SPELLING BEE WORDS

(IMPORTANT: DO NOT SHARE THESE WORDS IN ADVANCE WITH STUDENTS!)

Please keep the same order of students throughout the competition. Each student receives one chance to spell the word: if they fail to spell the word correctly in one effort, they must return to their seats and are eliminated from the competition. The last remaining standing student is the winner.

Please read each word once, followed by the context, followed again by the word. The student may ask for the word to be repeated once.

Example word: Cat.

Teacher says: Cat. Cat: a pet that catches mice. The cat is very fast. Cat.

Good luck and have fun!

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ROUND 1

Bed: place where someone sleeps. The boy was sleeping in his bed.

Jog: To run, often for exercise. He went for a jog yesterday afternoon.Top: A piece placed over an open container to hold in, protect, or conceal its contents. Make sure the top is on the juice blender before you turn it on.Bug: an insect. He got a lot of bug bites while walking in the forest.

Hat: a covering for the head. The hat he is wearing on his head is red.

Map: a picture representation of a geographic area. The map showed the rivers, mountains, streets and buildings.

Car: motor vehicle; automobile. The red car was going very fast.Bit: a very small piece. She left only a bit of the broccoli on her plate.Wig: A hairpiece made of natural or synthetic hair. The cancer patient started wearing a wig after losing all of her hair from chemotherapy.Mad: angry; furious; upset. I got mad at my friend for pushing me.

Zip: fasten with a zipper. When it is cold outside you should zip up your jacket.Bell: a hollow metal object that makes a sound. The church rings the bell at 12:00.

Bat: a blind flying animal that only comes out at night. A bat lives in a cave and eats insects.

Sun: the star around which the planet Earth revolves. Be sure to wear sunscreen if you plan to spend more than a few minutes in the sun.

Rain: water falling from the sky. The rain continued to fall for most of the day.Pet: a domestic or tame animal that someone owns. I have a pet cat and a pet dog.

Call: communicate by telephone; speak in a loud voice. Call me when you get there so I'll know that you arrived safely.Gap: A space between two objects. The man tripped on the gap in the sidewalk.

Run: to move faster than walking. He will run five kilometers today for exercise.

Land: any part of the earth's surface not covered by a body of water. The boat sailed for two days until it reached land.Six: the number after five. There are six cars in front of me at the stop sign.

Rug: a floor covering; a type of carpet. The soft rug was on the floor.

Mat: a pad, cushion, or fabric used as a floor covering. The children are each sitting on a mat.

Kid: an informal word for child; boy or girl. A young kid from the neighborhood helped pick up trash. Sky: the space over the Earth where the sun, moon, stars, and clouds appear. The sky darkened as the storm approached.ROUND 2

Fake: artificial. He was wearing a fake mustache as part of his costume. Club: a group of people; or a large stick used for hitting something. The soccer club has many fans.

Hand: the body part at the end of your arm. A hand has five fingers.

Duck: a bird that lives in the water. The duck flew south for the winter.

Bike: a bicycle; a self-powered transportation with two wheels. He rides his bike five kilometers to work every day.

Camp: a temporary accommodation, usually in the woods. We built a camp in the forest on our vacation.

Nose: part of the face through which you smell and breath. My nose smells the roses. Frog: an amphibian, usually green, that lives in swamps and ponds. A frog lives in the water and on the land.

Coat: piece of clothing, jacket; a heavy outer layer. I wear a coat in the winter to stay warm.

Hard: solid, firm; the opposite of soft;. Rocks are very hard.

Dark: the opposite of light. It is dark at night.

Lake: a body of fresh water. We go fishing in the lake.

Cook: prepare food. My father likes to cook dinner every night.Bone: one of the hard pieces that makes up a skeleton. The leg bone is very long. Next: immediately following in order. The next day after Saturday is Sunday.

Jump: to push yourself off the ground with your legs. To play basketball properly you need to jump.Fire: light, heat and flame produced by burning. We stayed close to the fire to keep warm.

Make: to build, create or produce. Those two factories make cars.

Push: exert force on something. The door is stuck so you must push hard.Word: a unit of language consisting of letters. You should look up that word in the dictionary.

Bake: To cook by dry heat in the oven. I will bake the cake for her birthday.

Snow: frozen water falling from the sky. When it falls below zero degrees, rain turns into snow.Play: an activity for fun or recreation; a production in a theater. The best part of summer is being able to play outside. Boat: a vessel on the water. We take the boat out on the lake when we go fishing.

Fine: a payment of money as punishment. I received a fine for parking illegally.Sand: loose grains of rock typically found on the beach. I love going to the beach and feeling the sand in my toes.

