Materials: pocket folder, prepared pages with alphabet letters, markers
*Here’s a link where you can download the pages with letters: http://www.drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2007/02_Feb/pg01.html
Directions: Ask students to tell you what they know about dictionaries. Brainstorm the many uses of dictionaries. Model looking up words and reading definitions. Explain that each of them will get to create their own dictionary that they can use to help them the rest of the school year. First, let the children decorate the outside of their pocket folder. Insert the alphabet pages. As you add new words to the word wall or have new spelling words, ask the children to write them in their dictionary. These would also be a meaningful way to introduce vocabulary words. Encourage students to use their dictionaries when they write independently.
Hint! You might want to go ahead and type your core sight words on the pages before running them off.
Here are some other activities you can play with their dictionaries.
*Play “mystery word” where you 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 the classroom?
*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.
*Have children make up sentences (oral or written) with the words.
*Ask children to illustrate words or find magazine pictures that match the words.
Homework Hint! Let the children take home their dictionaries one night a week and do some of the above activities with their parents.
