Writing and Spelling
Writing
Writing 12/1
This week students will be working with classmates in order to check their latest writing work (American Revolution ABC Book Pages) for complete sentences and good paragraph grouping (main idea + details with transition or signal words). We will begin publishing these this week. You are welcome to stop by near the end of next week or during winter parties (December 19th, time TBA) to read your child's work in the hallway!
8/25/2014
So far in writing we have been training ourselves to do the work of writers. Students have been learning how to generate writing topics, free write, and to write independently without the help of the teacher. We are getting ready for Writer's Workshop. Soon your child will be able to practice what he/she learns during the teachers quick writing lesson while the teacher conferences with groups of students about their writing. Once we have started our writing workshop, we will begin writing fictional narratives.
Spelling: August 28, 2014
Spelling programs have changed a lot since many of us were in school. Research has shown that it is more helpful for students to compare and contrast the spelling of words in order to learn spelling patterns rather than to memorize spelling lists. In our class we complete what we call "Word Sorts" to do this work.
I gave your child a VERY LONG spelling test on August 25th. I then analyzed your child's misspellings and determined which type of spelling patterns your child needs to learn and practice most. I then assigned your child to a specific level of "Word Sort" cards based on this information. Your child will progress through this level of word sort cards this year in two-week cycles.
Week 1: Your child will be given a set of about 20 words to compare and contrast. First your child looks for similarities among the 20 words. Next, your child looks for differences in spelling or sound and sorts his/her words into categories based on differences. Your child will record this sort is his/her station packet, describing the patterns that he/she notices, and finding at least one additional word for each category.
Week 2: Your child will choose how to practice spelling and/or sorting the 20 words from week 1 during literacy stations. At the end of the week, your child will take a spelling test with 8 of the 20 words selected at random. Your child will then further practice spelling any words that he/she missed.
*I have looked closely at the end of year spelling test that I have given the past two years and found that so many of my students made excellent growth in the areas that they studied in this way. I am confident that your child will make progress too! Once September rolls around, feel free to ask your child about his/her words and to practice spelling them at home as well.
Writing 12/1
This week students will be working with classmates in order to check their latest writing work (American Revolution ABC Book Pages) for complete sentences and good paragraph grouping (main idea + details with transition or signal words). We will begin publishing these this week. You are welcome to stop by near the end of next week or during winter parties (December 19th, time TBA) to read your child's work in the hallway!
8/25/2014
So far in writing we have been training ourselves to do the work of writers. Students have been learning how to generate writing topics, free write, and to write independently without the help of the teacher. We are getting ready for Writer's Workshop. Soon your child will be able to practice what he/she learns during the teachers quick writing lesson while the teacher conferences with groups of students about their writing. Once we have started our writing workshop, we will begin writing fictional narratives.
Spelling: August 28, 2014
Spelling programs have changed a lot since many of us were in school. Research has shown that it is more helpful for students to compare and contrast the spelling of words in order to learn spelling patterns rather than to memorize spelling lists. In our class we complete what we call "Word Sorts" to do this work.
I gave your child a VERY LONG spelling test on August 25th. I then analyzed your child's misspellings and determined which type of spelling patterns your child needs to learn and practice most. I then assigned your child to a specific level of "Word Sort" cards based on this information. Your child will progress through this level of word sort cards this year in two-week cycles.
Week 1: Your child will be given a set of about 20 words to compare and contrast. First your child looks for similarities among the 20 words. Next, your child looks for differences in spelling or sound and sorts his/her words into categories based on differences. Your child will record this sort is his/her station packet, describing the patterns that he/she notices, and finding at least one additional word for each category.
Week 2: Your child will choose how to practice spelling and/or sorting the 20 words from week 1 during literacy stations. At the end of the week, your child will take a spelling test with 8 of the 20 words selected at random. Your child will then further practice spelling any words that he/she missed.
*I have looked closely at the end of year spelling test that I have given the past two years and found that so many of my students made excellent growth in the areas that they studied in this way. I am confident that your child will make progress too! Once September rolls around, feel free to ask your child about his/her words and to practice spelling them at home as well.