Note 1: These activities are listed as options for students who missed their weekly spelling words. They have to choose two of these activities for the week.
Note 2: The students who received this list of options for their spelling assignments are eighth graders. In some societies, these students would be on the verge of adulthood. Here, we’re giving them the option of writing their spelling words in their choice of instant pudding or glitter.
Note 3: The teacher that published this list for her students is a writing teacher. That’s right: a writing teacher. Bear that in mind as you read Note 4 and the list of activities.
Note 4: The only changes in punctuation were to make the headings consistent. All the comma splices and other abuses of the comma, as well as other awkward wordings, are from the original.
Note 5: I’m well aware of the value of repetition in learning material. Any of these activities that encourage repetition will therefore have some value, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that the other bizarre aspects of these activities are going to be what magically locks a tricky spelling into a student’s brain.
Note 6: The sad (or funny; I haven’t figured out yet which it is) thing is that this is from a school district that has an undeserved reputation for “excellence in education.” You know - the school district where all the doctors, lawyers, bankers, and other various and sundry rich people live so their offspring can have a “quality” public education. Guess the laugh’s on them, unless they’re all a bunch of Auntie Mame types who mistakenly think that the latest also means the greatest.
Note 7: My comments below are italicized.
- Glitter Words: Write your words out in glue and then sprinkle with glitter, sand, or jello mix to make the words visible.
- Foldable Words: Fold a piece of paper in half (hamburger fold). Open it up and fold both outside edges to the center crease. Now fold into thirds. Open it up and cut from the inside to the outside seam. You should be creating six windows. Write one word on the outside flap and inside practice writing it 5x.
- Record a Word: Tape record yourself practicing the words. Spell each word 5x.
- Spelling Magic: Use a white crayon and write your words on paper 5x’s. Now using watercolor paints, paint over the writing and watch your words appear.
- Flashcards: Make a flashcard for each spelling word using index cards. On the front, print each word on a card. Write the words on the backside in cursive 5x each.
- Spelling Puzzles: Type up your spelling words in large 18 inch font without spacing in between words. Print out the paper. Cut out each letter out and reform each word. Glue them down on a new piece of paper.
- Block Puzzles: Using small lettered blocks, spell and glue together your spelling words.
- Spelling Dice: For each spelling word you have, roll a die and rewrite the word the number that appears.
- Chalkboard/Whiteboard/Transparency Fun: Rewrite your words on an erasable surface. Practice 3x each.
- Using magnetic letters, spell out each spelling word and take a picture of your work: You can send completed pictures to [email address redacted].
- Unusual Flashcards: Be creative. Select a substance such as fabric, or wood and make your own flashcards.
- Alpha-bit Spelling: You’ll need a box of alphabits cereal for this. Arrange and glue your spelling words together.
- Salt Box or Sand Box Spelling: In a large bowl or dish, pour in salt or sand or sugar. Then practice spelling your words. Take pictures of your words and email them to me.
- Pudding Practice: Use instant pudding as finger paint to practice your words 2x each. (GET PARENTS PERMISSION PLEASE).
- Pyramid Power: Write your words in order of difficulty. At the top the easiest and gradually get more challenging.
- Rainbow Words: Write your words 5x each in a different color.
- Spell It with Beans or Pasta: Using any form of dry beans or pasta, spell your words and glue down on paper.
- Pipe Cleaners: Use a pipe cleaner to bend into the shape of your word. Try it in cursive, or use one pipe cleaner for each letter.
- Toothpicks: Use toothpicks to make your words. Glue them down on paper.
- Magazine Letters: Using old magazines, hunt down the letters that form your words. Cut them out, and glue them on paper to spell out each word.
- Twist Tie Spelling: Using twist ties, arrange the letters your need to make your spelling words.
- Alphabet Stamps: Using letter stamps, stamp out your words.
- Playdough: Using playdough form your words, either stamp out letters or write into the dough.
- Make a Word Search: You can use graph paper and do this by hand, or complete online. Be sure you find all your words before submitting it.
- Do you have your own suggestion, not found here? Tell me about it.
Here are my suggestions. Which ones do you think would be taken seriously?
Rice Carvings: Using a microscope and dentist’s tools, carve your spelling words 5x on a grain of rice. Use one grain of rice per spelling word, please.
Human Alphabet: “Write” your spelling words by bending your body in the shape of the letters needed to spell your words. Be sure to take a picture of each letter as you form it. Copy the pictures in a Word document, making certain to arrange the pictures in the correct order to spell your word, and email to me.
Petri Dish Orthography: Obtain several Petri dishes (one per spelling word) and grow bacterial cultures on them. Once the cultures are established, spray some disinfectant on a cotton swab and use the swab to write your spelling words on the Petri dishes (5x per word). Take a picture of the Petri dishes after the disinfectant has killed the bacteria, thus forming your spelling words.
Alphabet Soup Speller: You’ll need some cans of alphabet soup to complete this activity. Have a can of alphabet soup for lunch, and hunt for the letters needed to form your spelling words. Once you’ve found them, write your spelling words using the alphabet noodles, taking pictures of each word. Email me the pictures.