Saturday, March 8, 2014

Word Work: Make Your Life Easier ;)

Last year I wasn't using the Word Work center exactly how I would have liked to and I knew I needed to change that this year.  My thought going into making these Word Work packs were to keep each month consistent so I wouldn't have to continuously explain the directions, keep them independent so I wouldn't have to get up from my reading group, keep them fun so the children are engaged, and honestly one of the most important things--keep them organized so the center is easy to set up for the month and not a lot of prep is involved on my part. 
These centers have accomplished all of the above for me...and more! I print each pack out, bag each center in a zip lock bag, then put all of the centers for each month into a 2 gallon ziplock.  Next year all I will have to do is pull out that 2 gallon bag and I am good for the entire month! Word Work made easy!
These centers focus on a wide range of skills.  You can see students working on CVC word families here.  I do provide them with a little 'Need Help' sheet to check their answers with when they are finished (included in the word work pack).  This way, some of my struggling readers can still work on this center. Even if they need to use the 'Need Help' sheet to spell their words, they are still working on letter recognition.  
Here you can see two students working together to complete the activity 'Brushin' Up on Beginning and Ending Sounds'.  That is another thing I love about these Word Work center activities, they really promote collaborative learning!
This little one is working on beginning digraphs. This activity was a little too hard for me to leave at the Word Work center and expect students' to complete it independently. Because of that, I actually used it at a different center with a parent volunteer. If you don't have parent volunteers this is an activity you may want to use for whole group learning or guided reading groups.  That is another bonus with these word work packs--you can easily use some of the activities to supplement your reading groups or even your phonics program.
The packs make it easy for differentiation. These students are working on matching letters to the correct beginning sound pictures.  This may be too easy for some students, but is perfect for others!
One skill that my beginning readers have really been working on is sorting real/nonsense words.  I LOVE reinforcing skills that I am working on at guided reading groups in their word work center.
These two cuties didn't want to use the magnetic letters to spell their words so they wrote them with a dry erase marker instead...easy idea and they finished faster which allowed them more time to work on another activity :) Love when they are having fun and don't realize how much they are learning!
Here she spelled her words with magnetic letters then used the 'Need Help' sheet to write the words and 'check off' whether she spelled them correctly or not--so independent!
Getting a little more difficult with CVCC words.
Here they are sorting images based on their word family.  Another skill we have been working on while group A LOT lately! 
Overall, my students are working more collaboratively, independently, and hitting more skills than in the past. I really feel like I owe a lot of that to these Word Work packs
All of these pictures were taken in February, using my February Word Work pack; however, the March pack is very similar.  
The pack for this month includes the following skills:
-real/nonsense words
-beginning and ending digraphs
-beginning and ending sounds
-CVCe words
-building sentences
-decoding sentences
-sight words
-CCVC words
-differentiating between b, d, p, and q
-short vowels
-CVC words
-word families
-long/short vowel sort
You can find this pack by clicking on the image below.
If you made it all the way through this post and you are still with me...leave a comment with your email included for a chance to win my March Word Work pack!! If you already purchased the March Pack, no worries, you can just a different Word Work pack of your choice!  CONGRATS to Shauna and Jean Ann Chisum...I am emailing you now!

99 comments:

  1. I LOVE THIS!!!!! I would also LOVE to win it =) ayersc@monroe.k12.tn.us

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  2. I LOVE this and I would also LOVE to win this =) ayersc@monroe.k12.tn.us

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  3. You have some awesome ideas - my kinders need some practice and review with the majority of these skills! Nancyt1@hotmail.com

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  4. I love how independent the centers are for all children. Would love to win this pack!

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  6. I deleted my last comment due to a typo! Can't have typos!
    I love these! I like how they are differentiated so that everyone can be working on something!
    campbella@scsk12.org

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  7. These look awesome and my kids would really enjoy these. jbollinger@northunion.k12.ia.us

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  8. We have the same carpet! :) Thank you for the reminder of how important it is to include word work in their stations. You have some really great ideas and you can tell the kiddos are having fun doing it! :)

    NotJustChild'sPlay

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  9. Wonderful! cheriemae@gmail.com

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  10. Would love to win this wonderful pack. joosterhse@mac.com

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  11. I just love everything you do. I wish I met you while I was teaching in Broward County.

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  12. I would love to use this in my classroom. I got a lot of great ideas from your post! Thank you so much :)
    Mckbrewer@comcast.net

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  13. I have TONS of your unit packs, but haven't used a word work pack before. They looks super fantastic in your pictures! I also love the independence your students have. Fingers crossed to add this new addition to my K classroom :)
    Elsharpe86@gmail.com

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  14. I love these word work packs - I've purchased every one sine November and my special needs firsties LOVE that they can do them independently!!! alyssamlopez13@gmail.com

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  15. These look awesome! I would LOVE to have them for my kindergarten class. Footestep@yahoo.com

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  16. WOW-this would be a fabulous addition to my classroom!

