Fifth Grade Spelling Sentences



image from: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/rieke/380.htm



Jack got his first homework assignment for fifth grade today,

He had to write spelling sentences including the following words;

activity

building

heavy

biscuit

purpose

astonish

symmetric

cyclical

abandon

subsequent

expository

abundant

accomplish

mishap

extraordinary

trophosphere

stratosphere

mesosphere

thermosphere

exosphere

Jack hasn't had to write sentences like this since he went to second grade in Pembroke. 

Back then, it would take me two to three HOURS to get him to write 5 sentences, and you can only imagine the drama and gnashing of teeth (his and mine) that went on during his hours long attempt to get out of writing them.

So when I found out this was his assignment, LEERY doesn't even begin to describe the fear I had in the pit of my stomach.  I was shaking in my boots!

However, I was pleasantly suprised when Jack jumped into his sentence writing with enthusiasm, a smile on his face, and couldn't wait to read each one to me, all the way through to the end.

Hold the phone. 

Let me repeat that.

Jack jumped into his sentence writing with enthusiasm!!!!!!

When you have a child who is so consistent, determined and persistent in homework aversion that it makes you seriously consider boarding or military school, a moment like this is something that needs to be CELEBRATED!!! 

I grabbed my firstborn and hugged him so tight I think I may have scared him!  And I may or may not be doing a happy dance as I type this. (okay, I admit it, I AM!!)

I think there were three keys to tonight's success

and I pray I am right and they continue to be successful:

1.

Jack is 10 now, and is finally, blessedly starting to mature

 into someone who thinks beyond his immediate, self-centered desires.

 

2.

Jack's teacher told him that he could use more than one spelling word in a sentence. 

This challenged him to find a shortcut to less work, and he was hooked.

 

3.

I believe I have sufficiently convinced him that if he does NOT do his homework on time and without grumbling, that he will be transported directly from school to an after-school tutor and will not be allowed home until his homework is done.  

Period.  End of story.  Even if it takes until midnight.

(and I am serious - I am 100% DONE with his homework shenanigans,

and I've got pregnancy hormones to back me up if I lose my nerve.  This game is OVER.)

 

But the best part?

 

The best part is the QUALITY of the sentences he wrote.  I am completely dumfounded. 

 

Wanna hear them?

(you know you do!)

 

"Yesterday, I had an extraordinary mishap subsequent to bedtime."

 

"I accomplished writing an expository writing piece about the exosphere and how it affects Earth."



and the best for last...

 

"The stratosphere, the mesosphere and the thermosphere are all part of Earth's atmosphere and affect the Earth in many ways such as blocking radiation that the sun emits and can be harmful to humans by causing sunburn and other things such as radiation sickniss witch happens when exposed to radiation for long periods of tim."

 

Seriously?

 

Whose kid is this?  And more importantly...can we keep him????