1st Grade Spelling Words

How to practice spelling words

• Hear it, then spell it. Spelling from a word you hear is the real skill. In Owl Test Prep, Owl-y says each word and uses it in a sentence, and you type it.
• Short and often. Ten words a day beats fifty on Friday night. Owl-y keeps a streak so the habit sticks.
• Missed words come back. A word you miss comes back later that day, then again over the next week, until it sticks.
• Look at the tricky part. Most misses are one spot: a double letter, a silent letter, an ending. Say it slowly and find that spot.

Animals (12)

• snakea long reptile with no legs
• horsea large animal people ride
• mousea tiny animal with a long tail
• kittena baby cat
• puppya baby dog
• bunnya small animal with long ears
• whalea huge animal that lives in the ocean
• turtlean animal with a hard shell on its back
• spidera small animal with eight legs that spins webs
• zebraan animal like a horse with black and white stripes
• badgera furry animal that digs in the ground
• tigera big striped cat with orange fur

Food (12)

• cakea sweet baked treat for a party
• grapea small round fruit that grows in bunches
• peacha fuzzy fruit with a pit inside
• cheesea food made from milk that can melt
• juicea drink made from fruit
• lunchthe meal you eat in the middle of the day
• snacka small amount of food between meals
• cherrya small red fruit with a stem
• picklea cucumber soaked in salty water
• chickena farm bird that is also eaten as food
• sandwichtwo slices of bread with food between
• cookiea small sweet baked treat

Sports (12)

• tracka path for running races
• matcha game between two teams or players
• hockeya sport played on ice with sticks and a puck
• soccera sport where you kick a ball into a net
• tennisa sport played with a racket and a small ball
• racketa tool with strings used to hit a ball
• finishthe end of a race
• shotan attempt to hit a target or goal
• cheerto yell to support someone
• winnera person who comes in first place
• scoreto get points in a game
• sprintto run as fast as you can for a short time

Space (12)

• planeta large round object that moves around a star
• rocketa ship that flies very high into space
• astronauta person who travels in space
• galaxya huge group of stars held together
• telescopea tool that makes faraway things look closer
• sunrisethe time in the morning when the sun comes up
• eclipsewhen one object blocks the light of another
• universeeverything that exists, including all space and stars
• flighta trip through the air in a plane
• launchto send something up into the air
• meteora piece of rock that burns up in the sky
• spacethe empty area beyond our planet

Ocean (12)

• beachland by the water covered in sand
• dolphina smart sea animal that jumps out of the water
• octopusa sea animal with eight arms
• lobstera sea animal with big claws and a hard shell
• jellyfisha soft sea animal that has no bones
• starfisha star-shaped sea animal with five arms
• seashella shell found on the beach
• splashthe sound of water hitting something
• swimmingmoving through water using your body
• surfingriding a wave on a board
• oceana huge body of salt water
• pebblea small smooth rock

Nature and weather (12)

• flowera colorful part of a plant that smells nice
• thundera loud boom that comes after lightning
• breezea light gentle wind
• rainbowa curved band of colors in the sky after rain
• sunshinethe light and warmth from the sun
• puddlea small pool of water on the ground
• lightninga bright flash of light in a storm
• morningthe early part of the day
• showera short fall of rain
• brancha part of a tree that grows out from the trunk
• mushrooma fungus with a stem and a cap
• shadea cool dark place out of the sun

Home and family (12)

• kitchenthe room where food is made
• blanketa warm cover for your bed
• pillowa soft cushion for your head
• shelfa flat board on a wall for things
• chaira seat with a back for one person
• windowan opening in a wall with glass
• bucketa pail used to carry water
• sleepto rest with your eyes closed
• housea building where people live
• cabina small wooden house in the woods
• brusha tool with bristles for hair or floors
• tablea flat top on legs to eat or work on

Music and art (12)

• danceto move your body to music
• pianoa big instrument with black and white keys
• singera person who sings songs
• drawinga picture made with pencils or pens
• paintinga picture made with brushes and colors
• stagea raised floor where actors perform
• crayona colored stick for drawing
• sketcha quick rough drawing
• chalka soft stick used to write on boards
• violina small string instrument played with a bow
• musicsounds and songs put together in a pattern
• clappinghitting your hands together to make noise

Science (12)

• magneta metal that pulls iron toward it
• machinea tool with moving parts that does work
• shadowa dark shape made when light is blocked
• wheela round thing that turns on an axle
• floatto stay on top of water
• bubblea round ball of air in water or soap
• batterya box that stores power for a toy
• enginethe part of a car that makes it move
• levera bar that pushes or lifts things
• tadpolea baby frog that lives in water
• sunlightlight that comes from the sun
• flashlighta small light you hold in your hand

People and feelings (12)

• frienda person you like and trust
• angryfeeling mad and upset
• happyfeeling good and full of joy
• worriedfeeling afraid something bad will happen
• nervousfeeling scared or shaky about something new
• helpera person who does good things for others
• teachera person who helps you learn at school
• doctora person who helps when you are sick
• bakera person who makes bread and cakes
• farmera person who grows food on a farm
• brothera boy who has the same parents as you
• thankto say you are grateful for something

Adventure (12)

• castlea big strong home for a king
• dragona huge flying beast that breathes fire
• piratea sailor who steals treasure from ships
• knighta soldier who fights for a king long ago
• magica power that makes wonderful things happen
• monsteran imaginary creature in a story
• wizarda person who uses magic spells
• junglea thick forest with many plants
• islandland with water all around it
• exploreto travel and look around a new place
• secretsomething hidden that people do not know
• treasuregold, jewels, or other valuable things

School (12)

• pencila wood stick with graphite for writing
• erasera rubber piece that rubs out pencil marks
• readinglooking at words and understanding them
• writingmaking letters and words on paper
• backpacka bag you wear on your back
• lunchboxa box that holds your lunch
• notebooka book of blank pages for writing notes
• lessona time when you learn something
• studenta person who goes to school to learn
• librarya room full of books you can borrow
• homeworkwork you do at home for school
• recessa break from class to play outside

Body and health (12)

• elbowthe joint in the middle of your arm
• fingerone of the five parts on your hand
• shoulderthe joint where your arm meets your body
• stomachthe part of your body where food goes
• thumbthe short finger next to your pointer
• tootha hard white part in your mouth for chewing
• cheekthe soft part of your face under your eye
• knucklea joint where a finger bends
• foreheadthe part of your face above your eyes
• nosethe part of your face used for smelling
• healthystrong and well, not sick
• musclea part of your body that makes you move

Places and travel (12)

• villagea small group of homes in the country
• marketa place where people buy and sell food
• museuma building that shows old and interesting things
• bridgea structure built over a river or road
• playgroundan outdoor place with swings and slides
• foresta large area of land covered with trees
• harbora safe place where boats rest
• countrya large area of land with its own rules
• valleylow land between two hills
• meadowa grassy field with flowers
• poola big tank of water to swim in
• highwaya wide road for fast cars

Tricky words (12)

• theythe people or things we are talking about
• wherein what place or at what spot
• eightthe number after seven
• againone more time
• couldwas able to do something
• writeto make letters or words on paper
• rightcorrect, not wrong, or the opposite of left
• herein this place
• yourbelonging to you
• wouldused to say what might happen
• prettynice to look at
• werea past form of are

Questions people ask