Gold: a soft yellow metal used for jewelry. Her gold rings sparkled in the sunlight.

Fire: light, heat, and flame produced by burning. We stayed close to the fire to keep warm.

Lift: to move or bring something upward from the ground. It is hard to lift this heavy box. ROUND 3

Think: To consider something in ones mind. I think I know the answer.

Suit: A type of clothing worn in formal situations. He wore a suit to his job interview.

Child: a young human. The little child cried when he fell down.

Train: a line or procession of persons or vehicles traveling together. A train of supply trucks making its way to the army base.Bump: a small blow or a light hit. If you do not look where you are going, you will bump into the table.Sting: bees and mosquitoes do this. A bee sting hurts badly.

Public: open to all persons. This meeting should be held in public, not in secret.Opera: a theatrical performance set to music. Italians are famous for their love of opera.

Vote: formal expression of one's position or will in an election. In the United States, women were granted the right to vote by the 19th Amendment in 1920.Tired: to be exhausted, depleted of energy. I am tired after going to the gym.

Travel: to make a journey. They usually travel to the coast for their vacation.

Mean: Unfriendly and hostile. The bully was mean to me.

Final: the last in a series. They played the final game for the championship.

Favor: an act of kind assistance. A good and generous friend did me a favor.Present: something given to you by someone; a gift. Our friend gave her a present for her birthday.

Forest: A large area covered in trees; woods. Bears live in the forest.

Zero: nothing; the mathematical value between positive and negative integers. I did not do my homework so I received a score of zero.Price: the amount of money at which something is offered for sale. I wanted to buy that shirt, but the price was too expensive.Dream: thoughts or visions you have in your sleep. Sometimes I dream about being able to fly.

Change: the act, process, or result of making different. The positive change in our students' attitude toward people who are different was a long and gradual process.Return: come or go back to. Traveling is fun, but so is the return home.

Novel: a fiction book. The new novel about vampires was not very good.

Event: something that happens. Over dinner they spoke about the upcoming event.Region: a broad geographical area. Corn is mostly grown in the central region of the country.

Touch: to feel something. You can look at the painting but you must not touch it.

ROUND 4Author: a writer of a book, article or report. J.K. Rowling is the author of the Harry Potter books.

Whale: a marine mammal and largest animal in the world. The blue whale is the largest animal on earth.Please: to give a state of happiness or joy. I did what I could to please the unhappy customer.Disaster: a sudden event bringing great damage or loss. The earthquake in Japan was a terrible disaster.

Judge: the person that makes a decision in a courtroom. The judge decided to send him to jail after hearing the criminals defense.

Pepper: a hot spice or seasoning. He loved spicy food, so he put pepper on everything.

Compose: to write or create, especially music or poetry. It took Beethoven a long time to compose his 5th symphony.Quiet: silent; making no sound. You must be very quiet when you go to the library.

Resume: to start again after stopping. After a short break, we must resume working.

Voyage: a long trip or journey. Christopher Columbus made a voyage to America in 1492.

Trouble: a problem or difficulty. I overslept and got into trouble with my teacher.

Wrinkle: a small ridge on the surface of the skin; your grandparents often have these. When you get old, your skin will wrinkle. Engine: a machine that converts power into motion. The car's engine needs gas to make it work.

Arrow: a long stick with a pointy end shot from a bow. Robin Hood's arrow hit the middle of the target.

Serious: involving thought and work; something that is not a joke. Committing a crime is a serious mistake.

Settle: to reach an agreement. They will settle the argument by splitting the money evenly.

Weather: the state of the atmosphere. During the summer the weather is sunny and warm.Origin: Where something comes from. No one knows the origin of that myth.Produce: to make or create something. This project is sure to produce the results we want.

Easiest: requiring very little effort. Thats the easiest solution to the problem.

Feeling: an emotional state or reaction. He has a positive feeling towards school.

Column: a long post made of steel or stone that is used to support a building. The old stone column is very strong.

Hundred: a number with three places; One hundred, two hundred. There were over a hundred people at the concert.

Choice: when you have different options. If you make the wrong choice, you will be sorry. Animal: a living thing that is not a human being or plant. I saw a funny-looking animal in the zoo.Attention Teachers: Round #5 is the Challenge Round. Please read the following points to your students (and post this in your classroom). Thank you!

The U.S. Embassy invites every student in Bosnia and Herzegovina to join our nationwide Community Service Challenge: Izaberi zadatak, budi promjena. 2015 is an important anniversary year for BiH, as we celebrate 20 years of peace in this country. Theres no better way to celebrate that achievement than for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue to be actively engaged in giving back to their communities.

