Stacey's Extraordinary Words Flashcards
She loved to read and write and say them.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She adored fun words, long words, unusual words.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Words with wonderful histories and weird combinations.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
First, she would find the dictionary.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Then she would look up where the word had come from and learn its secrets.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Did any of the letters hide and stay quiet?
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Like the p in ptarmigan, a bird that lives in cold, northern regions.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Or were they strong like the i in bright?
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She practiced how to arrange the letters just right.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
How to sound them out.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
That’s because she loved spelling interesting words most of all.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
ON-O-MATO-POE-A
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
With her favorite words she would try to remember the quirks - what made them special.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
When she saw a super long word like onomatopoeia, a funny word to describe the sounds of other words, she had to jump and sway.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Words like duckling made her grin.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Persnickety tickled her tongue.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
When she sat by herself during recess, they never teased her about being quiet.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Or about being clumsy when she fell.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Or awkward when the joke in her head came out wrong.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
When she read books under the covers, words never told her to go to sleep.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Words understood why she was grumpy or anxious.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
In fact, words helped her explain what she was feeling - if only to herself.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She squirmed in her seat because she was afraid.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Petrified (another way to say really, really afraid)!
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Usually, the teacher only kept a student after class because of a blunder - a mistake.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
A big red 100 sat at the top of the page.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The teacher asked her, “Do you know what a spelling bee is?”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“A really smart insect?”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The teacher smiled.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
A spelling bee is a contest where students compete to spell as many words correctly as they can.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
I would like for you to participate.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“Who else will be there?”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The spelling bee is next week.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
He was a bully who knew words too.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She wanted to say something when he said mean things to her friends, but she was intimidated - scared.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Because sometimes he said hurtful things to her too.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Perhaps at this spelling bee she would be braver.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
At the spelling bee, she would not be silent.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Still, the spelling bee felt as far away at the longest word she had ever seen: sesquipedalian.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
A fancy way to describe words with lots of syllables.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The days of the week were monotonous, torturous, and sluggish - every hour felt longer and longer.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Finally, the morning of the spelling bee arrived.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Momma gave her a big hug and whispered in her ear, “Just do your best”.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Your dad and I are very proud of you.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Then they went to the stage.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The announcer explained the rules.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Kids stepped up to the microphone one by one to get their word.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
If they spelled it right, the announcer told them so.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
But if they made a mistake, a bell would ring.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The student would have to leave the stage.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
No do-overs.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Her stomach ached with nervous energy.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
But she was ready.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Say the word.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“Dither”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Sound it out.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Spell it.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
That is correct.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The announcer called on the next student. And the next.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Promptly. Enormous. Shudder. Transportation. Craggy. Reception. Village.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Finally, only three contestants remained.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
The girl went up to spell her word.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Ding! She had spelled chocolate without the second O.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“We are down to our final two contestants,” the announcer told the audience.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She repeated it.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She pronounced it.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She spelled it.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
I-N-S-T-A-N-T-A-N-I-O-U-S. Instantaneous.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
As she waited for the announcer, the bell dinged.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“I’m sorry, that is incorrect. The proper spelling is….”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“Good Job.”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“At least I know the difference between I and e.”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Well I misspelled my word, but I do know how to be courteous.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
You should try it.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
She turned away and went to find her mom.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
But things didn’t always happen that way in real life.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Sometimes change was harder. And it didn’t happen right away.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
It opened her fist and smoothed out the ribbon.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“You okay?”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“I lost.”
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
But you came so far. Nearly to the very end.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Not far enough.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
I got the letter wrong. And I didn’t win. I failed.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
“You only fail if you stop,” her mother reminded her.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
I know there is a word for that. You know it too.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Perseverance.
P-E-R-S-E-V-E-R-A-N-C-E.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
Exactly. So let’s go home and learn more words.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
There’s always next year.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words
No, Momma. There’s always tomorrow.
Stacey’s Extraordinary Words