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Words Their Way: Spelling Homework Guide
ABOUT WORDS THEIR WAY
Words Their Way is an approach to teaching spelling that allows students to learn words at their individual level of instruction and teaches them how words work. Each semester, students will take a diagnostic spelling assessment (for which they do not study) to determine their spelling level. After looking at what students know about spelling, we have put them into spelling groups at their developmental levels. Each group will have a different spelling word sort.
By studying these word sorts, students will learn to sort, compare and contrast word features in each category, make discoveries, become more fluent readers, and increase their vocabulary through word meanings. Students move through weekly word study patterns by doing in class activities, homework and ending the week with a word sort test on Fridays.
WHAT IS A WORD STUDY?
Word study is a study of words features. Students lists will be on a word study PATTERN (example – the study of the long “u” sound in “u_e”, “ew”, or “ue” or how adding the suffix “-ful” or “-less” changes a word’s meaning). The quiz on Fridays will be on the pattern from that week using some of their words from each student’s sort and some additional words that were not on their sort, but fit the pattern they were studying.
WHY A "WORD STUDY" INSTEAD OF A "TRADITIONAL" SPELLING PROGRAM?
Research studies indicate that memorization of lists of "spelling words" does not promote the development of spelling skills. In the past when we’ve used this traditional approach, many students who received a 100% on their spelling test could not spell most of the words in their writing! Memorizing a list of words and getting 100% on weekly tests does not necessarily mean a child is a good speller. It may just mean they are good at memorizing words for a test. Using the Words Their Way word study program also allows us to work at each student’s individual level rather than using a “one size fits all” spelling list.
WHAT DOES THE HOMEWORK LOOK LIKE?
Homework will consist of spelling sorts and other activities Monday through Thursday. The test will be on Fridays.
MONDAY: Students will cut out their words and complete a word sort like we did in class. They will then explain how and why they sorted their words the way they did.
TUESDAY: Students will choose five of their spelling words to use for a making connections activity.
WEDNESDAY: Students will choose 10 of their spelling words to include in either sentences or a short story.
THURSDAY: Students will take a practice test to prepare for Friday’s spelling test.
Words Their Way
Weekly Spelling Homework Routine
Monday Night: Word Sort
1. Cut out the words from your spelling word sheet.
2. Sort all of the words into categories.
3. Write each spelling category in a different column in your spelling spiral notebook.
4. Copy your spelling words in the appropriate columns in you spelling spiral notebook.
5. At the bottom of the page, explain what you learned about the words during this sort. See example below
Example of a Correct Explanation
“I noticed that there are two ways to make the /ow/ sound. It can be spelled “ow” and “ou.”
Example of an Incorrect Explanation
“I noticed that there were a lot of long words on our spelling list.”
Tuesday Night: Making Connections
1. Choose 5 of your spelling words. For each word, make a connection to 5 NEW words (these words are NOT your spelling words) based on sound, spelling pattern, etc.
2. The connection can be about beginning sounds, ending sounds, how many syllables, short vowels, long vowels, or words that rhyme with your spelling word. Examples of good connections you can make with spelling patterns are in the attachment.
Wednesday Night: Writing Choice
Choice #1: Sentences
Write 10 sentences using at least 1 spelling word per sentence. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality! (Correct example: I bumped my knee on the corner of our white plastic patio chairs.) (Incorrect example: My knee hurts.)
Choice #2: Story
Write a short story using at least 10 of your spelling words. Underline your spelling words in the story. Make this story at least 6 sentences long.
Choice #3: Definitions
Choose 10 spelling words to define. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality! (Correct example: A smock is a type of shirt you wear over your clothes to protect them from getting messy during an art project.) (Incorrect example: A smock is a shirt.)
Thursday Night: Buddy Check
1. Find a buddy at home (friend, neighbor, babysitter, parent, relative, etc.)
2. Tell your buddy to read each word to you. As your buddy reads each word, write it down on your Thursday Night Homework Sheet.
3. After your buddy has read all the words, YOU check them over. If the word is correct, put a check mark or star next to it. If a word is spelled incorrectly, circle it. Have your buddy read the incorrect words to you again. Write those words in the second column labeled “Try Again.”
5. For any words you misspelled on the first try, write them correctly (you can look at your word list) in the third column labeled “Correct Spelling”. Circle the parts of the word you need to remember. Write your scores at the bottom of each column.
Name: _____________________________ Date: __________________
MONDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Word Sort
Directions: Cut apart your words and sort them. Then, copy your sort onto this sheet.
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
What did you learn about your words from this sort? Be specific.
Today I learned _________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
TUESDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Making Connections
Directions: Choose four of your spelling words. For each word, make a connection with four new words. The connection can be about beginning sounds, ending sounds, how many syllables, short vowels, long vowels, or words that rhyme with your spelling word.
#1. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#2. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#3. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#4. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#5. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Writing Choice
Directions: Choose one of the following to do for homework tonight. Circle your choice.
Choice #1: Sentences
Write 10 sentences using at least 1 spelling word per sentence. Underline your spelling words.. Make these sentences good quality!
Choice #2: Story
Write a short story using at least 10 of your spelling words. Underline your spelling words in the story. Make this story at least 6-7 sentences long.
Choice #3: Definitions
Choose 10 spelling words to define. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality!
THURSDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Buddy Check
Directions: Have a buddy test you on your spelling words. YOU check them over. Correct words get a star or smiley face, incorrect words get circled. Have your buddy read the incorrect words to you again. Write those words in the second column labeled “Try Again.” For any words you misspelled, write them correctly in the third column labeled “Correct Spelling”. Circle the parts of the word you need to remember.
