About the Word Sort Cards: This is an organized collection of word sortsto help students learn spelling. The word sorts are organized in increasinglevels of complexity, and you may match them to students in accordancewith their demonstrated spelling needs. You may determine spelling needsby a pretest or by the actual writing of the students (recommended).

Adapted from: The Science of Spelling: The Explicit Specifics That Make GreatReaders and Writers (and Spellers!). J. Richard Gentry. Heinimann. 2004.

You may decide to do whole-class, teacher-ledword sorts to start out, modeling how touse the guide words on top of each sort.

Each Word Sort has a heading. The headingnames the spelling concepts, and thengives two or three guide words. The guidewords indicate the words that represent thepattern of that Word Sort.

Students should write their Word Sorts into columns. They should usepaper, whiteboards, or a computer. Tactile experience (writing or typing)reinforces spelling, so if students work together, each student should writeor type.

Guide to the Spelling Concepts in the Word Sort Collection:

Adapted from: The Science of Spelling: The Explicit Specifics That Make GreatReaders and Writers (and Spellers!). J. Richard Gentry. Heinimann. 2004.

Appropriate for Grade 1: Word Sort 1: get-big-but: short vowel 2. Word Sort 2: cat-make: short vowel-e marker

3. Word Sort 3: me-get: short vowel vs. open syllable 4. Word Sort 4: cat-bake-day: mixed vowel patterns 5. Word Sort 5: top-made: Short vs long vowels

Appropriate for Grade 2: 6. Word Sort 6: fed-bee-read: Short vs. long vowels 7. Word Sort 7: side-nail: CVCe vs. CVVC

8. Word Sort 8: all-tell-will-boss: Final consonants ll, ss 9. Word Sort 9: able-flame-bay-main: Long vowels 10. Word Sort 10: be (homophone); into (compound)Appropriate for Grade 3: 11. Word Sort 11: lived-stopping-reading: Endings -ed, -ing 12. Word Sort 12: chair-pair-care: Controlled vowels 13. Word Sort 13: yourself- I’d : Compound words and contractions 14. Word Sort 14: footprint—aren’t: Compound words and contractions 15. Word Sort 15: sup/per- su-per: VC/CV vs. V/CV

Guide to the Spelling Concepts in the Word Sort Collection:

Adapted from: The Science of Spelling: The Explicit Specifics That Make GreatReaders and Writers (and Spellers!). J. Richard Gentry. Heinimann. 2004.

Appropriate for Grade 4: 16. Word Sort 16: de/fine—com/plete: Syllabication

17. Word Sort 17: cotton-organ-pumpkin-wooden:Endings: -on,-an-,-in,-en

18. Word Sort 18: Exceptional Plurals 19: Word Sort 19: peace-peaceful-peacefulness

Word BuildingAppropriate for Grade 5:

20. Word Sort 20: rage—judge: -ge, -dge 21. Word Sort 21: niece—ceiling—weigh: The I before E

rule and exceptions 22. Word Sort 22: bicycle-midday-semiformal-dissect

Prefixes meaning “two” 23. Word Sort: 23 submarine-superman: Prefixes

meaning “over” or “under” 24. Word Sort 24: expression-affection: Suffixes that

sound like “shun”

Guide to the Spelling Concepts in the Word Sort Collection:

Adapted from: The Science of Spelling: The Explicit Specifics That Make GreatReaders and Writers (and Spellers!). J. Richard Gentry. Heinimann. 2004.

