Word Study
Word Study Lesson
Materials
· 2 of the game boards pictured below
· 2 of the die pictured below. Each side has one of the week’s features: y, ies, or ied.
· 2 of the game boards pictured below
· 2 of the die pictured below. Each side has one of the week’s features: y, ies, or ied.
· At least 4 different colors of little plastic game board markers (provided by my cooperating teacher)
· Reading notebook, pencil, scissors, and glue stick (each student has these in their desks)
· A copy of the week’s spelling word list. Each student already has one. The following list is the one I used.
Planning the Lesson
My cooperating teacher wanted me to work with two of the three reading groups. There were seven students in the YELLOW group, at reading level J (early 2nd grade level). There were eight students in the RED group, at reading level O (mid 3rd grade level).
Step 1: SORT
I knew that my students do a word sort every week with their spelling list of the week, so I asked my cooperating teacher what their spelling words for the week are and she gave me the above list and the three features. During reading in the afternoon, we rotate all three groups through three stations: at my cooperating teacher table they study word features, at the reading specialist’s table they practice reading silently and out loud, and at my table they do whatever activity my cooperating teacher or I have planned. However, when the lowest reading group gets to my table, they work with another reading specialist, so I only work with the other two groups.
When each of these two groups arrives at my table this Thursday, I will tell them that it is time to cut our their words and sort them in their spelling journals like they do every week. They will sort the above words into features by the pattern “consonant + y à ies or ied” by cutting out the words and gluing them into their notebooks. I used the same words and features for both groups because that is the list that the whole class is using and that my cooperating teacher wants them to learn. Also, the two groups I work with are very close in reading level, so there is no need to create a separate list. I will differentiate in other ways, such as how fast I explain things, and helping individuals who are confused.
Step 2: GAME
My cooperating teacher also suggested making a board game, so she gave me a board template and a cube template. So I created the board game and a die pictured above. After they sort their spelling words, I will show them how to play the board game, which is based on the three spelling features of the week.
There are two boards and two dice, so that each group can split into two games with 3-4 people per game. Each student gets one of the markers (blue, red, yellow, or green), takes a turn rolling the die, and moves his/her marker to the next word with that ending. Before ending his/her turn, the student must read the word aloud and write a sentence containing that word in their reading journal.
Students’ Responses
There was a change in plans and the low group’s specialist finished early, giving that group time to play the game (but not sort). That group had a little trouble reading the words, but it was mostly with the roots, not the endings. I helped them read the words when they got stuck.
Both groups were able to do the word sorts. Within each group, they all finished at different speeds, so I just had the first four kids to finish start one game, then the others played on the other board when they were ready. The first group understood how to play pretty easily. Two of them even noticed a mistake I made on the board.
During the game, some kids in each group had trouble reading the words on the board. My handwriting may have caused some difficulty, but for the most part they got better when I helped them with a few words. I had to give some example sentences for some words to explain the meaning.
Adaptations for Next Time
I actually made a mistake when designing the game board. My cooperating teacher thought it would be a good idea to add one or two spaces on the board that say to move back two spaces, so that the game doesn’t end too soon. I had already written words on every space, so I glued paper over two spaces on each board and wrote “go back two spaces.” It wasn’t until the kids started playing that I realized they would never land on those spots because there wasn’t a place on the dice for it! Two of the students in the first group actually pointed it out to me, so I removed the paper so that the words underneath could be seen instead.
Since I had to give some example sentences to explain the meaning of some words, I could redesign the board by having each square be a small page that you can turn over. The outside just has the word, and the inside has an example sentence. This would make the activity more independent, and also allow students to practice more reading skills.
My cooperating teacher wanted me to work with two of the three reading groups. There were seven students in the YELLOW group, at reading level J (early 2nd grade level). There were eight students in the RED group, at reading level O (mid 3rd grade level).
Step 1: SORT
I knew that my students do a word sort every week with their spelling list of the week, so I asked my cooperating teacher what their spelling words for the week are and she gave me the above list and the three features. During reading in the afternoon, we rotate all three groups through three stations: at my cooperating teacher table they study word features, at the reading specialist’s table they practice reading silently and out loud, and at my table they do whatever activity my cooperating teacher or I have planned. However, when the lowest reading group gets to my table, they work with another reading specialist, so I only work with the other two groups.