ABOUT WORDS THEIR WAY
Words Their Way is an approach to teaching spelling that allows students to learn words at their individual level of instruction and teaches them how words work. Each semester, students will take a diagnostic spelling assessment (for which they do not study) to determine their spelling level. After looking at what students know about spelling, we have put them into spelling groups at their developmental levels. Each group will have a different spelling word sort.
By studying these word sorts, students will learn to sort, compare and contrast word features in each category, make discoveries, become more fluent readers, and increase their vocabulary through word meanings. Students move through weekly word study patterns by doing in class activities, homework and ending the week with a word sort test on Fridays.
WHAT IS A WORD STUDY?
Word study is a study of words features. Students lists will be on a word study PATTERN (example – the study of the long “u” sound in “u_e”, “ew”, or “ue” or how adding the suffix “-ful” or “-less” changes a word’s meaning). The quiz on Fridays will be on the pattern from that week using some of their words from each student’s sort and some additional words that were not on their sort, but fit the pattern they were studying.
WHY A "WORD STUDY" INSTEAD OF A "TRADITIONAL" SPELLING PROGRAM?
Research studies indicate that memorization of lists of "spelling words" does not promote the development of spelling skills. In the past when we’ve used this traditional approach, many students who received a 100% on their spelling test could not spell most of the words in their writing! Memorizing a list of words and getting 100% on weekly tests does not necessarily mean a child is a good speller. It may just mean they are good at memorizing words for a test. Using the Words Their Way word study program also allows us to work at each student’s individual level rather than using a “one size fits all” spelling list.
WHAT DOES THE HOMEWORK LOOK LIKE?
Homework will consist of spelling sorts and other activities Monday through Thursday. The test will be on Fridays.
MONDAY: Students will cut out their words and complete a word sort like we did in class. They will then explain how and why they sorted their words the way they did.
TUESDAY: Students will choose five of their spelling words to use for a making connections activity.
WEDNESDAY: Students will choose 10 of their spelling words to include in either sentences or a short story.
THURSDAY: Students will take a practice test to prepare for Friday’s spelling test.
Words Their Way
Weekly Spelling Homework Routine
Monday Night: Word Sort
1. Cut out the words from your spelling word sheet.
2. Sort all of the words into categories.
3. Write each spelling category in a different column in your spelling spiral notebook.
4. Copy your spelling words in the appropriate columns in you spelling spiral notebook.
5. At the bottom of the page, explain what you learned about the words during this sort. See example below
Example of a Correct Explanation
“I noticed that there are two ways to make the /ow/ sound. It can be spelled “ow” and “ou.”
Example of an Incorrect Explanation
“I noticed that there were a lot of long words on our spelling list.”
Tuesday Night: Making Connections
1. Choose 5 of your spelling words. For each word, make a connection to 5 NEW words (these words are NOT your spelling words) based on sound, spelling pattern, etc.
2. The connection can be about beginning sounds, ending sounds, how many syllables, short vowels, long vowels, or words that rhyme with your spelling word. Examples of good connections you can make with spelling patterns are in the attachment.
Wednesday Night: Writing Choice
Choice #1: Sentences
Write 10 sentences using at least 1 spelling word per sentence. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality! (Correct example: I bumped my knee on the corner of our white plastic patio chairs.) (Incorrect example: My knee hurts.)
Choice #2: Story
Write a short story using at least 10 of your spelling words. Underline your spelling words in the story. Make this story at least 6 sentences long.
Choice #3: Definitions
Choose 10 spelling words to define. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality! (Correct example: A smock is a type of shirt you wear over your clothes to protect them from getting messy during an art project.) (Incorrect example: A smock is a shirt.)
Thursday Night: Buddy Check
1. Find a buddy at home (friend, neighbor, babysitter, parent, relative, etc.)
2. Tell your buddy to read each word to you. As your buddy reads each word, write it down on your Thursday Night Homework Sheet.
3. After your buddy has read all the words, YOU check them over. If the word is correct, put a check mark or star next to it. If a word is spelled incorrectly, circle it. Have your buddy read the incorrect words to you again. Write those words in the second column labeled “Try Again.”
5. For any words you misspelled on the first try, write them correctly (you can look at your word list) in the third column labeled “Correct Spelling”. Circle the parts of the word you need to remember. Write your scores at the bottom of each column.
Name: _____________________________ Date: __________________
MONDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Word Sort
Directions: Cut apart your words and sort them. Then, copy your sort onto this sheet.
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
__________ __________ __________ ___________
What did you learn about your words from this sort? Be specific.
Today I learned _________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
TUESDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Making Connections
Directions: Choose four of your spelling words. For each word, make a connection with four new words. The connection can be about beginning sounds, ending sounds, how many syllables, short vowels, long vowels, or words that rhyme with your spelling word.
#1. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#2. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#3. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#4. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
#5. Spelling Word: __________________________
Connection: ____________________________
New Word: _____________________________
WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Writing Choice
Directions: Choose one of the following to do for homework tonight. Circle your choice.
Choice #1: Sentences
Write 10 sentences using at least 1 spelling word per sentence. Underline your spelling words.. Make these sentences good quality!
Choice #2: Story
Write a short story using at least 10 of your spelling words. Underline your spelling words in the story. Make this story at least 6-7 sentences long.
Choice #3: Definitions
Choose 10 spelling words to define. Underline your spelling word in each sentence. Make these sentences good quality!
THURSDAY NIGHT HOMEWORK: Buddy Check
Directions: Have a buddy test you on your spelling words. YOU check them over. Correct words get a star or smiley face, incorrect words get circled. Have your buddy read the incorrect words to you again. Write those words in the second column labeled “Try Again.” For any words you misspelled, write them correctly in the third column labeled “Correct Spelling”. Circle the parts of the word you need to remember.