The goal of The Challenge is to engage at least 20,000 volunteers in activities such as environmental clean-ups, mentoring, helping senior citizens do their shopping, teaching young kids how to read, or lending any sort of helping hand to improve your community.

To sign up for the Challenge and learn more about volunteer activities, visit the U.S. Embassy website and Challenge Facebook Group, where you can see and share stories and photos from community service activities: https://www.facebook.com/groups/izazov387

The Embassy will hold mid-term and final celebrations to acknowledge participating volunteers, groups, schools, and organizations.

Only one person can win the Spelling Bee, but everyone can participate in the Challenge! And one more thing the words in the next round all have to do with civic activism, cooperation, reconciliation, and working for the common good. Good luck!

Round 5 (Challenge Round! Please read the previous page to your class before this round.)Activist: someone who campaigns to bring about political or social change. There is nothing stronger than the will of a devoted activist.

Progress: forward or onward movement toward a goal. Education is the basis for progress, in every society, in every family.

Initiative: the power or opportunity to take charge independently. Initiative is doing the right thing without being told.

Diversity: a range or variety of different things. We need diversity of thought and opinion to solve challenges in better ways.

Respect: to consider something or someone worthy of recognition. We may not agree with someone, but we have to respect their feelings and opinions.

Rebuild: to build something again after it has been destroyed. After there has been a fight, it can be hard to rebuild trust between people, but it is important to do so.

Connect: to join together to communicate and share ideas. When people connect and join forces, a lot more can be accomplished.

Heritage: the customs and values of a group of people who share a history together. Remembering our heritage can help us learn lessons from our past.

Include: to consider as part of or member of a group. We should include everyone in the effort to make our community a better place.

Peaceful: free from fear, violence or disturbance. A peaceful society cannot be made by force; it can only be achieved by acceptance and understanding.

People: human beings in general. People can be very different, but no person matters more or less than any other.

Devotion: love or loyalty for a person or an idea. When you have true devotion to your mission, there is nothing in the world that you cannot achieve.

Creative: characterized by the use of imagination or original ideas. Being creative is a good way to solve problems because it allows you to see things in new ways.

Equality: being the same in status, rights and opportunities. A healthy society upholds the equality of all people.

Idealist: a person who cherishes or pursues noble principles. Everyone thought the idealist would fail, right up until she succeeded.

Reconcile: to restore or create friendly or harmonious relations between. The football team knew that to win a match they first had to reconcile their differences.

Unity: harmony or agreement; the state of being whole. There is greater strength in unity than in being divided.

Global: relating to the whole world. Everyone is part of one global community, and we all depend on one another.

Courage: bravery or strength in the face of a big challenge. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

Improve: to make something better. It is not hard to improve things when everyone works together.

Empower: to make stronger and more confident. The easiest way to empower yourself is to help someone in need.

Reforming: working to change a situation for the better. With so many complaints we should think about reforming our procedures.

Together: with others in one gathering or place. Completing a hard task is easier when you work together.

Liberty: freedom from harsh restrictions or oppression. Liberty is never given to you by authority; you have to work hard for it.

Democracy: a system of government in which power is based on the will of the people. In a successful democracy, the people get to choose their leaders.

ROUND 6Chorus: an organized group of singers. The chorus of young women sang so beautifully that the audience cried. Monsoon: a warm tropical wind that brings heavy rain to some parts of the world in the summer. There were floods in India this summer during monsoon season. Sweater: a warm garment for your upper-body, usually with long sleeves. His grandmother always knitted him a sweater for his birthday.

Colonize: to settle and establish control over a foreign land and its people. Battles were fought when France tried to colonize North Africa.

Surgery: a medical treatment where a doctor cuts into the body. He is a specialist in brain surgery.Climate: the usual weather conditions in an area. The climate in Antarctica is very cold and very dry.

Pumpkin: a big orangish-yellow fruit that you see in autumn. They had a fun time making fresh pumpkin soup. Holiday: a day of festivity or relaxation, when no work is done. School was cancelled because it was a holiday, so they went to the beach. Realm: a kingdom or a specific area. The kings greatest wish was for there to be peace in his realm.

Cunning: skill in achieving things in a sneaky way. The fox was very cunning, so she was able to catch the rabbit. Crocodile: a big predatory reptile with huge jaws, a long tail and short legs. Dont swim in the river if there is a crocodile in there!

