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Five Free Roll/Reading Sentences-Beginning Reader-Pam Fields

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Five Free Roll/Reading Sentences-Beginning Reader-Pam Fields

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Five Free Roll is an activity used for practicing sight words and high frequency words.  The object is for the students to increase automaticity while engaging with the text.
How Five Free Roll Works:  Each student gets a paper and one die.  The student roll the die, picks a sentence from the category that they rolled, and reads it.  After reading the sentence, the student may circle or color it.  Students can play in partners and take turns helping each other read and keep each other accountable.
This website is free and includes short vowel, long vowel, vowel teams, and diagraph game boards.  I would laminate the game boards and have the students use dry erase markers.
This connects back to the class because it is working on building automatic word recognition and reading the words in context. These are first grade sentences but be used in second grade as well.

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FREE ROLL & READ PHONICS FLUENCY SENTENCES

These are 1st grade fluency sentences. Students roll dice, pick a sentence, read it, and mark it off. This is a fun way for students to practice reading sentences fluently. Download the pack to see how to play!

If you'd like to purchase the full packs, here is what is available:
-Short Vowel Roll & Read
-CVCe Long Vowel Roll & Read
-Long Vowel Roll & Read
-Blends and Digraphs Roll & Read
-Diphthongs and R-Controlled Vowels Roll & Read
-SAVE 20% WITH THE BUNDLE OF ALL ROLL & READS

If you need more phonics activities, you may like:
- Digraph Intervention
- Short I vs. E Intervention
- R-Controlled Phonics Readers
- Blends Phonics Readers
- Long Vowel Phonics Readers
- Diphthong Phonics Readers

Need more fluency/sight word practice?
Click here for Sight Word Sticker Book Set 1
Click here for Sight Word Sticker Book Set 2
Click here for the full pack:
Sight Word Sticker Book Pack

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FREE ROLL & READ PHONICS FLUENCY SENTENCES These are 1st grade fluency sentences. Students roll dice, pick a sentence, read it, and mark it off. This is a fun way for students to practice reading sentences fluently. Download the pack to see how to play! If you'd like to purchase the full packs...

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in my thirst for literacy strategies for middle schoolers, I came across this article which reasserts that lessons used to eacher younger kids phonemic awareness can be content specific for the middle school curriculum. It models good instruction for content-specific vocabulary, decoding and phonological awareness.

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Key Literacy Component: Decoding (Transitional) - Amanda Crutchman

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Key Literacy Component: Decoding (Transitional) - Amanda Crutchman

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This is an excellent wiki for strategies to enhance decding instruction for middle school age readers who require reinforcement of decoding strategies such context, prefix/suffix, and attention to syllables and enunciation.

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Decoding is the ability to correctly decipher and identify a word from a string of letters. Students who struggle with decoding are at a disadvantage, but explicit instruction can help them learn this skill.

Decoding or word identification refers to the ability to correctly decipher a particular word out of a group of letters. Two of the skills involved in decoding or word identification are phonemic awareness and phonics. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that spoken words are made up of individual units of sound. These units of sound are called phonemes. ¹

Adolescents who are phonemically aware, for example, understand that three phonemes, /k/, /a/, and /t/, form the word cat. Students understand that the word fish also has three phonemes because s and h together make the distinct sound, /sh/. Phonemic awareness also includes the ability to identify and manipulate these individual units of sound. ² For example, phonemically aware students can make a new word out of weather by removing and replacing the first consonant sound with another consonant sound (e.g., feather).

According to the National Reading Panel report ³, direct instruction in phonemic awareness is most beneficial when offered to young children. Kamil (2003) ⁴ arrived at similar conclusions in his review of the literature, stating that phonemic awareness instruction is most effective in supporting reading improvement if it is provided in kindergarten and first grade. In fact, most children gather some level of awareness of phonemes before their adolescent years. If this awareness has not been fully developed and exercised, however, middle and high school students may experience difficulty with phonemic awareness when they encounter words that are unfamiliar to them. Research has found that instruction in decoding, word recognition, and spelling help improve phonemic awareness for students who have difficulty understanding how to blend sounds to articulate unfamiliar words. ⁵

Phonics is the understanding of the relationship between the letters in written words and the sounds of these words when spoken. ⁶ Students use this understanding as the basis for learning to read and write. Phonics helps students to recognize familiar words and decode new ones, providing these students a predictable, rules-based system for reading. ⁷

What do good readers do?

Good readers have a conscious understanding of the individual sounds, or phonemes, within spoken words and how these sounds are manipulated to form words. ⁸ In a spoken word, phonemes are the smallest parts of sound that make a difference in meaning. For example, changing the first phoneme in the word map from /m/ to /k/ changes the word from map to cap. Successful readers manipulate the blending and segmentation of phonemes used in speech and use this knowledge to support their ability to read new words and to learn to spell words. Adolescent readers make many of these sound connections at the syllable level and decode new sounds using word chunks or syllables, such as re-, pro-, -tion, -ment, that are already familiar to them. ⁹

Readers with strong phonics skills are able to use their knowledge of letters and their sounds to pronounce unknown words. This ability allows readers to listen to the pronunciation of an unknown word and match the pronounced word to one that they recognize in their receptive (listening) and productive (speaking) vocabularies. Readers with strong phonics skills rely on these skills to decode quickly unknown words that they encounter while reading. ¹⁰

What challenges do adolescent readers face regarding decoding?

Content-area teachers need to be aware of the literacy challenges faced by adolescent readers with decoding problems. These struggling readers need more intensive intervention in order to remediate their reading difficulties. To provide some perspective on the scope of the problem, some researchers estimate that approximately 10% of adolescents struggle with word identification skills. ¹¹ Although this percentage may not seem that large on the surface, it is important to realize that this estimate is for the population of all adolescents and that when talking specifically about struggling readers this estimate is likely to be much higher ¹²; with this in mind, reading or literacy specialists, together with others in their schools, serve as an important resource to more systematically address the needs of these students. This section aims to provide some useful background for content-area teachers regarding the challenges faced by adolescent readers struggling with decoding skills.

Based on their research, Shaywitz et al. (1999) ¹³ asserted that students who are unsuccessful in reading words that are unfamiliar to them may also struggle with poor phonemic awareness skills. This is especially problematic for adolescent readers with dyslexia and those who encounter many words that are new to them as they read content-area texts. Studies involving adolescents with dyslexia have revealed that an individual's lack of phonemic awareness represents the specific cognitive deficit responsible for dyslexia. ¹⁴ Without sufficient awareness of the sounds that make these new words, adolescent readers are unable to move to other levels of literacy, such as phonics or fluency. More simply put, phonemic awareness has been found to mediate word identification in all readers; therefore, this phonological skill deserves the attention of educators in middle and high schools.

Struggling with phonics negatively affects students' reading comprehension skills, vocabulary knowledge, and reading fluency. Adolescents with weak phonics skills lack effective strategies for decoding unknown multi-syllabic words. Even words used by students when conversing with others can be the same words these students are unable to sound out when presented with the words in print. As a result, these words remain unknown to them in print. ¹⁵ At grade five and beyond, students encounter 10,000 or more new words a year in their grade-level and content-area texts, and most of these words are multi-syllabic. ¹⁶ Not surprisingly, the inability to decode multi-syllabic words negatively influences readers' comprehension. Readers whose poor phonics skills prevent them from reading grade-level text independently cannot build their reading vocabularies at the same rate as their peers.

How can instruction help adolescent students with decoding?

Adolescents with decoding difficulties need more intensive practice and instructional time to develop their reading skills more thoroughly. Specifically decoding instruction should emphasize syllable patterns and morphology. This instruction would be, in general, most appropriately delivered by a reading specialist, and content-area instructors should focus on referring adolescent students with difficulties in phonemic awareness and/or phonics to a reading specialist for formal assessment of their reading skills. The following section focuses on instructional approaches that can strengthen phonics and phonemic awareness skills and provides examples on how they can be incorporated into classroom instruction.

For struggling adolescent students with decoding difficulties, the reading specialist should integrate phonemic awareness and phonics instruction as a support to the classroom lessons and texts that are assigned. Although there is little research on adolescents and phonemic awareness, recommendations for instructing adolescent students who struggle with phonemic awareness and phonics can be derived from research involving students with dyslexia ¹⁷ and adult beginning readers. ¹⁸

Both phonics and phonemic awareness instruction should occur within the context of an integrated approach to developing students' comprehension and use of academic language (that is, the language used in educational settings) and should focus on only one or two skills or strategies at a time. ¹⁹ Important components of academic language are the vocabulary used to communicate concepts within a particular discipline (specialized academic vocabulary such as osmosis and perimeter) and the vocabulary used across disciplines to express precisely ideas and information (non-specialized academic vocabulary such as examine and cause). Academic vocabulary is distinguished from the "everyday" vocabulary that is used to communicate on a less formal level outside of the classroom. ²⁰ For example, the non-specialized academic vocabulary words examine and cause contrast with the everyday vocabulary words look at and make.

The following research-based recommendations provide context for how phonemic awareness and phonics instruction can be directly taught to explicitly build these skills or primarily aimed at strengthening these skills by incorporating them into activities that also build other literacy components such as vocabulary. It is not envisioned that content-area instructors will focus on these phonemic awareness and phonics skills during their instruction but it may help instructors gain a clearer sense of where struggling readers might have difficulties.

Modeling phonemic awareness skills when introducing new vocabulary

Phonemic awareness skills can be strengthened through instruction when introducing new vocabulary. To develop these skills, the reading specialist should provide instruction with a focus on identification of rhyming words, blending of isolated sounds to form words, and segmentation of a word into its individual sounds. ²¹ While this instruction is not intended to be delivered in the content-area classroom, it could be appropriate in the English language arts class. For example, when teaching the conventions of poetry, English language arts teachers can read aloud poems that rhyme and draw students' attention to the rhyming words. They can also ask students to identify the particular syllable or syllables within the words that are responsible for the rhyme.

Instruction can also emphasize specialized academic vocabulary for words that change meaning when one phoneme is substituted for another and emphasize these changes when introducing new vocabulary. For example, a teacher can demonstrate how deleting the phoneme /r/ from the word revolution results in the word evolution and likewise demonstrate how adding the phoneme/r/ to the word evolution results in the word revolution. Segmenting words into their phoneme units helps develop students' awareness of the relationship between sound and meaning. Follow-up discussion of the phonological and semantic similarities and differences between words such as revolution and evolution will help students not only develop phonological awareness but also extend their vocabulary knowledge. ²²

Providing instruction in phonics strategies helps students articulate and identify multi-syllabic words

Research on phonics indicates that certain phonics instructional strategies improve the reading abilities of both younger and older readers. ²³ Although research has suggested that phonics instruction is useful for all students ²⁴, those with weak phonological skills tend to benefit most from this type of instruction. ²⁵

Multi-syllabic words are especially important, as these words encompass most of the new vocabulary encountered by adolescents in their reading. Multi-syllabic words also provide much of the new information in content-area texts. ²⁶ Teaching word analysis strategies for decoding multi-syllabic words helps adolescent readers decode other unknown words, build a sight-word vocabulary, and learn how to spell words. ²⁷

When selecting vocabulary words to teach, teachers should focus on multi-syllabic, high frequency, specialized and non-specialized academic words and on sound patterns that are difficult for struggling readers. Examples of multi-syllabic words found in content-area reading are circumference, geographical, parameter, imperative, and simultaneous.

As mentioned earlier, for those students who continue to struggle with phonics and phonemic awareness skills, more focused instruction should primarily be delivered by reading specialists after the reading skills of these struggling students have been formally assessed and their areas of difficulties identified. Listed below are some suggested guidelines for how phonics instruction could be delivered for difficult academic vocabulary and sound patterns:

Take time before lessons to determine the content-area words with which students may struggle.

When introducing these words, articulate each syllable slowly (e.g., e-co-sys-tem), pausing slightly between the syllables. ²⁸ Repeat this articulation several times.

Point out patterns in the pronunciation and spelling of prefixes, suffixes, and vowels in selected words (e.g., rac-ism, sex-ism, age-ism, etc.).²⁹

Point out similarities and differences among words that belong to "word families" (e.g., define, definitely, definition).³⁰

Model using new or difficult words in different contexts.³¹

Provide opportunities for students to practice using new or difficult words and reinforce correct pronunciation and usage.³²

Ask open-ended questions that require students to respond using the new or difficult words (e.g., Do you think racism, sexism, or ageism is more prevalent in our society? Why?).³³

Use direct, explicit, and systematic instruction to teach phonemic awareness and phonics skills

Scientific research supports the use of direct, explicit, and systematic instruction for teaching phonemic awareness and phonics. ³⁴ Examples of steps that could be used by teachers are listed below; however, note that for adolescent students this instruction is most appropriately delivered by a reading specialist rather than a content-area instructor:

1. Explain, demonstrate, and model the skill or strategy with content-area words and within the context of the subject matter students are currently learning.

2. Guide students to practice the skill or strategy and provide corrective feedback (or informing the student of their incorrect practice and giving them the correct information).³⁵

3. Provide time for independent or peer-collaborative practice of the skill or strategy.

4. Repeat these instructional steps until students are able to apply the skill or strategy independently in their reading and writing.³⁶

As you may have noticed, teachers could take advantage of some of the suggestions above to introduce new vocabulary that their students may encounter in the content-area classes they teach. When introducing new vocabulary words that have common prefixes, suffixes, or roots, teachers can instruct students in the meanings of these word parts and how to use this knowledge to decipher new words. Teachers can begin with vocabulary that they are currently teaching and then extend instruction to non-specialized academic vocabulary and specialized vocabulary from other disciplines. For example, teachers can teach students the meaning of the prefix poly when teaching the words polygon and polyhedron. At the same time, they can teach students how to apply knowledge of these prefixes to decipher the meanings of other words that begin with the prefix (e.g., polytheism, polygraph, polygamy, etc.). ³⁷

Provide extra time for phonemic awareness and phonics instruction and opportunities for students to practice using new skills when reading

Adolescent readers who struggle with decoding need extra time to decode each word and to apply their higher order thinking skills to comprehend fully the text that they read. ³⁸ These students will need extra time for reading in the classroom and outside of class. For adolescent students who struggle with decoding, they should be referred to the reading specialist on staff to more intensively address their reading needs. As an aid, content-area teachers may consider taping instructional lessons and passing on these tapes to struggling readers to review at their own pace. ³⁹

What do we still need to know?

Much more research needs to be conducted with adolescent students in the areas of phonemic awareness and phonics. Investigation of students' phonological skills has typically occurred in the primary and elementary grades. With both young children and adolescents, however, there are still many questions that need to be answered. For example, research is needed to study whether or not small group settings are the most effective teaching environment for phonemic awareness for older students. In addition, researchers have paid little attention to the possible connections between phonics instruction and motivation. It is important to better understand how adolescents' levels of motivation influence their reading ability. ⁴⁰ Finally, additional research is needed to determine how decoding and fluency skills relate to reading difficulties faced by some older students.

More key literacy components
References
References

Click the "References" link above to hide these references.

Archer, A., M. Gleason, and V. Vachon, Decoding and fluency: Foundation skills for struggling older readers. Learning Disability Quarterly, 2003. 26: p. 89-101.

Bailey, A.L. and F.A. Butler, An evidentiary framework for operationalizing academic language for broad application to K-12 education: A design document. 2003, CRESST/University of California, Los Angeles: Los Angeles.

Bertelson, P., et al., Metaphonological abilities of adult illiterates: New evidence of heterogeneity. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 1989. 1(3): p. 239-250.

Bhattarya, A. and L. Ehri, Graphosyllabic analysis helps adolescent struggling readers read and spell words. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2004. 37: p. 331-348.

Blevins, W., Teaching phonics and word study in the intermediate grades. 2001, New York: Scholastic.

Curtis, M.E., Adolescents who struggle with word identification: Research and practice, in Adolescent literacy research and practice, T.L. Jetton and J.A. Dole, Editors. 2004, The Guilford Press: New York. p. 119-134.

Curtis, M.E. and A.M. Longo, When adolescents can�t read: Methods and materials that work. 1999, Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.

Curtis, M.E. and L. McCart, Fun ways to promote poor readers� word recognition. Journal of Reading, 1992. 35: p. 398-399.

Curtis, M.E. and M.B. Chmelka, Modifying the Laubauch way to reading program for use with adolescents with LDs. Learning Disabilities: Research and Practice, 1994. 9: p. 38-43.

Foorman, B.R., et al., The role of instruction in learning to read: Preventing reading failure in at-risk children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1998. 90: p. 37-55.

Graham, S., K.R. Harris, and C. Loynachan, The basic spelling vocabulary list. Journal of Educational Research, 1993. 86: p. 363-368.

Greenberg, D., L.C. Ehri, and D. Perin, Are word-reading processes the same or different in adult literacy students and third-fifth graders matched for reading level? Journal of Educational Psychology, 1997. 89(2): p. 262-275.

Hoover, W.A., The importance of phonemic awareness in learning to read. SEDL Letter, 2002. 14(3): p. 9-12.

Juel, C. and C. Minden-Cupp, Learning to read words: Linguistic units and instructional strategies. Reading Research Quarterly, 2000. 35: p. 458-492.

Kamil, M., Adolescents and literacy: Reading for the 21st century. 2003, Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.

Leach, J., H. Scarborough, and L. Rescorla, Late-emerging reading disabilities. Journal of Educational Psychology, 2003. 95: p. 211-224.

Liberman, I.Y. and D. Shankweiler, Phonology and beginning to read: A tutorial, in Learning to read: basic research and its implications, L. Rieben and C.A. Perfetti, Editors. 1991, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Hillsdale, NJ.

Moats, L.C., When older kids can�t read. Educational Leadership, 2001. 58(6): p. 36-40.

Moore, D.W., et al., Adolescent literacy: A position statement for the Commission on Adolescent Literacy of the International Reading Association. 1999, Newark, DE: International Reading Association. 3.

Mory, E., Feedback research, in Handbook of research for educational communications and technology, D.H. Jonassen, Editor. 1996, Simon and Schuster MacMillan: New York. p. 919-956.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. 2004, Government Printing Office: Washington, DC. http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org.

Nokes, J.D. and J.A. Dole, Helping adolescent readers through explicit strategy instruction, in Adolescent literacy research and practice, T.L. Jetton and J.A. Dole, Editors. 2004, The Guilford Press: New York. p. 162-182.

Partnership for Reading, Put reading first: The research building blocks of reading instruction (2nd ed). 2003, Retrieved May 1, 2005, from http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/PFRbooklet.pdf.

Schleppegrell, M., Linguistic features of the language of schooling. Linguistics and Education, 2001. 12(4): p. 431-459.

Scliar-Cabral, L., et al., The awareness of phonemes: So close-so far away. International Journal of Psycholinguistics, 1997. 13(38): p. 211-240.

Shaywitz, S.E., Dyslexia. Scientific American, 1996. 275: p. 98-104.

Shaywitz, S.E., et al., Persistence of dyslexia: The Connecticut longitudinal study at adolescence. Pediatrics, 1999. 104: p. 1351-1359.

