Basically I do the same thing as you, Bonita. I don't print on cardstock, the kids seem to be just fine with regular paper. Each of my students put their words in a zipper sandwich bag that the keep in a zippered puch in their binder. They have a second zippered bag for previous weeks. At any time they have all the words for the whole year available for creative sorts and comparisons. I vary my test type according to the group I'm working with, and the feature we are studying. Sometimes the test is a traditional "word call" test, sometimes it's a dictation sentence test. Other times I give them the headings and they have to sort the words correctly as well as spell them correctly. The students weem to enojoy the variety. I don't have a Smartboard, or Inspiration. I like what you do with it though.
Bonita DeAmicis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I print the sorts on card stock and pass them out to student groups on Mondays. They cut them out and they have a spell sort composition book with a pocket (made by them) that they keep the cards in. On Tuesdaysish (varies sometimes I start on Mondays)I call up each group to the smartboard. They sit on the floor and I say--think of how you could sort these words. They go for it (maybe 5 min) and then I ask each student to share what they based their sort upon. Often, their sort is exactly or close to what I would require (like long and short vowels, or double consonant in the middle, etc.) Then I tell them I want them to sort according to a sound pattern or spell pattern--they do this while I get Inspiration up on the board. I think it could also be done on an overhead with the words just printed on a transparency and cut out. If you have used Inspiration, then what I do is write the pattern as the main idea and then use rapid fire to type out all my words. Then I choose "select all" and "hide all links". That makes the Inspiration words like little objects that can be dragged around the program. As students finish their sorts I have them come up to the board and drag 1-3 words to the correct column. All students generally end up having a turn, but they work quickly to get the opportunity. Then the words are left up for them to copy into their spell sort books--which I check right there for proper placement and spelling. This all takes about 20 minutes per group. The next day they do a different sort and we may or may not do it on Inspiration (takes about 5 minutes). That night I assign word hunts for homework. The following day I call up each group and ask them to explain to me how the pattern seems to work...we discuss and they write that in their spell sort books. I assign sentences for homework (thought they can start in class)--I have additional sentence rules like right now we are working with commas, too. I use the sentences to helps students see how to combine and write longer sentences that still make sense. I suggest they do a speed sort with a partner on the fourth day...do not do much follow-up on that. On the last day I give a dictation test--3-4 sentences with 1-2 spell words in each. They write the whole sentence with proper punctuation as well. Starts all over. A bit rote, but the time feels about right and I like that the students must do some actual thinking each day. The dictation sentences tell me whether they have transferred the words over to actual writing and also gives me a check on how they are doing with the punctuation that we are studying. Sometimes the dictation and sentences reveal to me some minilessons I need to teach. Hope that helps. Bonita ---- Patricia Kimathi wrote: > Will you tell us a little about how you do this? > Pat K > > "to be nobody but yourself -- in a world which is doing its best, night > and day, to make you like everybody else -- means to fight the hardest > battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting." > > e.e. cummings > > On Feb 20, 2008, at 5:52 PM, Bonita DeAmicis wrote: > > > I like to do 2-3 sorts with them--an open sort, an assigned spell > > sort, and then a meaning or sound sort. We also do the assigned sort > > together using Inspiration on the smartboard. (3 different spell > > groups--one works with an aide). > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. Joy/NC/4 [EMAIL PROTECTED] How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and content go hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
