Word Family Racing (3rd grade and up)

 

Author: Azriela Jankovic, Yavneh Academy, California

 

Subject: Spelling, Vocabulary

 

Objective: Practice writing, spelling, and vocabulary words while having fun!

 

Materials and Preparation: Each group receives a large sheet of paper (butcher paper works great and large lined paper works even better).Each member of the team has a pencil, a highlighter, and an open space to write on large paper.

 

Student Grouping: Varied groups of 3 to 5 students.

 

The Play: When the teacher calls time, each team has 5 minutes (can vary amount of time depending on attention spans / grade levels) to do the following:

 

• Find words on the spelling or vocab list with something in common.

• Words can be put in categories according to common prefixes, suffixes, or roots.

• Words that belong to the group are written in pencil.

• Each group member must take a turn writing a set of words before another person gets a turn.

• Students label each group, for example:Words beginning with SQUI: (*this title written and highlighted)squid (*squi must be highlighted in each word)squirrelsquint

• Groups continue until time is over.

 

Scoring:

 

• Each group of words receives 5 points just for being discovered and written down.

• Students count up words in each group and add 1 point for each word spelled CORRECTLY.

 

Further Play: After alotted time to make word groups from a given list of words, allow students 5 minutes to add onto their groupings with words that they might find in the dictionary or elsewhere. Each additional word counts for 1 point each.

 

Comments or Variations: This game can be varied using vocabulary words. Students can race to find as many synonyms as possible.List of words might contain: wentStudents list synonyms: journeyed, ventured, walked, drove, traipsed, etc.