McCullough's Class



 Word Study / Vocabulary Plan 2009  (rough draft)

4 days a week -There will be a certain period of time set aside for word study, but word study may occur throughout the day within the contexts of subjects.

Content vocabulary – Test over ten words a week

The list will go home on Monday. 

Do activities- crossword, word search (The children may write the word search to give to a friend), write as color words (vowels one color consonants another, silent letters another color), vocabulary activity, graphic organizer, chunk the words by syllables, put words in alphabetical order, look up five words in the dictionary, categorize the words by parts of speech, Make a picture dictionary of the words, Look up Greek or Latin meaning of the affixes, write all forms of the word (Governor, government, govern,) write analogies,  etc

 

Word Study book and rules and activities – Tuesday Weekly points will be given for actively working on this word study book.  Students will be given pre and post tests for various word patterns. 

Long Vowel patterns – Do word searches looking for patterns. Keep a running list in word study book.                        

Blends / digraphs - Do word searches looking for patterns. Keep a running list in word study book.            

R controlled             -ir  -or - er

diphthongs   au    aw    oo

Homophones –Make a homophone picture book                             

Usage      its, it’s,      there, their, they’re      to, too, two

                        your you’re

Greek / Latin root words

Contractions                                   

Possessives              

Silent letters                                    

Prefixes / affixes /suffixes           

Syllables       

Drop the y   

double final consonant    

I before e rule

Plurals                                              

  Suffixes –noun plural

Noun idea -ment -tion -sion       

 Verb –ing, -ed

 Adjective -er, -est, -ic, -ive

 Adverb -ly

No excuses words- Once a week Wednesday

Students give each other spelling test over basic sight words once a week.  They may not progress to the next level until they have mastered all of the words at each level.  If a student misspells any “No excuses words” in their every day writing, they go back to that level.  Periodically dictation sentences and activities will be given with the no excuses words to reinforce them.  Points will be given for mastering a level and activities.

Most commonly misspelled words After all no excuses words are mastered, the students work on most commonly misspelled list.

Activity sheets will also be graded.

Dictionary skills –ABC order, guide words, syllabication,   pronunciation key, homographs

Thesaurus skills

Patterns in poetry



Vocabulary Study - 2 days a week Tuesday Thursday

Points will be given for various activities

September

            Have students brainstorm and write a list.  The lists are cumulative and will be kept in the word study book.

Nouns- People words –

Family-cousin, brother, step-mother, etc.

 School- teacher, custodian, janitor, students

jobs-dentist, doctor

social studies –economist, governor, politician

science- scientist, geologist, botanist, etc

 

Do a suffix word sort for people words (-ist, -or, -er, -ian)

 
Places

landforms

  Things -

 Ideas –love, courage, justice
         Study common idea suffixes- ment, tion

Social studies words- economy, government,


         

Action Verbs – physical and mental action (thought shot words)

            Move quickly

            Move slowly

            Said quietly

            Said loudly

Said is dead activity

Adjectives -color words

            People descriptions

            Animal descriptions

Place descriptions

Object descriptions

Adverbs –how words –ly ending

Synonyms    Write synonym analogies           

Antonyms     Write antonym analogies           

Etymology   Share how words are invented and where words     came from        Do an internet search on this

Content Vocabulary  -Test vocabulary
            Math              
      
Science
       Social Studies


   Activities

“Tag you’re it” –Students tag someone to add to class list.  Try to add five and take five for their personal list.
Graphic organizers                       
Analogies                 
Charades

Crosswords 
Word art


Games- What word does not belong?  Go fish,  Rummy words

How is This Differentiated? Students work at their own pace on No Excuse Words and Word Hunts.  The teacher may give challenged spellers more direct instruction and guided practice to address individual and small group needs.  A variety of methods are used to address different learning styles.  Students are given choices of activities. 

September Content Words

  Content Spelling List

            Labor Day     (Capitalize and -or not -er)

            September   (Capitalize and break into syllables)

            Wednesday  (Capitalize and break into syllables)

                     twenty-four (hyphens in numbers)

            forty               (no u)

            ninety

            fourth

            fourteen       (break into syllables)

            social studies  (Change y to i before adding ies and the ci makes the sh sound)

            Science          (break into syllables)