WHAT? The Grand Ridge Spelling Bee! 1st to 5th grades each have their own bee for 2024

WHO? Any actively enrolled 1st-5th grade student at Grand Ridge interested in participating. Registration closes on January 16th (Registration for 2024 is now CLOSED)

Only registered participants can receive the study list. 

WHERE? At Grand Ridge in the Multi-Purpose Room 

WHEN? January 23-25, 2024 

Tuesday, January 23: 5:30 pm for 1st graders; 7:00 pm for 3rd graders

Wednesday, January 24: 7:00 pm for 5th Graders (Library) 

Thursday, January 25: 5:30 pm for 2nd graders; 7:00 pm for 4th graders

WHY? Our bees are friendly competitions of oral spelling ability. It's a great opportunity for a student to build confidence speaking in front of a supportive audience. 

HOW? Participants will be given a word to spell and they will repeat the word, spell it, and repeat the word again. Each correctly spelled word earns a trip to the next round. The bee ends when there is just one speller remaining! There are three levels of words but especially in the older grades, we encourage kids to learn all 450 words to prepare for the school spelling bee although later rounds of the bee may include words not on the study list.  

The winner of the 5th Grade Spelling Bee will have the opportunity to represent Grand Ridge and compete for the local championship if they wish to do so. The local championship is in March 2024, at Town Hall, Seattle. The local championship may include both vocabulary and spelling words. They may use the Scripps Spelling Bee online testing platform instead of an in-person event. More details will be available in early March.  

Questions?  Feedback?  Contact grspellingbee@gmail.com

Spelling Bee Rules - please review with your student in advance of the spelling bee!

Spelling Bee Materials

• Spelling word lists will be provided to all registered students via email - the email is autogenerated following a submitted registration. Make sure to scroll to the bottom to find the word lists.
• Each bee will typically start with words from a grade below (i.e. 2nd grade words to start the 3rd grade bee) and then continue with final rounds typically being a grade or two higher (i.e. 3rd grade bee might get to 5th grade level words).
• Families can download the Word Club app from Scripps to practice spelling words: https://spellingbee.com/word-club
• How to study for a Spelling Bee
• Tips & Tricks for Spelling Bee Success

Tips

• The spelling bee is intended to be a fun and friendly contest. We hope that every student will leave feeling proud to have participated.

• It is natural to feel some disappointment when a student is eliminated. For kids who take disappointment especially hard, it may help to understand that there is an element of luck involved in a spelling bee. We have worked hard to ensure fairness by giving words of the same difficulty level in any given round. However, which specific word each student gets on their turn is a matter of luck.

• Read different books! Check out these 2023-2024 recommendations by grade level. 
  
  

• Tips for Success from Scripps Site

1. For inspiration, watch the documentary Spellbound on family movie night.

2. Keep a "great words" journal for every new and interesting word that you find. 

3. Designate a spelling wall in your home. Post new words to the wall each day. 

4. For family game night, conduct an impromptu themed spelling bee. Use a newspaper for a current events bee or a cookbook for a cuisine bee. 

5. Do like Akeelah did: Spell and jump rope!

6. Ask friends and neighbors to challenge you with great spelling words. 

7. Find a good luck charm—perhaps shoelaces with a bumblebee design or a special coin.

8. Read great books. You'll be entertained while you effortlessly improve your spelling and increase your vocabulary.

9. Scour the dictionary in search of words to stump your parents and teachers.