Snow, C.E., M.S. Burns, and P. Griffin, eds. Preventing reading difficulties in young children. 1998, National Academies Press: Washington, DC.

Torgesen, J., Lessons learned from research on interventions for students who have difficulty learning to read, in The voice of evidence in reading research, P. McCardle and V. Chhabra, Editors. 2004, Paul H. Brookes Publishing: Baltimore, MD.

Wagner, R.K. and J. Torgesen, The nature of phonological processing and its causal role in the acquisition of reading skills. Psychological Bulletin, 1987. 101: p. 192-212.

References

Archer, A., M. Gleason, and V. Vachon, Decoding and fluency: Foundation skills for struggling older readers. Learning Disability Quarterly, 2003. 26: p. 89-101.

Bailey, A.L. and F.A. Butler, An evidentiary framework for operationalizing academic language for broad application to K-12 education: A design document. 2003, CRESST/University of California, Los Angeles: Los Angeles.

Bertelson, P., et al., Metaphonological abilities of adult illiterates: New evidence of heterogeneity. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 1989. 1(3): p. 239-250.

Bhattarya, A. and L. Ehri, Graphosyllabic analysis helps adolescent struggling readers read and spell words. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2004. 37: p. 331-348.

Blevins, W., Teaching phonics and word study in the intermediate grades. 2001, New York: Scholastic.

Curtis, M.E., Adolescents who struggle with word identification: Research and practice, in Adolescent literacy research and practice, T.L. Jetton and J.A. Dole, Editors. 2004, The Guilford Press: New York. p. 119-134.

Curtis, M.E. and A.M. Longo, When adolescents can�t read: Methods and materials that work. 1999, Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.

Curtis, M.E. and L. McCart, Fun ways to promote poor readers� word recognition. Journal of Reading, 1992. 35: p. 398-399.

Curtis, M.E. and M.B. Chmelka, Modifying the Laubauch way to reading program for use with adolescents with LDs. Learning Disabilities: Research and Practice, 1994. 9: p. 38-43.

Foorman, B.R., et al., The role of instruction in learning to read: Preventing reading failure in at-risk children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1998. 90: p. 37-55.

Graham, S., K.R. Harris, and C. Loynachan, The basic spelling vocabulary list. Journal of Educational Research, 1993. 86: p. 363-368.

Greenberg, D., L.C. Ehri, and D. Perin, Are word-reading processes the same or different in adult literacy students and third-fifth graders matched for reading level? Journal of Educational Psychology, 1997. 89(2): p. 262-275.

Hoover, W.A., The importance of phonemic awareness in learning to read. SEDL Letter, 2002. 14(3): p. 9-12.

Juel, C. and C. Minden-Cupp, Learning to read words: Linguistic units and instructional strategies. Reading Research Quarterly, 2000. 35: p. 458-492.

Kamil, M., Adolescents and literacy: Reading for the 21st century. 2003, Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.

Leach, J., H. Scarborough, and L. Rescorla, Late-emerging reading disabilities. Journal of Educational Psychology, 2003. 95: p. 211-224.

Liberman, I.Y. and D. Shankweiler, Phonology and beginning to read: A tutorial, in Learning to read: basic research and its implications, L. Rieben and C.A. Perfetti, Editors. 1991, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Hillsdale, NJ.

Moats, L.C., When older kids can�t read. Educational Leadership, 2001. 58(6): p. 36-40.

Moore, D.W., et al., Adolescent literacy: A position statement for the Commission on Adolescent Literacy of the International Reading Association. 1999, Newark, DE: International Reading Association. 3.

Mory, E., Feedback research, in Handbook of research for educational communications and technology, D.H. Jonassen, Editor. 1996, Simon and Schuster MacMillan: New York. p. 919-956.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. 2004, Government Printing Office: Washington, DC. http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org.

Nokes, J.D. and J.A. Dole, Helping adolescent readers through explicit strategy instruction, in Adolescent literacy research and practice, T.L. Jetton and J.A. Dole, Editors. 2004, The Guilford Press: New York. p. 162-182.

Partnership for Reading, Put reading first: The research building blocks of reading instruction (2nd ed). 2003, Retrieved May 1, 2005, from http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/PFRbooklet.pdf.

Schleppegrell, M., Linguistic features of the language of schooling. Linguistics and Education, 2001. 12(4): p. 431-459.

Scliar-Cabral, L., et al., The awareness of phonemes: So close-so far away. International Journal of Psycholinguistics, 1997. 13(38): p. 211-240.

Shaywitz, S.E., Dyslexia. Scientific American, 1996. 275: p. 98-104.

Shaywitz, S.E., et al., Persistence of dyslexia: The Connecticut longitudinal study at adolescence. Pediatrics, 1999. 104: p. 1351-1359.

Snow, C.E., M.S. Burns, and P. Griffin, eds. Preventing reading difficulties in young children. 1998, National Academies Press: Washington, DC.

Torgesen, J., Lessons learned from research on interventions for students who have difficulty learning to read, in The voice of evidence in reading research, P. McCardle and V. Chhabra, Editors. 2004, Paul H. Brookes Publishing: Baltimore, MD.

Wagner, R.K. and J. Torgesen, The nature of phonological processing and its causal role in the acquisition of reading skills. Psychological Bulletin, 1987. 101: p. 192-212.

Endnotes

Click the "Endnotes" link above to hide these endnotes.

1. Kamil (2003); Hoover (2002)

2. Kamil (2003); Hoover (2002)

3. NICHD (2004)

4. Kamil (2003)

5. NICHD (2004); Kamil (2003); Hoover (2002)

6. NICHD (2004)

7. NICHD (2004); Kamil (2003); Torgesen (2004)

8. Hoover (2002)

9. Bhattarya and Ehri (2004)

10. Kamil (2003); Torgesen (2004); Bhattarya and Ehri (2004)

11. Curtis (2004); Curtis and Chmelka (1994); Moats (2001)

12. Leach, Scarborough, and Rescorla (2003)

13. Shaywitz et al. (1999)

14. Torgesen (2004); Liberman and Shankweiler (1991); Shaywitz (1996); Wagner and Torgesen (1987)

15. Kamil (2003); Torgesen (2004); Curtis (2004); Moats (2001)

16. Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

17. Torgesen (2004); Shaywitz et al. (1999); Liberman and Shankweiler (1991); Shaywitz (1996); Wagner and Torgesen (1987)

18. Bertelson et al. (1989); Greenberg, Ehri, and Perin (1997); Scliar-Cabral et al. (1997)

19. NICHD (2004)

20. Bailey and Butler (2003); Schleppegrell (2001)

21. Moore et al. (1999); Shaywitz et al. (1999)

22. Moore et al. (1999); Shaywitz et al. (1999)

23. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Curtis and Longo (1999)

24. Snow, Burns, and Griffin (1998)

25. Moats (2001); Foorman et al. (1998); Juel and Minden-Cupp (2000)

26. Kamil (2003); Curtis (2004); Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

27. Torgesen (2004); Moats (2001); Curtis and Longo (1999)

28. Curtis (2004); Curtis and Chmelka (1994); Curtis and McCart (1992)

29. Bhattarya and Ehri (2004); Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

30. Moats (2004)

31. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Graham, Harris, and Loynachan (1993)

32. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Graham, Harris, and Loynachan (1993)

33. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Graham, Harris, and Loynachan (1993)

34. Kamil (2003); Shaywitz et al. (1999); Curtis (2004); Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003); NAS (2003); Nokes and Dole (2004); Partnership for Reading (2005)

35. Mory (1996)

36. Moats (2001); Foorman et al. (1998); Juel and Minden-Cupp (2000)

37. Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

38. Wagner and Torgesen (1987)

39. Shaywitz et al. (1999)

40. NICHD (2004); Hoover (2002); Blevins (2001)

Endnotes

1. Kamil (2003); Hoover (2002)

2. Kamil (2003); Hoover (2002)

3. NICHD (2004)

4. Kamil (2003)

5. NICHD (2004); Kamil (2003); Hoover (2002)

6. NICHD (2004)

7. NICHD (2004); Kamil (2003); Torgesen (2004)

8. Hoover (2002)

9. Bhattarya and Ehri (2004)

10. Kamil (2003); Torgesen (2004); Bhattarya and Ehri (2004)

11. Curtis (2004); Curtis and Chmelka (1994); Moats (2001)

12. Leach, Scarborough, and Rescorla (2003)

13. Shaywitz et al. (1999)

14. Torgesen (2004); Liberman and Shankweiler (1991); Shaywitz (1996); Wagner and Torgesen (1987)

15. Kamil (2003); Torgesen (2004); Curtis (2004); Moats (2001)

16. Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

17. Torgesen (2004); Shaywitz et al. (1999); Liberman and Shankweiler (1991); Shaywitz (1996); Wagner and Torgesen (1987)

18. Bertelson et al. (1989); Greenberg, Ehri, and Perin (1997); Scliar-Cabral et al. (1997)

19. NICHD (2004)

20. Bailey and Butler (2003); Schleppegrell (2001)

21. Moore et al. (1999); Shaywitz et al. (1999)

22. Moore et al. (1999); Shaywitz et al. (1999)

23. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Curtis and Longo (1999)

24. Snow, Burns, and Griffin (1998)

25. Moats (2001); Foorman et al. (1998); Juel and Minden-Cupp (2000)

26. Kamil (2003); Curtis (2004); Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

27. Torgesen (2004); Moats (2001); Curtis and Longo (1999)

28. Curtis (2004); Curtis and Chmelka (1994); Curtis and McCart (1992)

29. Bhattarya and Ehri (2004); Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

30. Moats (2004)

31. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Graham, Harris, and Loynachan (1993)

32. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Graham, Harris, and Loynachan (1993)

33. Curtis (2004); Blevins (2001); Graham, Harris, and Loynachan (1993)

34. Kamil (2003); Shaywitz et al. (1999); Curtis (2004); Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003); NAS (2003); Nokes and Dole (2004); Partnership for Reading (2005)

35. Mory (1996)

36. Moats (2001); Foorman et al. (1998); Juel and Minden-Cupp (2000)

37. Archer, Gleason, and Vachon (2003)

38. Wagner and Torgesen (1987)

39. Shaywitz et al. (1999)

40. NICHD (2004); Hoover (2002); Blevins (2001)

National Institute for Literacy. (2007). Adapted from What Content-Area Teachers Should Know About Adolescent Literacy. Retrieved from http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/adolescent_literacy07.pdf

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Decoding is the ability to correctly decipher and identify a word from a string of letters. Students who struggle with decoding are at a disadvantage, but explicit instruction can help them learn this skill. Decoding or word identification refers to the ability to correctly decipher a particular word out of a group of letters.

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Dinner Time (Emergent Readers)-Caitlyn Palazzola

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Dinner Time (Emergent Readers)-Caitlyn Palazzola

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“Dinner Time” is an interactive game where students will substitute beginning phonemes of a non-sense food word to figure out the real food word to eat for dinner time. This game is for emergent readers since it to help practice phonemic awareness without using any graphemes to represent phonemes.

How to play “Dinner Time:” Print out the placemat and food cards for every student that is playing.  To start, point to a food card and ask the students to pass you the ________ and change the beginning phoneme to make a non-sense word (meese/cheese, lam/jam).  The students will reply with “not meese, but cheese!”  After a few turns, the teacher can then name some more non-sense words without pointing to the correct food for an extra challenge.  To differentiate the activity, phonemes can be deleted, added or substituted for blends, digraphs, vowels, etc.

This website also includes many other phonological awareness activities for students to practice which include: counting syllables, word boundaries and rhyming words.

This activity connects back to the class because it is a phoneme manipulation task where students have to listen and recognize a word that has had a phonemic substitution in the beginning, or middle and end if the activity is adapted for higher level practice.  Since no print or writing is required, students are simply asked to listen and hear the difference between two words with one change in phoneme.

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What Is Phonological Awareness?

It's a big term, but it's really quite basic: phonological awareness is the ability to hear and identify the various sounds in spoken words.

Kids who have strong phonological awareness can do things like rhyme, count syllables, and blend sounds into words. And most important of all, kids with strong phonological awareness learn to read much more easily, making their first attempts at reading more successful. This early advantage sticks with kids as they continue through their school career.

Phonological awareness is so incredibly important that it is one of the Big Five Skills for pre-readers, and it's one of the first things I work on with children before teaching them to read.

How Phonological Awareness Develops

Kids don't just pop out of the womb ready to run (although with some kids it may feel that way!). Instead, babies learn to stretch their little limbs, turn over onto their bellies, crawl, and walk-and then, eventually, they are off and running.

In the same way, phonological awareness develops gradually over time. Kids start with the easiest skills-like understanding that spoken language contains words-and then move on to skills like rhyming. Eventually they develop more advanced skills like manipulating sounds and are able to play word games like " Go Find It."

Quick Check for Phonological Awareness

Here are six skills that indicate that your child is phonologically aware.

Your child is able to rhyme. If you say the word , your child can respond with words that rhyme like , or .

Your child understands word boundaries. If you say the sentence Don't let the cat out , your child is able to separate the sentence into five individual words.

Your child can clap syllables. If you say , your child knows to clap once. If you say , your child knows to clap three times.

Your child can blend sounds to make a word. If you say the sounds , your child can respond and say the word .

Your child can identify the beginning sound in a word. If you ask your child to say the first sound in , your child is able to respond with the sound /p/.

Your child can identify the ending sound in a word. If you ask your child to say the last sound in the word , your child is able to respond with the sound /m/.

Of course there are more advanced phonological skills, such as segmenting and sound manipulation, but the skills above are the important ones to have before beginning reading instruction.

6 Fun Ways to Develop Phonological Awareness!

If your child hasn't yet acquired the skills on the checklist above, you can help her develop them through informal activities such as listening to great books and playing oral language games. Here are a few ideas for you!

Help your child hear the first sound in a word with our free "Go Find It" game.

This engaging phonological awareness activity is a great way to help your child learn to identify the beginning sound in a spoken word.

Practice word boundaries with building blocks.

Say a sentence such as My puppy has long ears. Have your child build a tower by adding one block for each spoken word.

Practice sound substitution with our free "Dinner Time" game.

In addition to helping kids practice sound substitution and rhyming, this fun game will provide lots of giggles for kids and parents alike!

The majority of a young child's day should be filled with play, real-life activities, and physical exploration. Add in just a touch of daily intentional instruction in the five reading readiness areas (including phonological awareness), and your child will have a huge advantage when it comes time to read.

Phonological Awareness Is One of the Big Five Skills

Phonological awareness is one of the five critical skills for reading readiness that we call the " Big Five Skills." The other four skills are:

If you're ready to tackle the rest of the Big Five Skills, be sure to check out the All About Reading Pre-reading program. Your student will enjoy special games, crafts, and story time read-alouds, and you will love the way your student effortlessly learns essential pre-reading skills.

Do you have any questions about print awareness? Post in the comments below!

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Fun Ways to Develop Phonological Awareness (+FREE Downloads!)

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Phonological awareness helps children learn to read more easily. Check out our free download and learn how to help your child develop this important skill!

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Beginning Sound Picture Sorts - Emergent

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Beginning Sound Picture Sorts - Emergent

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Cassy Childress

Describe: In this activity students will sort pictures in several groups based on its initial sound. This activity could be used in whole group or in small group instruction. I have used this in a current Kindergarten classroom. I like that it involves multiple sounds that must be sorted requiring the students to be familiar with all letter names and sounds.

How To: If your students struggle with beginning sounds, sorts, or difficulty with the rigor of multiple letters. The teacher may cut and laminate the sorts so that the students can reuse and practice frequently with support or without. This activity should reinforce sounds that prepare students for beginning reading skills. This also could be used during a partner activity in which the students are able to turn and talk and hear the sounds repeated.

Critique: I am currently working with a class of 15 students, who unfortunately know less than ten letters. This activity has been a great support in review of letter recognition and sounds. My class is also an EL class, and the pictures provided excellent exposure to items/objects that they were unfamiliar with. I loved that this product is complete free and easy to print. You do not have to download anything special to access all sorts. This process was completely user friendly. This activity requires little preparation for the teacher. I think this is an excellent product that could be used in preschool, kindergarten for introduction to sounds, re-enforcement in 1st and 2nd grade, and with EL students.

Connection: This connects to our class in relation to phonemic awareness. The students must identify the initial sound found in the picture. The students have to differentiate between the various initial sounds given, by sorting the pictures according to the correct beginning sound. This will help students master their beginning sounds.

Link: Beginning sound picture sorts - The Measured Mom

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Rhyming Pocket Chart Center (Beginning Reader)-Andrew Minnix

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Rhyming Pocket Chart Center (Beginning Reader)-Andrew Minnix

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Rhyming is part of the phonological hierarchy that was discussed this week. It was also discussed how phonological awareness deals with speech not print. The rhyming pocket chart activity costs $1.It includes 30 rhyming pair cards and three assessments. This activity has students determining if two words rhyme, but it has pictures rather than words. It is recommended to laminate each of these cards to increase longevity.

How it works:  This activity is meant to serve as a center. In the center students will look at cards with a pair of pictures. Students will also have a pocket chart with a thumbs up and a thumbs down. The card goes under thumbs up if the two pictures rhyme. The card goes under thumbs down if it does not rhyme. There are also a couple assessments included in the resource. Students look at a pair of pictures and write yes or no as to whether they rhyme or not.

My critique: I think this is a great center. While it may seem obvious, I think I would model this before allowing students to attempt this on their own. That way there is clarity on the purpose of the the thumbs up/thumbs down. I like that there is also a couple assessments included in the resource.  My only complaint is that students have been practicing using thumbs up/thumbs down. The assessment have students writing yes or no. Maybe there could be printed off pictures of thumbs up/thumbs down and students glue the correct one. I thought this could be great after implementing the center to determine the effectiveness of the center with the students.

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Rhyming is such an important skill to for new readers to master. This pocket chart sorting center will help your kids practice this skill. This set comes with 30 rhyming word pairs to be sorted in a pocket chart. Students decide if the words rhyme or do not rhyme. They then place the cards under the thumbs up or thumbs down sign. I have also provided 3 independent practice printables for a follow up to the pocket chart.

This set has been created in color and BLACK OR WHITE. You choose!