Disguise: to change the appearance of something. She disguised herself with a wig and sunglasses.Examine: to inspect something in great detail. She examined her white dress to make sure there were no marks or stains. Scavenger: an animal that lives on waste. The raccoon was a scavenger, digging up food out of peoples trash bins. Forlorn: pitifully sad; hopeless. The man was forlorn while he was stranded on a deserted island. Genius: a person who is remarkably intelligent in some way. Mozart created some of the best music in history, so they call him a musical genius. Beginning: the point at which something starts. When telling a story, it is best to start at the beginning. Message: a written, visual or recorded communication. He sent a message to let them know he was on his way. Compliment: a polite expression of praise. The teacher gave the student a compliment for working so hard in class. Parachute: a contraption that allows a person to fall slowly to Earth when dropped from the sky. The man jumped out of the airplane and used his parachute to float down to the ground. Stomach: the part of your body where you digest food. His stomach was very full after he ate a huge meal. Bizarre: unexplainable or strange. He had a bizarre dream in which all the trees were pink. Bruise: an injury that makes your skin turn bluish green. She got a bruise on her knee from falling on the playground. Boredom: feeling weary with a lack of interest. The student was always filled with boredom during math class. Forward: to the front, ahead. The traffic moved forward very slowly. ROUND 7Orchestra: a group of musicians playing a diversity of instruments. The orchestra provided the music for the ballet performance.

Anticipate: to expect or predict something that has not yet happened. The exam was very difficult, and she did not anticipate getting a good grade. Dinosaur: a type of enormous animal that lived millions of years ago. The Tyrannosaurus Rex was one of the deadliest dinosaurs of its time. Environment: the surroundings in which a person, animal or plant lives. If we do not protect Earths environment, it will become hard to live on this planet.

Bellow: to emit a deep, loud yell or roar. When they surprised the cow, she gave a great bellow of fear.

Raspberry: a soft red fruit that grows on bushes. They picked a bunch of raspberries to make a raspberry pie.

Adolescent: a person in the process of developing from a child to an adult. Being an adolescent is a natural part of growing up.

Boulevard: a wide street in a city or town, often lined with trees. They rolled down the windows as they drove down the boulevard on a sunny day.

Naive: showing a lack of wisdom or experience. The nave sailor decided to set sail even though a terrible storm was coming.

Disease: a lasting illness. Malaria is a disease you can get from mosquitoes in Africa. Omelet: a dish of beaten eggs with some filling. He always ordered a ham and cheese omelet when he went out for breakfast.

Whistle: a clear, high-pitched, drawn-out sound. The dog always came running when the man whistled for him.

Mustache: facial hair that grows above the upper lip. The old man had a big mustache.

Ameliorate: to make something better; to improve. The volunteers were able to ameliorate the situation for victims of the flood.

Cheetah: a big cat with spotted fur that lives in Africa. The antelope tried to escape, but the cheetah ran faster.

Broccoli: a green vegetable similar to a cauliflower. He didnt get to eat dessert until he ate his broccoli.

Limousine: a spacious, luxurious automobile. The president drove by in his black limousine.

Obedience: following instructions. The soldiers are good at showing obedience to their commander. Lawyer: a person who practices law. The lawyer defended the innocent person in court. Nuance: a small, subtle difference. The artist had an eye for small nuances in shades of colors.

Aquarium: a glass tank of water where fish are kept. The doctor had a beautiful aquarium in his office waiting room.

Patriarch: the male head of a family or tribe. Their father was the patriarch of their family.

Separate: to take apart or divide. You have to separate your dark clothes from your white clothes before you wash them.

Avocado: a fruit with thick skin, soft green interior and a large seed. The chef liked to put slices of avocado on salads.

Mountain: a landform that is natural elevation of the Earths surface. In winter they liked to ski down the mountain.

ROUND 8Aardvark: a desert animal that lives underground and eats ants. The aardvark only left his hole to sniff around for some ants to eat. Cocoon: a silky case that some insects spin for themselves. After taking a long nap in the cocoon, the caterpillar became a beautiful butterfly.

Grocery: a type of store that sells food products. They went to the grocery store to get ingredients for dinner. Nostalgia: a sentimental longing for the past. He was filled with nostalgia thinking about his childhood and his mothers cooking. Llama: a hairy animal from South America that looks similar to a camel. I used wool from the llamas fur to make myself a sweater. Messiah: the leader or savior of a religious group. The Jewish people believe that a messiah will come one day to bring them peace. Shepherd: a person who tends and herds sheep. The shepherd like to wander the rugged hills with his flock. Medieval: of or relating to the middle ages. They did not have cars in the medieval period. Sapphire: a gem that is blue in color. He gave her a wedding ring with a sapphire in the center. Transcend: to rise above or go beyond. Ideas can spread quickly, and easily transcend state boundaries. Excellence: the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. The student won an award for excellence in spelling.

