Friday, February 28, 2014

Spelling Challenge- Week 27

Spelling Challenge- Week 27


Fun Flap Spelling

If you do not know how to make a cootie catcher/fun flap, the directions are below. We have been making these in class for several other reviews so your child should be a pro already with how to fold the paper. 

 http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Cootie-Catcher-%28Origami-Fortune-Teller%29

Think of some fun fortunes for the middle and then write them in. It would be a really fun surprise if you (the parent) made the fortunes and maybe even put in special surprises, i.e. "Get to stay up an extra 10 minutes tonight", "10 minutes of extra TV time", etc.

On the outside flaps and middle flaps write in the spelling words for the week. 
 
How to play: The first person asks to pick a word and then the second person spells the word, then he/she asks again and spells the next word. On the third time they ask the student opens up the flap and tells their fortune. Your goal is to make it all the way through to the fortune. This is so much fun! 


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Monday, February 24, 2014

Going For The Gold!

Look out Sochi Winter Olympic Games! Fourth graders at Caddo Grove are "Going for the Gold" with their writing! Students began on February 19th, a 12 day focus on their Revising and Editing skills through their scheduled RTI (In School Tutoring) time. Students began their Olympic Journey by taking the released STAAR Writing test from April 2013. The scores they received on their tests were used as their Olympic "Time Trials". Those who scored a 70% or higher on their time trials got to decorate their own flag for display. Over the course of the program, students will strive for first mastering at least 70% of the content to earn them their flag. From that point on they will be competing for Bronze (80% mastery), Silver (90% mastery) and Gold (100% mastery) medals. Just like Olympic athletes our students are focused and training for their goal! Lets go Fourth Grade!!!





Thursday, February 20, 2014

Spelling Challenge- Week 26

Spelling Challenge- Week 26



Secret Code Spelling

Have your student write each spelling word then draw the picture for each letter next to the word to make a code. For a variation, you can mix up their spelling words and write the code only, then give it to your child to "break the code".  No matter how you do it it will be a favorite. 


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Friday, February 14, 2014

Spelling Challenge- Week 25

Spelling Challenge- Week 25



Word Search Fun

Create your own word search. You can visit sites like PuzzleMaker, plug in your child's spelling list and create a word search that you can print. Then have your child search for the correctly spelled spelling words and circle them. Let them use different colored highlighters for some added visual fun. If you don't have access to a computer or printer, simple take a piece of paper and make lines like a grid- similar to the grid above. Write in the spelling words on the blank grid first, then when finished, fill in any remaining blanks with random letters. Have fun searching!


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Friday, February 7, 2014

Spelling Challenge- Week 24

Spelling Challenge- Week 24



Hop and Spell

This is a great exercise mentally and physically. Hop on one foot as you spell words, this is a great exercise in balance especially with longer words. Hop, hop, hop!


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Monday, February 3, 2014

Show Don't Tell

In class lately we have been practicing our "Show Don't Tell" techniques. I read to the students the book, "Go Away, Big Green Monster" by Ed Emberley. As I was reading, I made it a point to not show the pictures on the pages so the students could not see. Students had a blank piece of manila construction paper and crayons/markers/colored pencils. As I read a page I instructed the students to draw how they thought, based on the book's description, the monster looked. At the end of the book I showed the monster to the students and they showed me their pictures. We then discussed ways that the author could have been a little more descriptive in his wording to make it easier to visualize. The students really seemed to get a kick out of this and hopefully the technique sticks with them of using elaborative detail in their writing!!