Prefixes Pre Dis Mis Game

A prefix is a small word part that changes what a whole word means, and the Prefixes Pre Dis Mis Game turns that big third grade reading skill into a comic-book cooking game. Third graders read each kitchen order, like “heat before,” “not like” or “spell wrongly,” and pick the prefix that cooks up the right word: pre for before, dis for not, and mis for wrongly. Playing a prefixes pre dis mis game again and again helps children see the prefix at the front of a word and use its meaning to figure out new words like preheat, dislike and misspell.

In this pre dis mis prefix game, Sunny runs a bright comic-book kitchen. A big soup pot bubbles on the stove, and the root word, like heat, like or spell, is on the front of the pot with an empty space for the prefix. An order slip hangs above the kitchen and tells kids what the new word must mean, like “to heat before,” “not honest” or “to spell wrongly.” Three see-through jars stand on the counter, filled with the letter tiles for pre, dis and mis. Kids tap the right jar or drag it over the pot, and the jar tips its letters into the pot one by one. Then the prefix slides into place on the front of the pot, so children see the new word being built. Sunny reads every order out loud and explains each new word after it is cooked, and a wrong jar just wobbles with a gentle “try again.” The jars change colors and places every order, and every round mixes the prefixes, so children really have to read. Play it in your browser on a phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer, or download the offline version for a PC or Mac with no internet needed.

What’s Included

• Online game that plays in any browser on desktop, tablet and phone
• Offline download for Windows PC and Mac (just unzip and double-click)
• 4 rounds of kitchen orders: pre and dis, dis and mis, pre and mis, then a dinner rush with all three prefixes
• Voice directions that read every new word and its meaning, kitchen sound effects and a star score at the end

Here are three reasons this prefixes pre dis mis game helps kids learn. First, every order shows a meaning, not just a word, and the rounds mix the prefixes, so children connect each prefix with what it means instead of guessing. Second, the letters of the prefix drop into the pot and slide onto the front of the root word, which shows exactly how a prefix and a base word join to make a new word. Third, tapping or dragging the jars, the golden order surprise, the steaming pot party at the end of each round and the stars keep kids excited to play again and get even more reading practice.

Teachers and parents can carry the learning off the screen. Make three columns labeled pre, dis and mis and sort word cards like prepay, disagree and misread. Cover the prefix with a sticky note, read the base word, then lift the note and talk about how the meaning changed. Try a kitchen challenge at home: when you preheat the oven or prewash the vegetables, ask your child what the prefix pre means.

Related Resources

• Prefix Matching and Meaning Worksheet
• Re- and Dis- Prefixes Worksheet
• Pre- and Un- Prefixes Worksheet
• Third Grade Sight Word Song on the Have Fun Teaching YouTube channel