Check out more of my DOLLAR DEALS below!
DOLLAR DEAL! CVC Words Pocket Chart Sorting Center DOLLAR DEAL! CVC Word Family Word Mats and Letter Tiles (Literacy Center) DOLLAR DEAL! Long Vowel (CVC-E) Words Pocket Chart Sorting Center & Printables DOLLAR DEAL! Shapes Pocket Chart Sorting Center (2-D Shapes) DOLLAR DEAL! 3-D Shapes Pocket Chart Sorting Center (Environmental Shapes) DOLLAR DEAL! Subtraction Within 10 Pocket Chart Center DOLLAR DEAL! CVCC and CCVC Words Pocket Chart Sorting Center DOLLAR DEAL! Addition to 10 Pocket Chart Center DOLLAR DEAL! Counting (0-10) Pocket Chart Center (9 Sets) DOLLAR DEAL! Color Words Pocket Chart Sorting Center DOLLAR DEAL! Large CVCC & CCVC Word Cards (Read, Flip, and Check) 30 Cards DOLLAR DEAL! Build a Digraph Snowman (Literacy Center Activity) CH, SH, TH, WH DOLLAR DEAL! Beginning Digraph Pocket Chart Center (sh,ch,th,wh) DOLLAR DEAL! Place Value Base Ten Pocket Chart Center (Numbers 0-29) DOLLAR DEAL! Beginning Blends Pocket Chart Center DOLLAR DEAL! 15 Spring Themed Sight Word Poems for Shared Reading DOLLAR DEAL! 10 Valentine Coversation Hearts Math Activities DOLLAR DEAL! Vowel Teams Pocket Chart (ee,ea,ai,ay,oo,ue,ui,oa,oe) Preview
© Copyright - Crystal McGinnis. All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original purchaser only. Copying for more than one teacher or classroom, or for an entire department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. This product MAY be used in secure password protected digital classroom platforms such as GOOGLE CLASSROOM, if purchaser's students are the only ones who have access to it. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Intended for single classroom and personal use only.

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DOLLAR DEAL! Rhyming Words Pocket Chart Center

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Rhyming is such an important skill to for new readers to master. This pocket chart sorting center will help your kids practice this skill. This set comes with 30 rhyming word pairs to be sorted in a pocket chart. Students decide if the words rhyme or do not rhyme.

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Syllable Count Game (Beginning Readers) Korrye Gaskins

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Syllable Count Game (Beginning Readers) Korrye Gaskins

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The Syllable Count Game is a fun self-correcting game for students to practice segmenting words without having to read.  Because this activity does not require reading, but still focuses on a lower-level phonological awareness skill at the syllable level, it would be appropriate for beginning readers.

To play the teacher prints the picture cards that have the number of syllables on the back (self-correcting). Players stack the cards with picture side up. Each child places their game piece on the 'start' space. The first player draws a card, says the word on the card and counts the syllables. The player will move the same number of spaces on the game board. Players take turns. The first to the finish space wins.
This resource connects to the class because the syllable level is the 2nd stage of the phonological awareness hierarchy.  The game requires students to count the syllables in common pictures.  The only hesitation I would have for this game would be for ESL students who may not be as familiar with "common" pictures.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Syllable-Count-Game-3012606?st=593705163769be6bbf9f9cc33cbf4d34

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Beginning Sounds PowerPoint Games (Emergent/Beginning Readers)  Mary Lawson

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Beginning Sounds PowerPoint Games (Emergent/Beginning Readers)  Mary Lawson

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This activity can be used in virtual live meetings, in person whole group lessons, small group lessons, or in person individual practice.  The power point contains 60 slides and is $4.99.  This is more than I usually like to pay; however, it is interactive and it contains 60 slides.

How it works:  Each slide contains a picture and a CVC word with a missing beginning sound. The students isolate the beginning sound.  Then, they identify the missing sound and its corresponding letter from the 3 letters below.  Each letter is carried by a bee.  If the correct letter is chosen, the bee will place it in the word.  The bees will talk to the students and tell them they are correct.

I like that this can be modified by the teacher for whole group, small group, or individual practice.  I can use this during live meetings and have the class sound out the letters and blend the completed word.

This connects back to our class because it is a phonemic awareness beginning sound isolation and identity task.  The letters are visible on each slide. So, I think this would appropriate to use after the emergent readers have learned the majority of the letters and sounds.  I also think it is important to use this with the whole group initially.  The teacher can model the process.

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Practice beginning sounds with this fun and engaging CVC words phonics game for Smart boards, whiteboards and computers. Students must figure out the missing letter and touch the bee that is carrying that letter. If correct, the bee will fly to the blank space, fill in the letter and then cheer and dance. Your students will love the fun bee characters, animations and sounds and will forget that they are learning!
Click here to watch a quick video demo of the game in action.
Download the 'Preview' to try a few questions from the game.

FREE - Download the Busy Bees Achievement Badges to award to your students as they play the Busy Bee Games.

This game contains 60 CVC words with practice questions for beginning sounds.

This product is a PowerPoint file and requires PowerPoint software.

For PC: PowerPoint 2003 or newer is required in order to play this game.

For Mac: PowerPoint 2011 is required in order to play this game.

Designed for Smart Board and computer use, there are several ways that you can use this game in your classroom or at home.

This product is aligned to Common Core Standards:

RF.K.1b Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.

RF.K.2d Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words.

RF.K.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
How to Play Whole Class Competition
Divide the class into several teams and have one team member come up to the SmartBoard to answer a question. If they get it correct, give their team a point. Keep track of points on a blackboard, whiteboard or piece of paper. Decide before you start the game how many points are needed to win the game.
Whole Class or Small Group Review
Have one student at a time come up the Smart Board to answer a question.
One or Two Players
Start the game on a computer or on the Smart Board and allow the student(s) to play for a certain length of time.
If you like this game you may also like my other interactive games: Build a Monster - Math Game Pop and Drop Games Bundle Winter Sports Games Busy Bees CVCs Word Game 100th Day of School Games Build a Buddy - Math Game Christmas Games Thanksgiving Games and many more ... About the "Busy Bees" Series
The "Busy Bees" series is a group of educational games featuring fun little bees and their adventures. The bees visit imaginative places and love to practice what they've learned in school! The games are perfect for whole class, small groups and individual use. They are designed for use with a Smart Board for group games and a personal computer for single play.

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Beginning Sounds Game - CVC Words Phonics Game for Smartboards & all Whiteboards

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Practice beginning sounds with this fun and engaging CVC words phonics game for Smart boards, whiteboards and computers. Students must figure out the missing letter and touch the bee that is carrying that letter. If correct, the bee will fly to the blank space, fill in the letter and then cheer and ...

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Go Find It Game (Emergent/Beginning Readers) Kelly Falin

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Go Find It Game (Emergent/Beginning Readers) Kelly Falin

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This website has several useful activities to develop phonological awareness; I focused on the Go Find It Game.
In this game the teacher will prepare the binoculars & picture cards. Choose 3 or 4 cards (such as a kite, an elephant, and an umbrella) and place them on the table with the illustrations facing up. Look through the binoculars at the cards and say, “I’ve got my eye on something that starts with /k/. Go find it!” Be sure to say the letter sound and not the letter name. Hand the binoculars to your student. Encourage him to look through the binoculars to view the cards and have him point to the one that begins with the sound you’ve indicated. If he points to the correct card, he may keep the card. When your child is ready, switch roles. You can be the one to “go find it!”
This connects back to our Phonological Awareness Module because it focuses on beginning sounds and not letter names or formation. Students will work on isolating tasks. This activity can also be adapted to incorporate other tasks such as identity and categorization.
My critique is that this would be a very beneficial, engaging & interactive activity for beginning or emergent readers offering them practice with a very important phonological awareness concept.

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What Is Phonological Awareness?

It's a big term, but it's really quite basic: phonological awareness is the ability to hear and identify the various sounds in spoken words.

Kids who have strong phonological awareness can do things like rhyme, count syllables, and blend sounds into words. And most important of all, kids with strong phonological awareness learn to read much more easily, making their first attempts at reading more successful. This early advantage sticks with kids as they continue through their school career.

Phonological awareness is so incredibly important that it is one of the Big Five Skills for pre-readers, and it's one of the first things I work on with children before teaching them to read.

How Phonological Awareness Develops

Kids don't just pop out of the womb ready to run (although with some kids it may feel that way!). Instead, babies learn to stretch their little limbs, turn over onto their bellies, crawl, and walk-and then, eventually, they are off and running.

In the same way, phonological awareness develops gradually over time. Kids start with the easiest skills-like understanding that spoken language contains words-and then move on to skills like rhyming. Eventually they develop more advanced skills like manipulating sounds and are able to play word games like " Go Find It."

Quick Check for Phonological Awareness

Here are six skills that indicate that your child is phonologically aware.

Your child is able to rhyme. If you say the word , your child can respond with words that rhyme like , or .

Your child understands word boundaries. If you say the sentence Don't let the cat out , your child is able to separate the sentence into five individual words.

Your child can clap syllables. If you say , your child knows to clap once. If you say , your child knows to clap three times.

Your child can blend sounds to make a word. If you say the sounds , your child can respond and say the word .

Your child can identify the beginning sound in a word. If you ask your child to say the first sound in , your child is able to respond with the sound /p/.

Your child can identify the ending sound in a word. If you ask your child to say the last sound in the word , your child is able to respond with the sound /m/.

Of course there are more advanced phonological skills, such as segmenting and sound manipulation, but the skills above are the important ones to have before beginning reading instruction.

6 Fun Ways to Develop Phonological Awareness!

If your child hasn't yet acquired the skills on the checklist above, you can help her develop them through informal activities such as listening to great books and playing oral language games. Here are a few ideas for you!

Help your child hear the first sound in a word with our free "Go Find It" game.

This engaging phonological awareness activity is a great way to help your child learn to identify the beginning sound in a spoken word.

Practice word boundaries with building blocks.

Say a sentence such as My puppy has long ears. Have your child build a tower by adding one block for each spoken word.

Practice sound substitution with our free "Dinner Time" game.

In addition to helping kids practice sound substitution and rhyming, this fun game will provide lots of giggles for kids and parents alike!

The majority of a young child's day should be filled with play, real-life activities, and physical exploration. Add in just a touch of daily intentional instruction in the five reading readiness areas (including phonological awareness), and your child will have a huge advantage when it comes time to read.

Phonological Awareness Is One of the Big Five Skills

Phonological awareness is one of the five critical skills for reading readiness that we call the " Big Five Skills." The other four skills are:

If you're ready to tackle the rest of the Big Five Skills, be sure to check out the All About Reading Pre-reading program. Your student will enjoy special games, crafts, and story time read-alouds, and you will love the way your student effortlessly learns essential pre-reading skills.

Do you have any questions about print awareness? Post in the comments below!

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Fun Ways to Develop Phonological Awareness (+FREE Downloads!)

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Phonological awareness helps children learn to read more easily. Check out our free download and learn how to help your child develop this important skill!

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Color by Beginning Sound (Emergent-Beginning Reader) -Anita Ungs

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Color by Beginning Sound (Emergent-Beginning Reader) -Anita Ungs

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-by-Beginning-Sounds-4248471?st=ca7c49f561b16d5d47b530ee2b531969
This activity gives students an opportunity to independently practice hearing a specific sound at the beginning of words. After practicing a specific letter sound, students can check their knowledge with this coloring page. This would be an engaging independent review activity, as students color different sounds different colors. Students have to practice segmenting to discern the beginning letter of each picture. 
How it Works: Students are given a simple color-code at the top of the page. They look at each picture, and decide if it begins with the correlated letter sound, or not. For example, on the “H” page, students color any word that starts with /h/ one color, and any word that begins with another sound a different color. There is a built in support; the final picture will “reveal” the beginning letter, so students can self-correct as needed. There are letter pages for each letter of the alphabet.
This connects back to class because it provides a way for students to interact with sounds but not letters/words. As students look at the picture, they focus on segmenting the word to identify the beginning sound. This phonemic awareness skill is one of the most important ones for young readers to develop, so the extra practice and review is important.
My Crtique: This may be a more difficult activity for students with limited language exposure. Some of the pictures are of less common words, so some students may struggle to figure out the name of the picture, let alone if it starts with the correct letter sound. The vowel pages also mix long and short sounds, so teachers would have to decide if those pages would be useful practice or not.

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Alphabet Dresses (Emergent/Beginning Readers) Blaire Flowers

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Alphabet Dresses (Emergent/Beginning Readers) Blaire Flowers

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How to play:

Print and laminate your Alphabet printable using card stock. After laminating, cut out the dresses and add Velcro dots to the backs of each dress as well as adding Velcro dots to the dolls. Spread out all the dresses and have students pick a large card (doll printed on the card). Each large card has a letter on it.  Students can match uppercase or lowercase dresses to the correct doll (both sets are included in this download).  I have this center in my classroom and it is a favorite for all of my students!

You can adjust it by offering all letters, only offering a handful of letters, matching upper case to lowercase, or matching uppercase to uppercase. As mentioned in the module, you can use it to introduce a new letter while reviewing previous letters taught by only giving students 4-5 specific cards, or it can be used as a review for all the letters.
This is a FREE activity!

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This Alphabet Dress Match Up was inspired by my dress-loving youngest daughter. If you would ask me the one activity my girls have gone back to the most it would be this one. It is quiet so we can take it with us when we are going to the doctor or even when we are waiting in the car. Dress up the dolls never seems to get old for my daughter! Now, I am going to be honest up front that there is more cutting involved in this one, but it has been totally worth it! So fire up some Netflix and let's get to cutting!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

-Alphabet Dress Printable (Free for subscribers at the end of this post)

-Laminator and Laminating Packets- I have used this laminator for years and love it! These packets are also fabulous!

- Print and laminate your Alphabet Dress printable. In order to make this work I really would recommend you laminate. You could try using cardstock if you want, but it would definitely lack the durability of lamination.

After you have laminated everything you can cut apart each square card base and then also cut apart the dresses. I know the dresses take a bit, but you got this!! I would also recommend then adding velcro dots of the back of each dress and on the middle of each larger base card. This will help the dress stay in place and keep it from sliding all over and keep your child from being frustrated!

Now comes the fun! Spread out all the dresses and have your child pick one large card. Each large card has an letter on it. Let your child find the matching uppercase or lowercase dress (both uppercase and lowercase are included in the download) and velcro it on the girl! It's like educational paper dolls!

Are you ready to play? This game is FREE for subscribers! All you have to do have this freebie download instantly is enter your info below!!

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Alphabet Dress Match Up - Super God, Not Super Mom

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This Alphabet Dress Match Up was inspired by my dress-loving youngest daughter. If you would ask me the one activity my girls have gone back to the most it would be this one. It is quiet so we can take it with us when we are going to the doctor or even when we are waiting in the car.

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“Easter Syllables Phonemic Awareness Activity” (Emergent Readers)—Kara Neal 

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“Easter Syllables Phonemic Awareness Activity” (Emergent Readers)—Kara Neal 

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https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/easter-syllables-phonemic-awareness-activity.html

Description:

*Note: Although the title has “Easter” in it, it is not “Easter” religion themed (none of the pictures or mats have anything to do with Easter) and therefore can be used with all students. *
“Easter Syllables Phonemic Awareness Activity” is an activity that teaches and reinforces syllables. Since this activity is focused on syllables, it is geared toward emergent readers. The objective is for students to look at a picture card and clap/count out the syllables that they hear. The printable is very organized and therefore easy to cut and organize for the students. The printable is very easy to use and organize, cutting prep time for the teacher. It has the picture cards organized by how many syllables are in the word (the pictures are grouped with a “1 syllable”, “2 syllables” and so on) so it does not create extra work for the teacher. There are four syllable mats per printable (a “one syllable” mat, a “two syllables” mat, a “three syllables” mat, and a “four syllables” mat).

How it works:

This activity involves some prep work. *If this activity is being implemented in a small group reading center or as an independent activity, it’s important to make sure that students can be successful while avoiding student frustration so the intended stimulus of this activity can be fully met. I would suggest that a lesson on clapping and counting syllables be covered so the students have some basic understanding of the concept. I would also suggest that the teacher models for the students how to complete this activity, so expectations are in place for student success.*
According to the blog:
-First, the teacher needs to print out the syllable picture cards and the syllable number matching mats. The teacher needs to gather some syllable counting manipulatives for the students to use with this activity. The blog suggests jellybeans, pom-poms, etc.

-Next, the teacher lays the mats and manipulatives out on a table and gives the students the pictures to sort. The blog doesn’t suggest how many mats to give the students at a time, but the “how to” pictures provided show the teacher using two mats at a time (the mats are labeled with one, two, three, and four syllables). This is a good idea so that students don’t become overwhelmed.

-Then, the students pick up a picture card, say the name of the picture, clap out the syllables, and for extra support can move the one manipulative while saying each syllable.

-Lastly, the student identifies how many syllables were in the word and moves the picture to the corresponding mat.

**For example, the teacher lays out a three and a four-syllable mat. The teacher gives the students three and four syllable pictures to sort. The teacher also gives the students their own manipulatives (four jellybeans). The students pick up a picture card of an “umbrella”. The student says the word “umbrella” and claps out “um-brel-la”. They then move each manipulative to match the sounds “um-brel-la”. They have moved three jellybeans or pom-poms. The student then puts the “umbrella” picture on the three-syllable mat. The student continues this process until all pictures are sorted.
This activity can be done is a small group of two to three students or one on one with a teacher. If this activity is done in a small group, I suggest that the students have a good understanding of clapping and counting syllables so that the activity is meaningful for them. One on one with activity is good for teaching and also practicing syllable clapping and counting.

My critique:

I really like this activity and will be using it in my classroom. With COVID restrictions, it much harder to use it this year because of sharing and student using it together or using it with students in different groups. It would be too time consuming to wipe down each individual picture and mat. I really like the use of the manipulatives for visual reinforcements.

One thing that I don’t like about this activity is the title of it. I almost didn’t click on the activity because of “Easter” in the title. As a culturally sensitive teacher, it is important for me to stay away from anything that has any aspect, pictures, or mentions of religion in it for the respect of my students (all students, not just ELL students!). Luckily, the thumbnail showed me that it wasn’t at all Easter themed…none of the pictures or mats had anything to do with Easter so I’m not sure why the author of the blog named the activity “Easter Syllables Phonological Awareness”. When I introduce this activity to my students, I will simply tell them that this is a syllable counting activity.

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Alphabet Letter of the Week (Pre-emergent and Beginning Readers) – Jenny Kogut

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Alphabet Letter of the Week (Pre-emergent and Beginning Readers) – Jenny Kogut

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ALPHABET-LETTER-OF-THE-WEEK-A-761575?st=c86edb85ab6bb060b5ceff61c2833432

Description: This interactive activity includes twenty-two free printable pages designed to teach and reinforce the letter A – all week long!

How does it work: Students will work through a variety activities to learn all about the letter A.  All week long, students will be able to learn about the same letter!! A. They can color the letter A, write the letter A a, identify and count images that start with the letter A. Of course, this is an example of an activity you should never use.

This connects back to class because Dr. Powell talked about this in her module. Remember? We promised to never teach the same letter all week long. This link isn’t an entire shame though. The worksheets and different activities can still be used in the classroom. However, always teach at least two at the same time so students can have something to compare.  Just remember not to study b,d on the same week or m,n. A good combination of letters to use together would be h and x.

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The Sounds in the Words (beginning)- Madison King 

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The Sounds in the Words (beginning)- Madison King 

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The attached activity focuses on increasing blending skills, a sound level or phonemic awareness skill in the phonological awareness hierarchy. In this activity, students are asked to blend three distinct units of sound or phonemes together to make a word which would be appropriate for beginning readers who are ready to focus on phonological awareness at the sound level.

