\doc\web\99\04\spell.txt Date sent: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 0:26:24 Subject: [education-consumers] Spelling To: "ClearingHouse" From: ghoffman@bellatlantic.net Send reply to: ghoffman@bellatlantic.net ===================================================================== I thought I would share some of the exercises from my son's spelling contract with the loop. We just started spelling last week. The words are very difficult for the first grade. His first set of words were: yap, slap, chap, wrap, scrap, and strap. I asked the elementary superintendent to use the word "yap" in a sentence for me. I asked him if it was his intention to teach slang to the children in the district. My son brought home his spelling contract today. He was given the opportunity to choose three activities from a list of twenty-one activities. Has anyone else seen this spelling contract? I do not understand some of the exercises listed…This has got to be the strangest contract I have seen come home to date. The exercises listed on the paper include: 1. Rainbow Trace 2. Sentence Sleuth 3.Pattern Clap 4. Playdough 5. White Crayon with Watercolors 6. Mini-Chalkboards 7. Chalkboard Paint 8. Stamp It! 9. A B C order 10. Stikki Wikkis 11. Partner Practice 12. Hidden Words 13. Glue Trace 14. Spelling Tunes 15. Build-a-Word 16.Quilt Patterning 17. Watercolor Paint 18. Tape and Spell 19. Overhead Projecto 20. My Own Practice 21. Trampoline Our spelling words this week are: sack, back, tack, pack, black, and crack.. He is in the top spelling group so these words are considered more difficult. Gloria Hoffman ===================================================================== EDUCATION CONSUMERS CLEARINGHOUSE networking and information for parents and taxpayers on the internet Subscriptions & Archives: http://education-consumers.com or You are currently subscribed to education-consumers as: arthurhu@halcyon.com TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send a blank email to leave-education-consumers-989462S@lists.dundee.net ===================================================================== For less mail, click on the following link and choose 1) a daily digest, 2) a daily list of subjects, or 3) no mail (read postings on Web) http://lists.dundee.net/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=education-consumers For more help & info: http://www.lyris.com/help or Send reply to: "Lieb Family" From: "Lieb Family" To: "ClearingHouse" Subject: [education-consumers] Re: Spelling Date sent: Wed, 3 Mar 1999 09:40:41 -0500 ===================================================================== When I see stuff like those spelling assignments listed, I wonder what they are trying to do...teach spelling or teach art? I will say that I was skeptical when my 4th grader told me in September that he had to do triangle words at his new school. I asked him, in my nicest "what-have-they-got-you-doing-now?" voice, to show me what that means. I was pleasantly surprised. I triangle word is like this: e ex exa exam examp exampl example It was actually forcing the kids to write the letters in the word to remember them (rote memorization!!)...of course I wondered how many kids missed the last letter or two on their test because it wasn't written as much, but I complimented the teacher on the process because it was something fairly simple that the kids don't mind doing....and no coloring involved! Now if we can only get this in the lower elementary grades! Jean ----------