Word Ladders

In this book you’ll find 100 mini-word-
study lessons that are also kid-pleasing
games! To complete each Word Ladder
takes just ten minutes but actively involves
each learner in analyzing the structure and
meaning of words. To play, students begin
with one word and then make a series of
other words by changing or rearranging the
letters in the word before. With regular use,
Word Ladders can go a long way toward
developing your students’ decoding and
vocabulary skills.

How do Word Ladders work?
Let’s say our first Word Ladder begins with
the word walk. The directions will tell
students to change one letter in walk to
make a word that means “to speak.” The
word students will make, of course, is talk.
The next word will then ask students to
make a change in talk to form another
word—perhaps chalk, or tall. At the top of
the ladder, students will have a final word
that is in some way related to the first
word—for example, run. If students get
stuck on a rung along the way, they can
come back to it, because the words before
and after will give them the clues they
need to go on.

How do Word Ladders benefit
students?
Word Ladders are great for building
students’ decoding, phonics, spelling, and
vocabulary skills. When students add or
rearrange letters to make a new word
from one they have just made, they must
examine sound-symbol relationships
closely. This is just the kind of analysis

that all children need to do in order to
learn how to decode and spell accurately.
And when the puzzle adds a bit of meaning
in the form of a definition (for example,
“make a word that means to say
something”), it helps extend students’
understanding of words and concepts.
All of these skills are key to students’
success in learning to read and write. So
even though Word Ladders will feel like
a game your students will be practicing
essential literacy skills at the same time!

How do I teach a Word Ladder lesson?
Word Ladders are incredibly easy and quick
to implement. Here are four simple steps:

1. Choose a Word Ladder to try. (The first
five pages feature easier ladders; you
may want to start with those.)

2. Make a copy of the Word Ladder for
each student.

3. Choose whether you want to do your
Word Ladders with the class as a whole,
or by having students work alone, in
pairs, or in groups. (You might do the

5

Welcome to Word Ladders!

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Name

Read the clues, then write the words. Start at the bottom and climb to the top.

f e w

n e w

n o w

m o w

m e o w

m e n

h e n

t e n

t a n

m a n

m a n y

Opposite of old.Change one letter.

In the present time.Change one letter.

To cut grass.Change one letter.

Sound made by a cat.Add one letter.

More than one man.Take away twoletters, then addone more.

A chicken who lays eggs.Change one letter.

Number of fingers a person has.Change one letter.

A light brown color.Change one letter.

A male person olderthan a boy.Change one letter.

More than a few.Add one letter.

10

Daily Word Ladders Grades 2–3

Scholastic Teaching Resources

1

2

3

4

5

6

Name

Read the clues, then write the words.
Start at the bottom and climb to the top.

l i t t l e

To have lighted
something.
Take away
three letters.

Give

to me.

Take away
one letter.

Sick.
Take away one
letter, then
add two.

A machine that grinds
pepper is called a
pepper

.

Add one letter.

A shopping center.
Change one letter.

Little.
Add one letter.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

12

Daily Word Ladders, Grades 2–3

Scholastic Professional Books

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Name

Read the clues, then write the words.
Start at the bottom and climb to the top.

t e a m

Food that comes
from animals.
Rearrange letters.

Not wild. A house pet
is

.

Rearrange letters.

To get or bring
something.
Change one letter.

A story.
Change one letter.

Not short.
Change one letter.

What you pay to
cross a bridge.
Change one letter.

An enormous weight:
2,000 pounds.
Take away two letters,
then add one.

Ripped.
Add one letter.

Something gets
out when it has been
used often.
Change one letter.

What teams must do
together. The coach said
to us, “Good

, team!”

Change one letter.

14

Daily Word Ladders Grades 2–3

Scholastic Teaching Resources

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Name

Read the clues, then write the words.
Start at the bottom and climb to the top.

a r t

A two-wheeled vehicle
for carrying things.
Add one letter.

An automobile.
Take away
one letter.

A house pet that is
related to lions
and tigers.
Change one letter.

A word you might
say to make an
animal go away.
Add one letter.

The past tense of sit.
He

in the chair.

Take away one
letter.

A tool used to cut
wood.
Change one letter.

Not cooked.
Change one letter.

A thing used to
suck a drink
from a glass.
Add two letters.

To make pictures.
Take away two
letters, then add one.

16

Daily Word Ladders Grades 2–3

Scholastic Teaching Resources

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Name

Read the clues, then write the words.
Start at the bottom and climb to the top.

m o s t

The pole on a sailboat
that holds the sails.
Change one letter.

This covers your face
on Halloween.
Change one letter.

A wooden barrel that
holds liquids.
Change one letter.

What a doctor puts on
your arm or leg if it’s
broken.
Change one letter.

The land next to
the sea.
Add one letter.

The price of
something.
Take away
one letter.

If something can’t
be found, it’s

.

Change one letter.

Opposite of first.
Change one
letter.

Opposite of most.
Add one letter.