Spelling Lesson Plan
Students use Words With Friends (WWF) EDU to practice spelling strategies.
Primary Objective
Students will be able to spell words on the WWF EDU game board by
applying grade-appropriate knowledge of spelling rules, conventions, and
strategies.
Secondary Objective
Students will be able to use words two grade levels above their own with
correct spelling conventions.
Aligned Common Core
State Standards
L.4.2.d, L.5.2.e, L.6.2.b, L.7.2.b, L.8.2.c
Time
30 minutes
MATERIALS
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Student computers
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Index cards or student notebooks/digital notebooks
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Game board example: spelling
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Projector
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Poster and poster markers
Spelling Lesson Plan
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PREPARATION
1. Give students the opportunity to play WWF EDU before this lesson.
•
Recommended practice time: at least 1 hour over a multi-day period or 3–5 game play sessions.
2. Identify a spelling rules resource that can serve as a reference for you and for students. Review this
list to identify low- and high-level spelling words based on the grade level of the students you teach.
•
If systems for an explicit spelling practice already exist in your classroom, you may choose to use
a sight word list that will be familiar to students.
•
If you do not have a preferred spelling rules list, you may choose to access a list from the Riggs
*
Institute .
3. Consider whether to teach this lesson in a large group or a series of small groups, depending on the
resources that are available in your classroom (e.g., if you do not have a full set of student computers
to facilitate a full-group lesson, this lesson may be taught in a series of small groups while other
students are engaged in centers).
4. (Optional) Pair or group students together for practice with game board examples and/or game play.
PROCEDURE
1. Introduction
•
Set the stage and activate existing knowledge (8 minutes)
o
SAY: The ability to spell words correctly is a critical skill for WWF EDU player or any
writer. For instance: it’s possible that you could think of a great word to play in the game,
but if you can’t spell the word correctly the idea won’t help you. If you try to play a word
that is misspelled, you will get an error message and won’t score the points. Similarly,
you might think of a great word to include in an essay, but if you spell it incorrectly, your
reader might get confused or misunderstand your writing. Today, we are going to work to
identify common spelling traps and review important spelling rules that will help us as
game players, as well as readers and writers.
o
Remind students of resources in the room such as word walls, personal word lists,
subject area vocabulary lists, dictionaries, etc.
o
SAY: Let’s review some common spelling strategies.
§
Consider the word’s part of speech.
§
Break the word apart into smaller pieces like syllables, sounds, or roots to try to
identify the part of the word that might have a misspelling.
*
Please note that this list is not affiliated with Words With Friends EDU, so we cannot fully vouch for its accuracy, but it can be a
good resource if you do not have a spelling rules list of your own.
Spelling Lesson Plan
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o
o
•
SAY: Let’s review some common spelling rules, remembering that there are always
exceptions.
§
i before e, except after c or if the sound is ay. Examples are: receive, neighbor,
and believe.
§
If a word ends in y, change the y to i before adding the suffix. Examples are
heavy/heaviness, funny/funniest, and pretty/prettier.
§
If a word ends in a single consonant, double the consonant before adding a suffix.
Examples are run/running, big/bigger, and trim/trimmed.
§
If a word ends in e, drop the e before adding a suffix. Note: in WWF EDU you
can’t take a tile away from the board, so (for example) you won’t be able to add
the suffix –ing to the word care if it’s already on the game board. Still, this rule is
important to know because it will help you identify words you can’t play, which
could save you some valuable thinking time and avoid those pesky error
messages.
SAY: Before we dive into WWF EDU game play today, let’s work together to practice
using these spelling strategies and rules to play words on a WWF EDU game board.
§
Show the game board example on a projector. Lead students in brainstorming
words to spell using the tile rack(s). Highlight words that might require knowledge
of the specific spelling rules. Help students to connect words spelled to their
meaning.
§
(Optional, additional 5 minutes) Give students the opportunity to extend this
practice to their own game boards. Help them identify game boards in their
Moves List that they might use; they can choose to use ongoing game boards
(under “Your Move” or “Their Move”) or recently “Completed” game boards.
