Word Study Curriculum Map: 2008-2009
Emergent Speller
Enduring Understandings:
Essential Questions:
English is a predictable language with patterns.
How do word parts create meaning?
The exceptions are also consistent and logical.
Words that begin with the same sounds are spelled with What are some spelling generalizations?
the same letters, at the beginning of the word.
Students will know . . .
 how to sort pictures, then letters, into
categories.
Students will be able to . . .
- represent salient sounds in words
Key Vocabulary
sort, consonant, blend, vowel, word family
Primary Resources
APS Words Their Way Program
Word Study Curriculum Map: 2008-2009
Letter Name Speller
Enduring Understandings:
 English is a predictable language with patterns.
 The exceptions are also consistent and logical.
 Vowels have two sounds: short and long
Essential Questions:
How do word parts create meaning?
What are some spelling generalizations?
Students will know . . .
 how to sort pictures, then words, into
categories.
 consonants combine to make blends (st, tr) and
digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh)
 word families are spelled with the same word
endings
Students will be able to:
 Students will apply knowledge of word
parts to effectively decode and spell most
single syllable short vowel words and
determine word meaning.
Key Vocabulary
sort, consonant, blend, vowel, word family
Primary Resources
APS Words Their Way Program
Word Study Curriculum Map: 2008-2009
Within Word Pattern Speller
Enduring Understandings:
 English is a predictable language with patterns.
 The exceptions are also consistent and logical.
Essential Questions:
How do word parts create meaning?
What are some spelling generalizations?
How do spelling patterns determine vowel
sounds?
Students will know . . .
 Final e (cvce) changes a short vowel to a long
vowel (tap to tape)
 Double vowels also create long vowels (cvvc)
 Vowels followed by r (ar, ir, or, ur) have an rcontrolled sound
 Some vowel sounds are not long or short (oi,
oy, oo, ou, ow, aw, au)
 Final /k/ sound is spelled –ck, -ke, or –k
 some beginning consonants are silent (kn-, gn-,
wr-)
 Hard and soft c and g
 Words can sound the same but have different
meanings and different spelling (homophones)
Students will be able to . . .
 Read, sort, and spell single syllable long
vowel words and determine their meaning
Key Vocabulary
sort, consonant, blend, vowel, homophones
Primary Resources
APS Words Their Way Program
Word Study Curriculum Map: 2008-2009
Syllables and Affixes Speller
Enduring Understandings:
 English is a predictable language with patterns.
 The exceptions are also consistent and logical.
Essential Questions:
How do word parts create meaning?
What are some spelling generalizations?
How do word endings change meaning?
Students will know . . .
 Compound words are spelled by combining two
words
 Plural endings are spelled –es or –s
 Adding –ing and -ed sometimes includes
changes to the base word (drop final e, double
consonant)
 Syllable junctures change with
vowels/consontants
 Some words (homographs) are written the same
but sound different (read, wind, lead)
 Prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of a
base word (lock and unlock)
 Words can sound the same but have different
meanings and different spelling (homophones)
Key Vocabulary
compound words, word endings, plural, past tense,
open and closed syllables, sort, accented syllables,
prefixes, suffixes, roots
Students will be able to . . .
 read and spell multi-syllable words by
discriminating vowel/consonant patterns
 read and spell words with word endings,
such as –ing, -ed, -er, -s
 read and spell words with prefixes and
suffixes
 connect word knowledge with vocabulary
Primary Resources
APS Words Their Way Program
Word Study Curriculum Map: 2008-2009
Derivational Relations Speller
Enduring Understandings:
 English is a predictable language with patterns.
 The exceptions are also consistent and logical.
Essential Questions:
How do word parts create meaning?
What are some spelling generalizations?
Students will know . . .
 Roots are meaningful parts of words to which
prefixes and suffixes are added
 Prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of a
base word (lock and unlock)
 The spelling and sound of a consonant in a
prefix can be assimilated into the same spelling
and sound at the beginning of the base or root
word to which the prefix has been attached (ad
+ tract = attract)
 Many words in English have been borrowed
from the Greek and Latin languages and share
common roots
Key Vocabulary
plural, sort, syllables, prefixes, suffixes, roots, base
words
Students will be able to . . .
 Connect word knowledge with vocabulary
 Spell multi-syllabic words derived from
Latin and Greek forms
Primary Resources
APS Words Their Way Program