Skills:

vocabulary; alphabetical order; writing; spelling

Materials:

pocket folder, copies of the attached letter pages

Directions:

Let each child decorate the outside of their pocket folder. Prepare pages for their dictionary by running off the letter pages. (Click here for letter page downloads) Hole punch and insert in the folder. As you add new words to the word wall or have new spelling words, ask the children to write them in their dictionary. Children could also add vocabulary words for a season, a unit of study, or personal words they want to learn. Encourage children to refer to their dictionaries when they write independently.

Homework:

You can also use these dictionaries for interactive homework children can do with their parents. Here are some suggestions:

• Have children make up sentences (oral or written) with the words.
• Ask children to illustrate words or find magazine pictures that match the words.
• Play “mystery word” where parents give clues about words.
  • Can you find a word that starts with /m/ and ends with /d/?
  • Can you find a word that is the opposite of “fast”?
• Play the “rhyme” game.
  • Can you find a word that rhymes with “bike”?
  • Can you find a word that rhymes with “log” and is a pet?
• How many one letter words can you find? How many two letter words? Three letter words?
• Ask children to clap out the syllables in words.
• Can they match up words in their dictionaries with words in their house or words in other books?
• Sort words that refer to people, things we do, describing words, etc.
• Have children find a word that starts with each letter in their name.
• Make up other activities that will reinforce skills you are working on at school.