The “Sounds in the Words” activity is an engaging way for students to work on blending phonemes together. Younger learners, which is typical of beginning readers, love to engage in singing songs. In this activity students are doing just that as they sing to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus. The teacher would sing this song, “The sounds in the word go /c/ /a/ /t/; /c/ /a/ /t/; /c/ /a/ /t/. The sounds in the word go /c/ /a/ /t/ Can you guess the word?” Then, students would use their phonemic awareness skills to blend the three sounds to form a word and sing that back to the teacher. Students would get exposure to blending words in a fun and low pressure way. Teachers could adapt this activity to focus on specific sounds students are learning that week or even make it more challenging by including digraphs.

This connects back to our course because this activity allows teachers to focus on blending in an engaging way. We have learned that skills in phonological awareness are an indicator of future reading success and we also know that phonemic awareness is the level that matters the most for reading. Blending is a skill that is part of phonemic awareness and is one of the most important skills students can acquire along with segmenting. This activity encourages students to play with the sounds in words and make it engaging and fun through the use of a song. Since teachers in kindergarten should spend an average of 20 hours through the whole school year working on phonemic awareness it is essential to keep the activities fresh and fun by working on the same skills in new ways.

https://pals.virginia.edu/public/pdfs/activities/blending/Blending_the_Sounds_In_the_Words.pdf

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Digital Phonemic Awareness Games (Emergent and Beginner) – Quiana Fields

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Digital Phonemic Awareness Games (Emergent and Beginner) – Quiana Fields

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Digital Phonemic Awareness Games by PhonoLovable Literacy | TpT (teacherspayteachers.com)

“Digital Phonemic Awareness Games” is a free Google slide set that allows students to practice syllable counting, rhyming, initial sounds, phoneme blending and deleting with drag and drop activities in Google Slides. Perfect for building phonological and phonemic awareness with Kindergarten and First Grade students in class or in distance learning. The download includes 13 slides featuring two games; “I Spy,” and “Tic-Tac-Toe.”

Digital Phonemic Awareness Games works: “I Spy:” The teacher shares his or her screen with the student(s), and he or say or the students may give the “I Spy…” clues.  After the correct word is called out, drag a star over that picture until all the animals are covered.  The focus of this game is syllable counting.  “I spy a 1-syable animal.” “I spy an animal with 4 syllables”.  Since there are two animals each for 1 and 2 syllables, the teacher could also add in beginning sounds.  For example, I spy an animal with one syllable that begins with a /b/ sound. Answer: Bird. For Syllable Blending: For this slide, give “I Spy…” clues saying the separate syllables of each pictured word, pausing a few seconds in between.  When students say the correct word, drag sa star over the picture.  Clues: I spy a rain - bow, bas - ket, drum - stick, wa - ter - mel - on, juice - box, cup - cake, chip - munk and sand - wich - es. For Syllable Deletion; this slide allows the teacher to give clues requiring syllable deletion in compound words. For Rhyming: On this slide the teacher would say, “I Spy rhyming clues.” The other slides allow for practice with Initial sounds, Initial Phoneme Deletion, and Initial Phoneme Blending.

The Tic Tac Toe slides allow the class to be split; Divide students into teams or play students versus teacher. Students pick an animal and name how many syllables it has.  If they get it right, drag the X or O over the picture.  Continue until someone gets 3 in a row.  Drag the line to show the winning tic-tac-toe. On the next game board students pick a picture and name the beginning SOUND to claim a square, and the last one allows students pick a picture and segment it into its beginning consonant sound and the rest of the word or pick a picture and must remove the 1st sound.

This connects back to the course because this directly relates to our module for this week. It aligns with the sound level in the Hierarchy as it focuses on Phonemic Awareness and targets several skills with both isolation and identity tasks; individual sounds, isolated sounds, segmenting, blending, and changing sounds to make new words through deletion and addition.

Critique: I am shocked that this is free. The download is an excellent because will give students additional practice with multiple skills. I think activities like this are best done in a small group, so that the teacher can see exactly where a student struggles with phonemic awareness. I appreciate that it can be shared virtually, and I like that it can also be used in person on a SMART or Interactive Board and students can actually drag and drop the game pieces. This will keep students engaged as they are able to manipulate pieces by dragging and dropping. I would like to see if sound can be added. I think sound will make it “fun.” Students may like the option of clicking on a picture and hearing a sound or even just some type of game show sounds or zings for correct responses.  This could also be adapted for older students by making the picture reference items more suitable for their age; I’m sure the would not mind practicing with pictures dealing with social media, electronics, and popular games or tik-tok references.

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Practice syllable counting, rhyming, initial sounds, phoneme blending and deleting with these fun drag and drop activities in Google Slides. Perfect for building phonological and phonemic awareness with Kindergarten and First Grade students in class or in distance learning.

Check out my HIGHLY-DISCOUNTED Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Mega-BUNDLE for more digital resources.
This skill set targets K -1 foundational reading standards, but you may use them in older grades for Intervention, Special Education, or with English Language Learners.

Perfect for remote teaching, tutoring, and homeschool. Just share your screen on Zoom or Google Meets and read the notes you see. Useful for in-person classroom instruction as well!
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I hope your students love learning with my literacy resources.

Thanks for visiting! - PhonoLovable Literacy

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Practice syllable counting, rhyming, initial sounds, phoneme blending and deleting with these fun drag and drop activities in Google Slides. Perfect for building phonological and phonemic awareness with Kindergarten and First Grade students in class or in distance learning. Check out my HIGHLY-DISC...

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Melissa Mayr
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Onset-and-Rime-Cards-Phonemic-Awareness-4552846

Go to the above link to purchase ($5.00) onset and rime cards.  This resource provides 25 word families such as -ip,-ap,-og, etc.  Print and laminate to make this an important part of your phonological awareness rotation.  Students simply match the onset with the rime for the different word families and a picture is included to match the word.  This educator has many hands on phonological awareness activities you can purchase for $5.00.

This activity points back to what we have been discussing this week about phonological awareness on the phoneme level.  Onset and rime helps students see the smaller units within syllables.  This activity is best for a beginning reader.

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Grab and Go Syllable Identification (Emergent and Beginner)-Samantha Smusz

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Grab and Go Syllable Identification (Emergent and Beginner)-Samantha Smusz

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Grab-N-Go-Syllable-Identification-FREEBIE-Phonological-Awareness-2139490?st=794dcd5287ab54b4d89f1e9962c98d85

This activity allows students to practice identifying the number of syllables in a word.  After the cards are cut and laminated, students will look at the picture and clap out the number of syllables they hear.  They can then use clothespins, bingo markers, or dry erase markers to choose the number of syllables they heard.

This activity supports the syllable level of the phonological awareness hierarchy as they are segmenting each word.  Emergent and beginning readers can be successful at this activity since they are not required to read the word in order to count the syllables.
My one critique of this activity is that it includes the printed word with the picture.  True phonological awareness activities should only rely on the sounds in the word; however, I still feel like this activity would benefit students as they develop their ability to segment a word into syllables.

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Phonemic Awareness - Where's My Bone? and Doggie Sound Switch-Jacqueline Mitchell-(Emergent Readers)

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Phonemic Awareness - Where's My Bone? and Doggie Sound Switch-Jacqueline Mitchell-(Emergent Readers)

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This phonemic awareness activity is designed to teach isolating sounds to the emergent reader.
How It Works:
Students receive a real or paper cut out of a dog bone and a laminated cut out of a dog.  The teacher tells the students that they will be saying a word and then a sound in the word. They are to place the bone on the head if the sound is at the beginning of the word, on the body if the sound is in the middle of the word, and on the tail if the sound is at the end of the word. The activity also includes sound switch picture cards to practice differentiating vowels and consonant sounds.  For Example, tape/top and bat/back.

This activity connects back to our class because it is teaching students to decode sounds which is one of the strands in Scarborough's rope.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phonemic-Awareness-Wheres-My-Bone-and-Doggie-Sound-Switch-168983?st=5bd125b948503b5deb6da310acc162ee

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Sound Boxes- (Emergent and Beginning Readers) Schuyler Thoemke

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Sound Boxes- (Emergent and Beginning Readers) Schuyler Thoemke

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Sounds boxes are a phonemic awareness activity that focuses on each individual sound and blending those sounds together to say the word. It could also be used to say the word and then segment the sounds of the letters. It is a free resources for a sample of the cards, or $5 resource for 114 cards or can also serve as inspiration for creation of your own.

How it works:
The student will the word on the card and then the sound for each box below the picture (any kind of manipulative can be used here) and then blend the sounds together to say the words. Some variations- could use cards and “park” them in the spaces, little balls of play dough and squish as they say the sounds. The teacher also asks the student the beginning sounds, so it could be used for beginning and ending sounds as well. As a bonus; the cards also have an arrow to show which way to place the manipulative (left to right) which is good practice for reading print.

The activity connects back to the class because it focuses on the hierarchy of phoneme/sound and the tasks of blending and segmenting which are the most important. Also, it seems like this resources is a version of Elkonin boxes which we have referenced.

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Sound Boxes for Phonemic Awareness - Playdough To Plato

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Sound boxes are a great way to build phonemic awareness with new readers because they encourage children to focus on one sound at a time!

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Letter Sound Slap (Beginning Readers) - Abby Snay

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Letter Sound Slap (Beginning Readers) - Abby Snay

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In this activity, students use their favorite classroom item, fly swatters, to develop phonemic awareness. In the original activity, foam letters are used, but this could easily be adapted as a SMARTboard game for whole group practice or be used with whiteboards for smaller groups.

The teacher writes a word on the board or projects it on the SMARTboard and the student "slaps" the word out as he/she identifies each letter sound. Then, students blend the words together. This is similar to the "Pound and Sound" activity in the module, but uses a fun tool.

Even though I teach third grade, I think this would be fun for my beginning readers who are older than would typically be expected for that stage.

https://frugalfun4boys.com/phonics-game-beginning-readers/

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Letter Sound and Letter Recognition Centers - Beginning Sound Activity (Emergent/Beginning Readers) Kelly Falin

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Letter Sound and Letter Recognition Centers - Beginning Sound Activity (Emergent/Beginning Readers) Kelly Falin

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In this activity students will match the upper & lower case letters, then match pictures that have the same beginning sound. This activity could be used in centers or in a small group setting. Because this activity focuses on beginning sounds & alphabet matching, it would be best used for emergent and/or beginning readers.

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♥♥♥This packet is included in my Money-Saving Alphabet Bundle. This camera-themed alphabet matching game is a fun and educational activity to help little ones identify letters and sounds. To set up and play the game, simply print, cut and laminate the cameras, flashes, and pictures. Kids match the upper case letter with its lower case letter and pictures. I have included two sets of cards in this packet: one with chalkboard background pictures and the other one with white base. (Use the one that appeals you.)

There are 4 pictures for each letter (3 for Xx).

**** No recording sheet or worksheet is included. ***

♥♥♥This packet is included in my Money-Saving Alphabet Bundle.♥♥♥

Thank you!

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Letter Sound and Letter Recognition Centers | Beginning Sound Activity

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This packet is included in my Money-Saving Alphabet Bundle. This camera-themed alphabet matching game is a fun and educational activity to help little ones identify letters and sounds. To set up and play the game, simply print, cut and laminate the cameras, flashes, and pictures. Kids match the u...

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Short Vowel Craft Stick “Puppets” (Beginning Reader)-Caitlyn Palazzola

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Short Vowel Craft Stick “Puppets” (Beginning Reader)-Caitlyn Palazzola

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| Short Vowel Puppets are used to help students identify the vowel sounds in words with helpful picture cues. Because this activity focuses on short vowel sounds, it is for beginning readers.

How to use Short Vowel Puppets: Print, cut and glue short vowel cards on craft sticks and model how to use puppets for students.  The teacher can call out words with one short vowel and have students hold up the corresponding short vowel puppet using the picture cue as needed.  These cards could also be used for other short vowel activities like “Vowel Stars” or “Word Ladders” where students substitute vowels to make new words.

This resource connects back to the course because it helps students who are in the partial alphabetic stage and are able to use beginning and ending sounds but are still using but confusing short vowels. It also encourages students to use the word prompt “Try a Different Vowel Sound” in the full alphabetic stage.

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Do your students confuse their short vowel sounds? Maybe they substitute e for a? Or i for e? Or just need more practice in general?!

The short vowel sounds can be so tricky, especially for students who have certain accents. In the southern United States, where I live, sometimes the e and i sound exactly the same!!

Accent or no accent, I find that my students need lots of practice differentiating between the short vowel sounds. They need practice when they're first learning the sounds, of course, but ALSO later on. Once they learn long vowel sounds, things can get confusing, and we need to come back and review the short vowel sounds too!

In this post, I'll share 5 short vowel activities that are fun, low prep, and only take a few minutes to implement. Plus I've got 4 freebies for you! 🙂 Make sure to read all the way through the post so you don't miss any of these freebies.

Activity #1: Short Vowel Craft Stick "Puppets"

In this activity, you say a word with a short vowel sound aloud. Students have to listen, repeat the word, identify the correct short vowel, and hold up the corresponding puppet.

In addition to holding up the puppet, students should identify the vowel. You can have them say the sound. Or, even better, have them say the letter name and sound: "A says /a/."

Here's an example:

You say the word "fish."

Students say: "Fish." Students hold up the "i" puppet. Students say: "I says /i/."

It takes a little time to make the puppets, but once they're done, you can use them over and over and over again!

You can download the templates HERE!

Activity #2: Sand Writing

Having kids trace a vowel in sand while saying the sound is an easy, engaging multisensory activity!

Just put sand on a paper plate, in an aluminum pie tin, or on a small tray. I like to use colored sand, like this (that's an Amazon affiliate link), but regular sand works just fine too.

There are a few different things you can do with sand:

Option 1: Say a short vowel sound (i.e. /u/). Students repeat the sound. Students then write the correct letter in sand. While they are writing the letter, they say the letter name and sound ("U" says /u/).

Option 2: Use the same procedures for activity #1, where you say a short vowel word and students identify and write the vowel sound they hear. You'll still want students to say the letter name and sound while they trace.

If you're out of sand or want to change things up...try the free Sand Draw app!

Although it's not quite the same as real sand, kids still get the sensory experience of tracing with their finger while saying the sound aloud.

Activity #3: Picture Sorts

This activity is simple but helpful for students who are having trouble differentiating between the vowel sounds.

Give students a set of picture cards for 2-3 sounds total (i.e., some pictures for a, i, and u). Have them name each picture out loud. Then, have them sort the pictures. When they're finished, they can "read down" the column of pictures, again naming each picture. Once a student finishes reading down the column, he/she identifies the vowel sound that those pictures all contain.

If you need pictures for sorting, you can grab some HERE!

Activity #4: Vowel Fluency Strips

Even when students know the short vowel sounds, they may not always read them correctly in words!

To help them apply that knowledge, they need lots of practice. In-context practice is important (reading real texts), but isolated practice can be helpful too.

These (free) fluency strips are a great way for students to practice paying close attention to the vowel sound in a word!

If it helps, students can highlight all the vowels before they read across the strip.

Or, you can laminate the strips and have them use dry erase markers. You can put the strips on a ring, too!

A few of the words in the freebie may be unknown to students, so make sure to talk about what they mean, as well.

Grab the vowel fluency strips HERE!

Activity #5: Short or Long?

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, students tend to experience vowel confusion once they start learning long vowel sounds.

It's important to go back and review short vowel sounds (and contrast them to the long sounds). Word sorts and picture sorts are great for this. Another fun, simple activity is a game we play called "Short or Long?"

You say a word (or even just a vowel sound), and students have to call out the vowel sound and whether it is long or short (i.e., "Long A!").

If you have Slinkys or rubber bands, students can stretch or contract them as they call out the vowel sound (i.e. stretching the rubber band long for a long vowel sound).

If you're working in a larger group setting, you may want to have students write on a whiteboard rather than call out their answer.

Need More Phonics Activities?

I hope these ideas were helpful to you!! A couple more ideas (I know, I know, I only said 5 but I can't help myself!) Check out my no-prep phonics games for Kindergarten and 1st grade. There's a specific set for each of those grades geared towards CVC words.

Other products for CVC words would be the Kindergarten Decodable Readers for CVC words ( Set 1 and Set 2) and the 1st Grade Decodable Readers for CVC words. Options are endless!

I also have one more bonus freebie for you - customizable word work games to help your students practice short vowel words or any other words of your choice!

Phonological awareness

Phonics - including decoding and spelling

High frequency words

Handwriting

Complete lesson plans

Games and activities for students (i.e. for independent work or small group)

Decodable texts

Phonics posters

Leveled materials for differentiation

There are many more activities for short vowels and other skills in my phonics program, From Sounds to Spelling.

From Sounds to Spelling is a comprehensive program that addresses:

The program includes:

To learn more about this Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade phonics program, click on the image below:

Happy teaching!

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5 Fun Short Vowel Activities That Only Take 5 Minutes - Learning at the Primary Pond

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This post has 5 short vowel activities that are fun, low prep, and only take a few minutes to implement. And I've got FREE materials for you to download!

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Phonics Activity (Comparing Sounds) For Beginning Readers- Andrew Minnix

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Phonics Activity (Comparing Sounds) For Beginning Readers- Andrew Minnix

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How to: This activity has students comparing two words to determine if they have the same beginning, middle, or ending sound. Each student is given a mat with a Dachshund on it. The dog is segmented into three parts (beginning, middle, and end). Then the teacher draws a card that has two pictures on it. The teacher says what each picture is and then the students compare the two words. Students use a bone to mark where there are similarities. There are times when there is more than one similarity.
Critique: I have used something similar to this in my classroom while teaching first grade. It was a fun way to engage struggling readers. I personally do not have any changes to this activity. Maybe an addition like a recording sheet where after two words are compared then the teacher and students can record the words. This may help students to hear and also see differences in words.

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These phonemic awareness activities will be "doggone" popular with your students! Two activities designed to teach isolating sounds are included in this packet. "Doggie, Where's My Bone?" and "Doggie Sound Switch" are perfect for use during your small group intervention.

If you like this activity, be sure to check out our other MT&T activities designed to teach phonemic awareness skills:
Breaking Up Words
How Many Sounds?
Race Car Blending
Squaring Up

This activity is one of 15 hands-on activities that can be found in the Response to Intervention- Phonemic Awareness Activity Pack

Julie

For more teaching ideas and activities be sure to visit our blog and join us on Facebook and Pinterest:
Make, Take and Teach Blog
Make, Take and Teach on Pinterest
Make, Take and Teach Facebook Fan Page

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Phonemic Awareness - Where's My Bone? and Doggie Sound Switch

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These phonemic awareness activities will be "doggone" popular with your students! Two activities designed to teach isolating sounds are included in this packet. "Doggie, Where's My Bone?" and "Doggie Sound Switch" are perfect for use during your small group intervention. If you like this activity...

