Today is our first week of spelling instruction. Your child will be bringing home a
spelling list, spelling homework, and extra credit packet. Please review the
information below and contact me with any questions!
Spelling List: A spelling list will come home every Monday. It lists your child’s
weekly sight words, sound it out words, and challenge words. Please post the list
on your refrigerator and review each night with your child.
Sight and Sound It Out Words: Your child will be responsible to spell five sight
words each week. Sight words are those words, recognized immediately by the
reader without having to break them down into constituent parts. Many of these
words do not follow basic phonological rules and are learned through
memorization and practice. On Friday I will test them on five additional words,
which we call “Sound it out Words.” These words will assess your child’s ability to
decode target sounds in words. For example, this week our skill is short a.
Throughout the week I will provide instruction and ample practice opportunities.
On Friday, Your child should be able to blend and spell words like, cat, mat, cap,
etc.
Challenge Words: Challenge words offer enrichment practice for your child and
will only count as bonus points on Friday’s assessment. I encourage all students
to study these words.
Extra Credit Packet: This packet is optional and worth extra credit. It can provide
enrichment or extra practice. Completion is up to the parent. Please return by
Friday. Late packets will not be accepted.
Spelling Activities
The following is a list of spelling activities that students can
complete to help them practice their spelling words at home.
1. Write each spelling word without its vowels. Replace each vowel with a line.
2. Write your spelling words in crayon or pen. Write each consonant letter in
red and each vowel in blue.
3. Write the words and cross out all of silent letters.
4. Make a set of flashcards for studying your words.
5. Write each spelling word three times.
6. Write each spelling word in a rainbow of colors. First, write the words with
a red crayon. Trace over the words with a blue crayon. Finally, trace the
words again with a green crayon.
7. Write your spelling words as fractions based on the number of vowels and
consonants in each word.
8. Write your words with all the letters scrambled up. Then ask a parent or
sibling to unscramble the words in your notebook. Correct that person’s
work.
9. Write each spelling word.
Next to each word, write two additional words of
at least three letters that can be spelled using the letters in the word.
Example: the word pickle can be used to make the words lick, pick, like, and
lip.
10.Use letter tiles to spell out this week’s words.
11. Write your spelling words in secret code.
Challenge a parent or sibling to
use the code to decode each word. Correct their work. Example: glad= 7-121-4
12.Take a practice test at home given by a parent. Write any missed word 3
times each.
13. Draw and color a picture. "Hide" the words in the picture.
14. Write your spelling words on cards (make two sets) and play "Memory
Match" with them against a sibling or parent.
15. Use a thesaurus to write a synonym for each word.
16. Write a mnemonic sentence to help you remember each of your spelling
words. Each letter of the word should start a word in the sentence. For
example, a mnemonic sentence for the word throw might be Ted has
rented one wheelbarrow.
17. Make and complete a word search using www.puzzlemaker.com
18. Write a letter to a friend/relative, in proper letter format, using at least
10 of the spelling words. Underline each word.
19. Write tongue twisters for using at least 12 of your spelling words.
Example- spelling word: some- Sally saw some seals in the sea.
20. Write your words by arranging the letters in alphabet pasta or
Alphabits. Glue them on paper or do it on a table or counter at home.
21. Cut out letters from headlines or ads in newspapers or magazines. Use
the letters to spell your spelling words. Paste the letters on paper.
22. Write a rap song using all of your spelling words.
23. Use ALL of your spelling words to write a short story. Your story must
include all of your spelling words.
24. Use a dictionary to write a definition for each word.
25. Enter spelling words at "SpellingCity.com" to have the computer test,
teach, or play a game with your child on the computer.
26. Scrambled words-Write your words, then write them again with the
letters mixed up.
27. Chopped words - Write your words by cutting out letters in a newspaper
or magazine and glue them on a paper.
28. 3D words - Use modeling clay rolled thinly to make your words.
29. Choo-Choo Words - Write the entire list end-to-end as one long word,
using different colors of pens or crayons for each word.
Dear Parents,
In order to gain confidence and fluency in reading, we are requiring every first grader to read at least 10
minutes every evening at home. Your child’s log will come home in a zip lock bag. Inside will be paper
booklets, but your child is certainly not limited to reading just those. Any reading counts! Bedtime
stories, library books, newspapers, menus, etc.
Please take time to read:
To him/her.
With him/her, or listen to him/her read.
Here are some suggestions to help your child if they are having trouble reading.
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As you read, point to each word to help make the oral language and print connection.
If they come across a word they don’t know, give them a few seconds to see what attempts are
made.
Ask what makes sense in that sentence.
Use picture clues.
Skip the word and come back.
Go back to the beginning of the sentence and try again.
Tell your child the word and go on.
After you are finished reading with your child, please fill out and sign their reading log. You may keep
the booklet to build your child’s library, and return the log in the Ziploc bag the next day. When the
student’s have finished the front and back of a page they will be able to pick a prize from our Fish Bowl.
Thank you for your support!
Mrs. Gigler
High-Frequency Words
High frequency words (sight words) are words that students encounter frequently
in reading and writing. It is critical that readers and writers develop automaticity
(automatic recognition), a skill that leads to fluency. "Students need to be able to
read the first 300 Instant Words "instantly" without a moment's hesitation,
because these 300 words make up 65% of all written material" (Frye).
Comprehension begins to break down when students are focused on trying to
decode or sound out the words.
Some high frequency words do not follow regular phonetic rules. They do not follow
easy spelling patterns (example: cave, Dave, save, wave, gave, have) As a result,
these words are more difficult for students to master. Asking children to "sound it
out" is pointless and generally causes increased frustration for most struggling
readers. Beginning readers need to recognize these words as "sight words". "In
order for students to retain a difficult word, they need many opportunities to
experience and manipulate it (Throop).
Much of our language has been adapted from other languages during its
development. One sixth of the words survived from old English and almost all of
those words are high frequency words. A prime example of the importance of high
frequency words in a piece of text can be seen in counting the number of sight
words appearing in a simple version of The Three Bears.
Today your child is bringing home a list of high-frequency words and sentences. Please keep this list on
the refrigerator and help your child practice every night. I will assess them on Friday.
http://www.cantonschools.org/content/pdf_files/activities_to_reinforce_hfw.pdf