English Word Origins Grade 3 Middle School (US 9 th Grade) Advanced English Pablo Sherman The etymology of language

Introduction Have you ever noticed how words in several languages may be similar or even the same word? Have you thought about the reasons why? All languages are combinations of other languages. English contains words from many different languages and these words are used together to form ideas for communication. How many different languages make up English language vocabulary is the question? Your team will be given a short paragraph to research the origins of the words contained in it. You will then make a color coded map using a template and finally you will highlight the paragraph with the corresponding languages/countries from the map and create a bar graph to represent the most common root languages in English. A group presentation will complete the project. How many different languages are represented in the English paragraph you researched? Which words have similar root meanings but are from different language origins?

Tasks Research and define words based on their root meaning creating a one page layout similar to a dictionary. List the words to the right of the map and color the words and countries of origin the same colors to create a geographic language map. Highlight the words as they are written in the paragraph with the same colors that are used on the map. Finally create a simple bar graph to represent the distribution of words by language origin.

Process 1. Team leaders will get the paragraph and discuss what jobs each member will perform. 2. Jobs will be given out based on the need the team has. My suggestion is each team should have 2 researchers, 1 writer, 1 artist and the team leader who acts as a coordinator for the whole project. 3. The writer should first list all the words in the paragraph in alphabetical order to make researching easy.

Process page 2 4. The researchers may then begin searching for the meanings and origins of words on this website The artists can begin preparing their materials to represent the data collected. The map template can be found here. The data can also be entered electronically and used for the presentation stage of the project.

Process page 3 6. Once the research is complete the artist should color in the countries or regions that have been identified as root languages for the word list. The words in the list should be highlighted to correspond to colors on the map. 7. A bar graph should then be drawn to illustrate the root language origin of words using the same colors as the map and word list. A bar graph template is available here or Excel may be used to generate a graph.

Process final 8. The paragraph itself should then have the words highlighted in corresponding colors as an extra visual aid. 9. The group will the present their finding to the class as a comprehensive presentation explaining the data that they have found in this exercise and the breakdown of word origins of their assign paragraph.

Assessment 10 points15 points25 points Research Little or no information presented Some information presented but poorly researched Excellent clear information presented Artistry No imagery presented Imagery is mismatched and poorly displayed Imagery is clear and easy to follow Presentation Nothing is presentedMaterial presented is unclear and inconclusive Material is clear and conclusion are accurately drawn Organization The overall project is completely disorganized The project has some organization but fails to properly categorize information The overall project is clear and presents data which is easy to understand.

Conclusion Excellent now that you have finished this project you have practiced several skills. First, teamwork on a large scale project, research compilation and most importantly you now have a bit of understanding about the origins of the English language and why many words are used when they are. In the future if you are working on a paper or other project you will be able to choose the correct words to express your ideas by using some of these same resources.

Conclusion continued You now also have some insight into the etymology or origin of words and can apply it to other languages you study as well. You have also learned how to express information in a presentation using charts and graphs. Hopefully this project will help with your further study of the English language and you have found the information useful.

Credits and References Online English dictionary of etymology Map Generator Graph Generator Common Core Standards

Core Standards L Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple- meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). SL Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

ISTE NETS Standards 2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems 3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks d. Process data and report results