7th Life Science

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Sitton Spelling Program Implementation

During the first three days of school each student will be pre-tested over the 100 words from the "No Excuses" list.  Any word that the student spells incorrectly on the test will be carried over into future spelling lists until the student spells that word correctly.  Any words that the student spells correctly from the "No Excuses" list will not be tested again because the student has shown that the word has been mastered.
 
Each spelling list will contain fifteen words.  Each student will have their own individual spelling list. The list will contain any "No Excuses" words that a student hasn't mastered and words going in sequential order from the "Core Word" list. 
 
If a student masters all of the words from the "Core Word" list, words will be taken in sequential order from the "Challenge Word" list.
 
Examples:
  • John Doe spelled words 86-100 incorrectly from the "No Excuses" pretest.  His first spelling list will be those words.  On his first actual test, he then spells words 97-100 incorrectly.  Those words will transfer over to his 2nd week spelling test and he will then pick up words 336-346 from the "Core Word" list.  Any word that is misspelled on the 2nd week test will transfer over to the 3rd week test.
  • Jane Doe spelled all of the words from the "No Excuses" pretest correctly.  Her first spelling list will be words 336-350.  On her first actual test, she spells words 338 and 349 incorrectly.  Those two words will transfer over to her 2nd week test and she will then pick up words 361-363 from the "Core Word" list.  Any word that is misspelled on the 2nd week test will transfer over to the 3rd week test.

 

Sitton Spelling Philosophy

The goal of the program is for students to learn to spell correctly in their everyday writing, not just for a Friday test.   Students are held accountable across the curriculum for the correct spelling of priority words. The program recycles words and skills for long term mastery.

High-Frequency Writing Words

These are words 4th grade students are expected to spell correctly 100% of the time.  

This list is the minimum competency for spelling.

1     the 18    his 35    when 52    them 69    time 86    way
2     of 19    they 36    we 53    then 70    could 87    find
3     and 20    at 37    there 54    she 71    no 88    use
4     a 21    be 38    can 55    many 72    make 89    may
5     to 22    this 39    an 56    some 73    than 90    water
6     in 23    from 40    your 57    so 74    first 91    long
7     is 24    I 41    which 58    these 74    been 92    little
8     you 25    have 42    their 59    would 76    its 93    very
9     that 26    or 43    said 60    other 77    who 94    after
10    it 27    by 44    if 61    into 78    now 94    words
11    he 28    one 45    do 62    has 79    people 96    called
12    for 29    had 46    will 63    more 80    my 97    just
13    was 30    not 47    each 64    her 81    made 98    where
14    on 31    but 48    about 65    two 82    over 99    most
15    are 32    what 49    how 66    like 83    did 100   know
16    as 33    all 50    up 67    him 84    down  
17    with 34    were 51    out 68    see 85    only  

Core Words

Core words are the words by which students are sequentially taught skills and concepts, which show how and why words are spelled certain ways. These words comprise the daily instructional component of the program. 

Core words are divided by graded level as follows:

First Grade            High-Frequency Writing Words 1 – 35           Second Grade       High-Frequency Writing Words 36 – 170

Third Grade          High-Frequency Writing Words 171 – 335      Fourth Grade         High-Frequency Writing Words 336 – 500

 

336   become 364   town 392   piece 420   outside 448   carry 476   question
337   grow 365   complete 393   surface 421   power 449   distance 477   organize
338   draw 366   brought 394   favorite 422   problem 450   although 478   least
339   yet 367   personal 395   common 423   longer 451   awesome 479   sensible
340   less 368   catch 396   speak 424   winter 452   possible 480   hour
341   wind 369   anything 397   calendar 425   deep 453   heart 481   happened
342   behind 370   hold 398   talk 426   heavily 454   wrist 482   foot
343   cannot 371   decision 399   whether 427   carefully 455   simple 483   adjacent
344   letter 373   discover 400   grammar 428   follow 456   snow 484   courage
345   among 373  stood 401   round 429   collapse 457   height 485   else
346   able 374   hundred 401   dark 430   everyone 458   suddenly 486   frequent
347   dollar 375   caught 403   creative 431   leave 459   easy 487   build
348   shown 376   excited 404   house 432   everything 460   dependable 488   precious
349   mean 377   felt 405   listen 433   island 461   laugh 489   weird
350   English 378   kept 406   monument 434   system 462   division 490   computer
351   rest 379   notice 407   brighten 435   original 463   wild 491   alone
352   perhaps 380   exercise 408   instead 436   watch 464   weather 492   bottom
353   certain 381   strong 409   either 437   magical 465   measure 493   resource
354   six 382   voice 410   account 438   drought 466   pattern 494   reading
355   feel 383   probably 411   already 439   within 467   sky 495   dictionary
356   fire 384   area 412   warm 440   floor 468   walked 496   poor
357   ready 385   horse 413   gone 441   ski 469   main 497   atlas
358   green 386   matter 414   finally 442   solution 470   someone 498   friend
359   yawn 387   stand 415   summer 443   themselves 471   center 499   language
360   built 388   respect 416   understood 444   begin 472   field 500   type
361   special 389   start 417   moon 445   decrease 473   stay  
362   rail 390   character 418   animals 446   treasure 474   itself  
363   full 391   beautiful 419   mind 447   quite 475   library  

Priority Words

Priority words are words that the students are always accountable for in their writing across the curriculum. They are broken down per quarter by grade level. Priority words are listed alphabetically so students may refer to them easily.

Priority words for each grade level are as follows:

                             First Grade          Words 1 – 15                 Second Grade       Words 1 – 35

                            Third Grade          Words 1 – 55                 Fourth Grade         Words 1 – 100

Challenge Words