S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G

Spelling instruction is off to a good start this year. Alot of homeschoolers opt not to do spelling in first grade, but I personally thought it would help reinforce the phonics rules we're learning. Also my children love to write and are constantly asking how to spell words. So right now we are only learning 4 new words a week using Natural Speller, a book given to me by Kysha, a fellow blogger and a sweet, sweet person. Natural Speller provides you with ideas for spelling exercises to use as a weekly routine as well as word list for up to 8th grade. I have combined that with the Charlotte Mason method of "seeing" the word in your mind in order to spell it.

Here's our current routine:

Day 1
Review last week's list and spell orally.
Read the new list.
Practice writing in word in their spelling notebook.

Day 2
Define each word. (Prefix, suffix, and root word)
Spell with the moving alphabet. (letter cut-outs)

Day 3
Write in alphabetical order using a raindow of colors.
Clap out the syllables in each word.

Day 4
Narrate a sentence with word. (Working toward a paragraph.)
Write each word in the tracing tray.

Day 5
Test

For this week's spelling test, the children wrote the words in whipped cream! Such fun. can
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