Spelling Starts This Week!

Today was the first time the children received spelling lists to study. Mondays will be reserved for "Spelling-Go-Round" activities, which provide fun ways to practice their words. Today, for instance, the children had the following options:

1) Writing each word three times would earn 20 points

2) Buddy or Teacher quiz would earn 20

3) Writing a letter or story using each word was worth 30 points

4) Using letter stamps and stamp pads earned 30

5) Making Minpin flash cards would earn 10

6) Using markers and white boards was worth 10

7) Signing each word was worth 20

8) Making a word search for someone to solve was worth 30

9) Writing words in shaving cream earned 20

10) Writing each word using a different color was worth 20

11) Looking up each word in the dictionary was worth a whopping 50 points.

Etienne made a super tricky word search. Perhaps Mom or Dad can solve it!

Writing on white boards with brand new colorful markers 

These two worked hard and were successful in looking up all their words - not easy!

Shaving cream was the most popular choice.

I challenged each child to earn at least 50 points in the 40 minutes or so we spent with spelling. Their lists now reside in their cubbies (fingers crossed), but if you can't find them, please email and I can provide an extra copy. A little extra practice at home during the week is usually helpful, although I am hoping that it is only for a word or two. You can certainly use some of the activities I do in the classroom, or simply use those car rides to and from school for a refresher.

I am using a combination of common sight words and word family or spelling-rule words (phonics), with the goal of increasing confidence in writing and using strategies to figure out how to spell new words.