When each of these two groups arrives at my table this Thursday, I will tell them that it is time to cut our their words and sort them in their spelling journals like they do every week. They will sort the above words into features by the pattern “consonant + y à ies or ied” by cutting out the words and gluing them into their notebooks. I used the same words and features for both groups because that is the list that the whole class is using and that my cooperating teacher wants them to learn. Also, the two groups I work with are very close in reading level, so there is no need to create a separate list. I will differentiate in other ways, such as how fast I explain things, and helping individuals who are confused.
Step 2: GAME
My cooperating teacher also suggested making a board game, so she gave me a board template and a cube template. So I created the board game and a die pictured above. After they sort their spelling words, I will show them how to play the board game, which is based on the three spelling features of the week.
There are two boards and two dice, so that each group can split into two games with 3-4 people per game. Each student gets one of the markers (blue, red, yellow, or green), takes a turn rolling the die, and moves his/her marker to the next word with that ending. Before ending his/her turn, the student must read the word aloud and write a sentence containing that word in their reading journal.
Students’ Responses
There was a change in plans and the low group’s specialist finished early, giving that group time to play the game (but not sort). That group had a little trouble reading the words, but it was mostly with the roots, not the endings. I helped them read the words when they got stuck.
Both groups were able to do the word sorts. Within each group, they all finished at different speeds, so I just had the first four kids to finish start one game, then the others played on the other board when they were ready. The first group understood how to play pretty easily. Two of them even noticed a mistake I made on the board.
During the game, some kids in each group had trouble reading the words on the board. My handwriting may have caused some difficulty, but for the most part they got better when I helped them with a few words. I had to give some example sentences for some words to explain the meaning.
Adaptations for Next Time
I actually made a mistake when designing the game board. My cooperating teacher thought it would be a good idea to add one or two spaces on the board that say to move back two spaces, so that the game doesn’t end too soon. I had already written words on every space, so I glued paper over two spaces on each board and wrote “go back two spaces.” It wasn’t until the kids started playing that I realized they would never land on those spots because there wasn’t a place on the dice for it! Two of the students in the first group actually pointed it out to me, so I removed the paper so that the words underneath could be seen instead.
Since I had to give some example sentences to explain the meaning of some words, I could redesign the board by having each square be a small page that you can turn over. The outside just has the word, and the inside has an example sentence. This would make the activity more independent, and also allow students to practice more reading skills.
Literacy Plan for Word Study
Here are some more ideas and resources I want to use to incorporate word study into in my classroom:
· My word study game (outlined in the word study lesson plan posted on this site) worked very well and I would definitely use that again in my own classroom. It took about 15 minutes for each group to sort and play the game, but they also enjoyed repeating the game. I could also make different games, and have a station time (one game at each station and they go around the room and choose a game). As a whole class, I would go through some of the more advanced words on the board game that were not on their spelling list (envied, ladies, etc.), and that way they can help each other figure out the words with less help from me. Their writing (one sentence for each word they land on) would help me assess what they took away from the lesson.
· For the game, I would mix up high and low readers so that the higher readers can help the lower readers. But for other word study activities, I would group the students into the same 3 groups that my cooperating teacher’s class is grouped: one group of the advanced/more ready readers, less ready readers, and struggling readers. I would label each group by a color, or some other fun thing that doesn’t imply levels.
· I really like my cooperating teacher’s system of giving the students a weekly list of about fifteen words, and having them sort the words themselves. She gives them a new list every Monday. In my classroom, I would give them a new list in the middle of the week, like on Wednesday, so that there is some overlap over the weekend and we review the words on Monday. Then I would assess the students with a test on the last day, Tuesday.
· In word study, I try not to state rules. In the English language, that just sets you up for disappointment and frustration. But I DO talk about patterns. For example, you may have the following words in a list of “long a” words:
Waist
Gain
Eight
Neigh
Strange
Plate
Scrape
Maid
Brave
“Eight” and “Neigh” do not have exactly the same “long a” sound, but they follow the pattern. Look at this list of “short a” words:
Raft
Patch
Had
Strap
Tramp
Hand
Shack
Likewise, “Tramp” and “Hand” do not have exactly the same “short a” sound as the other words. They have more of a preconsonantal nasal.
