Spelling Can Be Fun

The favorite Spelling game for years with my students is a game called Sparkle.  We play it in the classroom, but also anytime we are somewhere waiting in line, including at the restroom!

To play they are in a straight line.  I give them a word to spell.  Let's say I give them the word dog.

The first person in line says D.
The next person says O.
The next person says G.
The next person says Sparkle.
The next person is out of the game and takes a seat.

I do not allow them to repeat the letter of the word that is said previously and do not repeat the original word, so they have to work on listening.  This continues until there are 2 players left.  Those two players spell until someone says the wrong letter.

If someone says the wrong letter, they sit down and the word goes to the next player.  This player starts the whole word over.

If we are in line, the people who are Sparkled or said the wrong letter sit down or go to the end of the line.  Which one depends upon where we are at.

All of my students love to play this, especially the ones that struggle with spelling, like I do.  They can often win because they are only having to say one letter.  It really helps build their confidence, and they will study their Spelling list because they want to play.

Even my 8th graders liked to play Sparkle!  They loved sitting each other down with Sparkle.

{In order to keep from hurting people's feelings when they say a wrong letter, my students are not allowed to say anything.  I always start the year out this way.  Instead of saying no, or that's not right, etc.  I say good-bye and wave at them.  As the year progresses, I just wave at them.  When I give my students the opportunity to "run" the games we play together, they will wave at each other and become very upset when a new student tells someone they are out.  They immediately tell them that is not how we do it in this room.  We don't hurt any one's feelings.  We all make mistakes.  Makes me kind of proud to hear them say things like that. :0) }