Lesson Plan Title : Block Relay

Age Range: Kindergarten through Grade 2 (Early Elementary or Primary Level)

Overview and Purpose : This spelling relay is a great activity that will get students up and moving as they review their spelling words within a friendly competition.

Objective: The student will be able to spell words using letters written on milk cartons.

Resources:

School milk cartons

A can of spray paint

Large permanent marker

2 laundry baskets

Colored tape

Activities:

Ahead of time collect several milk cartons, tape down the tops (or cut them off) and spray paint them. When the paint is dry, write a different letter with the permanent marker on each side of the milk cartons. Make sure there are several of the more common letters. Create two identical sets.

Put two pieces of tape on the floor as the starting lines. Place the laundry baskets with the milk cartons in them at the other end of the classroom. Put a desk on either side, 1/3 of the way past the starting line.

Divide the class into two teams. Explain that they are going to have a relay race. When you read one of the spelling words, the first person on each team will run to the basket, find the first letter, place it on the desk, and then run back and tag the next person in line. That person will go and get the second letter, place it on the desk, and tag the next person. If someone puts the wrong letter on the desk, the next person in line has to take it back to the basket and get the correct letter. Each student who places a letter on the desk can change the order of the letters if he thinks they are incorrect. The first team to correctly spell the word is the winner.

Closure:

The milk cartons can be kept in the classroom for students to use during center time. Index cards with words or pictures can be added to the baskets and students can practice spelling the words.