Appropriate for Grade 6: 25. Word Sort 25: sign-signature; divide-division: Words with Vowel and

Consonant Alternation 26. Word Sort 26: breakable-flexible: -able vs. -ible 27. Word Sort 27: hesitant—insistent: -ant vs. -ent 28: Word Sort 28: fearlessness—precautionary: Words with a prefix and

a suffix vs. words with a prefix or a suffix Appropriate for Grade 7: 29. Word Sort 29: usual-league: Words with 2U’s vs. Words with 1U 30. Word Sort 30: omitted-canceling: Doubling the final consonant when

adding a suffix 31. Word Sort 31: accountant—appliance—assortment: Prefixes

beginning with A

32. Word Sort 32: phone—chron—tract—sist: Greek and Latin Roots

Guide to the Spelling Concepts in the Word Sort Collection:

Adapted from: The Science of Spelling: The Explicit Specifics That Make GreatReaders and Writers (and Spellers!). J. Richard Gentry. Heinimann. 2004.

Appropriate for Grade 8: 33. Word Sort 33: circum-per—spir—vis: Latin Prefixes and Roots 34: Word Sort 34: arch-crat-polis: Greek-based social studies words 35: Word Sort 35: contestant-colleague; correlate-illegal;

irresponsible-immortal: Prefixes com- and in-

Word Sort 1: Short Vowel: get—big--but

get big

fun

bedhim

petdidup

isitusbut

runhis

Word Sort 2: Short Vowel vs E-marker

cat-make

cat take

can

hatehat

atcakecane

dudebitbitedud

hadbat

Word Sort 3: Short Vowel vs Open Syllable

pet be

we

betmet

pegwed

beghihiphit

sheme

men

Word Sort 4: Mixed Vowel Patterncat—bake-day

at bay

take

manplay

daybakecan

kitekitcakename

hatmat

Word Sort 5: Short Vs Long—Mixed Vowels

top-made

day big

top

sheephe

funkeepmade

ushopehoplet

ridehad

Word Sort 6: Short vs Long Vowel

fed—bee—read

sled see

tree

yesseed

westwheelsweet

eacheatreadneed

beefed

Word Sort 7: CVCe vs CVVC

side-nail

tail tie

save

mailnail

tradesidepie

dimetidesnailbrave

sakepailmice

Word Sort 8Final Consonants ll and ss

all-tell-will-boss

will chill

ill

bosstoss

misssmallspill

yellpullacrosspill

tellballall

Word Sort 9: Long A

able—flame-bay—main

blame gray

paint

mainfable

paintablespray

traywaitcapecage

bayafraidable

tray

Word Sort 10 Compoundwords andhomophones

be--into

bee meat

sometimes

seasomething

painseemeet

anythingrightherselfwrite

birthdayintobe

Word Sort 11 Endings: -ed, -ing

hopped sitting

cleaning

stoppedbatted

hoppingrentedgetting

calledreadingpattedstopped

comingclosedrunning

Word Sort 12 Controlled Vowels;Homophones

chair-pear-care

bare fair

wear

pairfare

scarecarestare

rarestaresharechair

bearharehair

Word Sort 13 Compound words;Contractions

yourself; I’d

I’d cardboard

yourself

flashlightfireplace

grandfatherI’vedoghouse

haven’tdidn’tcan’tupstairs

bookcasewe’rebasketball

Word Sort 14 Compound words;Contractions

footprint—aren’t

highway they’ll

isn’t

don’twe’ll

sunshineI’llsomething

wouldn’thorsebackyou’ll

grandmother

footprintdoesn’taren’t

Word Sort 15 VC/CV vs. V/CV

sup/per-su/per

super liter

dinner

suddenlitter

peeperriderdiner

spiderspottedsummer

rabbit

kittenhappensupper

Word Sort 16 Syllabication, VCe

de/fine—com/plete

arrive suppose

locate

reducecomplete

composeumpiresurprise

anteloperefusefemale

refine

defineentireexplode

Word Sort 17 Endings: -on, -an, -in, -encotton—organ—pumpkin--wooden

linen harden

poison

kitchenfrozen

chickenpumpkindozen

organmargincotton

broken

woodencommoncousin

Word Sort 18 Exceptional Plurals

Sort into pairs

volcano

tomatoes

volcanoeswoman

radiospianoschildren

radiopotatoespotato

grandmother

tomatochildwomen

piano

Word Sort 19 Word Building:

