Word Work @ Daily 5

Students will practice spelling, vocabulary, or high frequency

words kinesthetically and visually.

Common QuestionsWhat words do I use?What are the best Word Work materials to use?How often should I be changing the materials?

What words do I use?

Sight Words (65% of written text)

Words from Trophies Spelling Cautions

Words from Words Their Way

Words students are getting wrong in their writing

Vocabulary WordsTier 11 Words (fortunate, required, endure)

What are the best materials to use?

Individual White Boards

Beans or shells that can be used over and over again

Oily Crayola Modeling Clay smashed into the lid of a coffee can. Kids use a golf tee to write the words, smooth it out to erase, and begin again.

Magnetic Letters

Letter stamps- Stamp it, Write it, Read it

Magna Doodles

How often do I change materials?

We used to change the Word Work materials often to make it fresh and fun.

The “Sisters” say changing materials too often hinders word development. WW becomes more about the materials instead of learning words.

Typically the WW materials we begin the year with are the same ones we end the year with. Once children are independent with the process of getting out the materials, using them correctly and putting them away, the focus turns to the words and away from the materials!

Important Reminders

Word Work holds no content.

Word Work is merely the time to practice moving words into long term memory.

Children don’t have to stay at WW for a full round. 10 minutes is enough. Children practice their words and put their materials away and move into another Daily 5 choice.

Going Beyond Daily 5

More Effective Strategies

Interactive Read Alouds

Word Consciousness Classroom Million $ Words, RIP Words

Frayer Model (Examples, Non Examples, Illustration)

Stoplight Strategy

Multiple Meaning: Rock

Model Excellent Language

Book Wall and Content Wall

Voracious Reading

Less Effective Strategies

Asking, “Does anybody know what _____ means?”

Having students “look it up” in a typical dictionary

Having students use the word in a sentence after looking it up

Students guessing the definition

Copying from dictionary or glossary

Copying same word several times

Activities that do not require deep processing (word searches, fill-in-the-blank worksheets, etc.)

Rote memorization without context

Relying on incidental teaching of words