Advantageous: beneficial; increasing your chances of success. If you want to be a pilot, it is advantageous to have good vision. Catastrophe: a tragic event that causes lots of damage. The sinking of the Titanic was a catastrophe that we still remember today.

Parliament: a representative government body that makes decisions for the state. The citizens voted to elect the members of parliament.

Orangutan: a type of big monkey with long, reddish hair. The orangutan swung from branch to branch in the jungle.

Synagogue: a building for Jewish religious worship. There is a very old and beautiful synagogue in Sarajevo.

Embarrass: to cause someone to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Their dad liked to embarrass them in front of their friends.

Architecture: the art of designing and constructing buildings. The person who designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris was very good at architecture.

Isthmus: a strip of land that connects two larger areas of land. The Isthmus of Panama connects North America to South America.

Exhilarate: to cause to feel happy, refreshed or excited. The sailors felt exhilarated as they set off on a new sea voyage.

Ensue: to occur afterwards as a result. When the hurricane is over, peace and quiet will ensue.

Synthesize: to combine so as to produce something new. He synthesized old and new ideas to develop his theory.

Schedule: a plan of intended events and times. The tourists had a clear schedule for when and where to be for each day of their trip.

Caribbean: a sea that is located between North and South America. There used to be lots of pirates in the Caribbean Sea. Wednesday: the third day of the week. They usually decide their weekend plans on Wednesday. Mediocre: of moderate quality, not especially good. She did not try very hard on her homework, so she received a mediocre grade.

ROUND 9 - EXTREME!Cantaloupe: a small, round melon that is orange and sweet. They always brought cantaloupe to picnics in the summer.Pharaoh: a ruler in ancient Egypt. The pharaoh had a lot of power and sat on a big throne. Choreograph: to design a dance performance. She likes to choreograph dance steps to her favorite songs.

Anonymous: not identifiable by name. They received a secret message from an anonymous sender.

Dichotomy: a sharp contrast between two very different things. There was a large dichotomy between the two politicians political views. Ostrich: a big bird that has long legs, a long neck, and cannot fly. They went to the zoo to see the African ostrich. Chlorophyll: the green pigment that makes plants green. The chlorophyll in a leaf allows the plant to get energy from sunlight. Mosquito: a flying insect that gives itchy bites. Watch out for mosquitos if you are going camping in the woods.Eavesdrop: to listen to a conversation youre not supposed to listen to. The boy pretended to be asleep so he could eavesdrop on his parents conversation. Turquoise: a bright color that is a mix of green and blue. The tropical ocean water looked turquoise on the sunny day. Exaggerate: to represent as being greater or more than what is true. The proud athlete liked to exaggerate about her football skills. Guerilla: a fighter in an independent militia with unconventional fighting methods. The guerilla warriors hid in the bushes to wait for their enemy. Hippopotamus: a semiaquatic African animal that is really fat and has huge jaws. The hippopotamus liked to lay in the sun all day next to the lake. Labyrinth: a complex maze in which it is very hard to find your way. The ancient cave of the cavemen was like a labyrinth to the explorers. Curmudgeon: a bad-tempered person. The old curmudgeon sat on a bench and yelled at children as they passed by. Zealot: a person who is obsessed with their particular view or mission. The political zealot would not rest until he had his policy put into law. Amoeba: a type of cell or organism that can grow and change shape. In science class they looked at an amoeba under the microscope. Bourgeoisie: a social class that enjoys some wealth and luxury. In the French Revolution, the lower classes fought against the bourgeoisie. Handkerchief: a small cloth you use to blow your nose. The old woman who had a cold kept sneezing into her handkerchief. Deciduous: the types of trees that lose their leaves in the fall and winter. The deciduous forest was bare when they went for a hike in December. Omniscient: all-knowing. Some people believe that God is omniscient, and can even know what you are thinking about. Pseudonym: a fake name, usually used by an author. The journalist published her article under a pseudonym to protect her identity. Rhinoceros: a large land animal with thick gray skin and horns on its face. They watched a rhinoceros eat grass on their safari in Africa. Pterodactyl: a flying dinosaur with a long neck and big wings. Scientists believe that pterodactyls could fly very fast and scream very loudly. Acknowledgement: a declaration of appreciation or recognition. The volunteers received an acknowledgement in the newspaper for all their hard work.