180 Days of Spelling and Word Study: Grade 5, Unit 35 (Soft G Patterns)

This week we return to our discussion of soft G, which starred in Unit 24 at the end of words like average, beverage, and mortgage. We remind ourselves that the soft G sound can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a word, but always before the letters E, I, or Y. We notice that the GE pattern can be pronounced several ways. While the G always says /j/, the E can make a schwa sound (ex: agency, emergency), a short E sound (ex: agenda, general), or an r-controlled sound (ex: surgery). It can also act as a silent buffer that keeps the G soft when it appears before A, O, or T (ex: pageant, surgeon, vegetable). In the GI chunk, the I sometimes makes a schwa sound (ex: magical, original) or acts as a buffer between G and O (ex: region, religion). At the end of a word, the GY chunk makes a soft G sound, followed by long E (ex: energy). As we discuss the meanings of each word on the list, we label nouns and adjectives. We attend to derivational suffixes, such as AL (logic/logical) and ENT (intelligent/intelligence). We also explore the Greek root GEN, which means birth or creation. Purchase Mrs. Rhoades’ grade 5 book or others from her 180 Days series at teachercreatedmaterials.com or from your favorite online bookseller. #180days #180daysofspellingandwordstudy #5thgrade #5thgradespellingcurriculum #spelling #wordstudy #elementaryeducation #elementaryschool #homeschooling #homeschool #school #morphology #phonics #english #englishlanguagelearners #fifthgrade #vocabulary #science of reading