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Spelling with LEGOS (Beginning through Transitional Reader) -Anita Ungs

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Spelling with LEGOS (Beginning through Transitional Reader) -Anita Ungs

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https://thisreadingmama.com/spelling-with-lego-letters/
This activity provides a way to practice listening to each letter in a word, by creating words with Legos. Each Lego has a letter written on it, and students spell words by building them (putting the Lego pieces together). The author recommends that vowels all be one color and tall/tail letters be a different (slightly larger) size. A teacher could use these Lego letters to facilitate activities similar to the Push It activity. The site recommends using this as a step before writing words in a word shape puzzle.

How It Works: Similar to tapping out a word, students would sound out a word and grab the letters to spell the word. Then, students would practice blending the sounds together as they link the Legos together. Students could use these Legos in conjunction with sound boxes for a  multi-sensory, high interest activity.

This connects back to class because it can help students build 1-1 sound/letter awareness. Students have to focus on hearing all of the sounds. Because vowels are all red, and no other letter is, it can particularly help students in Ehri’s partial alphabetic phase. Students can be reminded that every word they make must have a red letter. This visual may aid students who are struggling to consistently enter the full alphabetic stage. Teachers could adapt this activity by permanently linking some Legos to create digraphs and vowel teams, which would expand this activity to be appropriate for transitional readers.

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'ai' and 'ay' sliders  (Beginning and Transitional Readers) Blaire Flowers

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'ai' and 'ay' sliders  (Beginning and Transitional Readers) Blaire Flowers

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**These templates can be used for any word family, but ‘ay’ and ‘ai’ will be used for this specific example to give some context. This ‘ay’ and ‘ai’ spelling sliders activity is great for introducing and practicing different words that can be spelled using the same word family. Again, this simple activity can be incorporated with many other word families!

What you will need:
A pen.
To make the slider (the template is attached to this post)
For the first slider, you will need a rectangular piece of card with one set of slits in it, and a longer strip that fits in the slits.
For the second slider, you will need a rectangular piece of card with two sets of slits in it, and a longer strip of card that fits within the slits.

To assemble the spelling slider:
Write the part of the word (‘ai’, ‘ay’) that will not change on the rectangular piece of card. ‘ay’ needs to be on the slider with one set of slits and it needs to be written on the right of the slits. ‘Ai’ needs to be in the middle of the card with two sets of slits.
This a great visual to show readers that ‘ay’ would be used at the end of the word and ‘ai’ would be used in the middle of the word.  This is true for other vowel teams!
Write the letters that will slide up and down on the longer strips of card.
Thread the strips into the rectangular piece of card.

How to play: After discussing the letters ‘ai’ and ‘ay’ create the sound /a/, move the sliders to start making real and nonsense words. Have students read and record the words they make.

This activity could be used as an intro or expansion to the activity “Using Words You Know” as mentioned in Classrooms that Work.  This activity focuses on similar word patterns as well as rhyme to help readers identify words they they already know and make the connection to unfamiliar words.

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This 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders activity is great for introducing the idea that one can sound can be spelled in different ways as well as giving practice in reading these words.

Background Information:

'ai' and 'ay' are digraphs. A digraph is a two letter sound - two letters are making one sound.

In the reading process, children first learn to link the letters of the alphabet to the sound those letter make. When they have mastered this, they need to understand that sometimes two letters (called a digraph) can make one sound. This is important because if they try to sound out every letter in a word, they could end up reading the word incorrectly. Finally children learn that there is more than one way of spelling some sounds. These 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders helps this learning.

If you want to know more about digraphs, my Letters and Sounds Explained page is a great place to start. website is also a great resource.

Not sure if this activity will help your child or student? Click here for information to help you decide.

'ai' and 'ay' Spelling Sliders

What you will need:

A list of words you want your child or student to practice (see the end of this post for example lists).

Flash cards with 'ay' and 'ai' on them.

A pen.

To make the slider (you can make your own, or there is a template at the bottom of this post):

For the first slider, you will need a rectangular piece of card with one set of slits in it, and a longer strip that fits in the slits.

For the second slider, you will need a rectangular piece of card with two sets of slits in it, and a longer strip of card that fits within the slits.
*You can also use paper to make the slider, but card makes it easier to handle.

To assemble the spelling slider:

Write the part of the word ('ai', 'ay') that will not change on the rectangular piece of card. 'ay' needs to be on the slider with one set of slits and it needs to be written on the right of the slits. 'Ai' needs to be in the middle of the card with two sets of slits.

Write the letters that will slide up and down on the longer strips of card.

Thread the strips into the rectangular piece of card.

How to play:

Start by looking at the flashcards with 'ay' and 'ai' on them. Ask your child to say the sounds these letters make. For example "'a' 'i' says /ay/". Discuss how they are the same sound, but written differently.

Read through them, moving the 'ay' spelling slider. Draw your child's attention to the fact that the /ay/ sound does not change, but the beginning sound does.

Then move onto the 'ai' spelling slider. Look at the position of the letters (in the middle of the word). Show your child or student how the 'ay' spelling is usually at the end of words, and the 'ai' spelling is usually in the middle.

Read the words as before.

* Often, students like to move the slider themselves, and this is great way to let them interact with the word.

To note

Not every game or activity goes to plan! Here are some things to watch out for in this 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders activity:

How to adapt

There are lots of ways to adapt this ai and ay spelling sliders activity. Here are a few:

Only use one digraph: For example, just use 'ay' if your child is not yet ready to learn two different ways of spelling the same sound.

Change the digraph: There are other digraphs that follow the same pattern as 'ay' and 'ai'. For example 'oi' and 'oy' in 'coin' and 'toy', or 'ow' and 'ou' in 'cow' and 'cloud'.

Turn it into a game: I sometimes add points to each word, and ask my student to try to get as many points as they can by reading all the words.

Is this 'ay' and 'ai' digraph slider activity right for my child?

Sometimes, it can be difficult to know if an activity will be helpful for your child or student. For this 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders activity, the questions below might help:

Do they know the sound that 'ay' makes? Do they recognize digraphs (two letter sounds), such as ck, ch, sh, th, ee, oo. There is an order in which children learn digraphs, so if they don't know ck, ch, sh, etc, then it might be worth starting with these sounds, before moving on to 'ay'.

Are they confidently sounding out words with these sounds in them? For example, can they hear that /h/-/ay/ says hay?

Are they reading four and five letter words, such as 'sheep' or 'beach' correctly?

They may have begun to understand that there is more than one way of writing the same sound, such as 'ea' and 'ee', 'igh' and 'ie'. However, as this game introduces this concept, it is not totally necessary that they understand this before they play.

If the answer is 'yes' to these questions, then this 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders activity will be a great way to teach or reinforce the different spellings for the /ay/ sound. .

Here's how it looked when I did these 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders in 'real life'!

Resource Downloads for 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders:

If you enjoyed this 'two letter' sound activity, check out this '-ck' activity.

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'ay' and 'ai' Spelling Sliders - Pen and Paper Phonics

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This 'ay' and 'ai' spelling sliders activity is great for introducing the idea that one can sound can be spelled in different ways as well as giving practice in reading these words. 'ai' and 'ay' are digraphs. A digraph is a two letter sound - two letters are making one sound.

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CVC Word Building Mat (Beginning Reader)—Kara Neal

https://www.fantasticfunandlearning.com/cvc-word-building-mat.html

Description:

“CVC Word Building Mat” is a great intervention activity for beginning readers who need extra support learning how to decode words. This activity can be used in a small group setting or independently. This activity should be used in a small group with a teacher when a student is in the process of learning to decode. Once the student has mastered decoding, they can use it independently for practice.  This activity focuses on both the reading and spelling aspect of word recognition. This activity can also be modified to include blends and diagraphs for students who have mastered CVC words and are learning (or have learned) blends and diagraphs. For example, the teacher can find a picture of a “sock” or a “chip” on Google, copy and paste it to Word, and print it out. Sound boxes can be added where the student moves the letter tiles and writes with the marker.

How it works:

This activity requires some preparation. The mats and picture cards first need to be printed out and the pictures need to be cut. The teacher can either laminate the mats or put them in sheet protectors so that students can write on them with Expo markers. Magnetic letters or letter tiles are also needed for the activity. If the teacher doesn’t have magnetic letters or letter tiles, letters can be written or printed on paper and cut to size.

Students pick a picture that they would like to work on. After the picture is chosen by the student, the student then moves on to the segmentation dots. Students touch each dot and simultaneously say the sounds. If the word is “box”, the first dot says /b/, the second dot says /o/, and the third dot says /x/. After the student has segmented the sounds, they will move onto the magnetic letters or letter tiles and now spell the word “box”. After they have spelled the word, they will draw a picture of the word for a visual representation. Lastly, the student will write the word “box”. This activity directly links to a beginning reader’s word recognition letter name stage because they have learned their letters and sounds and are now working on segmenting the sounds in a word and putting letters with them to be able to read and spell that word. This activity also helps students with the writing aspect where beginning readers are moving from spelling and writing words with just the beginning sound or just the beginning and ending sound; it helps reinforce beginning readers to include the vowel when writing their CVC words.

Critique:

I really like this activity. I use sound boxes very often in my guided reading groups and this activity can easily be made to include a sound box where students put the magnetic letters and also where students write the word. I am going to start using this in my guided reading groups with my beginning readers who are now learning to decode words. I am also going to modify the mats to include sound boxes and also modify them for students who have learned diagraphs and blends for the extra challenge and practice.

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I’m Thinking Of… (Beginning Readers)- Madison King 

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I’m Thinking Of… (Beginning Readers)- Madison King 

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The attached activity focuses on increasing word recognition and attention to words which would be a beneficial activity for beginning readers. In this lesson, students are asked to pay attention to the different aspects of words, their specific beginning, medial, and final sounds as well as patterns which makes this a great activity to differentiate for individual students.

The “I’m Thinking Of” activity as an engaging way for students to focus on a word recognition area that is hard for them. For instance, if a beginning reader pays attention to the beginning and ending sounds and letters in a word, this activity can be used to draw attention to the medial sound. For example, the teacher may have five CVC words each with a different vowel in the middle. Then, the teacher may say, “I am thinking of a word that has the middle sound /a/.” The student would be forced to focus on the medial sound and medial letter in order to identify the word.

This connects back to our course because this activity allows teachers to adapt a word recognition activity to their student’s appropriate stage of Ehri’s phases of word recognition. Phases can occur simultaneously, but essentially readers gradually apply pieces of the alphabetic system to read and recognize words until their recognition of the words becomes automatic. The example I gave in the above explanation of the activity would work with a reader in the partial alphabetic stage of Ehri’s phases of word recognition where they may use some letters and sounds to “read”, but need help focusing on vowels. I love that this activity can be adjusted to meet readers’ needs along the phases. As teachers recognize where a students is then they can realize where to take them next instructionally.

https://pals.virginia.edu/public/pdfs/activities/word-recognition/im_thinking_of.pdf

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CVC Word Builder Activity (Beginning Readers)- Mary Lawson

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CVC Word Builder Activity (Beginning Readers)- Mary Lawson

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CVC Word Builder is a file folder activity, found on teachers pay teachers, that can be used during small group or independent practice to make 3 letter words.

How It Works:  The file folders are made in advance.  The folder contains the letters on one side and word families on the other side.  These are cut apart and fixed by velcro to the laminated file folder.  The folder also has a frame that says, "I Can Build."  The activity has 2 types of picture cards.  The pictures come alone or its typed 3 letter word.

Each student takes a picture and chooses the correct beginning letter and ending word family to make the word in the frame.  Then, they record the words they make on a recording sheet.

This activity can be modified by the teacher in different ways.  Initially, the children can use the pictures with the words and match the typed words.  Then, they can progress to making the words by looking at the  picture alone.  The file folder can be used during small group or independently depending on the level of instruction.  They can also be used for remediation purposes.

This is a great example for word recognition in the beginning reader.  They are making the words by identifying the beginning sound and finding it's letter.  Then, they are finding the ending word family.  Because this activity uses word families as endings, it is more appropriate for the beginning reader who has progressed from learning individual letters and their sounds to word endings.

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CVC Word Builder Activity - Word Families

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Want a fun activity for students to practice building CVC words? This activity is a perfect addition to literacy centers, intervention programs and so much more. There are 72 picture cards included which cover short a, short e, short i, short o and short u words.

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-Jacqueline Mitchell
'Go fish'' is an engaging game to practice when students are learning the consonant-le syllable type and syllable division patterns.

How it works: For 2-5 players deal 7-9 cards to each player. Player 1 reads one of their cards and asks another player to give them all of their cards for that ending sound. If the other player does not have any cards Player 1 can “Go Fish” from the remaining cards. The player needs all 4 cards for their sound to have a match. If they do not have a complete match, their turn is over. The game continues until all cards are matched and the player with the most sets wins.

'Go Fish' connects back to our class because it helps students with  closed, open, bossy r, and vowel team syllables.  Students learn these syllable patterns by interacting, repetition, and recognition.

'Go Fish' is a great game to help the emergent and beginning reader get recognize their consonant-le syllable type and syllable division patterns.
Go Fish: Consonant-le Card Game- Orton Gillingham Phonics/Reading/Spelling (teacherspayteachers.com)

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Vowel Slides (Beginning, Transitional, and Intermediate Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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Vowel Slides (Beginning, Transitional, and Intermediate Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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https://www.fcrr.org/sites/g/files/upcbnu2836/files/media/PDFs/student_center_activities/k1_phonics/k1_variant_correspondences/k1_p049_vowel_slide.pdf

Vowel slides are a great phonics tool for a wide range of readers.  After the teacher assembles the vowel slides, the students will read the medial vowel or vowel team and then slide the beginning and ending letters to create a word.  The student then must determine if the word is a real word or nonsense word.  If it is a real word the student will write it down.  They will continue sliding the letters until all real words are recorded.

This resource provides multiple slides to fit your students’ needs.  There are short vowels for your beginning readers and then there are vowel teams, diphthongs, and r-controlled vowels for your transitional and intermediate readers.  It also has a blank slide so you can create your own.

This activity could be used as an extension or variation of the Using Words You Know activity mentioned by Cunningham and Allington (2016).  Like their activity, this activity also encourages students to change the onset of a word to create new words, therefore, strengthening their word recognition.

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Open/Closed Syllable Highlighter Sort (Instructional/Transitional Readers) - Korrye Gaskins

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Open/Closed Syllable Highlighter Sort (Instructional/Transitional Readers) - Korrye Gaskins

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Freebie-Open-vs-Closed-Syllable-Highlight-Sort-2154121

Description: The “Open/Closed Syllable Highlighter Sort” is an activity that focuses on the differences in open and closed syllables.  Because it is attending to syllables (students in the Within Word spelling stage, it would be most effective for instructional and transitional readers.  This activity requires students to attend to the structure of a word and the vowel sound heard.

How it Works: Students are given a collection of words (should be their word study words) and 2 different color highlighters.  They highlight the open syllable words in one color and the closed syllable words in the other.  They then write the words according to their sort under “open” or “closed”.

Critique: The words listed on the resource are not words that I would group together initially.  The open vowel words do not follow the most basic pattern of open syllables (no letters after the vowel), so it could be confusing for students who are just learning the difference.  Also, having most of the open syllables end with a y, students would also need to be more aware of this spelling feature.  To me, this resource would be used only after students are pretty secure in their understanding of this concept.  The words selected should follow a more similar pattern at first to help students really see the difference.  As well, I would only have them highlight the rime part of the word, because that determines whether it’s open or closed—highlighting the entire word just makes it colorful.  However, the resource could easily be recreated using any words of the teacher’s choice.

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Word Frame Phonics Spelling Game (Beginning Reader) – Quiana Fields

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Word Frame Phonics Spelling Game (Beginning Reader) – Quiana Fields

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FREE Frame Phonics Spelling Game - Literacy Center by My Teaching Pal (teacherspayteachers.com)

“Word Frame Phonics Spelling Game” is a free activity that includes a total of 50 frames that are missing the beginning, middle, or end sounds. It uses pictures as a reference, and it also has additional blank frames that allow students to construct whole words. With this activity, students can learn or review letter sounds and blend letters to create words.  There is also a sorted list of CVC words that the activity uses.

How Word Frame Phonics Spelling Game works: The students have to blend sounds and match the correct letters in the missing boxes. The students fill in the blank boxes with the letter to match the missing sound and can use magnetic letters, write them on a printed sheet, or use a dry erase marker with laminated pages or pages in a dry erase sleeve.

This connects back to the course because this directly relates to our reading on phonics and spelling patterns. Students need “letter-sound instruction.” (Cunningham & Arlington, 2016, P.81) This frame will complement that instruction by help beginning readers practice specific patterns. They have to break down sounds and match letters to the specific sound to form the complete word.

Critique: This word frame is a good tool that will give students additional practice. I think activities like this are best done in a small group, so that the teacher can see exactly where a student struggles with specific sound-letter relationships. While creating a blank frame is easy, this could be edited to include them, so a teacher can use them for other words. This will help differentiate for students’ needs as some may be ready to move on to other patterns.

FREE Frame Phonics Spelling Game - Literacy Center by My Teaching Pal (teacherspayteachers.com)

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Spelling Training - Beginning and Instructional (Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced) - Cassy Childress

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Spelling Training - Beginning and Instructional (Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced) - Cassy Childress

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Description - This is  free website for students to interact and learn to spell through practice and games. You may choose a word list, import a word list, or choose a random word list when developing your spelling list. This website offers a great mix of traditional practices as well word-study centered activities. This is also a great activity for your EL students. The website allows for each word to be pronounced clearly focusing on each consonant and syllable.

Connection: This connects to this weeks focus on word recognition, phonics, and spelling. Specifically spelling combing a traditional method with a word-study oriented focus as well. This activity has the ability to be used either way. Words could be incorporated specifically for targeted students.

How it works:
The website offers the following activities.

1. Spelling List - A place where you can create a spelling list, use a generated list, or pick a random list.

2. Online Spelling Test - During this process you hear the word and then type the word into the box. (Critique: Typing the words into the box may be difficult for Beginning readers. If using this in class, you may want to have them write it. Even if you used it on Canvas, you may have them write it and submit a picture of the test).

3. Practice Your Words - There are three phases of this activity. First you type the word three times each as it is said. The letters are highlighted on the screen. In the second phase you type the words as well with an assisted model. The third phase the students are typing the word after listening to it with no assistance.

4. Spelling Games - There are two similar games which involve spaceships and balloons. They are a matching game in which the students listen to the word and find its physical match. This activity is great for your Beginning Readers! (Critique: I feel that the games may be a little boring for Instructional Readers, however the repetition is great practice!)

5. Spelling Sharks is an activity where you hear the word and spell it quickly to help eliminate the sharks that are threatening the goldfish. (Critique: I feel that this may be a little challenging for Beginning readers, however it is a great challenge for your Instructional readers!)

5. Hangman - My kids love Hangman! I loved that this game is set up as the traditional game! This is a great way to get the kids thinking about words and trying to incorporate difficult words to trick their partner or computer. (Critique: This activity may be a little difficult for Beginning Readers, but I truly think that Instructional Readers such as; Transitional, Intermediate, and Advanced readers will enjoy this game!

