When your first-graders search for hidden spelling words, they are learning how to identify a string of letters in a certain order to spell a specific word. Write the spelling words you wish to teach your students, in a random pattern, on a piece of blank white paper. Draw pictures or write other words until the entire page is covered. Reproduce the page so there is one for each student. Ask the students to find each of their hidden spelling words and circle them with a pencil. Alternatively, allow each first-grader to create a hidden spelling-word page, trade papers with a partner and find the hidden words.
Puzzles are a hands-on activity that you can use to build spelling-word recognition. Give each of your first-graders a piece of heavy, white paper with one spelling word written on it that would be easily illustrated, such as ball, hat, dog or cat. Have each student color the surrounding paper to illustrate the spelling word. Cut each word into three or four pieces and ask each student to put his puzzle back together to correctly spell the word. Repeat for each spelling word. Allow students to do their puzzles once a day.
Give your first-graders a list of the spelling words for the week. Write them on the board or provide a photocopy with each word. Ask your students to write a story that uses all of their spelling words. Sight words -- such as "and," "the," "can" and "to" -- are easily included in a story. Allow your first-graders to be creative and write a story about whatever interests them and to include words that may be more challenging, such as dot, pan and lid. Encourage phonetic spelling for other words, which means that first-graders spell them how they sound instead of having to spell them correctly. For example, phone might be spelled "fone," and snow might be spelled "sno." When the stories are complete, ask your students to circle each spelling word within their story. Invite students to share their stories and practice spelling the words as you go. If time permits, encourage your first-graders to illustrate their stories.
Bingo is an engaging game that might help your first-graders learn their spelling words. Prepare several different bingo cards that include each of your spelling words for the week. Each card should have 25 squares, with one word in each square. Include past spelling words as well, if desired. Write each word you include on your bingo cards on small slips of paper and place the slips of paper into a jar or bowl. Include a letter, "b," "i," "n," "g" or "o" on each slip. Give each first-grader a bingo card and several pieces of ripped paper or pennies. Instruct them to cover the words as you call them with a small piece of paper or a penny. Continue to call out a letter and a spelling word until one student has five in a row. Play as many games as time allows.