Quick Letters

Introduction
There are more ways to practice spelling than simply writing the words on a piece of paper. In Quick Letters, students use teamwork and communication to learn new words and practice for their spelling test. And, it’s fun!

Learning Objective
Students develop their teamwork and communication skills while learning how to spell new words and practicing how to spell commonly misspelled words.

Materials

• Alphabet Cards. With index cards or small piece of paper, make a stack of approximately 60 cards, each with one letter of the alphabet. There should be at least two of each letter. Common letters, like the vowels (‘e’ is the most common letter in English), t, r, n, and d should have at least three cards. (Note: Students can make the cards before the activity begins.)
• Words to spell. These can be prepared by the staff member just ahead of time using words on topics of kids’ interests, words from teachers with target vocabulary or spelling, or words associated with particular subjects.

Activity

1. Students divide in teams of four or five. Each team is given a stack of alphabet cards.
2. Teams spread out the cards, face-up, on a table.
3. The staff member shouts out a word. The word can be either from an upcoming spelling test or a commonly misspelled word.
4. Team members work together to spell the word using the alphabet cards.
5. The first team to spell the word correctly using the cards shouts, “Quick Letters!”
6. If the team did not spell the word correctly, the round continues until a team produces the correct spelling.
7. The team who spelled the word correctly earns one point for that round.
8. The game continues with a new word.
9. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
10. Allow students to take turns calling out the word and checking for spelling.
    

Variations
Play in a language other than English, or bi-lingual.

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