September 2, 2014
Dear Parents:
This is to inform you of the spelling activities that your child will be
completing throughout this school year.
Spelling words will go home on the first school day of each week (usually
Monday). The activities completed and test will be on the last school day of
the week (usually Friday). On weeks of 3 days or less, we will not have words
to study.
Rather than specific assignments, students will be given a choice of
activities to complete. Attached you will find that list of activities.
Students should choose 3 different activities to complete each week. They
may do the same 3 activities each week, they may do completely different
activities each week, they may do some over while changing others—it’s
entirely up to the student.
I will not be sending home the activity sheet each week because it will never
change. Please put the attached copy somewhere will you can refer to it
each week—on the fridge, in a folder on the student’s desk, etc.
I know things happen and I will have extra copies that I can give out during
the year. Students were also given a copy to keep in their agendas. They are
colored for easy recognition. Please DO NOT throw it away.
The first test is on Friday, September 5, 2014. Students received their
first set of words today. Students also wrote them in their agendas, as I will
ask of them every week. It is up to your student to keep track of their
words. I will encourage the use of the agenda for this. Three of the
activities should be completed on these words by Friday.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 410968-1295, or e-mail me at rcain@somerset.k12.md.us.
Sincerely, Rebecca Cain 
Spice Up Your Spelling Words!
Students should complete three activities for each list of spelling words.
Activities should be completed on lined paper and turned in no later than the
day of the test.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
ABC order—Write your words in alphabetical order.
Rainbow words—write your words in three colors
Backwards words—write your words forwards, than backwards
Silly sentences—use all your words in just ten sentences.
Picture words—draw a picture and write your words in the picture
Words without vowels—write your words replacing all vowels with a
line
7. Words without consonants—write your words replacing all consonants
with a line
8. Story words—write a short story using all your words. Make sure to
underline each word.
9. Scrambled words—write your words, then write them again with the
letters mixed up
10. Surround words—write your words on graph paper and outline in colors
11. Ransom words—write your words by cutting out letters in a newspaper
or magazine and glue them on a paper
12. Pyramid words—write your words adding or subtracting one letter at a
time. The result will be a pyramid shape of words
13. Words-in-words—write your words and then write at least 2 words
made from each
14. Delicious words—write your words in whipped cream, peanut butter, or
anything you can eat! Bring in a note from a parent that you did it!
15. Good clean words—write your words in shaving cream on a counter or
some other surface that can be cleaned safely. Bring in a note from a
parent that you did it.
16. Pasta words—write your words by arranging alphabet pasta or
Alphabits. Glue on paper.
17. Reversed words—write your words in ABC order—backwards!
18. 3Dwords—use modeling clay rolled thinly to make your words. Bring a
note from a parent that you did it.
19. Create an activity—can you think of a fun way to do your spelling
activities? Try it out!
20. Magazine words—use an old magazine or newspaper and find your
words. Cut them out and glue them on paper.
21. X words—write two words having one common letter so they criscross. You must use all your words
22. Other handed—if you are right-handed, write with your left, or if you
are left-handed, write with your right
23. Choo-Choo-words—write the entire list end-to-end as one long word,
using different colors of crayon or ink for different words
24. Telephone words—translate your words into numbers from a
telephone keypad
25. Newspaper words—search a newspaper page from top to bottom,
circling each letter of a word as you find it
26. 30 second words—write a TV commercial using all the words from
your list
27. Popsicles—make words using popsicle sticks
28. Secret agent words—number the alphabet from 1 to 26, then convert
your words to a number code