This sentence game was created to practice spelling words that are particularly hard for students such as friend, every, very, to name a few.
Use more difficult words for older students.
Common Core State Standards
This writing activity can address the following Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1.F, L.K.2, L.K.2.A, L.K.2.B, L.1.2, L.1.2.B, L.1.2.D, L.2.2, L.3.2, L.3.2.E, L.4.1.G, L.4.2, L.4.2.A, L.5.2, L.5.2.E, RF.K.3.C, RF.1.3.G, RF.2.3.F and RF.3.3.D.
It covers a lot!
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Pairs of Memory Cards
You’ll first need cards from a standard memory games. I’ve picked up a couple games at garages sales and thrift stores for no more than a dollar.
Students like this game because it gets them moving around the room.
Writing Prompts
We played this game after writing the Birthday Party-Personal Narrative because I wanted the children to work on the word friend.
We also played it after writing the Ring-Tailed Lemurs Stink Fight prompt, using the words would and wouldn’t.
Here’s how to play!
- Tell the student which focus word they’re going to use (i.e. VERY).
- Choose pairs of matching cards so that you have enough cards for each student. Give each student one card.
- Tell the students that they can’t show anyone their card or tell what their card is.
3. Students have to mill around the room using body language to describe their card. They try to find the other student with the match to their card.
4. Once the students have found their match, they sit down next to each other.
5. After all pairs of students are seated, choose one pair to go to the whiteboard to write a sentence using the word on their card AND a specific word that you have chosen for them to work on (i.e. friend).
You can also have the students write on individual whiteboards*:
Because of the time that it takes to mill around the room and match the cards, we usually only play 2-3 rounds of this game.
Each student in each pair writes a sentence to complete one round. You can use the same focus word or a different word for the rounds 2 and 3.
