These fun activities to use for the first month or weekly in grades 2 through 4 can help students improve spelling, enjoy reading and enhance creativity. The I Spy books, games and centers can be used as a fun Friday activity, a welcome back activity, or for a year long reading and writing theme.
I SPY Games and Activities to Use in Spelling
These fun activities for kids can be used for the first month of school or throughout the year and work well for grades 1 to 4. They help to get students back into reading and improve spelling with the added fun of using the I SPY series of books.
Teachers should have several of the I SPY books in their classroom. Have students work in groups of 2 to start reading the words for what they must find on the pages of the books. They will ask what the word is if they don’t know. Their partner can help them or they can check with the teacher if not sure what the word or object is that they are searching for in the I SPY book. Teacher should ask them how to spell the word they are looking for. Some of the I SPY books have letters or words to find in them. This practice will improve spelling during the game.
I Spy Books
I SPY in My Classroom
After they have completed a few pages of fun, have the students put down the books and play an I SPY activity in your own classroom for getting to know the room. For example, on your list of things to find, have them find the exit for a fire drill, the word EXIT, the pencil sharpener, the recycled paper bin, the classroom rules, the word RULES, the reading corner or the bin of games for rainy days. Then be more specific in having the students find words on posters, numbers, certain pencils or specific books. The words on the weekly spelling list can be made from the words they have to spy in the classroom.
Bulletin Board Idea
On the outside classroom bulletin board, the display could be related to the I SPY theme by posting this main message: “I SPY IN MY CLASSROOM “. Then all the students names or photos can be displayed in a random way on the bulletin board. Add pictures or other objects that are found in the I SPY books such as cards, stamps, buttons, paperclips, dice, dominoes, beads, etc.
I SPY Books
I SPY Centers
Set up a center in a corner in your classroom to play I SPY using some of the trinkets found in the book. A table with cards, dominoes, beads, board game pieces, trains, skipping ropes, crayons, small animals, dinosaurs, tinker toys and buttons are examples of typical I SPY objects. Write a rhyming list of what objects you would like students to find or have the students create a checklist for the other students to use.
You could set up your own theme similar to a page in the book if that will be a unit you are covering at the beginning of the school year. For example, jungle animals, birds, or ocean creatures could be used as themes. Use a dollhouse or wooden log set and set up a pioneer scene. You could also use natural materials such as flowers, leaves, rocks and twigs to create an I SPY scene. Have the students find 3 white flowers, for example. Use numbers in your lists of objects to find. Have the students list all the different leaf names or flower types that they find. It will only count if the flower name is spelled correctly. Keep a dictionary or computer nearby for students to quickly look up words they would like to learn how to spell.
