Illustration of reporters covering a parade with horses
Illustrations by James Yamasaki
Root Power,

Battle of the Floats

Explore the Latin root spec in a graphic-novel-style story.

From the March 2023 Issue
Featured Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition,
Common Core Standards
  • Anchor Standards
    R.4, L.4, L.6
  • Grade 6
    RI.6.4, L.6.4, L.6.6
  • Grade 7
    RI.7.4, L.7.4, L.7.6
  • Grade 8
    RI.8.4 ,RI.8.6 L.8.4, L.8.6
TEKs standards
  • Grades 6, 7, 8
    2a, b, c

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Greek and Latin roots form the basis of many words in the English language. Knowing these roots empowers you to unlock the meanings of unfamiliar words. This story includes words with the Latin root spec, which means look at or examine.

Illustrations by James Yamasaki

Live Coverage! Battle of the Floats

“That’s right, folks: We're coming to you live from Main Street, where Greenville's biggest spectacle of the year—the Battle of the Floats—is about to begin!”

“The streets are packed with spectators!”

“All day, we’ve been speculating about the Trevor Middle School marching band. We expect their float to be a sensation, as it is every year.”

“And wow oh wow, they did not disappoint. It’s spectacular!”

Root Challenge

Directions:

  1. Write down the meaning of each word in orange. Use context clues or, if needed, a dictionary.
  2. Think of another word that contains the root spec. 
  3. Write a sentence using that word and draw a picture that shows the word’s meaning. 

This article was originally published in the March 2023 issue.

Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Writing Support
Answer Key (1)
Activities (2)
Skills Activities
Writing Support
Answer Key (1)
Text-to-Speech