Words Their Way
About the Program:
Students will be assessed on a list of spelling words from the "Words Their Way" program. The intention of using this program is to personalize learning by giving children spelling words at their level. This means that the class will have different spelling words which match each student's area of need.
What will this look like at home?
Students will come home with their words / picture sorts on Mondays. The words can be found in the clear pouch at the front of their planner. Students are expected to practice their words at home and are encouraged to practice some of the activities they learn in class at home. Students will be assessed on 10 of their words the following Wednesday. Please note these words can stay at home. Please also follow the homework activities for each night. A newsletter explaining the activities will come home with the first set of words/pictures.
What will this look like in the classroom?
On Mondays students will cut, initial, and sort their words / picture sorts for every set with the teacher. Students will participate in different sorting activities to practice their knowledge of their words.
Please watch the video below for reference:
Other Games:
1. Mix and Fix: Have your child do a sort of their words and then have them close their eyes while you "mix" up some of the words by putting them under the wrong headers. Your child will then try to "fix" the errors by putting the words under the correct headers.
2. Hangman: Choose a word from your child's list and have them guess which word it is.
3. Writing on Backs: Write the words letter by letter on your child's back with your finger, have them try to guess the word.
4. Concentration: Flip all the spelling words over and take turns matching words by spelling pattern or sound (depending on the sort). Player to get the most pairs wins.
5. Writing Sentences: Have your child pick 5 words or more from their spelling words and write each word in a sentence with or without a picture.
6. Build the words using letter manipulatives (magnets, alphabet cereal etc.)
7. Try a scavenger hunt: Put the words around your house and get your child to find the words and read them to you as they find them
8. Paint in plastic bag. (Put acrylic paint in a large ziploc). Students will then use their finger to spell out their words in the paint on a hard surface. It's tactile, it's sensory, and they love it!
9. Use shaving cream! Cover a hard surface in shaving cream and print out your words.
10. Create a wordsearch here:
http://www.abcya.com/make_a_word_search.htm
11. Go outside and use sidewalk chalk.
12. Play fly swatter game: Spread out the sight words and use a fly swatter to hit the word as you read them
13. Make a game of hop scotch and put the words on the different spots, hop and read the words.