WORKING WITH WORDS

Goals:
 To help children learn to automatically recognize and spell high frequency words
(word wall)
 To help children learn to look for patterns in words to help decode and spell the
less-frequent words that they have not been taught (decoding/phonics and spelling)

Schedule:
 This block of time is divided into two sections
1. Word Wall activities - Intro new words and On-the-back activities to focus on
new words (endings, rhymes, cross checking, mind reader)
2. Decoding and spelling activities – making words, rounding up the rhymes, guess
the covered word, using words you know, the wheel, Wordo, being the words,
reading & writing rhymes, nifty thrifty 50, brand name phonics

Working with words - Word Wall

Clap, Chant, Write—Introduction of New Words

1. Teacher introduces 5 Word Wall words per week by having students:
* see the words
* say the words
* chant the words (snap, clap, stomp, cheer)
* write the words and check them together with the teacher
* trace around the words and check together with the teacher
2. Have the students number a sheet of paper 1-5.
3. Place one of the 5 new word cards in the pocket chart. Say the word, use the word in
a sentence, have students write the word on their paper.
4. Continue with 4 additional words.
5. When all five words have been written, point to the words and have the students clap
and chant the spelling of the words.
6. Students use a red pen, marker or crayon to trace around the word.
7. On the following 2 days of the week, teacher practices the new Word Wall words
8. On the remainder of days, teacher reviews previous words with practice activities.

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 Working with words - Word Wall
On-the-back – Endings
This activity helps children learn to spell Word Wall words that need an ending
(suffix).
1. Students number their papers 1-5 on the back.
2. Teacher calls a word that can have an ending added to it. Begin with just one ending
per lesson. Then add additional endings in separate lessons.
3. Then combine them so that children are listening for all the endings.
*ING - Jump+ing, The frog is jumping over the log, jumping
Student finds “jump” on the word wall and writes “jumping” on paper.
4. Ask what word wall word was used with an ending. Say the word and chant its
spelling.
5. Continue in same manner with 4 additional words.
6. Teacher can choose to use 5 different words using the same ending or use one-two
word wall (base) words and use multiple endings.
 Looks, looking, looked & eats, eating OR
 Looking, making, running, riding, swimming
7. Later in the year, include words that have tricky ending rules such as “drop the e”,
“change y to I”, “double the last letter”.

Working with words - Word Wall

On-the-back - Rhymes

The teacher says a sentence that contains a word that rhymes with one of the new Word
Wall words and is spelled with the same pattern. Children must decide which word
rhymes and how to spell it.

1. Students number their paper 1-5.

2. The teacher gives the following clues for the lessons words. Examples:
 “I like to talk.” The word begins with a t and rhymes with walk Student writes
talk on paper
 “I have my book.” The word begins with an m and rhymes with by
Student writes my on paper

3. To check the answers, teacher says the rhyming word and lets students say the word
they wrote and chant its spelling.

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 Working with words - Word Wall
On-the-back - Cross Checking

1. Students number front and back of paper from 1-5.

2. Teacher calls out several words that begin with the same letter for students to write
on the front of their paper. (e.g. went, want, was, what, where)
3. Teacher tells students that they will have to decide which word from the front makes
sense in each sentence.
4. Teacher reads a sentence but say BLANK where the word should go.
5. Students decides which word makes sense in the sentence and writes that word in the
correct spot on the back. Examples:

 I ________ to the beach.

 It _______ very hot today.
 ________ do you want for lunch?
 ________ should we go first?
 I ________ to go home.

Working with words – Word wall

On-the-back - Be a Mind Reader

1. Students number their paper from 1-5.

2. The teacher can choose to focus on 1 word or 5.
3. If 1 word is focused on – the teacher gives 5 clues to the word.
 It’s one of the words on the word wall.
 It has 4 letters.
 It begins with w-h
 The first vowel is e
 It begins the sentence: _____ will lunch be ready?
4. If 5 words are focused on, the teacher gives more specific clues.
 The first word I’m thinking of starts with w-h and begins the sentence: ______
will lunch be ready?
 The second word I’m thinking of is one of our new words and rhymes with hide.

