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Daily Wordplay!
EIGHT BALL
Create as many words as you can using three or more of the
letters below (at least one eight-letter word is possible):
CODTEIRR
Director
Daily Wordplay!
CATALOG
CREATOR
The prefixes “syn-” or “sym-“ mean “at the same time or
together” and sound like “sin” or “sim.” How many words can you
list that contain this prefix?
syn- / sym-
Daily Wordplay!
RHYME THYME
Time to think like a rapper. How many rhymes can you come up
with for the following word?
RIGHT
Daily Wordplay!
ANAGRAM
Rearrange the letters in the nonsense phrase below to create new
words that actually make sense (ignore the spaces):
BOLD ANT FACE COLORS
(Hint: two similar sports)
Football and Soccer
Daily Wordplay!
COMBINATOR
The vowel combination “ee” almost always sounds like the hard
“E” in “feet.” List as many words as you can that contain “ee.”
EE
Daily Wordplay!
DESCRAMBLER
Try to sort out the five scrambled words below:
IMEL RGNIB FIRDEF
NCESIEC USEQONIT
Mile
Bring
Differ
Science
Question
Daily Wordplay!
FIXER-ROOTER
How many words can you think of that have the same prefix,
suffix, OR root as the multisyllabic word below?
(The possibilities are endless!)
TYPOGRAPHICAL
TYPO / GRAPH / ICAL
(Definition: pertaining to printing)
Daily Wordplay!
FOUR-LETTER
WORDS
Take the four-letter word below and change one letter to make a
new four-letter word (keep it clean!) Then take that word and
change one letter to make a new word. Then take that word
and… You get the picture.
FIRE
Daily Wordplay!
EIGHT BALL
Create as many words as you can using three or more of the
letters below (at least one eight-letter word is possible):
SEOIPSRM
Promises
Daily Wordplay!
EIGHT BALL
Create as many words as you can using three or more of the
letters below (at least one eight-letter word is possible):
PORWDYLA
Wordplay
Daily Wordplay!
EIGHT BALL
Create as many words as you can using three or more of the
letters below (at least one eight-letter word is possible):
GSMUEROE
Gruesome
Daily Wordplay!
EIGHT BALL
Create as many words as you can using three or more of the
letters below (at least one eight-letter word is possible):
PSGNTOIT
Spotting
Daily Wordplay!
CATALOG
CREATOR
The root word “-chron-” means “time” and sounds like “kron.”
How many words can you list that contain this root?
-chron-
Daily Wordplay!
CATALOG
CREATOR
The root word “-fin-” means “end or finished.” How many words
can you list that contain this root?
-fin-
Daily Wordplay!
CATALOG
CREATOR
The prefixes “com-” or “con-” mean “with or together.” How many
words can you list that contain one of these prefixes?
com- / con-
Daily Wordplay!
CATALOG
CREATOR
The prefix “mis-” means “badly or wrongly.” How many words
can you list that contain this prefix?
mis-
Daily Wordplay!
RHYME THYME
Time to think like a rapper. How many rhymes can you come up
with for the following word?
ARREST
Daily Wordplay!
RHYME THYME
Time to think like a rapper. How many rhymes can you come up
with for the following word?
BLACK
Daily Wordplay!
RHYME THYME
Time to think like a rapper. How many rhymes can you come up
with for the following word?
DEAD
Daily Wordplay!
RHYME THYME
Time to think like a rapper. How many rhymes can you come up
with for the following word?
HAIR
Daily Wordplay!
ANAGRAM
Rearrange the letters in the nonsense phrase below to create new
words that actually make sense (ignore the spaces):
JOY OF HURT FLU
(Hint: independence)
Fourth of July
Daily Wordplay!
ANAGRAM
Rearrange the letters in the nonsense phrase below to create new
words that actually make sense (ignore the spaces):
LOON LANDS INN WATCHING
(Hint: Great Commanders in Chief)
Washington and Lincoln
Daily Wordplay!
