Literacy Links

Reading
Reading Eggs
All children have a login for Reading Eggs.  Their login/password will be sent home in the first week of school - it will be the same login they had last year.  Reading Eggs is now able to be accessed on computer AND mobile devices (ipads, tablets, etc).  It's a great programme and really helps to support our young readers.  Contact me with any questions or issues.  It is expected that students will use Reading Eggs (at home and at school) for about 20 minutes per school day.

Storyline Online
Beautiful stories read by famous actors.

Spelling Games

Twister
I write all of the letters of the alphabet on the carpet with chalk (it vacuums up I promise).  Turn over a word and spell it by putting a hand, foot, head, elbow, knee... on each letter. For big words, like 'because' you might need to work with a buddy.

Keep it Clean
Write the words with water on hot concrete. You could use a paint brush or a water pistol or a water bottle.  Can you write all of your list words before the first words burns away?

Make some bath paint by mixing shaving foam and food colouring. Paint the words on the shower walls or sides of the bath.  Grating a bar of soap and mixing in a bit of boiling water and food colouring also works.

Get Moving
Skip your words by jumping over the rope each time you call out a letter. Stick word cards to plants, fences, the letterbox... Run from one word to the next. Look at it, call it out, close your eyes to spell it, check to see if you were right then run to the next word. how fast can you spell all of your words.

Body spelling is fantastic - I use it everyday. For tall letters (tlbd etc) reach your arms high into the air. For 'grass letters' (aecoi...) reach arms wide. For tail letters (jygy) touch your toes. Call out the word then call out each letter as you show move to show it's shape.

Puzzle Time
Write spelling words on a strip of paper. Cut the words into syllables and put them back together. Make it harder - cut into individual letters then put them back together. Use the pieces to join all of your words like a scrabble board.  Use scrabble tiles to make your words on the board.

Word Hunt
Hide words or letters around the backyard or house. How quickly can you find them. Alternatively, try hiding one piece of each word or the cut up syllables/chunks in different places. race around to find the pieces and put them back together.

Find the words in your reading books. Make a tally chart to see which words are most common. Search for them in newspapers or magazines.

Fly Swat
Cut a hole in a clean fly swat. Put word cards or letters on the floor. When a word is called out, use the fly swat to slap the word/letters. Really great for fast recognition of words, too.  Having 2-3 fly swats in a competition increases the fun and the pressure. You could also use the fly swat idea in some of the other activities e.g. swatting the letters hidden around the backyard.

Feel Your Way
Grab a plastic tray and cover it with a thin layer of flour, rice, sand, shaving foam... Use your finger to write the words on the tray. Smooth it out with your hand and do it again.

Make words with playdough or pipe cleaners.  Use a little bottle of PVA to write the words on paper. Let it dry hard. Run your fingers over the PVA words and see if you can figure out which word is which by feel.

Spotlight
Stick alphabet cards to a bedroom wall or ceiling. Call out a word and use a little torch to spotlight each letter to spell it.

Silly Sentences
Use your words to write silly sentences. Try writing one sentence that uses every word on your list.

Riddle Me This
Ask a big person to write some clues for your spelling words. Can you figure out what word they are thinking about?  I have four letters. I rhyme with shoe. My second letter is tall. The other three letters are grass letters. A word that means the same is 'hint'. Can you figure out my secret word?