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 Working with words
Making Words
Make Step: Choose the appropriate envelope and distribute the letters inside to the
children. Give step by step directions to make each word listed on the front of the
envelope. (“Use 2 letters to make the word ‘in’. Add one letter to make the word ‘tin’.
Change one letter to make ‘fin’.”) One child may demonstrate with the teacher’s large
letter cards in the pocket chart. After each word is made, display an index card with the
word on it next to the same word made with the cards. Then put the index card word in
the pocket chart for the next activity. Continue until all words are spelled. Finally, the
students see if they can figure out the day’s “secret word” using all of the letters.

Sort Step: Use the pocket chart to sort for patterns; including, number of letters,
rhymes, rimes, onsets, vowel sounds, etc.

Transfer Step: Hold up a card and say, “What if you were reading and you didn’t
know this word? Which word would help you figure it out?” Repeat with several
words. Then say, “What if you were writing and you didn’t know how to spell -----.
Which word could help you figure out how to spell it?” Display the word under the
correct pattern.

Working with words

Guess The Covered Word

Write five sentences on the overhead. Cover up the vocabulary word with post it notes
(one for the beginning letters, or onset, and one for the rest of the word, or rime). In
order to help with cross checking:

1. First have them guess the word with no letters showing. Write 5 reasonable
guesses out to the side.
2. Uncover the onset and cross out any guesses that are eliminated. Make
additional guesses if necessary.
3. Show the whole word and help children confirm which guess makes sense and
has the right letters.

You can use your vocabulary transparencies from the curriculum for this activity. You
can also just write the letters as needed and call the game “Guess the Missing Word!”

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 Working with words

Rounding Up The Rhymes

This activity is done with a book that has been read aloud by the teacher or the class
which contains lots of rhyming words.

1. Read the book: focus on a few pages with lots of rhymes with the same pattern so
that children will see the connection between rhyming words and the spelling
pattern.
2. Round up the rhymes: As the children tell you the rhyming words, write them on
index cards and put them in a pocket chart.
3. Remind children that words which rhyme usually have the same spelling pattern.
Have a child come and underline the spelling pattern in each set of rhymes and then
decide whether or not they are the same. Discard non-matching rhymes. (dear &
here)
4. Use these words to read some other words. Write a word that rhymes and has the
same spelling pattern as one of the rounded up pairs. Ask a child to put it with the
words that have the same rime. THEN, read all three words together.
5. Next do the same for writing. Read a word aloud and have kids decide which pair
could help them spell the new word. Use the rhymes to spell it.

Working with words

Using Words You Know
1. Pick 3-4 words students know that also have many rhyming words with the same
spelling patterns.
2. Using the board or the overhead, make 3 columns and write the key words across the
top. Students copy it on their papers.
3. Verbalize the strategy to the students by saying, “If t-e-n is ten, the G-l-e-n must be
GLEN.” Write GLEN under the correct column.
4. Show the next word. Write it in the correct column and have students verbalize the
strategy BEFORE pronouncing the word.
5. Show the children several words and have them use the known words to decode the
new words.
6. Show the students how they can use the same strategy for spelling.
7. Say a word such as “shine” and have students write it in the correct column. Have
them verbalize how to spell it, “If nine is spelled n-I-n-e, then shine must be s-h-i-n-
e.”
8. For this lesson, you give the words to be spelled so that you know they will follow
the pattern. Use a rhyming dictionary to help you plan.