ANAGRAM
Rearrange the letters in the nonsense phrase below to create new
words that actually make sense (ignore the spaces):
AXIOM DAD CAN ACNE
(Hint: to the north and to the south)
Mexico and Canada
Daily Wordplay!
ANAGRAM
Rearrange the letters in the nonsense phrase below to create new
words that actually make sense (ignore the spaces):
EMPORIUM TIPS
(Hint: becomes a semi)
Optimus Prime
Daily Wordplay!
COMBINATOR
The vowel combination “oo” can make the the “double-o” sound
in “boo” or the “u” sound in “book.” List as many words as you can
that contain “oo” and rhyme with “book.”
OO
Daily Wordplay!
COMBINATOR
The vowel combination “ay” almost always sounds like the hard
“A” in “play.” List as many words as you can that contain “ay.”
AY
Daily Wordplay!
COMBINATOR
The vowel combination “ea” usually sounds like the hard “E” in
“beach.” List as many words as you can that contain “ea.”
EA
Daily Wordplay!
COMBINATOR
The vowel combination “oi” almost always sounds like the vowel
sound in “boy.” List as many words as you can that contain “oi.”
OI
Daily Wordplay!
DESCRAMBLER
Try to sort out the five scrambled words below:
RTEA ILBEB KCSLSA
NRIRGEA ROTBRUIS
Tear
Bible
Slacks
Earring
Burritos
Daily Wordplay!
DESCRAMBLER
Try to sort out the five scrambled words below:
RFBA PICUD NPARET
DIALCME DVOACAOS
Barf
Cupid
Parent
Medical
Avocados
Daily Wordplay!
DESCRAMBLER
Try to sort out the five scrambled words below:
KOPE OPDTA RULENA
GRRECAH KNICERUH
Poke
Adopt
Unreal
Charger
Chunkier
Daily Wordplay!
DESCRAMBLER
Try to sort out the five scrambled words below:
LAOE FUPFY GOLOEG
HTECEHA LDWANDOO
Aloe
Puffy
Google
Cheetah
Download
Daily Wordplay!
FIXER-ROOTER
How many words can you think of that have the same prefix OR
suffix as the multisyllabic word below?
(The possibilities are endless!)
OBSOLESCENCE
OB / ENCE
(Definition: the condition or process of gradually falling into disuse)
Daily Wordplay!
FIXER-ROOTER
How many words can you think of that have the same prefix,
suffix, OR root as the multisyllabic word below?
(The possibilities are endless!)
EXTEMPORANEOUS
EX / TEMP / OUS
(Definition: done or made without much or any preparation)
Daily Wordplay!
FIXER-ROOTER
How many words can you think of that have the same prefix,
suffix, OR root as the multisyllabic word below?
(The possibilities are endless!)
SYMPHONIOUS
SYM / PHON / OUS
(Definition: marked by a harmonious or agreeable mingling of sounds)
Daily Wordplay!
FIXER-ROOTER
How many words can you think of that have the same prefix,
suffix, OR root as the multisyllabic word below?
(The possibilities are endless!)
PREEXISTENCE
PRE / EXIST / ENCE
(Definition: existence before something else)
Daily Wordplay!
FOUR-LETTER
WORDS
Take the four-letter word below and change one letter to make a
new four-letter word (keep it clean!) Then take that word and
change one letter to make a new word. Then take that word
and… You get the picture.
JUST
Daily Wordplay!
FOUR-LETTER
WORDS
Take the four-letter word below and change one letter to make a
new four-letter word (keep it clean!) Then take that word and
change one letter to make a new word. Then take that word
and… You get the picture.
HOOK
Daily Wordplay!
FOUR-LETTER
WORDS
Take the four-letter word below and change one letter to make a
new four-letter word (keep it clean!) Then take that word and
change one letter to make a new word. Then take that word
and… You get the picture.
HARM
Daily Wordplay!
FOUR-LETTER
WORDS
Take the four-letter word below and change one letter to make a
new four-letter word (keep it clean!) Then take that word and
change one letter to make a new word. Then take that word
and… You get the picture.
GRIM
Daily Wordplay!
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Thanks for downloading my Daily Wordplay!