peace, peaceful,peacefulness

peaceful peacefulness

forgetful

preschoolschool

cheerfullyrestlessrest

preschoolerrestlesslycheerful

cheer

payforgetrepay

Word Sort 20 -ge, -dge

rage--judge

stranger rage

fudge

dodgestrange

dangerknowledgebadge

grudgebridgehedge

college

villagejudgeedge

Word Sort 21 The ie, ei Rule

niece-ceiling-weigh

fierce mischief

relief

reignfriend

sleighreceiptyield

neighborthiefweird

neither

theirceilingachieve

Word Sort 22:Words with Prefixes meaning“two”bicycle-midday-semiformal-dissect

semiannual midsummer

semiformal

bilingualdissect

semifinalbipolarbisect

bilateralbiannualmidair

diverse

bicyclemidnightdiverge

Word Sort 23:Words With PrefixesMeaning “Under”or “Over”

submarine-superman

subzero superstar

overextend

superpowerovercast

overheadsubmarineundercover

overpassoverseesuperman

substandard

overweightunderagesubmerge

Word Sort 24:Words with Suffixesthat sound like “shun”

expression-affection

procession prediction

permission

operationerosion

immersioncongratulationmedication

introductionexplosionexpulsion

vacation

expressioneducationreproduction

Word Sort 25:Consonand andVowel Alternation:

Sign-signatureDivide-division

condemn composition

division

criticcondemnation

revisiondividecriticize

inviteinvitationcompose

confide

signatureconfidencesign

Word Sort 26-able vs. -ible:

breakable-flexible

lovable navigable

inexcusable

terriblereadable

usablecapableapplicable

noticeablepossibleserviceable

peaceable

flexiblehorriblebreakable

Word Sort 27-ant vs. -ent:

hesitant--insistent

different urgent

contestant

dominantopponent

applicantmigrantconsistent

negligentflagrantabsorbent

distant

accountantignoranthesitant

Word Sort 28Words with both aprefix and a suffix vsWords with either aprefix or a suffix:

fearlessness--precautionary

fearlessness inability

surprising

misunderstandingthoughtfulness

disappearanceimmigrants

inconsistently

cancellingalphabeticalrequirement

reappearance

precautionaryregardlessdisagree

Word Sort 29Words with 2 U’s vs.Words with 1 U

usual--league

furious annually

surprising

pursuitcurious

peculiarcuriosity

visuallypursuerequirement

truly

leagueusualvacuum

beautiful

Word Sort 30Doubling the finalconsonant whenadding a suffix

omitted--canceling

credited preference

preferred

cancelingreferring

forgottenbudgeted

inferringforgetful

traveling

omittedcompellingreference

inference

conference

Word Sort 31

Prefixes beginning with A

accountant-appliance- assortment

assortment application

accountant

applaudattentive

accomplishmentalliance

accustomedassimilate

accolade

assuranceaffordaffirm

acclaim

assemble

Word Sort 32: Greek and Latin Roots

phone—chron—tract--sist

traction consistent

persist

resistanceinsistence

chronicleconsistency

chronicchronology

symphonic

abstractretractdistract

synchronize

resist

Word Sort 33: Latin Roots and Prefixes

circum—per—spir--vis

circumcise circumspect

persist

persuadeperpetuate

respirationconspiracy

adviseexpiration

circumstantialcircumnavigatecircumvent

supervision

visionperuse

Word Sort 34: Greek-based wordsabout social studies

arch-crat-polis

democracy patriarch

hierarchy

politicalcosmopolitan

architecturearchives

meritocracyaristocracy

autocratmonarchmetropolis

bureaucracy

anarchy politician

Word Sort 35: Prefixes com- and in-contestant-colleaguecorrelate-illegalirresponsiblei-mmortal

constraints illegality

irrational

immaturityirresponsible

contestedillogical

immortalityconformity

correlationcolleaguecontestant

immortal

irrepressiblecollegial