3rd. Grade Spelling Words

[GJM]

I am just curious if some of your with 3rd. graders can give me an idea of what their spelling words are. My DS now has 15 spelling words starting this week.

metamorphosis
hypothesize
observe
classify
compare
measure
record
conduct
predict
infer
communicate
germination
larva
pupa
adaptations

I think the lst. two words are really hard for 3rd. grade.

Just curious what other parents think or is it just me!

 

[mickeyboat]

I actually think it is a good mix - some that are easy to sound out, some that need to be memorized, and some that use blend concepts they are probably studying in their spelling curriculum. It also looks like the words are tied to a science lesson, so they will be seeing them in more than one context.

Denae (mother of 2 third graders)

 

[agnes!]

Wow. I think those first words might be a tad over the top, but I have a couple of questions..

*Are those words in your local school district/county/state standards? Is there some requirement that 3rd graders are required to be able to spell those words?
*Is this a new teachers or an experienced one?
*Do any of your friends with older kids have had this teacher? Can they give you some insight?

agnes!

 

[GJM]

She isn't a new teacher. From what I understand the district wants to do away with spelling tests. I have a friend who has a daughter in 4th. grade and they don't have spelling tests. They are trying to get the teachers to not give spelling tests.

I am OK with spelling tests, but I think it should be words that you will use. Honestly I can't say I use the word "metamorphosis" in my language all that much.

This teacher takes 27 words from their Science or Social Studies and then she assigns different words to each child. They started at 8, 10, 12 and now 15.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

Wow. Those words look hard to me.

 

[Cindy B]

That looks like an almost identical list to another third grade classroom within my building.

It looks fine to me.

 

[mickeyboat]

She isn't a new teacher. From what I understand the district wants to do away with spelling tests. I have a friend who has a daughter in 4th. grade and they don't have spelling tests. They are trying to get the teachers to not give spelling tests.

I am OK with spelling tests, but I think it should be words that you will use. Honestly I can't say I use the word "metamorphosis" in my language all that much.

This teacher takes 27 words from their Science or Social Studies and then she assigns different words to each child. They started at 8, 10, 12 and now 15.

Our teachers tested the kids at the beginning of the year and tailored spelling lists to their individual needs - strengths and weaknesses. If your child is already spelling well, be happy he is being challenged.

Also, science and social studies units have special terms, not always used in everyday life, but important to the understanding of the concepts.

 

[freckles and boo]

My daughter is in third grade. She is doing her spelling right now. The hardest word on her 15 word list is violinist. If she aces a pre-test (without knowing the words ahead of time) she gets much harder words for the week. After seeing one of her classmates crying because of the harder words she has decided she will NEVER get 100% on the pre-test.

 

[CowboyCO]

I am just curious if some of your with 3rd. graders can give me an idea of what their spelling words are. My DS now has 15 spelling words starting this week.

metamorphosis
hypothesize
observe
classify
compare
measure
record
conduct
predict
infer
communicate
germination
larva
pupa
adaptations

I think the lst. two words are really hard for 3rd. grade.

Just curious what other parents think or is it just me!

My 3rd grader (last year) came home one time with a spelling list even harder than yours. Think - 10 words like your first two. I was starting to get a little irate when my DS9 said, "Dad, they're just words about what we are learning in science!

Then it made sense. They were studying geology and rocks so all the words were related to their science studies. Looking at your kid's list, my guess is they are studying butterflies in science, so your DS has a list of words that are all related to the study of butterflies!

 

[Cindy B]

As a parent I would rather have a harder list than an easier list. My classroom has an easier list and it is almost embarassing (mandated state curriculum)-- I think 2 of our words this week are song and long.

 

[GJM]

Thank you everyone, I am glad to hear other opinions on this.

 

[Savsmommy]

My DD8 is in 3rd grade. She has always had 15 spelling words. Here are this weeks words............


High Frequency / -ild, -ind

pretty
instead
move
paper
page
kind
mild
wild
find
blind
season
behind
child
mind
children

 

[Took]

As a parent I would rather have a harder list than an easier list. My classroom has an easier list and it is almost embarassing (mandated state curriculum)-- I think 2 of our words this week are song and long.

I agree. I always kinda liked spelling tests....

 

[MM27]

Looks like the teacher is trying to cross subject area lines, which I think is an awesome thing. I teach math and science and you should see some of the spellings of words that we use in those two subjects. While I don't give spelling tests on the words, I do deduct points if the word is one that we have used multiple times and is a part of their math/science notes or our word walls. Spelling should not be an isolated subject.

 

[mamamary]

Sometimes the kids that do well with spelling get harder words????? That's how they did it with my son last year. Some of his words I had to look up in a dictionary because I had never heard of them.

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

I remember when my daughter had the word "paleontologist" one week in 2nd grade. I thought that was pretty insane, but you know what? She still remembers how to spell it using a silly pneumonic device we thought up to help her learn it!

 

[GJM]

Savsmommy - Those are words I guess I would expect him to have in 3rd. grade.



paleontologist - Wow, I guess I can't complain now for 3rd. grade. My DS would have had that as an extra credit word last year.