd o
n its
ow
n as
a w
ord,
can
cau
se sp
ellin
g ch
ange
s at m
orph
olog
ical
join
s
- vow
el s
uffix
: beg
ins w
ith a
vow
el le
tter a
nd c
an c
ause
cha
nges
to th
e la
st le
tter o
f the
bas
e or
stem
to
whi
ch th
ey a
re a
dded
(i.e
., dr
op si
ngle
sile
nt <
e>s;
dou
ble
final
, sin
gle
cons
onan
ts)
!- c
onso
nant
suf
fix: b
egin
s with
a c
onso
nant
lette
r and
doe
s not
cha
nge
the
last
lette
r of a
wor
d to
whi
ch it
is
ad
ded
exce
pt th
at, l
ike
a vo
wel
suff
ix, i
t can
cha
nge
<y>
to <
i>-a
ffix
:
- t
erm
for p
refix
es, s
uffix
es a
nd c
onne
ctin
g vo
wel
lette
rs
- e.g
., in
<be
havi
oura
l> th
e pr
efix
<be
->, c
onne
ctin
g vo
wel
lette
r <-i-
> an
d su
ffix
es <
-our
> an
d <-
al>
are
affix
es.
-Con
nect
ing
vow
el le
tter:
- wor
d pa
rt co
nsis
ting
of th
e si
ngle
vow
el le
tter <
i>, <
u> o
r <e>
(Lat
in o
rigin
) or <
e> o
r <a>
(Gre
ek o
rigin
)
- fix
ed b
etw
een
a ba
se a
nd su
ffix
or a
noth
er b
ase
(nev
er fi
nal)
- r
epla
ces s
ingl
e, si
lent
<e>
s lik
e a
vow
el su
ffix
, but
doe
s not
forc
e co
nson
ant d
oubl
ing
•
8W
ord
Wo
rks
Les
son
s! b
y P
eter
Bo
wer
s, 2
00
7,w
ww
.wo
rdw
ork
skin
gst
on
.co
m
B
ase
d o
n (
Ra
msd
en 2
00
1)
ww
w.r
easl
spel
lin
g.c
om
49
th
e <
u >
in
th
ed
igra
ph
< q
u >
do
es
n’t
co
un
tas a
vo
wel le
tter
ign
ore
th
is b
ox
if y
ou
are
wri
tin
gU
S E
ng
lis
h
rem
ov
e t
he
< e
>a
nd
re
pla
ce
it
wit
h t
he
su
ffix
ch
an
ge
th
e <
y >
to
< i
> b
efo
re
yo
u a
dd
th
e s
uff
ix
do
ub
le t
he
las
t le
tte
r b
efo
re y
ou
ad
d t
he
su
ffix
ch
an
ge t
he
< y
> t
o <
i >
befo
re y
ou
ad
d t
he s
uff
ixd
oe
sth
e b
ase
or
ste
m e
nd
with
< y
>?
isth
e l
ett
er
be
fore
th
at
< y
>a
vo
we
l?
is t
he
ba
se
or
ste
m a
m
on
osylla
ble
?
is t
ha
t v
ow
el
lett
er
a
sin
gle
sile
nt
< e
>?
do
es t
he
su
ffix
be
gin
with
< i >
?
is t
he
reju
st
on
e v
ow
el
lett
er
imm
ed
iate
ly b
efo
re
tha
t sin
gle
co
nso
na
nt?
isth
ere
ju
st
on
e
co
nso
na
nt
lett
er
at
the
e
nd
of
the
ba
se
or
ste
m?
do
es
the
ba
se
or
ste
m t
akin
g t
he
su
ffix
e
nd
with
a v
ow
el
lett
er?
do
es
the
su
ffix
be
gin
w
ith
a v
ow
el
lett
er?
do
es
the
ba
se
or
ste
m e
nd
with
< y
>?
is t
he
str
ess o
n t
he
sylla
ble
ju
st
be
fore
th
e
su
ffix
in
th
e f
inis
he
d
word
?
isth
e l
ast
lett
er
< l
>?
do
es
the
ba
se
or
ste
m e
nd
with
< y
e >
or
< o
e >
?
isth
e su
ffix
<-i
ng
>?
do
es
the
ba
se
or
ste
m e
nd
with
< w
>
or
< x
>?
just
ad
dth
e s
uff
ix
NO
YE
SY
ES
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
YE
S
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
YE
S
Exce
pt
for
< i
ng
>,
su
ffix
es t
ha
t b
eg
in w
ith
< i
>
do
n’t u
su
ally f
orc
e c
on
so
na
nts
to
do
ub
leb
ut
the
y s
till
re
pla
ce
a s
ing
le s
ile
nt
< e
>
do
es
the
ba
se
or
ste
m e
nd
with
< ie
>?
NO are
yo
u a
dd
ing
the
su
ffix
< in
g >
?
NO
YE
S
rem
ov
e t
he
< e
>
AN
D c
han
ge t
he
< i
> t
o <
y >
b
efo
re y
ou
ad
d<
-in
g >
ST
AR
Tw
ith
a w
ord
su
m
This
suffix
checker
covers
alm
ost
all
cases o
f suffix
ing.
YE
S
© M
elv
yn R
am
sden 2
004
htt
p:/
/ww
w.r
ea
lsp
elli
ng
.co
m
isth
e l
ett
er
be
fore
th
at
< y
>a
vo
we
l?
Th
e “B
ig S
uff
ix C
hec
ker
” b
y M
elv
yn
Ram
sden
, (2
00
4)
Av
aila
ble
fo
r fr
ee a
t h
ttp
://h
om
epag
e.m
ac.c
om
/sp
elli
ng
/eG
rou
p/c
hec
k.p
df.
an
d r
epri
nte
d h
ere
wit
h p
erm
issi
on
of
auth
or.
V
isit
ww
w.r
eals
pel
lin
g.c
om
fo
r y
ou
r o
wn
co
lou
r p
df
of
this
an
d m
any
oth
er r
eso
urc
es.
80