Compound Words

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Two Words Become One!

A compound word is a word made from two smaller words.

Look at this word:

notebook

You already know the words note and book. When those words join together, they make a new word with a new meaning: notebook.

Here are more compound words:

rain + bow = rainbow

fire + fly = firefly

cup + cake = cupcake

mail + box = mailbox

Compound words are everywhere! You can find them in books, signs, games, and even at the grocery store.

Picture Power!

Look at the pictures below. Can you guess the compound word?

butter + fly = butterfly

A butterfly is an insect with colorful wings. The word butterfly is a compound word because it is made from two smaller words.

Now try another one!

pan + cake = pancake

Pancakes cook in a pan. Yum! That makes pancake a great compound word.

Compound Words Help You Read

Compound words can help you become a stronger reader. If you find a long word you do not know, look for smaller words inside it.

Look at this word:

sunflower

Do you see the two smaller words?

sun + flower

That can help you figure out what the word means!

Some compound words are easy to spot:

doghouse

toothbrush

football

Some compound words sound silly and fun:

popcorn

snowman

backpack

Build Your Own Compound Words

Try saying these words out loud:

tooth + brush

play + ground

Did you hear the new compound words?

Now it is your turn! What compound word can you make from these words?

Say your answers out loud.

Compound Word Hunt

Compound words are hiding all around you! Look around your home or classroom. Can you find:

• a toothbrush?
• a backpack?
• a bathtub?
• a mailbox?

You already know many compound words without even noticing it!

Fun Fact!

Sometimes compound words look exactly like the two small words pushed together:

sun + set = sunset

Other times, the meaning changes a little:

hot + dog = hotdog

That does not mean a dog feels hot! English can be funny sometimes.

Ready to Practice?

Now that you know how compound words work, it is time to practice building and finding them on your own.

Get ready to play with words, solve compound word puzzles, and become a compound word expert!