Welcome to Word Ladders!

1 In this book you ll find 100 mini-word-study lessons that are also kid-pleasinggames! To complete each Word Laddertakes just ten minutes but actively involveseach learner in analyzing the structure andmeaning of words. To play, students beginwith one word and then make a series ofother words by changing or rearranging theletters in the word before. With regular use,Word Ladders can go a long way towarddeveloping your students decoding andvocabulary do Word Ladders work?Let s say our first Word Ladder begins withthe word walk.

2 The directions will tellstudents to change one letter in walktomake a word that means to speak. Theword students will make, of course, is next word will then ask students tomake a change in talkto form anotherword perhaps chalk, or tall. At the top ofthe ladder, students will have a final wordthat is in some way related to the firstword for example, run. If students getstuck on a rung along the way, they cancome back to it, because the words beforeand after will give them the clues theyneed to go do Word Ladders benefitstudents?

3 Word Ladders are great for buildingstudents decoding, phonics , spelling, andvocabulary skills. When students add orrearrange letters to make a new wordfrom one they have just made, they mustexamine sound-symbol relationshipsclosely. This is just the kind of analysisthat all children need to do in order tolearn how to decode and spell when the puzzle adds a bit of meaningin the form of a definition (for example, make a word that means to saysomething ), it helps extend students understanding of words and of these skills are key to students success in learning to read and write.

4 Soeven though Word Ladders will feel likea game your students will be practicingessential literacy skills at the same time!How do I teach a Word Ladder lesson?Word Ladders are incredibly easy and quickto implement. Here are four simple a Word Ladder to try. (The firstfive pages feature easier ladders; youmay want to start with those.) a copy of the Word Ladder foreach whether you want to do yourWord Ladders with the class as a whole,or by having students work alone, inpairs, or in groups. (You might do the5 Welcome to Word Ladders!)

5 712345678910 NameRead the clues, then write the words. Start at the bottom and climb to the of one the present one cut one made by a one than one away twoletters, then addone chicken who lays one of fingers a person one light brown one male person olderthan a one than a one letter. first few together, until students areready to work more independently.) each new word, students will seetwo clues: the kinds of changes theyneed to make to the previous word( rearrange letters or add two letters ),and a definition of or clue to themeaning of the word.

6 Sometimes thisclue will be a sentence in which theword is used in context but is left outfor children to fill in. Move from wordto word this way, up the whole s the lesson in a nutshell! It shouldtake no longer than ten minutes to you re done, you may wish to extendthe lesson by having students sort thewords into various categories. This canhelp them deepen their understanding ofword relationships. For instance, theycould sort them into: Grammatical categories. (Which wordsare nouns? Verbs?) Word structure. (Which words have along vowel and which don t?)

7 Whichcontain a consonant blend?) Word meaning. (Which words expresswhat a person can do or feel? Whichdo not?)6 Tips for WorkingWith Word LaddersTo give students extra help, mix up and write on the board all the answers for the ladder (that is, thewords for each rung) for them tochoose from as they go through thepuzzle. In addition: Add your own clues to give studentsextra help as they work througheach rung of a ladder. A recent eventin your classroom or communitycould even inspire clues for words. If students are having difficulty witha particular word, you might simplysay the word aloud and see ifstudents can spell it correctly bymaking appropriate changes in theprevious word.

8 Elaborate on themeanings of the words as studentsmove their way up the ladder. If students are stuck on a particularrung of the Word Ladder, tell themto skip it and come back to it later. Challenge students to come up withalternative definitions for the samewords. Many words, like lock, fall,and stock,have multiple for the Bonus Boxeswithstars. These are particularly difficultwords you may want to you can do these ladders as agroup so that children will not getstuck on this Rasinski is a professor of literacyeducation at Kent State University, with aspecial focus on young and strugglingreaders.

9 Dr. Rasinski has served on theboard of directors at the InternationalReading Association and as president of theCollege Reading Association. He is theauthor of numerous books and professionalarticles on effective reading instruction. 10 Daily Word Ladders Grades 2 3 Scholastic Teaching Resources123456 NameRead the clues, then write the words. Start at the bottom and climb to the have away three to away one away oneletter, thenadd machine that grindspepper is called apepper .Add one shopping one one letter.

10 11 Daily Word Ladders Grades 2 3 Scholastic Teaching Resources1234567891011 NameRead the clues, then write the words. Start at the bottom and climb to the tAll of away one two that makesa ringing one wear it to hold upyour one wager or guess thatsomething will happen. Take away one stick used for hitting one opposite of one for one of the one falls from the skyand makes you one very away one letter. 1234567891012 Daily Word Ladders, Grades 2 3 Scholastic Professional Books12345678910 NameRead the clues, then write the words.