· In my elementary and middle school, we were taught Latin 3rd-8th grade. Needless to say, this, on top of all the Roman history and mythology we learned in 3rd grade, turned us all into little Romans running around the church we rented. It was good times. But despite the clever phrases we could say to each other, we resented learning a dead language. Now, I see that knowledge of Latin actually helps me tremendously with my spelling skills and vocabulary knowledge. This is because of all the Latin roots that are found in English words. I may not be able to teach an entire course on Latin, but I can pick out root words, and help children make connections, and this will help them know more spellings understand more meanings, with less memorization involved.
· In my elementary school, we had lots of spelling tests and spelling bees. Spelling tests were a very effective assessment that I will use, but spelling bees are not the best choice for some students. I have the advantage of being very competitive as well as being a very good speller, so spelling bees were the highlight of my week. But many students hate being on the spot. It makes them nervous, so they make a mistake. Some make a mistake on purpose so they get out of the bee.
· Scholastic Word Study Site
· Online Word Study Game
· Early Literacy Game Printables
· See also the following documents.
· My word study game (outlined in the word study lesson plan posted on this site) worked very well and I would definitely use that again in my own classroom. It took about 15 minutes for each group to sort and play the game, but they also enjoyed repeating the game. I could also make different games, and have a station time (one game at each station and they go around the room and choose a game). As a whole class, I would go through some of the more advanced words on the board game that were not on their spelling list (envied, ladies, etc.), and that way they can help each other figure out the words with less help from me. Their writing (one sentence for each word they land on) would help me assess what they took away from the lesson.
· For the game, I would mix up high and low readers so that the higher readers can help the lower readers. But for other word study activities, I would group the students into the same 3 groups that my cooperating teacher’s class is grouped: one group of the advanced/more ready readers, less ready readers, and struggling readers. I would label each group by a color, or some other fun thing that doesn’t imply levels.
· I really like my cooperating teacher’s system of giving the students a weekly list of about fifteen words, and having them sort the words themselves. She gives them a new list every Monday. In my classroom, I would give them a new list in the middle of the week, like on Wednesday, so that there is some overlap over the weekend and we review the words on Monday. Then I would assess the students with a test on the last day, Tuesday.
· In word study, I try not to state rules. In the English language, that just sets you up for disappointment and frustration. But I DO talk about patterns. For example, you may have the following words in a list of “long a” words:
Waist
Gain
Eight
Neigh
Strange
Plate
Scrape
Maid
Brave
“Eight” and “Neigh” do not have exactly the same “long a” sound, but they follow the pattern. Look at this list of “short a” words:
Raft
Patch
Had
Strap
Tramp
Hand
Shack
Likewise, “Tramp” and “Hand” do not have exactly the same “short a” sound as the other words. They have more of a preconsonantal nasal.
· In my elementary and middle school, we were taught Latin 3rd-8th grade. Needless to say, this, on top of all the Roman history and mythology we learned in 3rd grade, turned us all into little Romans running around the church we rented. It was good times. But despite the clever phrases we could say to each other, we resented learning a dead language. Now, I see that knowledge of Latin actually helps me tremendously with my spelling skills and vocabulary knowledge. This is because of all the Latin roots that are found in English words. I may not be able to teach an entire course on Latin, but I can pick out root words, and help children make connections, and this will help them know more spellings understand more meanings, with less memorization involved.
· In my elementary school, we had lots of spelling tests and spelling bees. Spelling tests were a very effective assessment that I will use, but spelling bees are not the best choice for some students. I have the advantage of being very competitive as well as being a very good speller, so spelling bees were the highlight of my week. But many students hate being on the spot. It makes them nervous, so they make a mistake. Some make a mistake on purpose so they get out of the bee.
· Scholastic Word Study Site
· Online Word Study Game
· Early Literacy Game Printables
· See also the following documents.
Thoughts on Word Study
word_study_sorting.ppt | |
File Size: | 4750 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
words_their_way.ppt | |
File Size: | 437 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
word_study_summarized.pdf | |
File Size: | 356 kb |
File Type: |
Games
bingo_template.pdf | |
File Size: | 531 kb |
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concept_sort-_work_and_play.pdf | |
File Size: | 157 kb |
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homophone_rummy.pdf | |
File Size: | 834 kb |
File Type: |
latin_jeopardy.ppt | |
File Size: | 200 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
race_game_template.pdf | |
File Size: | 454 kb |
File Type: |