Taking a departure from blends and digraphs, first graders have learned a new spelling pattern. The rule is as follows:  when there is a one syllable word, with one short vowel, that ends in f, l, s, or z, you usually double the final consonant.  We will use the mnemonic “Sammy loves fried zebras” to help us remember this rule. After a short mini-lesson introducing the new spelling rule, students brainstormed a corresponding list of words and then chose their own words.  Students were encouraged to look up the meaning of new vocabulary words.