These lessons are designed to help children learn to spell, as well as use proper capitalization and punctuation. The words in the 35 lessons are taken from the Bible paragraphs, and also include a list of over 300 high frequency spelling words, plus all the Dolch words and words from the second grade Johnny Can Spell list. The words are arranged in groups at the top of each lesson.
The phonogram group will include words with phonograms such as ee, ea, ai, vowel/consonant/e, ow, ou, igh, etc. Phonogram list , Johnny Can Spell Phonogram Sounds
The short vowel group contains words with the short sound of the vowels.
Words which don't seem to follow the rules have been listed under Tricksters.
Bible words are introduced and will not appear in subsequent lessons, once they have been introduced.
The verbs are presented by tense and should be drilled using
"Today I _________________."
"He _________________."
"I am _________________."
"Yesterday I _________________."
"(She has _________________.)"
On Monday, the student receives a copy of the lesson, copies the paragraph in class, and works the spelling exercises. The teacher talks with the class about the punctuation and capitalization in the paragraph and reviews/reteaches the rules for these. During the week, the student practices the word lists and the paragraph at home. Skills for the week are reinforced in the classroom.
On Friday the paragraph is dictated by the teacher, and the student writes it from dictation, using proper punctuation and capitalization. During dictation, longer sentences are broken down into phrases. We will give an example from Unit 1.
Break each sentence into phrases in the same way. The last sentence of Unit 1 will be broken into five phrases. If there is more than one paragraph, the teacher tells when a new paragraph is beginning.
Teacher: "The first sentence is 'God made all things.'
God made..." (As you say each phrase, move your arm in an arc over your head from right to left. As the children observe your action while facing you, they will move their arc from left to right, which we want them to do).
Class: (in unison) "God made...." (each child moves his/her arm in an arc as the phrase is repeated.) The students then write that phrase.
Teacher: "all things." (moving arm in an arc).
Class: "...all things." (moving arms in arcs) Students write that phrase.
At the end of each lesson, the scripture is given for the children to look up the story and read it from the Bible.
Home Activities
They will also benefit from learning the songs presented in
Musical Spelling Rules.
Links to Bible coloring pictures and Bible activities on other sites will provide enrichment and added enjoyment.
