Marine Pollution

Activity overview

Learning Objectives

Main objective

By the end of this activity, learners will be able to identify derivational suffixes in a text, recognise the word class they generate, and use this morphological knowledge as a strategy to infer and acquire new vocabulary in context.

SO1 · Morphology (Units 1–2)

Identify at least six derivational suffixes (-tion, -ness, -ful, -less, -er, -ly) within the reading text and correctly label them at the morphological level.

SO2 · Word Classes (Units 1, 5)

Classify each derived word according to its word class (noun, adjective, adverb) and explain the class-changing function of the suffix, connecting morphological form to syntactic role.

SO3 · Vocabulary Acquisition

Use contextual and morphological clues together to infer the meaning of at least four unfamiliar words, demonstrating the application of vocabulary acquisition strategies in a real communicative context.

Contents — Justification

This activity focuses on two interrelated content areas: derivational suffixes and word classes, examined within a text published by the National Geographic Society (2025).

These two were selected because they are mutually reinforcing. Derivational suffixes are visually salient, frequently recurring in written texts, and directly responsible for generating new words from existing roots. Critically, each suffix also signals a predictable word class — learners cannot fully understand what a suffix does without understanding its syntactic output. This dual focus keeps the activity coherent while covering two significant areas of the syllabus.

Infographic · Print as A4 or project on IWB

Suffix Decoder

♿ DUA note: Available as a printed A4 reference card on each desk. The student with ADHD (Level 1) may keep the card without restrictions on placement, reducing cognitive load by externalising key reference information.

How derivational suffixes work

🔤

ROOT

harm · pollut · prevent

🔧

SUFFIX

-ful · -tion · -able

→

✨

NEW WORD

harmful · pollution · disposable

→

🏷

WORD CLASS

adjective · noun · adjective

The suffix changes the meaning and often the word class. Use this to decode unknown words!

How suffixes change words

Each suffix attaches to a root and creates a new word — and a new word class. Hover over the examples to see them used in context.

-tion / -ation

→ Noun (abstract)

Turns a verb into a noun expressing a process, state or result.

pollution contamination prevention

-ness

→ Noun (quality)

Turns an adjective into a noun expressing a quality or state.

darkness richness awareness

-ful

→ Adjective

Turns a noun into an adjective meaning "full of" or "characterised by".

harmful beautiful careful

-less

→ Adjective

Turns a noun into an adjective meaning "without" something.

countless careless hopeless

-ly

→ Adverb

Turns an adjective into an adverb expressing manner or degree.

particularly abundantly carelessly

-er / -or

→ Noun (agent)

Turns a verb into a noun meaning "a person or thing that does something".

researcher survivor teacher

-able / -ible

→ Adjective

Turns a verb into an adjective meaning "able to be done".

disposable reversible

-al

→ Adjective

Turns a noun into an adjective meaning "relating to".

environmental national

Colour key

NOUN

-tion · -ation · -ness

ADJECTIVE

-ful · -less · -al · -able/-ible

ADVERB

-ly

AGENT NOUN

-er · -or

Reading phase · Individual silent reading

Hover over highlighted words to reveal morphological clues

♿ DUA note: The student with ADHD receives a printed version with wider margins and increased line spacing. Both versions are linguistically identical.

Marine pollution is a growing problem in today's world. Our ocean is being flooded with two main types of pollution: chemicals and trash.

Chemical contamination, or nutrient pollution, is concerning for health, environmental, and economic reasons. This type of pollution occurs when human activities, notably the use of fertilizer on farms, lead to the runoff of chemicals into waterways that ultimately flow into the ocean. The increased concentration of chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in the coastal ocean promotes the growth of algal blooms, which can be toxic to wildlife and harmful to humans. The negative effects on health and the environment caused by algal blooms hurt local fishing and tourism industries.

Marine trash encompasses all manufactured products — most of them plastic — that end up in the ocean. Littering, storm winds, and poor waste management all contribute to the accumulation of this debris, 80 percent of which comes from sources on land. Common types of marine debris include various plastic items like shopping bags and beverage bottles, along with cigarette butts, bottle caps, food wrappers, and fishing gear. Plastic waste is particularly problematic as a pollutant because it is so long-lasting. Plastic items can take hundreds of years to decompose.

Solutions for marine pollution include prevention and cleanup. Disposable and single-use plastic is abundantly used in today's society, from shopping bags to shipping packaging to plastic bottles.

Excerpt from: National Geographic Society. (2025). Marine Pollution. National Geographic Education. education.nationalgeographic.org — Licensed CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Main task phase · Pairs

Tasks

♿ DUA note: All tasks may be completed using the printed Suffix Decoder as a scaffold. Sentence frames are available on request for Task 3 (multiple means of action and expression).

Annotation Worksheet

For each word, fill in the root, suffix, word class, and your own definition. Use the Suffix Decoder for help.

Word	Root	Suffix	Word class	My definition

Match the suffix to its function

Click a suffix on the left, then click its matching function on the right.

Suffix

Function

Write your own sentences

Choose three words from the text and write one sentence for each. Show understanding through context.

🎟 Exit Ticket

Before you go, answer these two questions on your sticky note:

1. What is one new word you learned today?

2. What suffix strategy helped you most?

✓ Saved! Well done — your exit ticket is complete.

Teacher guide · 45-minute session

Timing, Grouping & Procedure

Time	Phase	Grouping	Procedure & DUA
0–5 min	Warm-up	Whole class	Teacher displays the Suffix Decoder on the IWB. Students recall what they know about the ocean. Key question: "Can the shape of a word help you understand its meaning?" DUA: Visual stimulus activates prior knowledge.
5–10 min	Pre-reading	Individual	Learners read the text silently and underline unknown words. DUA: Student with ADHD receives a version with wider margins and line spacing (multiple means of representation).
10–20 min	Main task	Pairs	Pairs complete the annotation worksheet (Task 1). Teacher circulates with guided questions: "What suffix can you see? What class does -tion usually make?" DUA: Printed Suffix Decoder card on each desk. Student with ADHD works with a chosen partner.
20–30 min	Correction	Whole class	Teacher projects the digital worksheet on the IWB. Pairs share answers. Teacher highlights patterns: "Every word ending in -tion is a noun — can you find three more?" This reinforces the link between morphological form and word class (SO2).
30–40 min	Production	Pairs	Pairs write one sentence per word for three chosen words (Task 3), moving from recognition to productive use (SO3). DUA: Sentence frames available on request.
40–45 min	Exit ticket	Individual	Each learner writes on a sticky note: one new word learned + the suffix strategy used. Provides formative assessment data and promotes metacognitive awareness.

Objectives reference SO1 → Identify derivational suffixes in the text · SO2 → Classify each word by its word class · SO3 → Infer meaning using morphological and contextual clues

Project alignment

How this fits into Roque's escape room project

This activity functions as a preparatory review task within Roque's end-of-year revision sequence, directly feeding into the digital escape room. The suffix cards and vocabulary items introduced here can be repurposed as clues or puzzles within the game environment, ensuring continuity between sessions.

The IWB-based correction phase keeps the digital component within Roque's current comfort zone as a digital immigrant, while the infographic bridges print and screen. The pair-based structure and motivating ocean topic respond to the active profile of his Year 6 group.

Although primarily a reading and vocabulary activity, the production phase and exit ticket also integrate writing, and the correction phase promotes speaking and listening — supporting Roque's commitment to all four language skills.