I created these five-minute word games as a way to get students’ brains working as they
come into class and get ready to work. Each activity engages students’ brains in a
different way, and each is designed to teach a different language concept or skill—from
basic phonics to roots and affixes to SAT level vocabulary development. The goal is to
get them thinking about language and to get the creative juices flowing—and a
somewhat sneakier goal is to covertly convince kids that English can be fun!
These activities are intended to be a bell-ringer. I suggest having them up each day on a
projector when the students come in (if you can project straight from your computer,
that’s the best because you’ll save paper and ink, and the students can see the activities in
full-color.) Give the students no more than a few minutes to work—basically long enough
for you to take roll and answer a work-related email or two. Then try to pick a winner. I
like to give out a small piece of candy to the winner each day—it always amazes me what
teenagers are willing to do for a Jolly Rancher or a Starburst. The winner should be the
student who came up with the most correct answers—unless there’s only one correct
answer, in which case the winner is the first student to get it right.
There are eight different word games included here, each with its set of rules and
instructions. “Anagram” and “Descrambler” are the only games that have a single correct
answer (“Eight Ball” has a single eight-letter word as a possible answer, but they can
answer with smaller words as well); answers to the others are limited only by your
students’ creativity, vocab knowledge, and word-manipulation skills.
Below, I’ve included example answers for each of the activities (except “Anagram” and
“Descrabler.”) The first couple of times your students do a particular Wordplay activity,
they might need some extra help and explanation, but from that point on they’ll most
likely have it down and be ready to roll with it.
 EIGHT BALL: Create as many words as you can using three or more of the
letters below (at least one eight-letter word is possible):
CODTEIRR
director, dot, cod, tore, ire, tire, core, dire, code, tired, ride, rode, rote,
torrid, trod, rot, cot, tier, rod, cord, etc.
 FOUR-LETTER WORDS: Take the four-letter word below and change one
letter to make a new four-letter word (keep it clean!) Then take that word and
change one letter to make a new word. Then take that word and… You get the
picture.
FIRE
TIRE – TARE – TART – TACT – FACT – PACT – PACK – PACE – FACE –
MACE – RACE – RATE – DATE – MATE – MATH – etc.
 COMBINATOR: The vowel combination “ee” almost always sounds like the
hard “E” in “feet.” List as many words as you can that contain “ee.”
absentee, beetle, breeze, cheese, wheeze, coffee, unseemly, tweezers,
freedom, seer, between, spleen, teeth, etc.
 CATALOG CREATOR: The prefixes “syn-” or “sym-“ mean “at the same
time or together” and sound like “sin” or “sim.” How many words can you list
that contain this prefix?
symphony, sympathy, synthetic, synthesizer, symposium, synagogue,
synchronized, synonym, symmetrical, symptoms, symbolism, etc.
 FIXER-ROOTER: How many words can you think of that have the same
prefix, suffix, or root as the multisyllabic word below?
TYPOGRAPHICAL
TYPO / GRAPH / ICAL
(Definition: pertaining to printing)
autograph, whimsical, typographer, seismograph, comical, musical,
graphics, polygraph, metaphorical, numerical, etc.
 RHYME THYME: Time to think like a rapper. How many rhymes can you
come up with for the following word?
RIGHT
flight, site, sight, night, knight, blight, tight, bright, kite, trite, write,
slight, light, mite, height, quite, white, spite, etc.
In my classroom, I use Daily Wordplay as an extra activity tagged onto the end of my
daily Ten-Minute Grammar units. It works as something to motivate students and keep
them engaged even after they’ve finished the daily grammar work. Ten-Minute
Grammar is a comprehensive grammar curriculum designed to take ten minutes of class
every day all year long. It includes daily bell-ringers, worksheets, quizzes, as well as
differentiated assignments for struggling students and a full teacher’s guide. If
you’re interested, please check out the other products in my store:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Arik-Durfee
Also, check out the full-year version of Daily Wordplay!, which includes over 260 days’
worth of Wordplay games!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Daily-Wordplay-Full-Year-of-Language-Games
Created by Arik Durfee