Rummy Roots Card Game

Eternal Hearts

Rummy Roots is a card game that offers an alternative to book approaches for studying Greek and Latin roots. It is exceptionally well designed for learning purposes, because it includes instructions for four different games using a card deck of Greek and Latin roots plus English meanings. The first game helps students learn the meanings of the roots with a “Go Fish” type game. (Lists and glossaries for this and other games are included so you need not have a dictionary at hand.) Once you are somewhat familiar with root meanings, you move on to the next game of combining two roots to make an English word. The method of play is different, plus it includes the use of “bonus” and “stump” cards for fun. Players are supposed to say the meanings of their words, but when we played it we added that step after we played the game first just figuring out how to combine roots. (Take time to make sure players know the meanings of the roots before moving on to higher levels.) The third game allows players to make words combining up to three roots. Stump cards are now used to challenge players on word definitions. The fourth game adds yet another dimension of difficulty.

Some educational games are so busy teaching that they forget that games are supposed to be fun. Rummy Roots avoided that mistake by adding enough game elements, especially once you get past the introductory game.

Rummy Roots teaches “...42 Greek and Latin roots, 193 vocabulary words, and the knowledge to decipher half of over 2000 other words.” The publisher says the game is for players ages 8 to adult, but younger players will probably need to play mostly at the first two levels. Do not be in a hurry to push them on to levels where they might become frustrated. This game is best for older students.

More Roots, a second game from Eternal Hearts [$14.95], teaches an additional 42 new Greek and Latin roots using the same methods as Rummy Roots.