Spelling activity with homemade pocket charts from the dollar store - for all ages!

I teach in a multi-grade classroom and, sometimes it is hard to find an activity that reaches across the ages. I think this spelling activity is perfect for all my students. First, you need to go to the local dollar store and buy a package of sentence strips. You will also need a roll of tape-I used decorative Duck tape that I already had-and find snack plastic bags. You will also need scissors and a marker.

Take two strips out of the package. Place one over the top of the second strip, lining it up along the dotted line.

Cut a piece of tape for each end. The tape should be longer than the two strips. Place it over each end so that half of the tape hangs over the end. 

Fold the top and bottom over the edge, then fold the excess tape at the side back. Trim the corners.

Fold the bottom card along the dotted line, where the two cards meet. 

Then press firmly to make the top section stand up straight. 

Using five plastic snack bags, create a holder for the letters. Write on the outside of the bags. I choose vowels, tall letters, curved short letters, straight short letters and letters that are low. 

Write the letters of the alphabet on each card. I choose to group the letters as they would go into the bags. 

Then, the bags together to staple them together. To make it less likely to tear, I added a piece of the sentence strip over the bags before I stapled them.

Place each letter in the correct bag.

Now they can use the pocket chart to form words. 

Now for the game. Put students together in groups of two or three. Give each group a stack of cards with their spelling words written on the cards. Each child takes a turn being the leader. He picks a card from the pile and reads it. The other student or students try to be the first to spell the word in their pocket chart. Then, the next child picks a word. Fun and easy practice will result with this great dollar store pocket chart!