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 Working with words
Reading / Writing Rhymes
1. This activity is much like making word families. The teacher must distribute a pre-
made set of onset (beginning letters) cards to the students. (Many will have 2 cards.)
2. The teacher writes the spelling pattern (rime) on the board, chart paper or puts into
the pocket chart.
3. Students look at their onset cards and decide if it makes a real word. If so, they
come to the board and try to make a word. If it is a real word, the teacher uses the
word in a sentence and writes that word on the chart.
4. If the word isn’t a real word, the teacher explains that. If the word is a real word but
has a different spelling pattern, the teacher explains that and writes the word
correctly in a special place (on another chart or in a different color).
5. The teacher then calls up children to make any missing words. “I think the person
who has w-h should come up here and make a word we know.”
6. If children can think up good longer words that rhyme and have the spelling pattern,
the teacher adds them to the list as well.
7. The class then works together in a shared writing format to write a silly rhyme using
lots of the rhyming words.
8. Then the children make their own rhymes. These can be made into a book

Working with words

WORDO
1. WORDO is a variation of Bingo.
2. Photocopy sheets with 9 or 16 blocks and give students chips or small pieces of
paper to mark their boards.
3. Call on students to pick words from the wall to write on their WORDO sheets in a
blank box of their choice.
4. You write it on an index card.
5. Shuffle the deck of cards and you’re ready to play.
6. As you call out each word, chant the spelling together and mark your boards.

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 Working with words

The Wheel
This game is like Wheel of Fortune, with these differences:
 Contestants guess all letters without considering if they are consonants or
vowels.
 They must have all letters filled in before they can say the word. (This
encourages them to spell!)
 They will win tokens (tickets or whatever you choose) instead of prizes.
 Vanna will not be there to turn the letters!

1. Write a category on the board and draw blanks for each letter.
2. Choose a student to call out a letter.
3. Fill in each blank called and give the student a token for each time the letter occurs.
Continue until the student misses.
4. Write the missed letter above the puzzle and go on.
5. Fill in all the letters before the students may guess.
6. Give 5 bonus tokens to the person who guesses correctly.

Working with words

Rivet

1. This game is like Hangman but without the hanging man.

2. Write a number in parenthesis to represent the number of letters in the word.
3. Then draw the same number of blanks. (5) _ _ _ _ _
4. The teacher gives one clue to the word and then calls on students to try to guess the
first letter of the word.
5. A correct guess is written on the blank. A wrong guess is written under that
particular blank to keep track of incorrect letters.
6. For example: if the word is “where” – the teacher gives a clue and then calls on a
student to guess. If the student guesses an “h” for the first letter, that wrong guess is
written under the first blank.
7. Correct letters must be given in order so the students are focused on spelling.
8. No one may guess the word until all of the blanks are complete.

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 Working with words – Word Wall
Make Sentences
1. Dictate a sentence using several of the word wall words:
Josh will come to my house to play.

2. Students listen as you repeat the whole sentence.

3. Then repeat the sentence one word at a time, giving students plenty of time to find
the words on the word wall and write them.

4. Remind children to begin sentences with a capital letter.

5. Have days when you dictate questions and exclamatory sentences.

6. It's fun to use students names in the sentences. Students also like to dictate sentences
using lots of words from the word wall.

Working with words

Ruler Tap

1. Teacher chooses a word from the Word Wall.

2. Say the word, then tap and say several letters in that word but not the whole word:
come, c-o
3. Call on a student to finish speling the word out loud: m-e.

4. If the student correctly finishes spelling the word, that child gets to call out a word,
tap and spell the word and call on another student to finish.

5. Do several additional words.

6. Variations of this activity could be, only the teacher having a ruler, all students
having a ruler.

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 Working with words – word wall

Word Sorts

1. Write 10-15 words on large index cards and place in a pocket chart.

2. Have students write these words on separate smaller cards or papers at their desks.

3. Have students sort the words into different piles depending on some features certain
words share.

4. Students may sort all words that begin with a certain sound, have a certain vowel
sound, contain a certain blend or digraph.

Working with words – word wall

Word Work
1. Teacher calls a word wall word, class chants and then writes word in first box on
Word Work sheet (see appendix 3).

2. Continue with 4 additional words.

3. Student uses letter cards/tiles to build the word in the next space on the Word Work
sheet.
4. Student uses a marker to write the word in the last space.