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  17. This is perfect for my kinder class. Where did you get that large magnetic board?

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  18. Where did you get your magnet board? erinm76@gmail.com

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  19. I love the idea of having specific word work for them to do during guided reading time. The busier they are the more i get done!

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  20. Oops my email is gigi32874@ gmail.com

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  21. I love all of your activities. I have purchased several of your Word Work packets, and my students love them! I would love to add this to my collection! Thank you! sab99@sbcglobal.net

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  22. The magnetic white board can be found here: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/product/productDet.jsp?productItemID=1%2C689%2C949%2C371%2C896%2C137&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=1394290778997

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  23. Love that these are self-checking and versatile. My kinders could definitely use them independently. dbenoit@lafourche.k12.la.us

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  24. I would love to win this. Eileen2002@msn.com

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  25. This post is awesome and I can easily adapt these for my firsties! I would love to win! jkroske@gmail.com

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  26. This would be a wonderful addition to my classroom!
    rmdirk@aol.com

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  27. Love these ideas! Great post! kristinbrehm@gmail.com

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  28. These look like such fun! I think my two homeschoolers would really love these centers. vaylia@verizon.net

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  29. Awesome ideas! Love this. Susan keg919301@msn.com

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  30. I just start to use daily five this year and am always looking for a better way to do my centers. This would be just what I needed. Love them! Threesrme@gmail.com.

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  31. I just start to use daily five this year and am always looking for a better way to do my centers. This would be just what I needed. Love them! Threesrme@gmail.com.

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  32. Thank you for taking the time to write this post and share! What a wonderful word work center! sammdammon@gmail.com

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  33. Thank you for taking the time to write this post and share! What a wonderful word work center! sammdammon@gmail.com

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  34. I love all of these ideas and the independence they help to build! Would love to win! heatherhoetker@yahoo.com

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  35. I would love this for my kinders! Thank you for creating these great activities! Allyson_rose25@yahoo.com

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  36. I would love this for my kinders! Thank you for creating these great activities! Allyson_rose25@yahoo.com

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  37. Great post and great activities! maria.youngblut@cardinalcomet.com

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  38. Caitlin these have been wonderful!!! jems99@comcast.net

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  39. Love love love it! Thanks for the chance to win ! Lslouka@msn.com

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  40. I struggle with the same thing. I want to be able to have word work centers where the students know what to do and don't need me to manage them. How perfect would this be to already have them made and all you have to do is to pull the Ziploc bag out each month. That is my dream. Off to look at your previous month's word work too. shaunarae2@yahoo.com

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  41. I think I need some more of these word packs in my life ASAP. :)

    Breanne
    Breannesimons@gmail.com

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  42. These Word Work packs were just what I needed to do daily 5 this year in Kindergarten. i had no idea how I was going to do Word Work this year and Caitlin saved the day!! I look forward to the next one coming out every month and I have gotten several other packs from you!!! I LOVE all of your work and would be forever grateful to win another Word Work pack!!! Thank you for everything!! afarrell1014@gmail.com

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  43. I would love this for my students!!! Thank you for the chance to win! sweetiemjb@gmail.com

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  44. I would love to win this! I just started a long term sub job in Kindergarten and this would be perfect for my centers! tracymolina36@gmail.com

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  45. Great ideas! Renetowens@sbcglobal.net

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  46. Love these ideas! mom3wheeler@att.net

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  47. My kinders would LOVE this! Thanks for the chance to win! rmartin007@nycap.rr.com

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  48. Your friends look like they are having so much fun! A.shaw.10@gmail.com

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  49. My kinders and I love your word work!!!! Its so colorful, engaging, and fun too!!! I love how it continues to build skills month after month and you are so right when you say that they become so independent!!! It makes learning fun!!! Thank you for sharing your creative gifts with so many!!! I would love a chance to win!!! astarbuck@gradyschool.com

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  50. I have been watching these word packs all year long! I would love to win one to try it out! Traci527@hotmail.com

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  51. Awesome word work centers! I love the differentiation!

    Karyn
    Kideducator@comcast.net

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  52. I LOVE your word work centers! Thanks for the chance to win!
    Stacey
    swhite@cfc.k12.wi.us

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  53. These are wonderful! I would love to use this packet with my students. Love the versatility of it too!