6. Word Search Puzzle - Online Word Search Puzzles (Critique: This activity is geared a little more towards Instructional Readers, but I feel that it is a very beneficial practice)

Critique: I really enjoyed exploring this website! I am excited to use it with my child Jackson, who is in first grade, and is 100% virtual. I create a word list and he has a series of activities that the completes each week prior to having a spelling test. We are working through the OG Rules and he has been very successful thus far! I feel that this will be great additional practice and that he will enjoy using the computer to reinforce those skills. Especially the games! I look forward to showing my Fallon Park teachers this website!

Link: Free Online Spelling Training & Games for Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4

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Word Building Mats (Word ladder) Beginning and Instructional Readers - Jenny Kogut

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Word Building Mats (Word ladder) Beginning and Instructional Readers - Jenny Kogut

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Word-Building-Mats-GR-3-5-Word-Ladder-Spelling-Rhyming-Phonics-Vocabulary-1087348

Description: This is a word building strategy called Word Ladder. It was designed to help students practice spelling, word recognition, decoding, phonics, problem solving and vocabulary.

How to use:  Print the Word Building Mats and set aside for your gifted learners who are always finishing their work early (brain exercise). Send copies with students who leave for small group or 1:1 remediation/tutoring.  This activity can be differentiated and used in multiple ways. Laminate for long term classroom use.

1.       Identify the start word

2.       Begin reading in either direction: clock-wise or counter-clockwise

3.       Read the clue beneath the blank lines

4.       Write the answer above the clue

·         Note:  you will change only one letter in each word  - to form a new word

This activity connects back to this week’s course because the activities and reading in chapter 5 from Classrooms That Work are about teaching phonics and spelling patterns.  On page 71, students are discovering secret words through clues to make words. This activity teaches the described framework, teaching children the common spelling patterns, in a different, but similar way.  I like this particular strategy because children get to experience using multiple strategies to figure out the new word. After students read their clue, they visualize it and activate their prior knowledge to define the word before writing it down. Given the blank word building templates allows for designing one’s own Word Ladder activity. The possibilities to use and differentiate this activity are truly endless. This specific activity was created for grades 3-5, but with a little modification it could benefit readers in all grades (K-12).

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(Emergent & Beginning Readers)
Melissa Mayr
https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/demos
How it works:  This is a game in which the computer version is 100% free.  This engaging game is for 3 stages of learning.  The first stage is for children starting to learn their letters and sounds.  The second stage is for children confident with the early letter-sound combinations and are starting to read sentences.  The third stage is for students reading short sentences and know the basic letter sound combinations. Simply sign up as a class or individual and start the magical journey of teaching your monster to read through various games.

This links to what we have been learning this week in regards to teaching phonics and that letters and combinations of letters will make certain sounds.

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Phonics Sentence Activities (Emergent and Beginning Readers)- Schuyler Thoemke 

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Phonics Sentence Activities (Emergent and Beginning Readers)- Schuyler Thoemke 

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Phonics sentence bundle is an activity/center that is used after introducing students to a group of new spelling words. They are grouped in word families (short vowels), diagraph, beginning blends, patterns (CVCE), diaphongs,  long vowel teams and R-controlled vowels. It is a FREE resource bundle.

How it works:
First, the teacher introduces the group of words and the pattern that they will follow. She has outlined a conversation with a student focused on the beginning blend “sh”. Once the group of words is introduced, sorted etc etc. This activity sheet will be used so that students can see the words used in sentences and practice recognizing the sounds or patterns they are learning. Students highlight or circle the target word skill, then reads the words in isolation, then in the sentences and finally they will read through the sentences 3 times and color in the face at the bottom. It can then be taken home to be read to parents.

I think there are many connections back to the course, mainly it is a great follow up activity to introducing new spelling words as an alternative to the traditional spelling work. Instead of the students copying the words 3 times each and creating sentences; they are recognizing the words in their reading, identifying the skill and practice reading the words in sentences. Using the Ehri’s phases the teacher can choose skills and patterns that will move students through the phases. It also relates to the three layers of the English system because it included sound, 1 to 1 relationships as well as many patterns. It also combines a piece of the top down approach because it includes pictures to help the students check their word skills. And finally, it touches on a bit of fluency because it is using the words into phrases and the repeated readings of the phrases.

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So you've taught your students a new phonics skill...now what?!

They need time to practice it, of course!

But how?

Flashcards? Games? Word searches? Whiteboards?

Look, there are one million different ways to practice phonics. But there is one most important way to practice phonics. Are you ready?

IN CONTEXT. (With these free phonics sentence activities, of course,)

Because you and I both know what happens when kids don't get the opportunity to practice a word in context.

[The word is ship.]

Student: "I see the big /S/...../h/...../i/..../p/.....SIP!"

And you're thinking, "But we sang the digraph song. And we "shooshed" our neighbors (nicely, of course), and drew "SH's" in the air making the sound over and over and over again! We played with "s" and "h" magnets and we kept putting them together and making one sound. And we said /ssshhhh/ as we glued the cotton balls on the big SH on the sheep. Oh, and our SH circle map is still on the whiteboard! How does sweet Sally not remember that "sh" says /sh/?!?!"

Why you ask? Because right now, sweet Sally is reading. And she focusing on many things: a sentence, tracking, sight words. Her brain is working hard! And one more thing...

She didn't get the chance to practice finding and READING words in SH in context.

Don't worry, I'm not going to leave you hanging with just that super good piece of advice.

The Phonics Sentences Bundle

I've got you covered! I've written targeted sentences for 100+ phonics skills so that our students can practice their newly learned phonics skills in context.

Then I took that and turned it into one huge bundle of NO PREP phonics sentence activities.

Oh, and did I mention it is FREE?!

And for every skill, you guessed it, students will read the words in context.

Yes, there are picture clues.

Why? Because, baby steps!

Also, this helps your students practice independently. They can check their word against the picture clue, which is a real life reading skill *gasp*.

They're even going to be build some fluency before you star this paper and send it to home.

Phonics Skills Included

Short Vowel Word Families

Beginning and Advanced Digraphs

Beginning Blends

Ending/Tricky Blends

Phonics Activities using the Bundle

Here's a quick breakdown of how to use these NO PREP phonics sentence activities:

Have students highlight or circle ALL target skill words.

Have students read the target skill words in isolation.

Have students read each sentence slowly and carefully.

Have students read the entire page three times. Each time they read the page, they will color one smiley face.

Send it home so they can read it to their parents!

When to use the Phonics Sentences Activities

There are many different ways you can use these pages - they are so versatile! Here are some quick ideas:

whole group (you can even project these on your white board/smart board and save on copies)

small group (think guided reading warm-ups)

partner reading

tutorting

What are you waiting for? Enter your personal email address below and get this Phonics Sentences Bundle delivered to your inbox instantly!

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FREE Phonics Sentences Activities Bundle

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So you've taught your students a new phonics skill...now what?! They need time to practice it, of course! But how? Flashcards? Games? Word searches? Whiteboards? Look, there are one million different ways to practice phonics. But there is one most important way to practice phonics. Are you ready? IN CONTEXT.

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Rereading with Voices (Beginning and Transitional Readers)-Schuyler Thoemke 

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Rereading with Voices (Beginning and Transitional Readers)-Schuyler Thoemke 

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Rereading with voices and actions  is an activity/center that is used to motivate students during the rereading of texts. The cards included in the resource are "Super reader read with a happy voice, serious voice" etc. and " Super reader stand one one leg and read". It is a $3 resources or serves as inspiration for creation of own cards.

How it works:
The teacher uses the cards in two ways: one during her small group instruction as they reread stories together. The other is at her one of her literacy centers. Students are rereading texts they are already familiar with and each week the teacher changes the action and voice with which they read.  I think that this could be done with both beginning readers and transitional readers. I think it would be best if it was modeled a great deal before it was a center alone. My only critique is that I am unsure of the actions when reading. The teacher mentions that it is great for the wiggles and it could be great for kinesthetic learners.

This activity connects back to the course because it is an example of rereading texts and we know that rereading helps students become more fluent in their rate of reading as well as expression. I also think that this is similar to readers' theater, but with younger students and can be done daily. Also, it is based in motivation which I think is key when practicing fluency.

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Improve Comprehension & Fluency with Repeated Readings

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actions, voice, fluency, wiggles, support, goal

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Spelling Practice (Instructional Readers) - Abby Snay

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Spelling Practice (Instructional Readers) - Abby Snay

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As I was listening to the module, I was reflecting on how I was taught to spell. I was taught in a traditional sense, where everyone was taught the same word. While that is not true in my classroom, I also want to ensure that the activities I give my students are meaningful and help them learn their spelling words so they can use them in their writing day-to-day.

I found this resource and I like that it requires students to write about their words in fun ways. For example, they can create a texting conversation using their words or make tongue twisters. This is a much more rigorous, practical use of the words than writing them five times each, and it is something my students would enjoy. My only concern would be that it would be challenging for my students who are Letter Name spellers, so I may need to use alternate activities or adapt this to fit their needs.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Word-Work-Spelling-2436002?st=59c988581956b111f57b95a096c6af23

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Fluency Karaoke (Beginning and Instructional Readers)-Caitlyn Palazzola

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Fluency Karaoke (Beginning and Instructional Readers)-Caitlyn Palazzola

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“Fluency Karaoke” allows students to practice their fluency using song lyrics.  Based on the lyrics of the songs, this activity would be for instructional readers, but could be adapted to use with beginning readers.  Fluency Karaoke focuses on fluency and gives students a chance to practice accuracy and rate while singing some of their favorite songs.

To use Fluency Karaoke in the classroom, select a song that is appropriate for your students.  This blog even mentions certain songs for certain word patterns.  Once your song has been selected, you can print copies for the whole class to follow along with. Most song lyrics can be found on google. I also like to pull the song with lyrics up on youtube.com and assign certain students to use classroom microphones.  It is especially helpful for beginning readers to use songs they are already very familiar with like Disney or popular TV Show songs.

This activity connects back to the class because students are given an opportunity to practice fluency in a way that is engaging and catchy.  Singing and following along with the lyrics as they are highlighted on the board, gives students extra repeated exposure to the text and can be considered a repeated reading if done a few times.  We constantly hear students singing the words to songs stuck in their heads, so when they can pair that with the actual lyrics in text, they are given an opportunity to connect that speech with print.

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Did you know that Beat It by Michael Jackson repeats the -ea, -igh, and -an sounds? The classic song, Stand by Me by Ben E. King repeats consonant blends. Karaoke is an extremely effective way to review phonics skills, advanced word patterns, and build fluency. Many websites such as www.azlyrics.com and more can provide free lyrics to songs.

For younger students, Michael Jackson songs, Ben E. King Stand by Me, My Girl by The Temptations and Katy Perry Wide Awake are surefire kid hits. Each student is given a copy of the lyrics. The rule is they must read the words while singing.

For older students, create karaoke song lists using popular radio music (that have edited lyrics and the instrumental version). Older students love this so much too! Editing assists educators with being "creative" with lyrics. Add prefix and suffix patterns that fit the lesson that you are currently working on. Karaoke is especially helpful for older students that need extra phonics assistance too but might shy away from traditional word study practice.

Also include reader's theater. Alternate between karaoke, reader's theater, and traditional phonics or fluency practice.

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Teach Phonics, Advanced Word Patterns, and Fluency with Karaoke

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Did you know that Beat It by Michael Jackson repeats the -ea, -igh, and -an sounds? The classic song, Stand by Me by Ben E. King repeats consonant blends. Karaoke is an extremely effective way to review phonics skills, advanced word patterns, and build fluency.

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Reading Fluency Pyramids (Beginning Readers)- Andrew Minnix

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Reading Fluency Pyramids (Beginning Readers)- Andrew Minnix

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How to: This is a resource for beginning readers to build fluency by practicing sight words and repeated reading. It breaks a sentence down and starts with the very first word of the sentence. Then a word is added to the next line. It continues this pattern until the sentence is completed. Each sentence focuses on a sight word. Once the sentence is completed there are two comprehension questions.

Critique: I was introduced to fluency pyramids in my second year of teaching. I found them very useful and saw improvement. As it was mentioned in the module, sight words should not be taught through drill and kill methods. I know now that students probably responded better to this as opposed to flashcards because it uses the sentence in context to create meaning. I would often let students create their own pyramid using the same sight word afterwards. What I like about this resource that I haven't seen is that there are comprehension questions to serve as a quick check after the student reads the sentence.

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This pack is perfect for beginning readers or struggling readers in kindergarten and in first grade to build confidence in reading.

This is a part of a BUNDLE:
Reading Fluency and Comprehension (THE BUNDLE)

Inside you will find:
40 Reading Fluency and Comprehension Pages.

These reading fluency phrases are perfect for literacy centers, morning work, guided reading, homework and more!!

The sight words focused on:
a, and, away, big, blue, can, come, down, find, for, funny, go, help, here, I, in, is, it, jump, little, look, make, me, my, not, one, play, red, run, said, see, the, three, to, two, up, we, where, yellow, you.

*Each page is focused on one sight word. Students read the text and highlight the sight word focused on.
*Students rewrite the sentence two times for students to get extra practice writing their sight words.
*Each page has two comprehension question.
I hope your students will enjoy them as much as mine.

Take a look at the preview for a better look.

Other Reading Fluency and Comprehension packs:
Reading Fluency and Comprehension SET 2
Reading Fluency and Comprehension SET 3

Check out my other SIGHT WORD PACKS:
Sight Word Fluency Phrases (The Bundle)
Sight Word Dab (The Bundle)
Sight Word Reader (Set 1)
The Bundle

If you have any questions, please email me at:
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Reading Fluency and Comprehension (Set 1)

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This pack is perfect for beginning readers or struggling readers in kindergarten and in first grade to build confidence in reading. This is a part of a BUNDLE: Reading Fluency and Comprehension (THE BUNDLE) Inside you will find: 40 Reading Fluency and Comprehension Pages. These reading fluency ph...

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Sight Words and Fluency Phrases - Cassy Childress

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Sight Words and Fluency Phrases - Cassy Childress

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(Emergent/Beginning/Transitional)

Describe - This link entails a free printable for Fry's 100 Sight Words and Fluency Phrase booklets. It includes ten booklets that can be printed. The booklets can go home with your students, could be used in small groups, they could be used as an assessment, review, and more.

How To - I love these booklets! I have only seen one Elementary School use them in my experience. My daughter Payten used them when she was in second grade. She loved bringing them home and practicing. She also enjoyed getting stickers for each page that she knew. Her teacher Mrs. Snead would color code them and keep them in a file each time they completed a book in its entirety. This printable has over 500 sight words and phrases. I also really liked that at the end of Payten's second grade year, Ms. Snead sent all of them home. They were a great resource during the summer that helped prevent the summer slump.

Critique: My only wish is that there were more books. I am sure that there are, but you most likely have to pay for them. I think these little booklets are a great way to reinforce Sight Words and Phrases. I appreciate that there are ten books that are free and easy to access.

Link: PowerPoint Presentation (wscschools.org)

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Nursery Rhymes Poetry Center (Emergent Readers) - Kelly Falin

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Nursery Rhymes Poetry Center (Emergent Readers) - Kelly Falin

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I have purchased this resource and use it in a literacy center after we have practiced the nursery rhyme several times as a whole class, usually the week before. To prepare the activity, the complete nursery rhyme is printed on cardstock with the illustration and then laminated. The cut-apart nursery rhyme is also printed on cardstock, laminated, and each word is cut out individually. Students use their memory of the nursery rhyme from the previous week along with the complete nursery rhyme provided as a reference to reconstruct the rhyme in the correct order. Students then read the completed nursery rhyme aloud to the other members of their small group.
This helps build emergent readers' concept of word skills to . I have watched my students use the beginning sounds to help identify words they don't recognize. This activity also helps students realize that words have boundaries. It is really amazing to watch them begin reading word-for-word and see them progress to reading in a speech stream.

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Nursery Rhymes Poetry Center (BUNDLE) - 22 poems

My students love to build these Nursery Rhymes at our poetry center over and over! Your students can work alone or with a partner to build familiar nursery rhymes and practice reading fluency.

There are 22 nursery rhymes for you to print, laminate, and cut for immediate use year after year. Your students will be highly engaged in a meaningful literacy task and you will never have papers to copy or grade!
⭐You save 20% by purchasing THIS BUNDLE! Download my preview and try this resource for free! 22 poems included in this resource:

Itsy Bitsy Spider

ABC Song

Hickory Dickory Dock

Mary Had a Little Lamb

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Humpty Dumpty

I'm a Little Teapot

Jack and Jill

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Little Miss Muffet

One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Georgie Porgie

Jack Be Nimble

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Little Jack Horner

Pat-a-Cake

There Was a Crooked Man

This Little Piggy

There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe

Hey Diddle Diddle

Baa Baa Black Sheep

⭐ Nursery Rhymes set 1 ⭐Nursery Rhymes set 2 Here Story Retell and Sequence Writing Prompts Friendly Letter Writing- Write to Scruffy Comparing Fiction and Nonfiction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies, and product launches: Here
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Nursery Rhymes Poetry Center (BUNDLE) - 22 poems

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Nursery Rhymes Poetry Center (BUNDLE) - 22 poemsMy students love to build these Nursery Rhymes at our poetry center over and over! Your students can work alone or with a partner to build familiar nursery rhymes and practice reading fluency. There are 22 nursery rhymes for you to print, laminate, and...

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Fluency Superheroes-Beginning Readers and Instructional Readers) Blaire Flowers

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Fluency Superheroes-Beginning Readers and Instructional Readers) Blaire Flowers

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These superhero characters represent the components of fluency instruction: prosody (Expression Girl and Robot Reader), speed/rate(Super Scooper and Choppy Chomper), accuracy, and comprehension (Meaning Man and Captain Spacey). These posters are a great visual reminder for readers to read fluently.

Fluency Battles are a fun way to introduce the superheroes and villains and provide engaging fluency practice. Introduce the superheroes to students prior to beginning the battles. Explain to students how the superheroes help us read fluently.

Each battle will begin by the teacher modeling fluent reading using a short passage. The teacher will read the passage both as the superhero and then as the villain.  The students will vote which one sounds better.

Partner Practice: After modeling these battles with students, provide opportunities for fluency practice with partners. Provide partners with the Superhero Battle cards.

One student reads a short passage while practicing that hero’s strategy for fluent reading. While the second listens and decides if the student was successful in sounding like a superhero or if a bad guy won the battle.

Fry Fluency Phrases: Fluency phrases are a great tool to increase automaticity and provide fluency practice. The Fry Instant Phrases include the first 300 words in Fry’s list of high frequency words. Print the Fry phrases on cardstock and laminate.  Add phrases to a ring to help keep them together by level. Students can improve their automaticity by practicing with the phrases. The phrases can also be used as a progress monitoring tool.

Fluency Data Graphs are also included in this bundle!

This bundle helps target all 3 aspects of fluency (accuracy, speed/rate, and prosody) as mentioned in this weeks modules.