5. Continue with the 4 remaining words.

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 Working with words – word wall

Build, Mix, Fix

1. Teacher calls 5 words from the word wall one at a time. Students chant and write on
paper as teacher writes on board.

2. Teacher directs class to Build the first word with letter tiles/cards at desk.

3. After all students have the word built, teacher directs class to Mix up the letters of
the word.

4. Students are directed to Fix the word by arranging the letters to spell the word.

5. Chant the word.

6. Continue with remaining words.

Working with words – word wall

Word Search
1. Pass out a copy of the Word Search worksheet to each student (see appendix 4).

2. Teacher chooses 5 words from the word wall.

3. As teacher calls out word, students chant and write on blank at bottom of worksheet.

4. When all 5 words have been written, students place each word in the word search
puzzle and add additional letters to fill in the boxes.

5. Trade Word Search puzzles.

6. When each word is found, trace around it with a colored pencil, pen or marker or use
a highlighter to highlight the word found.

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 Working with words – word wall

Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check

1. Take a paper with three or four columns (see appendix 5).

2. Teacher calls out 5 word wall words.

3. Students write the list of words in the first column.

4. Begin with the first word. SAY it and notice parts to remember.

5. LOOK closely at the letters to notice the visual details.

6. COVER the word with a card and think about how the word looks.

7. WRITE the word from memory.

8. Uncover and CHECK it with the word in the first column.

9. Cover and write the word again and check.

10. Do all five words

Working with words – word wall

Word Fun Center

1. Teacher chooses 5 words from the word wall and writes them on the board.
2. Divide the students into 6 groups.

3. Each group is given a different center material to spell the words.

*painted lima beans
*letter tiles
*pasta
*letter/object tray
*stencils
*Wikki Sticks
*play-dough
*alphabet stamps
*magnetic letters

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 Working with words – word wall

Hopscotch

1. Make a hopscotch on the classroom floor with tape, or on the playground with
chalk.

2. Choose a word wall word and write one letter in each box of the hopscotch and the
whole word at the top.

3. Students hop and say each letter to spell the word and the say the word at the end.

4. Do for additional words.

Working with words – word wall

Wet words
1. Teacher chooses 5 word wall words.

2. Say word to class and have them chant.

3. Write on individual chalkboard one letter at a time with paintbrush and water.

4. Continue with additional words.

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 Working with words – word wall

Word Jar

1. When 5 new word wall words are introduced, write them on a slip of paper and add
to Word Jar.

2. Choose 5 students to pick a word from the jar.

3. One student at a time reads their word, class chants the spelling.

4. Do additional words.

Working with words – word wall

Rainbow Words

1. Pass out paper to each student.

2. Teacher chooses 5 word wall words.

3. As teacher says word, students chant and write on paper with a crayon.

4. Do the same for the additional words.

5. After all the words have been written once with a crayon, students go back and write
each word again with 2 different colors of crayons.

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 Working with words – word wall

Word Wall Chain

1. Pass out 5 colored strips of paper to each student, size 1x5.

2. Have one student choose a word wall word and everyone writes and chants that
word-- each.

3. Call on another student to find a word wall word that starts with the last letter of the
first word. Students write and chant it--each-her.

4. Call on additional students to continue finding words that start with the last letter of
the previous word.

5. Glue the strips together to make a chain.

Working with words – word wall

Spelling Grid

1. Use the overhead and the Spelling Grid sheet (see appendix 6).

2. Teacher chooses a word from the word wall.

3. Teacher starts writing the word on the grid by writing the first letter of the word in
the first box at the top.

4. Call on student to come up and write the first two letters in the boxes in the row
below.

5. The next student writes the first three letters in the boxes below.

6. Continue until the word has been spelled.

7. Chant it.

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 Working with words – word wall

Flashlight Fun
1. Turn out the lights.

2. Say the poem together with the class:

Flashlight, flashlight, oh so bright,
Shine on a word with your light.

3. Shine the flashlight on individual words for the class to read and chant.

Working with words – word wall

Let’s Cheer
1. Choose 5 words from the word wall.

2. Print each letter boldly on paper for each word.

3. Cheerleaders face the class holding the letter papers to spell the word.

4. Call out the first letter of the word.

5. The student holding that letter steps forward and raises the letter paper as the class
says the letter.
6. Continue until the entire word has been spelled.

