Thursday, October 10, 2013

Word Work

I am ALL about making my life easier! That is why I decided to make monthly word work packs this year! I will have all I need for the month stored in a bag and each year I can just pull that bag out, add the activities to the word work center, and I am good to go! During rotations, I am pulling my reading groups, so I knew these activities had to be ones that met the Common Core standards, but were easy enough where students were able to complete them totally independently--no distracting my reading group unless blood or fire is involved! ;)
Here are some activities that my students completed last month.
Sorting colors
Matching upper and lowercase letters
Matching letters with the correct beginning sound picture
We also did lots of name writing! Here the student is writing and drawing some of her friends.
They also used the same name cards to sort their friends by the number of letters in their name and they spelled their friends' names with magnetic letters. All meaningful activities...and yes, we made it through September with little to no distractions!
I received a couple questions asking me how I set up my word work center so I figured I would share it with you. Hopefully this is not a disappointment, because the center itself is really nothing special, but it works for my class!
1. Magnetic Letters. These are used for a variety of activities in my word work packs.
2. Where I store most of the magnetic letter activities. In the picture you can see the sight word mats. They will use these mats on our magnetic white board and they will find the correct letters to spell their sight words. There are a bunch of mats to choose from. I also have the letter mats, CVC mats, and more stored here! You can find some freebies on TPT.
3. Word work cards. This is the best 'go to' when the students finish a different word work activity before their center is over.
4. Students will use these whiteboards and dry erase markers to spell words found on the word work cards. They can also use the dry erase markers for many of the other word work activities instead of using magnetic letters. The dry erase markers wipe off lamination easily with a tissue.
5. These bags store all of the monthly word work activities. The bags contain the 'I Can' sheet and all the materials needed to complete the center.
6. Handwriting cards
7. Bucket used for letter, letter sound, or sight word games found in my word work packs.
8. Materials students would need to complete an activity sheet. I usually don't give an activity sheet at this center. Most of the activities are all hands on/collaborative; however, there are times when I want them to record their findings. Inside the pencil case I have pencils, markers, and crayons.
9. Play-doh stampers. These are another great alternative for some of the word work activities. Instead of using dry erase markers or magnetic letters, students can stamp the letters with play-doh!
My students already started their October word work activities. Here they are filling in the missing letters.
And here, they are recording their CVC words!
Here is an October word work freebie to get your kids ready for Fall!! (Anyone else love candy corn? I really like the pumpkin candy corn!!!)
Enjoy!!

18 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for all of your ideas! I wish I could be in your class!!! Appreciate all you do! Amy :)

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  2. Thank you so much for the freebie! We will work on it this weekend.

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  3. Boy... everything is so organized and so hands-on!

    Cindy
    Granny Goes to School

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  4. Of course it is not disappointing...how could anything as organized and fun as those centers be disappointing. Thanks for sharing your ideas and the freebie.

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  5. Great word work activities. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to check them out in your store.

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  6. Loved these centers so I had to buy them!!!

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  7. Great word work! I love the missing letters and all the name activities!!!

    Bridget
    Literacy Without Worksheets

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  8. Love these great ideas! How many kids go to the center at a time or do they all do it except guided reading groups and then they just take it somewhere else and work? Would love to hear a bit about the logistics of how you do this in the room. Thanks!

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  9. Anne, there are never more than 3 kids at this center at a time. My students go to 4 rotations a day so about half the class will get to the word work center on one day, the other half will go the following day. You can read more about the logistics here: http://kindergartensmiles.blogspot.com/2013/02/kindergarten-reading-groupscenters.html Hope that helps!

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  10. Super ideas. Thanks for sharing. I have been adding new "May do" activities and my students are loving them.

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  11. Love all the great centers in October Word Work! I bought them this morning, and then you put them on sale this afternoon. Guess I should have waited. I'm glad I bought them! My students will love them. Thanks! sab99@sbcglobal.net

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  12. I am SO sorry Sharon!! Believe me I thought about anyone that made purchases in the morning before the sale. I had NO idea that TPT would have a sale today, otherwise I would have changed it earlier! Sorry again! I hope your students do love them!

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  13. I love the monthly word work activities! Keep them coming. They are my go to for word work!!

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  14. I turned your candy corn match up into an interactive book with velcro. The kiddos love seeing if they can finish the whole book before center time is up.

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