    Thanks!
    Kelli McLaird
    kmclaird83@gmail.com

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  54. I'm jealous about the shorts! The centers look great. Would love a chance to try it. tynetots2000@yahoo.com

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  55. I would LOVE the chance to win your word work centers! This is exactly what I have been looking for! Thanks!!

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  56. Love these great ideas. I will definitely add some to my station time! I'd love to win the march pack! charme1486@gmail.com

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  57. These look like amazing activities! I would love to win a pack! :)

    Jennifer
    lofgrenj@vail.k12.az.us

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  58. Love it! I'd love to win the March set! charme@gmail.com

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  59. Winning this would be so awesome!
    Missriches@yahoo.com

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  60. Wow! I love the way you've made the packs so easy to work with and store.
    Belinda

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  61. You have great ideas that are easily implemented. Thanks for sharing them with us!
    Belinda b.vrettos@xtra.co.nz

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  62. I love this pack! I just ordered more magnets and need some fabulous activities to go with them!
    Kelly
    Kcburlinski@gmail.com

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  63. This looks wonderful! mgnreynolds@yahoo.com

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  64. Your previous post about word work inspired me to bump up my word work. Thank you for sharing your ideas. als09@ymail.com

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  65. I enjoyed looking at your pictures. I have 3 of your word work packets, they're great. Last year I raided our school "junk room" and found lots of magnetic letters, so I am set. I'd love to win this March set.

    Kathy
    imakteechur@gmail.com

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  66. I would love this pack!

    nhuggenberger@gmail.com

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  67. These are awesome! What a great resource! neillkk@hotmail.com

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  68. This looks fabulous Caitlin!!!

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  69. LOVE these packs! Robyn robynsnewnest@gmail.com

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  70. I love your way to make work easier. I am struggling to get that consistency with word work while reading with my kiddos at groups! Love your first paragraph about setup and organization. And would love to win a set! Thanks, keep up the great work!

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  71. oops! forgot my email ronaba2010@gmail.com

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  72. I just got a new double sided magnetic whiteboard easel through DonorsChoose and this pack would be an amazing way to break it in! We just sorted all of our letter magnets in anticipation of word work like this! We would love to win this! IRISHIZ1968@HOTMAIL.COM

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  73. I love the independence of the centers
    Rondooado@yahoo.com

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  74. I feel the same way you felt- not using my word work center like I would really love to be able to! This packet is such a great variety for all of the little learners. :)
    amberpaigeprince@gmail.com

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  75. Thanks for the great opportunity.
    yvonneeyrg@gmail.com

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  76. I love this! Fingers crossed!
    ~Christy
    christyholder27@gmail.com

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  77. This looks interesting for my Kinders! robertsjerri@hotmail.com

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  78. Awesome! Carinmcwhorter@gmail.com

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  79. Awesome! Carinmcwhorter@gmail.com

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  80. Love everything about these! My students will definitely benefit from practice of all these skills! Kinderdiva@gmail.com

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  81. Theses activities would fit perfect on my word work center! macdougall6@yahoo.com

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  82. Love these! leslie.webster@coloradoacademy.org

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  83. This time of year, I am always looking for something new to inspire my students and refresh my centers...I also am looking into purchasing the magnetic board.....my cookie sheets are looking old....

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  84. I love this idea! We are trying to move into Daily 5 next year and it would be amazing to have these packets to help support us! :) you are awesome thank you!!

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  85. My email is abcapples33@gmail.com

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  86. I love this idea and was wondering if you will be bundling them at the end of the year? We are finally getting All Day K next school year and I can do centers again. Thank you! aaparsons@hotmail.com

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  87. These are fantastic centers! Thank you. Love your blog! Empressmu@yahoo.com

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  88. Love these word work ideas!
    Shelly
    projectqn@tx.rr.com

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  89. Oh my goodness. You are so clever. I need to start doing this with my word work center. Ty for such a great idea. I will definitely be heading to your store to buy up your word work centers. Hope I win a free one.

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  90. I love these! You have a variety of creative and practical ideas. Thank you for the opportunity to win one. clairhr@comcast.net

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  91. I am so in love with these Word Work centers. I love them all!!!!

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  92. What amazing activities! And your kids are so engaged!

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  93. Are you making an April word work pack?

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  94. I teach 1st grade-3rd grade English Language Learners. Your blog is so helpful to me with my 1st grade ELs. Two of them are new to the country and I am providing a lot of kinder skills. Thank you!

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  95. Just downloaded your January Word Work. Can't wait to use it with my kiddos.

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  96. I would love to know where you got your dry erase board .. thank you :)

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  97. Did you buy or make your white board? I'd love to either make one like that or purchase one. Could you please let me know where to get it or how to make it? Thank you:)

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