7. Say the word 3 times in unison.

8. Take turns being cheerleaders and spelling the rest of the words.

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 Working with words - Word Wall

Word Wall Chant List

1. Blowing kisses - Blow a kiss for each letter. On the word use two hands to blow the kiss and
extend both arms out and up. Tons of fun, you feel like a movie star!
2. Caribbean Spelling - We all stand up, hand on hips, and swivel on each letter. When we say the
word we put our hands up over our head and then say "Wooo!" Ex: a - r - e "are" "woo!!"
3. Like a mouse -squeeky voice with hands curled up by face
4. Like a robot - in robotic voice with arms moving back and forth
5. Sing opera style
6. Fly it like a bird -arms flapping up and down
7. Like a chicken - arms folded up to make wings and head moving forward
8. Smelly - hold your nose and spell it
9. Drummer - beat it on our desks
10. Raise the roof – you just push up toward the ceiling, one push for each letter.
11. Box it – You box the words by boxing each letter. You have to box straight in front of your body
and not at anyone. When you say the word, you clasp your hands above your head like you won
the fight.
12. Letter size – This highlights tall, short and tail letters. You clasp your hands over our heads,
straight out, or bent over and wagging our arms like a dog's tail depending on the size of the
letter.
13. Frisbee - throw each letter as you would a Frisbee.

Working with words - Word Wall

Word Wall Chant List Continued

14. Yo-yo - bend your arms at the elbow and alternate your hands up and down as you say each letter.
15. Voices – change your voice for each repetition, Loud, soft, whisper, squeak, growl, baby-talk, etc.
16. Ketchup - Shake our hand like we're trying to get ketchup out of a bottle. Use your right hand
then the left and finally both hands.
17. Groups - boys cheer, girls cheer, then the whole class or one group of seats at a time, then the
whole class.
18. Dancing – moving side to side
19. Movement - Stomping, Snapping, clapping, patting our head, bobbing heads from side to side,
jumping jacks, toe touches,
20. Cheer It (Give me an "h" , etc.) Like a cheerleader.
21. Pat – We pat our heads for tall letters, tummies for short letters and knees for letters that go below
the line ..
22. Snap and Clap - we snap for the vowels and clap for the consonants. Disco (Hand up for
consonants, hand down for vowels) Pretend to be John Travolta.
23. Throw the Stars - Throw one hand at a time toward the ceiling for each letter.
24. Explosion - Volcano like (whisper, normal, loud) They love to do this. Pretty self-
explanatory.

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 Working with words - Word Wall

Word Wall Chant List Continued

25. Hula - hands on hips, swivel, hands in air to say word
26. Marshmallow clap - Almost clap but stop before your hand touch. Say each letter.
27. Be the Letter - (Body Language) Sort of like the YMCA song. Lots of letters we just make up.
When we can't think of anything we just contort our bodies. For the "s" we slither down to the
floor while saying "e -e-e-s-s-". A fun one to do.
28. Mexican Hat Dance – alternate feet in front
29. Flapping and Nodding - Pretend you're a bird and flap your wings and nod your head for each
letter.
30. Stomping - Just stomp your feet for each letter.
31. Clapping syllables - Just clap for each syllable, not really spelling, but I use it before we spell so
they can hear the syllables.
32. Dribble and shoot - Dribble the letters and shoot the word.
33. Batter up - get into the batting position and swing on each letter as you say it
34. SLOOOWWWW - Hold the sound of the letter or a few seconds, like sit...
s……....i……....t……....
35. Motor cycle – you just hang on to "handle bars" and pretend that we are doing wheelies..!
36. Blast Off - starting in a crouched position, say each letter and as you say the word jump in the air.
37. Hand Jive- with a partner to do the hand clapping you see all the kids do on the playground clap
together for consonants, laps for vowels

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 Working with words
Nifty Thrifty 50

1. This activity is used to focus on prefixes and suffixes of words.

2.

Working with words

Brand Name Phonics

1. This activity is geared at older students and meant to be a way to practice spelling patterns.
2.

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