. Record students’ growth with their fluency rates on a data graph. You may choose to have them complete a one minute read on a weekly or monthly basis to monitor their progress.

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Do you need a more engaging way to implement reading fluency practice with your students? These fluency superheroes posters are the perfect way to introduce and remind students of the strategies fluent readers implement. Plus the epic battles provide an engaging and authentic way to practice fluent reading!

These characters represent the components of fluency: prosody, rate/phrasing, accuracy, and comprehension. They serve as visual reminders to encourage students to read fluently. This is similar to teachers using the Beanie Babies Reading Strategies to help students with decoding. Students can practice fluent reading with the battle activities and with the 6 levels of fluency phrases flashcards. Not only that, but teachers will be able to use the provided data graphs for progress monitoring.
Included in this set:

Instructions for use

Color Posters of the Fluency Superheroes and Villains

Low Ink Posters

Student bookmarks

Overview Chart of Superheroes and Villains

Battle Cards & Activity

Fluency Norms Chart

2 Data Graphs

6 Levels of Flashcards with the first 300 Fry Instant Phrases

Data Chart to document student progress on the Fry phrases

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Reading Fluency Practice Activities #presdaysale

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Do you need a more engaging way to implement reading fluency practice with your students? These fluency superheroes posters are the perfect way to introduce and remind students of the strategies fluent readers implement. Plus the epic battles provide an engaging and authentic way to practice fluent ...

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Concept of Print (Emergent Readers)- Anita Ungs

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Concept of Print (Emergent Readers)- Anita Ungs

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Concepts-of-Print-Activities-306699

The link I attached is to a free Teachers Pay Teachers resource. It includes two activities that would be very helpful for emergent readers because it focuses on sorting skills with letters, words, and sentences. This activity addresses students ability to differentiate between different kinds of print. I like that this resource has a variety of classroom uses. There are options to use this activity in whole group, in a small group, or independently.

How it Works: The first activity is a sort, where students sort to create groups of numbers, letters, words, and sentences. This sort could be done as a whole group activity, in a small group station, or even done independently, as the author of the resource included a cut-and-paste sort page, too. The second activity is adaptable to each child; the teacher writes in letters, and students sort the letters by whether they are in the students’ name or not. The teacher could use adapt this activity to use just uppercase, just lowercase, or mixed case letters, providing practice for the students to identify and connect different way letters are represented.

This connects back to class because concept of print is an early but important aspect of fluency. In order for students to learn how to be fluent readers, they need to be able to identify the barriers between words and learn that different kinds of texts convey different amounts of information. An emerging reader needs this repeated practice to be able to move into concept of word, and ultimately, read.

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14 Games That Prove Sight Words Are Fun!

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14 Games That Prove Sight Words Are Fun!

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14 Games That Prove Sight Words Are Fun! (Emergent/Beginning Reader)—Kara Neal

https://www.forwardwithfun.com/post/how-to-teach-sight-words

Description:

This blog focuses on hands on activities that involve and engage children into their sight word learning instead of just waving a card in their face and having them redundantly repeat it. The blog offers fourteen different activities using things that can be easily found around the house, classroom, Goodwill, or at the Dollar Tree that are inexpensive or can be homemade. These activities can be targeted toward emergent or beginning readers because very few sight words can be sounded out and most do not follow a normal sound pattern. So, even if emergent readers haven’t learned all of their letters or sounds, they can still practice sight word recognition and automaticity to develop and build fluency and beginning readers will be learning sight words all throughout elementary school. These activities can be modified depending on the student’s reading stage. Students who have mastered sight words can use these activities with new sight words and students who are still working on learning old sight words can practice with sight words already taught. Once students have mastered certain sight words, those words can be taken out and new ones take their place. These activities connect with our fluency modules because when students learn their sight words, they develop automaticity and therefore can become more fluent readers.

How it works:

There are fourteen different interactive activities, but they all function in about the same way: the child reads a sight word card, and then matches it to the same sight word on a bag, wall, muffin tin, floor, steps, etc. Below are some examples of how some of these activities work:
-Sight word cards are taped onto paper bags and the student is given objects (the blog uses pretend food, but anything can be used) with the same sight words attached to them. The student reads the sight word and puts it to the bag with the same sight word.

-Sight words are randomly written on a piece of paper and students are given yard sale stickers with the same sight words written on a sticker. The student chooses a sticker, reads the sight word on it, and then places the sticker on the same sight word on the piece of paper.

-The pom pom toss sight word games uses pom poms (from the craft aisle) and a muffin tin. The teacher writes a different sight word on an index card and tapes it to the wall. The teacher then puts the muffin tin against the wall where the words are directly over the muffin tin wells. Students throw a pom pom onto the tin and whichever well the pom pom lands in, the student must read that word. This activity reminds me of the Skee Ball game at the carnival.

Critique:

I have honestly been searching for different sight word activities that are hands on and interactive and I really like how the blog offers such a plethora of ideas, especially ideas that can be made, found, or bought at very little cost from the dollar store. As a Kindergarten SPED teacher, I think that these activities would work really well with some of my kinesthetic learners, those who learn by touch and movement. I believe that most of the activities will help them develop improved recognition of these words because of the movement aspect. The only drawback to some of these activities is the COVID sharing restrictions. In normal years, I would implement this activity as a small group center during reading centers and let them share the activity and work together. It’s a bit more difficult and time consuming to have to make an activity for each student to avoid sharing.

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Reading Fluency Practice Task Cards for Intonation (Transitional Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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Reading Fluency Practice Task Cards for Intonation (Transitional Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Fluency-Practice-Task-Cards-for-Intonation-2622017?st=4805bca3a3e4ada6f611a07e93c8dc15

These fluency task cards are an effective resource for your transitional readers to practice intonation.  Each card has a brief scenario followed by a quote.  The student will first determine the feeling based on the scenario.  Then the student will read the quote using emotion and intonation.  The task cards are differentiated by supplying choices for the feelings on half the cards whereas the other half are open ended.  There is a total of 40 cards for a reasonable price of $3.00.

These cards could be used as a station during reading groups or you could have students practice in pairs and providing feedback to one another.  Another option could be that you send this home for extra practice with certain students that are struggling with this particular skill.

This activity links to what we have been learning in class about fluency.  Fluency is not just how fast and accurate you read, but also the use of prosody and intonation.  Like Beers (2003) mentions in one of her suggestions, sometimes students need direct instruction on correct phrasing and intonation.  This activity provides a resource for teachers to use to directly teach intonation and then have the students practice it.

I also like how this activity requires students to be fluent while maintaining comprehension.  Requiring them to think about the meaning of what they are saying and the emotion that should be heard shows the students that fluency and comprehension should happen simultaneously.

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I Love My Poetry Center! You Can, Too! (Emergent Readers)-Mary Lawson

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I Love My Poetry Center! You Can, Too! (Emergent Readers)-Mary Lawson

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https://wiseowlcathy.blogspot.com/2013/07/roses-are-red-violets-are-blue-i-love.html

This link explains a 3 week cycle of teaching poems to emergent readers.  There are links to examples of poetry sets and directions on selecting poetry.  The objective is the development of both concept of print and concept of word for the emergent reader.

How it works:
Week 1:  A 4 line poem is introduced on a chart and word wall words are highlighted.  The class echo and choral reads the poem daily while the teacher points to each word.
Week 2:  The Poem, from week 1,  is placed in the poetry center.  Each child has a poetry folder with a typed copy of the poem.  The children highlight or circle the same word wall words as the chart.  Then, they illustrate the poem to match the words.  Finally, the children point and read the poem to a friend.
Week 3:  The poem from week 1 is written on sentence strips and placed in a pocket chart.  The children use a copy of the poem and cut apart the lines of the poem.  Next, they glue the poem correctly on their piece of pager.  Then, they illustrate the poem.  Finally, the children point and read their poem to a friend.

This is a perfect example of building fluency in the emergent reader!  The poetry center focuses on the fluency aspects that are important for the emergent reader:  concept of word and concept of print. Some of the important aspects it incorporates are voice to print tracking, word wall words, echo reading, coral reading, reconstruction a rhyme, and matching words. This is definitely important for use in the Kindergarten classroom.

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(Instructional/Intermediate/Advanced) - Melissa Mayr

https://www.tpjagger.com/free-readers-theater-scripts/

This website is an excellent resource for Readers Theater scripts all done for you.  Many but not all are free and are for grades 3-6.  After printing the scripts, have students work in groups to put on a performance.  Provide props and costumes to add to the experience.

This activity builds fluency as our students reread and reread to get the performance right.  They are practicing accuracy and prosody as they are trying to make their reading sound just like they are talking.  I enjoy the fact that in this activity they are not being killed with lists but increasing their fluency through rereading and improving classroom culture by working together as a group.

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"Readers Theater and Radio Show Podcast" is an added on addition to Readers Theater allowing students to interact with technology while gaining an audience and ultimately practicing fluency.

Students are put into small groups and are given a script and choose roles.  The students practice their roles.  Practicing and rehearsing multiple times helps students gain fluency. Once they have perfected their script it is time to record!   Audacity is a free, easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and most of our students are familiar with it.
There are limitless possibilities and ways to share this with parents, classmates, and teachers.

"Readers Theater Radio Podcast," relates back to our class because repeated reading (RR) is the key to improving fluency.  Repeated reading is effective with Emergent, Transitional, and Intermediate readers.
"The Readers Theater Radio Podcast," would be best used for Transitional, Intermediate, and Advanced readers. It would be such an exciting way to have students listening to each other and gaining an audience that's doesn't involve TicTok😂

https://mcccanada.ca/sites/mcccanada.ca/files/media/ontario/documents/readers_theatre_radio_showpodcast_production.pdf

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Building Fluency through Concept of Word (Emergent)- Madison King 

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Building Fluency through Concept of Word (Emergent)- Madison King 

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The attached activity focuses on building fluency for emergent readers by helping them develop a strong concept of word. Emergent readers cannot yet read and have incomplete knowledge of the alphabet so fluency goals for them include developing concepts of print and concepts of word. In this lesson, students must discern how many words there are to demonstrate an understanding that words have boundaries and thus be able to match their voice to the print when reading.

The buy my sentence activity is an engaging way for students to count and recognize the words in a sentence. I do this activity with students in my own class and they are always extra focused on identifying the number of words because the inclusion of “buying” each word adds an extra element of hands on fun. I like that this activity can be adapted to work best in your classroom. The sentence length or use of multisyllabic words can be altered to meet each students’ level and extensions can be done to increase difficulty or include it across content areas. In my own classroom, I have the students look at a picture, come up with a sentence, and draw a line to represent each word in their sentence. When they “buy” their sentence they touch each line as they say the words. Then, after they have paid for the correct number of words, they use the guidelines they wrote to write their sentence, often just writing the beginning sounds for each word as they are still developing complete letter knowledge.

This connects back to our course because we know many early literacy skills depend on concept of word such as acquiring sight words, developing phonetic spelling, and demonstrating phoneme segmentation. Concept of word is a strong indicator of reading success and should be promoted and practiced whenever possible in a classroom with emergent readers. This activity encourages students to pay attention to word boundaries and also connect these concepts to their writing. According to Morris’ Developmental Sequence, concept of word is a very early skill that must be mastered on the way to becoming a true reader.

https://pals.virginia.edu/public/pdfs/activities/cow/buy_my_sentence.pdf

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Hashtag Fluency (Transitional Reader) – Quiana Fields

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Hashtag Fluency (Transitional Reader) – Quiana Fields

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Hashtag Fluency (Transitional Reader)

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hashtag-Fluency-fun-phrase-reading-for-digitalnatives-1179173?st=4d3b15849246b33747724b8ff4c8b774

“Hashtag Fluency” is an activity that will grasp the attention of a middle school student, and allow him or her to practice fluency. Hashtag reading is really just a new twist on an old method--sight word and sight phrase reading. Because middle school students enjoy social media, this activity will get the “buy in” from a struggling reader. It allows students to connect and set a purpose for reading. The objective is for students to practice reading commonly used phrases repeatedly to increase their fluency. This activity is for students who have mastered the basic sight words or middle school students who read below grade level. It has a list price of $8.50, but it is often marked down to $4.50 and includes:

*10 Student Lists & 1 Parent Letter
*20 In Class Fluency Lists for Fluency Center
*13 Student Progress Tracking Graphs
*10 Fluency Passages--called Hashtag Strings
*10 Award Certificates & 1 Class At-A-Glance Table
*20 Spin, Read, Highlight Activity Sheets & 2 Spinners
*40 Flashcard Sheets with 200 Hashtags & 7 Game Suggestions
*11 Hashtag Slideshows (10, 1 for each list & 1 with all 200)

How “Hashtag Fluency” works:  Students are given phrase lists to practice reading at home or to be kept in a folder at school for use during an allotted practice time. The lists are differentiated and leveled from easy to difficult. The students then interact and read “Hashtag String Passages.” These are passages created with the hashtag phrases from the student list, and students are to read as much as they can in one minute.  These “hashtag passages” are merely hashtags strung together for repeated exposure and practice. Student scores are tracked on graphs that students fill in to take ownership of their growth and progress. The download also includes a hands-on spinner fluency game that gives students more practice for repeated exposure to reading. The download includes certificates of improvement and completion, so students have a tangible representation and recognition of their progress.

This connects back to the course because it gives students practice on reading words in context at a quick pace with expression. Teachers must, “Provide your struggling readers with a lot of easy reading opportunities and watch them become fluent readers.” (Cunningham & Allington, 2016, P.47) These hashtag phrases and readings will meet the students at their appropriate levels, make them feel comfortable reading aloud, and give them the repeated experience with text. This “provides an engaging rereading opportunity” as mentioned in the text; they practice reading fluency phrases in a fun, current, and relevant way.

This activity also can be used to spiral other reading strands because many of the phrases include example of figurative language and literary devices like sarcasm, irony, hyperboles. Furthermore, students will be able to make connections with some of the pictures related to the hashtags. I am excited to use this with my students.

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Reader's Theater - All Levels - Amanda Crutchman

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Reader's Theater - All Levels - Amanda Crutchman

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In my past life as a high school teacher, I sponsored the drama club. Reader's theater was something we did for fun, and welcome the oppotunity to engage in it in my classroom. The plan below is for older elementary, but you could easily adapt it to your needs. Having the students practice the text will increase fluency, and performing the text will give them a sense of ownership and creation.

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Lesson Plan Type

Recurring Lesson

Estimated Time

Four 60-minute sessions

Lesson Author

Publisher

Featured Resources From Theory to Practice
OVERVIEW

Students become excited and enthusiastic about reading when they are presented with the opportunity to participate in Readers Theatre. In this lesson, students develop scripts, perform in groups, and practice using their voice to depict characters from texts. Through this activity, students have the opportunity to develop fluency and further enhance comprehension of what they are reading.
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FEATURED RESOURCES
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Reader's Theater Scripts and Plays: This website with an excellent compilation of scripts will get your students focused on reading texts with expression

FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
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Kimbell-Lopez, K. (2003). Just think of the possibilities: Formats for reading instruction in the elementary classroom. Reading Online, 6. Available: http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=kimbell-lopez/index.html

The use of Readers Theatre can offer a different context in which students are exposed to texts focusing on poetry, science, social studies, or other content-related topics.

Readers Theatre is another way to enhance comprehension of text, as well as to create interest in and enthusiasm for learning.

The Readers Theatre format provides an opportunity for students to develop fluency through multiple readings of the text by using expressiveness, intonation, and inflection when rehearsing the text.

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(Transitional/Advanced) - Amanda Crutchman

I use this resource for my lesson on the Preamble. We read the Preamble together, then we take each phrase ("We the people...", "more perfect union", "promote the general welfare", etc.) and break it down in common language and talk about what it means. Then, I have the students re-write the Preamble, and put it in their own words. and collage visuals that drive home the purposes. This year, I had the kids record themselves reading the Preamble, and then talk about what they believed was the most importat ideal of it. I think using historical documents, despite their sometimes antiquated language, are great ways to connect with the time period or subject you are studying.

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The Articles of Confederation was established in 1781 as the nation's "first constitution." Each state governed itself through elected representatives, and the state representatives in turn elected a central government. But the national government was so feeble and its powers so limited that this system proved unworkable. Congress could not impose taxes to cover national expenses, which meant the Confederation was ineffectual. And because all 13 colonies had to ratify amendments, one state's refusal prevented any reform. By 1786 many far-sighted American leaders saw the need for a more powerful central authority; a convention was called to meet in Philadelphia in May 1787.

The Constitutional Convention met for four months. Among the chief points at issue were how much power to allow the central government and then, how to balance and check that power to prevent government abuse.

As debate at the Philadelphia Convention drew to a close, Gouverneur Morris was assigned to the Committee of Style and given the task of wording the Constitution by the committee's members. Through thoughtful word choice, Morris attempted to put the fundamental principles agreed on by the framers into memorable language.

By looking carefully at the words of the Preamble, comparing it with the similar passages in the opening of the Articles of Confederation, and relating them to historical circumstances as well as widely shared political principles such as those found in the Declaration of Independence, students can see how the Preamble reflects the hope and fears of the Framers.

For background information about the history and interpretation of the Constitution, see the following resources:

This lesson is one of a series of complementary EDSITEment lesson plans for intermediate-level students about the foundations of our government. Consider adapting them for your class in the following order:

NCSS.D2.Civ.3.9-12. Analyze the impact of constitutions, laws, treaties, and international agreements on the maintenance of national and international order.

NCSS.D2.Civ.4.9-12. Explain how the U.S. Constitution establishes a system of government that has powers, responsibilities, and limits that have changed over time and that are still contested.

NCSS.D2.His.3.9-12. Use questions generated about individuals and groups to assess how the significance of their actions changes over time and is shaped by the historical context.

NCSS.D2.His.4.9-12. Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspectives of people during different historical eras.

NCSS.D2.His.5.9-12. Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people's perspectives.

NCSS.D2.His.6.9-12. Analyze the ways in which the perspectives of those writing history shaped the history that they produced.

NCSS.D2.His.14.9-12. Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.10. By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

The following resources are included with this lesson plan to be used in conjunction with the student activities and for teacher preparation.

Review the Graphic Organizer for Activity 2, which contains the Preamble to the Constitution along with the opening passages of the Articles of Confederation and the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence (both from OurDocuments.gov), and make copies for the class.

Activity 1. Why Government?

To help students understand the enormous task facing the Americans, pose a hypothetical situation to the class:

Imagine that on a field trip to a wilderness area or sailing trip to a small, remote island, you all became stranded without any communication with parents, the school, or other adults and had little hope of being rescued in the foreseeable future. The area where you're marooned can provide the basic necessities of food, shelter, and water, but you will have to work together to survive.

Encourage students to think about the next steps they need to take with a general discussion about such matters as:

Are you better working together or alone? (Be open to their ideas, but point out reasons why they have a better chance at survival if they work together.)

How will you work together?

How will you create rules?

Who will be responsible for leading the group to help all survive?

How will they be chosen?

How will you deal with people in the group who may not be following the rules?

