[MOSAIC] Words Their Way

[Bonita DeAmicis]

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 <pkimathi at earthlink.net> 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).
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