First Grade Spelling Words
Throughout the school year you can also refer to the No Excuse Words list. The words marked with an asterisk are the Kindergarten No Excuse Words which your child should know how to read and write at the beginning of First Grade. If your child does not know these words, please provide opportunities to practice them at home. All students are expected to know how to read and write all of the words by the end of the first grade.
Week 5 - short e sound
Basic and Writing Words
get ten
let red
yes men
for have
they
Challenge Words
shell freckle
penny next
fence spend
Spelling Activity Menu
Choose activities from this menu to help you practice your spelling words each week.
o Write your words in ABC order.
o Write your words three times each.
o Rainbow write your words using three different colors.
o Write sentences using your spelling words.
o “Say – Spell – Say” your words to an adult.
o Open to a page in a magazine or newspaper. Circle as many spelling words as you can find.
o Play Hangman with someone using your spelling words.
o Write each spelling word on two index cards and play concentration with someone.
o Play the One Minute Memory game. Study your words for one minute. Then, without looking, write as many words as you can remember. Make sure you check them to see if you spelled them correctly!
o Take a spelling pre-test. Write any words you misspelled three times each.
o Cheer your words for an adult.
o Write a silly sentence using at least five of your spelling words.
o Write your spelling words on the sidewalk using sidewalk chalk. Be sure to get permission from an adult before you do this.
o Using magnetic letters, Scrabble tiles, sponge letters, etc. have an adult say a spelling word then find the correct letters and spell your words.
Below you will find information about our spelling program and the Take-Home Spelling Practice pages that you will find in your child’s homework envelope.
It’s time to start our weekly spelling lists!
Your child will bring home his/her spelling papers with his/her homework each week. The homework will contain the previous week’s test, Monday’s pretest (so you know what words they missed and need to practice), the practice page with this week’s list, and the two homework pages. The weekly homework contract/newsletter will have the spelling homework written in on the appropriate days (although they can actually be done any day that works for you). Each child needs to return both completed homework pages by Friday. Please remember the list, test and pretest do not come back to school. Just return the stapled homework pages. If your child goes to ESS after school, you may want to keep the spelling papers in his/her backpack so that spelling homework can be completed at ESS.
This letter will familiarize you with our spelling program and the Take-Home Spelling Practice page that you will find in your child’s blue envelope. Each week your child will take home a practice page/spelling list that will be a study aid for practicing the words for the week.
The title at the top left side of the practice page names the spelling skill that your child is learning in the unit. The words in the speech balloon explain the strategy for applying this skill. It is a reference for both you and your child to help you as you study the words together.
The Word List shows the words we are studying for the week. The list also includes special words for writing that will also be on the weekly test. To help your child prepare for the test, say each word aloud and have your child write it.
If you have time, you may want to do the optional activity together. You’ll discover that it’s a fun way to practice the spelling words. Many of the activities have a phonics label. These particular activities offer phonics practice using the spelling words. If you choose to do these activities, they do not need to be returned to class.
Challenge words are also included on this paper. These words are a little harder, but are still related to the week’s spelling skill. Any child may attempt one or more of the challenge words on our weekly test. They will be scored separately from the other list words. If your child missed few or none of the spelling words on Monday’s pretest, I will expect him/her to study and learn the challenge words for Friday’s test.
In addition, your child may have Personal Words on the practice page. Each child may choose 1-3 personal words that they would like to learn to spell. These will be words that personally interest them and/or words that they are currently using a lot in their writing. They will also be tested on these words on Fridays.
The Review units, which occur every three weeks, are somewhat different. Those pages contain only a Word List and the optional activity. There will also be review challenge words, but no personal words on review weeks. Your child's teacher will choose nine basic/writing words and six challenge words for Friday’s test.
While you are practicing the words at home, we will also be working on them at school. Your child’s spelling book contains practice pages for each unit that we will complete in class. Some center papers will address the week’s spelling skill and we try to find time for spelling games along the way. Each Friday we take time to review all the words before our weekly test.
We hope you’ll find the spelling practice page a useful tool for helping your child with spelling this year. Above you will find a Spelling Activity Menu with a variety of ideas for extra spelling practice that you can keep at home. Some children will need extra practice to do well on our weekly tests. Please let your child's teacher know if you have any questions regarding our spelling program. As always, thank you for your help and support at home.