Grades 4–6 Content Examples
In grades 4–6 of the Guided Spelling program, students learn strategies for spelling polysyllabic words that include various types of syllables, syllable boundaries, and schwas. They learn the generalizations for adding suffixes, and they spell words with common prefixes and suffixes.
In grades 4–6, students become more thoughtful spellers as they learn the spelling strategy of using related words as spelling clues; for example, operate is a clue to operation. They expand their knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and unusual plurals. In many lessons, word history is included to deepen their appreciation of words. They also review possessives and frequently misspelled words that could trip them up.
| Content | Grade 4 Examples |
|---|---|
| Spelling Knowledge | |
| Phonemic | |
| Vowels review | tracks, complete, corner, fright, drew, amount, destroy |
| Schwas | second, open, idea |
| Syllable boundaries | un.til, fin.ish, i.de.a |
| Syllable types (constructions) | hundred, pilot, complete, better, approach, example |
| Morphemic | |
| Generalizations for adding suffixes | Single-syllable doubling (dropped), drop e (dividing), change y to i (replied), polysyllabic doubling (beginning) |
| Spelling possessives | today’s, nations’, women’s |
| Prefixes | un-, re-, dis-, non-, mis-, pre- |
| Suffixes | -ful, -less, -ness, -er, -or, -est |
| Greek and Latin roots | (Introduced in grade 5) |
| Other | |
| Frequently misspelled words | though, field, of course |
| Homophones | through/threw |
| Contractions | can’t, won’t, it’s |
| Unusual plurals | halves, teeth, potatoes |
| Word history | Squirrel came from words meaning little shadow-tail |
| Words from other languages | (Introduced in grade 6) |
| Spelling Strategies | |
| Polysyllabic spelling | remember→re-mem-ber |
| Using related words | act→action, discuss→discussion |
| Studying and Memorizing High-Frequency Words (375 words per year) |
plain, reason, purpose, decision, easiest, impossible |
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