SWI Investigations

Since I'm on vacation, and can't write a ton of posts about what we are doing in the classroom, I'm taking requests for topics! One thing that has come up lately is Structured Word Inquiry (SWI). Once you get past using Engage with the Page (the lovely picture book and lesson plan ideas from Fiona Hamilton... see below) as a starting point, how do you have the confidence to dive into an inquiry? What if your child asks you about a word? What if you wonder something about a word? What exactly do you do?


A Spoonful of Frogs: A Halloween Book for Kids
by Casey Lyall

video of the author reading the book

lesson plan idea for the < -ful > suffix

So here's a list of blog posts and other resources I've found around the Internet that thoroughly talk about one SWI investigation, soup to nuts.

We will start with two graphics from some SWI courses I've taken, and a picture of me with Doug Harper (we met at a SWI conference in Chicago IL). I was sooo excited to meet the author of etymonline!

from Real Spelling

from Pete Bowers

me being excited about SWI!

Sample investigations that may be helpful:

< companion >
from Mary Beth Steven

< condensation >
PDF from Pete Bowers

< doctor >
from Mary Beth Steven

< hear > and < heard >
from Mona Voelkel

< imagine >
PDF from Pete Bowers

< ion >
from Mary Beth Steven

< likeable >
from Mary Beth Steven

< pneumonia > and < pneumatic >
my blog post

< pros > and < cons >
from Mary Beth Steven
also includes
< explosion >
< constantly >

< rodent > and < dentist >
my blog post

Tricky Words – Here We Go Again!
from Mary Beth Steven
< accommodate >
< kaleidoscope >
< ceiling >
< patience >

I highly recommend Mary Beth Steven's blog if you're interested in SWI. Loved her post on Renovating the Weekly Spelling Test!

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