Word Ladder is a versatile classroom tool: it reinforces spelling, builds vocabulary through families, and sharpens reasoning. This playbook gives you a ready‑to‑run lesson flow, warm‑ups, differentiation ideas, and lightweight assessments.
Lesson Flow (35–40 minutes)
Show CAT → COT → DOT → DOG. Ask students which letter changed each time and why vowel swaps help.
2) Guided Practice (10 min)Project a 4‑letter ladder. As a class, vote for the next step using hand signals. Discuss bridges and families.
3) Pair Work (10–15 min)Pairs attempt a short ladder, recording each step and the “reason” (vowel swap, bridge, family).
4) Reflection (5 min)Students share one strategy that helped them unlock options.
Differentiation
- Support: Provide a list of common families (‑ATE, ‑ELL, ‑ORE) and allow hints after two minutes.
- Challenge: Require position matching (align one more target letter at each step) and time constraints.
Assessment Ideas
- Reason Labels: For each step, students tag the reason—vowel swap, bridge, or family.
- Short Reflection: One paragraph on how they avoided dead‑ends and what they learned.
- Peer Review: Pairs exchange ladders, suggest a shorter path, and explain the change.
Classroom Management Tips
- Use a visible timer for each decision to keep momentum.
- Celebrate “good detours” that eventually lead back to the target.
- Rotate scribes so each student records at least one step per ladder.
Take‑Home Extension
Invite students to play the daily ladder online and share a screenshot or emoji grid. Encourage “family hunts” (find three new words in the same ending).
Ready‑to‑use class ladder
Start from COLD and aim for WARM. Let pairs propose steps and reasons.
Open WordClimbr