Encourage students to collaborate with a partner or in small groups to apply
spelling strategies and rules in considering words that could be played. Circulate
around the room to support this practice.
Set the intention for game play (2 minutes)
o
SAY: Today, while we play WWF EDU, I want you to keep track of any spelling rules or
strategies you apply on an index card (or in your notebook/digital notebook, pass out
index cards if this is your choice). We will use the notes that you take on your index card
(or in your notebook/digital notebook) to build a spelling rules and strategies list as a
class. You might even think of some that we haven’t discussed. This practice will help
train your brains to be more aware of the reading and writing skills and knowledge you
apply everyday. As always, I encourage you to look for the green light on the Power
Word list that indicates that there is a Power Word you can play; seize those
opportunities to grow your academic vocabulary and score some major points! You can
keep track of any Power Words you play on your index card (or notebook/digital notebook)
as well, and we will study these words at the end of the lesson.
Spelling Lesson Plan
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2. Practice/Play time (10 minutes)
•
Circulate around the room as students play WWF EDU, focusing on spelling rules and strategies.
Encourage, troubleshoot, and support students as they work/play. Publicly praise students when
you see them applying the strategies/rules and playing Power Words. Remind them to use their
index cards (or notebooks/digital notebooks) to take notes.
3. Closure (10 minutes)
•
Lead students in a discussion that sums up the game play experience, noting how many words
were played that required some kind of distinct spelling rule or strategy, along with Power Words.
Work together to create a “WWF EDU Spelling Strategies and Rules Poster” based on the
students’ notes. Discuss any tricky spelling moments, particularly where they encountered
exceptions to the spelling rules, and help students connect words played to their meanings. Help
students make a connection between how knowledge of spelling rules and strategies helps us in
game play, and, more importantly, how that knowledge helps us become stronger readers and
writers.
EXTENSIONS AND VARIATIONS
Use these ideas to further engage students in activities aligned to the learning objectives of this
lesson. For those of you who may be searching for ways to provide more student-led activities in
your classroom, we’ve labeled the activities that can be easily led by students with #StudentLed.
•
Give students a spelling quiz based on the poster that you create and words that they played in
WWF EDU.
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Make the “WWF EDU Spelling Strategies and Rules Poster” a living document on your classroom
wall by encouraging students to add to it as they continue playing WWF EDU. #StudentLed
•
Discuss why some letters have a higher point value than others and why using those letters in
game play is a great strategy.
•
Provide strategies and examples of how to play words using the higher value tiles, like Q, Z, and
X, noting any spelling irregularities (example: qi has no u)
•
Provide students with an opportunity to review each other’s writing, acting as editors with the
purpose of identifying any spelling errors or misapplications of spelling rules. #StudentLed
Spelling Lesson Plan
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GAME BOARD EXAMPLE: SPELLING
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Prompt: If you had access to ALL these letters, how many of the spelling rules we’ve discussed
can you apply to spell words on this board?
Spelling Lesson Plan
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GAME BOARD EXAMPLE: SPELLING
Possible responses:
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Use the E at the end of “ROUTE” to create “ACHIEVE” [i before e], with the C landing on double
letter score.
•
Use the R at the beginning of “ROUTE” to create “ROTTING” [double consonant when adding ing when a word ends in a single consonant]
•
Use the O in “ROUTE” to create “BORING”, or “BORED” [drop the e when adding a suffix]
•
Use the E at the end of “ROUTE” to create “RECEIVE” [i before e]
•
Use the U in “ROUTE” to create “QUITTER” [double consonant when adding -ing when a word
ends in a single consonant]
•
Use the U in “ROUTE” to create “ACQUIRED” [cq is a common spelling for the /k/ sound, but one
that is tricky for many students].
Spelling Lesson Plan
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Aligned Common Core State Standards
STANDARD
DESCRIPTION
L.4.2.d
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
d. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
L.5.2.e
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
e. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
L.6.2.b
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
b. Spell correctly.
L.7.2.b
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
b. Spell correctly.
L.8.2.c
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
c. Spell correctly.
Spelling Lesson Plan
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