1. Write the homophones. Write their partners. Write them in sentences. Illustrate some sets, such as away/aweigh.
2. Write the words that have more than one meaning. Write them in sentences to show their different meanings.
3. Sort the words by their number of syllables. Then add more words to each category.
4. Write the words with double letters. Sort the words by the doubled letter. Add more double-letter words to each of your categories. Then make new categories using different doubled letters.
5. Write a word for which you can write at least three rhyming words. Write a funny rhyme using the rhyming words. Illustrate your rhyme. Read it to a friend.
6. Write the words with a long a sound. Write the words in sentences using the names of the days of the week and months.
7. Write the words with a long e sound. Sort the words by their long e spelling pattern. Find and write more words for each of your categories.
8. Write the words ending with a long i sound. Find more words with the long i spelling options: y, igh, ind, i-consonant-e, and i at the end of a syllable (reply, high, kind, ride, final).
9. Write the words with a long o sound. Write the words in sentences that use an often-confused word indicated by an {apple}.
10. Write the words with a long u sound. Find more words with the long u spelling options ew, ue, and u-consonant-e (stew, argue, rule).
11. Write the words with short vowel sounds. Then write more words by adding prefixes and suffixes.
12. Write words for which you can write an antonym. Write the antonym for each word. Write each set of words in the same sentence.
13. Write words for which you can write synonyms. Write synonyms for each of these words. Then alphabetize each set of words.
14. Write the words with silent letters. Sort the words by the silent letters. Then add more words to each category.
15. Write the action words - the verbs. Write the words in sentences using classmates’ names.
16. Write the words that can be both a noun and a verb. Write these words in sentences using both meanings. Can you use both meanings in the same sentence?
17. Write the words that name a person, place, or thing - the nouns. Write the nouns in question form. Exchange papers. Then write answers to your partner’s questions.
18. Write the words that describe - the adjectives. Write the words in sentences that call for an exclamation mark at the end.
19. Write the words to which you can add a prefix. Write the words with a prefix added. Add more words with a prefix to your list. Exchange papers. Add new words to your partner’s list.
20. Write the words to which you can add the ing suffix. Write the words with the ing suffix added. Then write the answers to the following questions: When did you double the final consonant letter? How did you add ing to words ending in silent e? How did you add ing to words ending in y?
21. Write the words to which you can add the ly suffix. Add the ly suffix and write these words in question sentences. Trade papers. Then write the answers to your partner’s questions.
22. Write the words to which you can add the er suffix. Add the er suffix.Then sort the erwords by the meaning of the suffix: one who or more. Add more words to each set.
23. Write the words which you can add the est suffix. Add the est suffix. Write a rule for how to add this suffix to words, including words that end in silent e and y.
24. Write the present tense verbs. Then write these verbs in the past tense. Sort these words in some way using more than two categories.
25. Write the singular nouns. Then write these nouns in their plural form. Next, find and write the plural nouns and make each one singular.
26. Write the words that contain the sound you hear at the end of place. Then sort the words by the letters spelling the sound. What statements can you make about the spelling patterns for this sound?
27. Write the words you can make into compounds. Write the compound words. Then see how many more compounds you can write. Write a story with a partner using as many of your compounds as you can. Read the story to the class. Then see how many of the story compounds the class can remember and write.
28. Write the homographs, words that are spelled alike but have different pronunciations. Write the homographs in sentences to show their different meanings. How many more homographs can you write? Here’s a start: wind, present, object...
29. Write the words that have small words inside. Write the small words. Then write more words that have small words inside. Ask your partner to find and write the small words inside your words.
30. Write the words for which you can change the beginning letter to make a new word (long/song). Write the new words. Then play the same game with ending letters and middle letters (said/sail, part/port).
31. Write the words for which you can change any two letters to make a new word (then/torn, close/chase). Write the new words.
32. Write the words for which you can add one letter to make a new word (words/swords). Write the new words. Then play the same game, but add two letters (all/walls).
33. Write the words for which you can remove one letter to make a new word (place/pace). Write the new words. Then play the same game, but remove two letters (through/tough).
34. Write the words you can make into a contraction (have/haven’t). Write the contractions. Then write more contractions and sort them by the words from which they are made.
35. Write the words that end with y. Next, sort them by their ending sound. Then find and write more words for each set.
36. Write the words that contain ou. Sort the words by the different sounds ou spells. Are there still more sounds ou can spell?
37. Write the words that begin with th. Then add more words to this list. Next, write your list in alphabetical order. Repeat the activity with words that end in th, then for those that are spelled with th in the center.
38. Write any five of the words. Write them in one sentence. Ask your partner to write a sentence with these same words. Compare your sentences.
39. Write the number words. Write them in order, small to large. Then continue writing number words. Which number words have hyphens?
40. Choose a paragraph in a newspaper or magazine. Underline the words that are on your list. Write these words. Which word was used most often?
41. Write five sentences using only those words on your card. Dictate the sentences for a partner to write. Then proofread the sentences together.
42. You and a partner each write any ten words from the card. Exchange papers. Then you both sort the words in some way. Exchange papers again. Then write an explanation for how your partner sorted your words.
43. Write the words that have no tall letters. Then write the words that do have tall letters. Alphabetize your two lists of words together. Then write a word each missing alphabet letter.
44. Write the words that have no tail letters. Then write the words that do have tail letters. Alphabetize your two lists together. Then write a word for each missing alphabet letter.
45. Write the words that have both tall and tail letters. Add more words to your list. Exchange papers. Then add new words to your partner’s list.
46. Write any ten of the words on graph paper. Use two boxes for tall letters and two boxes for tail letters. Outline the shape of each word. Then write more words that match each shape.
47. Write the words on your card that contain the sound you hear at the beginning of Kentucky. Add more words of your own. Then explain in writing what you discover about the spelling patterns that can spell this sound.
48. Write a sentence without using any of the words on your Spell Check card. Was it difficult for you to do? Why or why not?
49. Write any ten of the words. Write a sentence for each word, but put a blank in the sentence where the word goes. Ask a partner to complete the sentences. Then compare your words with those your partner chose to use in the blanks.
50. Select a word on the card. The first player changes any one letter of the word to make a new word. The second player changes any letter of the new word to make another word. Play continues, never repeating a word.
51. Review the abbreviations on your card. Then find and write more abbreviations. Next, collect more shortcut words: contractions, acronyms (initials pronounced as words - NASA), blended words (motel), initializations (PTA), and clipped words (bike). Also, list symbols that stand for words, such as #, which can stand for number of pound.
52. Select sets of words from the often-confused list. Explain in writing a “technique” you’ve devised to distinguish them so that they are not misused.
53. Write one two-letter word. Make more words in which each consecutive word uses the letters of the previous word plus one letter (he, she, hers, share, hearts, shatter, etc.).
