spelling activities

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spelling activities
By Sue- Michigan

I teach a multiage 4th/5th and we use spelling to reinforce our language curriculum. For lists of words each of our 60 kids is placed on their level of success. They receive a list of directions on Monday for the week.
Tests are given on Wed. and Fri. We have 5 adults give individual tests and it takes about 45 minutes. If you get a 100 on the first try you get a new list. If you miss a word you take a sentence test the next test day and must make 80%. We use the San Mateo Ca. spelling curriculm and it was not expensive. The lists at the lower end are planned on phonetic patterns and at the higher

end the vocab is challenging. We replace students every marking semester.

The directions go something like this.

Mon. Write your words and two sheets of paper - one to take home and one to keep in your notebook.
Write the first half of your list 3 tiems each. Use each word in a declarative sentence with and adjective that describes how many. ( Or whatever we are currently studing in language) Underline your spelling word and circle your adjective.

Each student is required to write some form of sentences. Some lists this would be 5 sentences and on the higher lists it would be 12 per day.
We have no problem with kids not writing in complete sentences in other areas. Around holidays we sometimes break from tradition and everyone does one list.

I feel our students are better off because of the structure of our program and because it is on their level of success we tend to great improvement in the two years kids are with us. The kids like it because they can work ahead a day or two if their lives get hectic.

Email me if you need more details

Sue