Give students a handout listing the meanings of the roots and stems you want them to learn. Assign each student the task of choosing one and finding all the words they can that contain the root or stem. Create a display with all the words they found. For Latin roots, have the students create a tree out of brown and green construction paper. Tape or glue the words to card stock and attach them under the tree as roots, or at the top as leaves. Create a flower stem for the Greek stems. Instruct students to cut petals from construction paper and use their words to make the stem and leaves.
Write 20 Greek and Latin roots on the board with their meanings. Encourage students to shout out words that contain these roots. After a few minutes, instruct students to stand and face a partner. Give each student 30 seconds to list as many words containing the roots as they can and then tell their partner to take 30 seconds. Draw a tournament bracket on the board and pair winners and losers, with students repeating the activity with their new partner. Award a prize to the tournament champion.
Instruct students to complete an index card for each root or stem. Model filling out the card, writing the root on the front and on the back writing the definition in one corner, examples in another corner, use of the word in a sentence in a corner and a picture or symbol that would help them remember it in the last corner.
Songs like "Prefixes, Suffixes, Roots" from educationalrap.com teach Greek and Latin roots through catchy songs that are easy to remember. Use a song like this one or write one to teach your students. You can also assign students to write and perform a song or rap of their own that teaches Greek and Latin roots.