Distribute the Student Worksheet handout, which contains the seven questions below. [ Note: These questions are related to the seven phrases from the Preamble but this relationship in not given on the handout.]

Divide students into small groups and have each group brainstorm a list of things they would have to consider in developing its own government. [ Note: You can have all groups answer all seven questions or assign one question for each group.] Ask students to be detailed in their answers and be able to support their recommendations.

How will you make sure everyone sticks together and works towards the common goal of getting rescued? (form a more perfect union)

How will you make sure that anyone who feels unfairly treated will have a place to air complaints? (establishing justice)

How will you make sure that people can have peace and quiet? (ensuring domestic tranquility)

How will you make sure that group members will help if outsiders arrive who threaten your group? (providing for the common defense)

How will you make sure that the improvements you make on the island (such as shelters, fireplaces and the like) will be used fairly? (promoting the general welfare)

How will you make sure that group members will be free to do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else? (securing the blessing of liberty to ourselves)

How will you make sure that the rules and organizations you develop protect future generations? (securing the blessing of liberty to our posterity)

While students are working in their groups, write or project the following seven headers on the front board in this order:

Secure the Blessings of Liberty for our Posterity,

Promote the General Welfare,

Establish Justice,

Form a more perfect Union,

Insure Domestic Tranquility,

Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves, and

Provide for the Common Defense

After the groups have finished discussing their questions, have them meet as a class. First ask them to identify which question (by number) from their handout goes with which section of the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution you've listed on the front board. Next, have students share their recommendations to the questions and allow other groups to comment, add, or disagree with the recommendations made.
Exit Ticket:
Encourage class discussion of the following questions:

Having just released themselves from Britain's monarchy, what would the colonists fear most?

Judging from some of the complaints the colonists had against Britain, what might be some of their concerns for any future government?

As in the hypothetical situation described above, what decisions would the colonists have to make about forming a new government out of 13 colonies which, until 1776, had basically been running themselves independently?

Activity 2. What the Preamble Says

Review the Teachers' Guide to the Preamble, which parses each of the phrases of the Preamble and contrasts them with the equivalent passages in the Articles and the Declaration. Teachers can use this guide as a source for a short lecture before the activity and as a kind of answer sheet for the activity.

In this activity, students investigate the Preamble to the Constitution by comparing and contrasting it with the opening language of the Articles of Confederation. They will:

understand how the Preamble of the Constitution (in outlining the goals of the new government under the Constitution) was written with the deficiencies of the Articles of Confederation in mind, aiming to create "a more perfect union," and

understand how the Preamble drew its justification from the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence.

The aim of this activity is to show students, through a close reading of the Preamble, how its style and content reflect some of the aspirations of the framers for the future of republican government in America.

[ Note: teachers should define "diction," "connotation," and "denotation" to the students before beginning to ask students to differentiate between language in the two documents.]

Distribute copies of the Graphic Organizer and questions to all students and have them complete it in their small groups (or individually as a homework assignment).
Exit Ticket:
Have one or two students or groups of students summarize their conclusions concerning the critical differences between the Articles and the Preamble, citing the sources of these documents as referents.

Have students answer the following in a brief, well-constructed essay:

Using the ideas and information presented in this lesson, explain how the wording and structure of the Preamble demonstrate that the Constitution is different from the Articles of Confederation.

Note: For an excellent example of what can be inferred from the language and structure of the Preamble, teachers should review and model this passage by Professor Garret Epps from " The Poetry of the Preamble " on the Oxford University Press blog (2013):

"Form, establish, insure, provide, promote, secure": these are strong verbs that signify governmental power, not restraint. "We the people" are to be bound-into a stronger union. We will be protected against internal disorder-that is, against ourselves-and against foreign enemies. The "defence" to be provided is "common," general, spread across the country. The Constitution will establish justice; it will promote the "general" welfare; it will secure our liberties. The new government, it would appear, is not the enemy of liberty but its chief agent and protector.

Students could be asked whether they agree or disagree with the above interpretation. They should be expected to provide evidence-based arguments for their position.

The aspirational rhetoric of the Preamble has inspired various social movements throughout our nation's history. In particular, two 19th-century developments come to mind: the struggles for abolitionism and women's suffrage. Examples of oratory from each movement are provided below. In response to one of these excerpts, students can write a short essay about how the words of the Preamble affected the relevant movement.

Students should ascertain what the Preamble meant to the movement and how it was used to make an appeal to the nation. The essay might address the question of how and why those such as Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, who at their time were excluded from the full range of rights and liberties ensured by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, responded to the principles expressed in the Preamble.

Students should then argue either for or against the interpretation of the Preamble advanced in the excerpt, drawing from the knowledge gained in this lesson.

Be sure that the essay has a strong thesis (a non-obvious, debatable proposition about the Preamble) that students support with evidence from the texts used in this lesson.
Example 1. Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" (1852)
Fellow-citizens! there is no matter in respect to which, the people of the North have allowed themselves to be so ruinously imposed upon, as that of the pro-slavery character of the Constitution. In that instrument I hold there is neither warrant, license, nor sanction of the hateful thing; but, interpreted as it ought to be interpreted, the Constitution is a GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT. Read its preamble, consider its purposes. Is slavery among them? Is it at the gateway? or is it in the temple? It is neither.
Example 2. Susan B. Anthony, "Is It a Crime for a U.S. Citizen to Vote?" (1873)
It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them; not to the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the whole people-women as well as men. And it is a downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democratic-republican government-the ballot.

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The Preamble to the Constitution: A Close Reading Lesson

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The Preamble is the introduction to the United States Constitution, and it serves two central purposes. First, it states the source from which the Constitution derives its authority: the sovereign people of the United States. Second, it sets forth the ends that the Constitution and the government that it establishes are meant to serve.

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fluency-Folder-118802?st=312efdd104d0972cf93486ece32d5e07

This is a free resource from Teacher's Pay Teachers that builds a connection with families to extend fluency practice beyond the classroom.  Each week, the teacher send home a poem or short story, that has already been taught at school.  First, the parent reads the poem/story to the child.  Then, the parent and child read together, but the parent is sure to read at a normal rate, reflecting normal speech (not waiting for child to keep up). Finally, the child reads the poem/short story 2-3 times to the parent, practicing the "focus" for the week (expression, volume, pace, smoothness).  Some weeks, teachers may send a comprehension activity as well.  These folders can go home on Monday and children can bring them back on Friday after completing one activity each night.  Inside the folder is a chart to keep track of the listeners and titles of the texts.

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fry-Fluency-Diamond-List-1-507730?st=287c15f87d577970e302d044016556fd

Description: This is a FREE fluency reading strategy called Fluency Diamonds. It consists of seven Fry words that are arranged in a diamond shape.  This reading tool can be easily differentiated and used in multiple ways.

How to use: Print the fluency diamond and allow your students to have fun with these simple, quick, fluency practice ideas:

1.       1:1 Time the student as they read

2.       Group: Have students practice whispering (diamond words) to themselves before the group reading

3.       Game: Project the fluency diamond (through use of a document camera) Call out a word, student will come up and slap the word with a fly swatter

4.       Partner Read: Have students pair up with a buddy and take turns reading the words to one another

This activity connects back to this week’s course because we are studying fluency. In chapter 4 on page 48 we learned that when students come across an unfamiliar word, they have to stop and use whatever decoding strategies they have to figure out the word(s). When students have to stop to sound out a word it not only interrupts their fluency, it also interferes with their overall comprehension. I like this activity because it can be used in a variety of ways. It would benefit a student if the teacher created a list with unfamiliar words from their weekly science or social studies lesson. By doing that, students can practice in a fun way, so that when they re-read their lesson material they will be more confident because hopefully they won’t have to stop to decode.

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Poetry Binders (Beginning Readers) - Abby Snay

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Poetry Binders (Beginning Readers) - Abby Snay

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This activity focuses on  building fluency through shared poetry. Students create a binder of poems they learn throughout the year and include a table of contents to keep them organized. The teacher also incorporated sight word knowledge by asking students to hunt for and highlight sight words throughout the poems. She also chooses vocabulary words from the poems to discuss. She notes that at times they read the poems and sometimes they sing them to popular songs.

Her schedule is as follows:
Monday: Add a poem, follow "I read, we read, you read" sequence.
Tuesday: Review yesterday’s poem and go on a “word hunt” for a specific phonics skill
Wednesday: Revisit yesterday’s poem and practice a few older poems from our binder.
Thursday: Illustrate and practice with a partner
Friday: Poetry Party (read as many past poems as they can)

What I would add: I think I would take a page from the Fluency Development Lessons in CTW page 53 and send a copy home each week so the kids can practice with their families. I also might add a written response to the illustration on Thursdays.

https://www.missdecarbo.com/building-fluency-with-poetry-binders/

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3 Truths and a Lie (Intended for Transitional-Advanced but can be accommodated)

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3 Truths and a Lie (Intended for Transitional-Advanced but can be accommodated)

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There are five activities listed on the webpage but the 3 truths and a lie activity caught my attention the most. This activity serves as a review for previously taught vocabulary words. It has students evaluating the context to verify the word is used correctly.

How it works: Give the students a word. Students will use the word correctly in three sentences. The fourth sentence will be used incorrectly. The teacher then collects the four sentences and splits students into small groups. Each group will be given a set of sentences that were created. They will discuss as a group and determine the lie for each set.

My criticism: I love this activity because students are in charge of the learning. They have to determine the lie from each person. I feel it is a very engaging game that would be great as an end of the week review of previously taught words. The website says secondary classrooms, but I believe that you can accommodate this activity for the elementary classroom as well. My idea is to use groupings of words from content vocabulary.

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5 Brain-Based Vocabulary Activities for the Secondary Classroom - Reading and Writing Haven

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Looking for a way to get students to have fun learning new words AND remember them longer? Try these brain-based vocabulary activities.

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Vocabulary Improv- Transitional, Advanced-Anita Ungs 

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Vocabulary Improv- Transitional, Advanced-Anita Ungs 

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https://www.sadlier.com/Vocabulary-Blog/bid/52753/Vocabulary-Practice-Improv-Vocabulary-Kinesthetic-Vocab-Vim

This activity provides a multisensory experience to new vocabulary words. Students are given one new word, which they quickly look up in a dictionary. They think of a motion that goes along with their new word, and circle up as a class. Students go around saying their word and making their motion (like when playing a name game like Going on a Picnic). Once everyone has shared their word and motion twice, begin playing the game. Students say their word (and make their motion), then “call on” a classmate using a new word and motion. Students receive the turn, saying their own word, and then pass it along. Students should aim to pass around the room as quickly as possible.

I like this activity because it encourages students to take ownership of their own learning. Immediately after reading the definition, students must get creative with the word. It also helps introduce students to words in a fun way and gives a bit of context as they continue to learn about the word.

This activity should be only used as an introductory activity; it does not help the students use a vocabulary word in a meaningful way. It is used out of context, so would be helpful in pre-teaching a word, but students may not have enough experience with the word to understand and use it if the only exposure they have is a classmate’s action.

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Vocabulary Memory/Concentration (all reading levels, but more towards elementary grades) - Kelly Falin

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Vocabulary Memory/Concentration (all reading levels, but more towards elementary grades) - Kelly Falin

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Vocabulary Memory/Concentration

Memory (also known as Concentration) can be played two different ways.  Students can have two stacks of vocabulary words and take turns turning over two cards in an effort to get a match.  Each time a card is turned, the student turning the card has to read the word aloud and use it in a sentence.  If the student gets a match, he/she can keep the match and go again.  If the student does not get a match, the next player takes a turn.  Another variation of the game would be to have one copy of cards have the vocabulary words printed on them.  The other set of cards has the definitions printed on them.
I really like the idea to put the words on one card & the definition on the other card. This would really benefit higher level students. Pictures could also replace the definition for lower level students. Having the students correctly use the word in a sentence also helps them put the definition into their own words. This activity could also be adapted to use other parts of Marzano's 6 steps (provide a description, provide an explanation, provide an example, restate in their own words, etc.).
This is a vocabulary activity that connects back to our vocabulary component. It can be changed to fit content specific words or used as a review game. All of the ways to use the game aid in the importance of vocabulary implementation for comprehension.

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Are you required to teach a list of vocabulary words each week? Vocabulary words are a very important piece of teaching students to read. Learning and mastering essential vocabulary words can be achieved through vocabulary graphic organizers, vocabulary templates, no-prep vocabulary worksheets, vocabulary games, and a vocabulary display for your classroom wall!

Before we jump into the activities, if you prefer to see some of these activities in action, check out the video below!

Vocabulary Words of the Week in Journals

At the beginning of the week, we take two days to introduce all of our new vocabulary words for the week. When the words are introduced the teacher shows the word and a picture to match the word. The students take turns guessing what the word means. Finally the teacher reads the definition with the students. The students help the teacher determine an action that will represent the vocabulary word. This is a very important piece because research shows that when kinesthetics are included into learning, students are better able to retain the new information. All week this action is paired with the word whenever it is read or said. The students then write the word and definition onto their Words of the Week sheet and place it into the vocabulary journal for future reference.

Vocabulary Journals

Vocabulary journals should be a staple in every classroom. Vocabulary journals can take the form of a stapled packet, coil binded book, or hole punched binder. The purpose of a vocabulary journal is to have a place for students to keep all of their vocabulary practice and a place for them to look back and reference past vocabulary words. I love adding the vocabulary journals the parent teacher conference portfolios. I also love to have students bring their vocabulary journals back to the reading table during reading groups to reference or add information.

Free Editable Word Cards

Every week we put our new vocabulary words on cards. These cards are used all week for a variety of games and activities. At the end of the week, the students take the cards home to practice and keep. Download a free copy of the editable vocabulary cards here.

This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase. For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link.

Vocabulary Headbandz

Vocabulary Headbandz is a fun game that students love. Simply print off your vocabulary words onto these free editable vocabulary cards. Each student attaches a vocabulary word card to their headband. The youngest participant takes the first turn. Then play passes to the left. When it's your turn, just flip over the timer and ask each of the players a question that will help you figure out what the picture is on your head. Once you've asked each player a question, simply begin another round and then another. If you guess the vocabulary word before the timer runs out, simply take another card and put it behind your headband. Continue to ask questions until the timer runs out. For each vocabulary word that is guessed correctly, you get a point. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Teacher Tip:
If you don't own the Headbandz game, the headbands could be made from sentence strips and binder clips.

Memory/Concentration

Memory (also known as Concentration) can be played two different ways. Students can have two stack of vocabulary words and take turns turning over two cards in an effort to get a match. Each time a card is turned, the student turning the card has to read the word aloud and use it in a sentence. If the student gets a match, he/she can keep the match and go again. If the student does not get a match, the next player takes a turn. Another variation of the game would be to have one copy of cards have the vocabulary words printed on them. The other set of cards has the definitions printed on them.

Vocabulary Display
Teacher Tip: Use two different colors of paper when printing the cards. Also, choose a dark color or make copies on card stock paper so the answers don't show through the back side of the card.
Vocabulary displays can be a powerful instructional tool. Complete the vocabulary posters with the students. Provide the students with their own vocabulary mini-posters to complete with the teacher. If you have more than one word per day, make multiple copies of each word and display them all. Leave this information up on the wall all week and at the end of the week, the expo marker can be wiped off with Lysol wipes or a Mr. Clean magic eraser.

Vocabulary Bingo

After the class has learned at least twenty-five different vocabulary words, bingo is a great option that students love to play that will provide a great opportunity to review. Students simply write a vocabulary word in each space of their bingo card. The teacher provides the definition of one of the words and the student finds the vocabulary word and covers it with a bingo chip. The first student to get 5 in a row, 4 corners, or black out wins the game.

Roll a Word

Students need a vocabulary word list or stack of word cards. This activity should be played with partners or small groups. Students take turns choosing a card/word. Then student rolls a dice and follows the prompt on the Roll a Word sheet. Other players determine if the answer is correct. Players take turns until the teacher decides that the time is up.

Vocab Short Stories

Writing stories is the ultimate determination of whether or not a student truly understands the meaning of his/her vocabulary words. The teacher writes the vocabulary words that he/she would like the students to use when writing their short stories before making copies. Students need to use all the vocabulary words in context all while forming a short story. This activity comes with templates for 8 words, 10 words, or 12 words as well as with or without space for drawing a picture to match the story.

Parts of Speech

Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are an important piece of students learning grammar so why not combine them with vocabulary word practice? Students read the words at the top of their sheet and then sort them into the proper grammar categories. This worksheet is available in 8 words, 10 words, or 12 words templates.

Draw a Word

Drawing detailed pictures of a word's meaning is another powerful tool to help students learn, understand, and retain a new vocabulary word. The teacher can choose the six words prior to making copies or the student can choose the six trickiest words.

Picture This

Give each student a vocabulary card with a number. Write the numbers from 1-25 (or however many students you have in your class). Once students get their card, instruct them not to show anyone their card. Provide the students some time to draw the vocabulary word with as many details as possible. The student needs to also include their card number in the corner of their drawing. Write the list of vocabulary words on the board and give each student a recording sheet. Students walk around the classroom and look at each picture. Then they write the vocabulary word answer in the correct box of their recording sheet. Another variation for teachers who want more structure would be to have students sit at their desk while students take turns coming to the front of the class one a a time to explain their picture to the class. Students who are sitting at their desks would need to determine the word that the picture is showing and write the answer on their recording sheet.

Act it Out

Act it Out is similar to Picture This except instead of drawings, the students would use actions. The actions are performed as a group or one at a time in front of the class for the others to guess the vocabulary word and write it on the recording sheet.

Vocabulary Word Mini Posters

Earlier in this post I explained vocabulary displays. When the teacher is completing the vocabulary posters with the students, the students can complete the mini posters and put them in the vocabulary journals. This is a great option to keep the students engaged and actively participating.

Vocabulary Dice

Vocabulary dice can be used with any list of vocabulary words. Give each student a list or stack of vocabulary words. Students can do this activity independently or with a partner. Once a word is chosen, the student rolls the dice and follows the prompt on the dice. Answers can be provided verbally or written on a piece of paper or marker board.

Vocabulary Sentences

Students choose five of the trickiest words from the vocabulary word list. Then the student writes a sentence that shows the meaning of the word in context within the sentence. Students can also color the vocabulary word within the sentence.

What's included in this 56-page vocabulary pack:

Vocabulary Journal

My 5-Day Vocabulary Routine

Words of the Week

Vocabulary Words Worksheet

Vocabulary Mini Posters

Roll a Word

Vocabulary Dice

Vocabulary Bingo

Vocabulary Short Stories

Draw a Word

Parts of Speech

Vocabulary Sentences

Act it Out

Picture This

Editable Word cards

Editable Grammar Flip Flaps

Vocabulary Posters with Display

Detailed Explanation with Pictures for each Activity

Click here to purchase the entire Vocabulary Pack resource.

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Are you required to teach a list of vocabulary words each week? Vocabulary words are a very important piece of teaching students to read. Learning and mastering essential vocabulary words can be achieved through vocabulary graphic organizers, vocabulary templates, no-prep vocabulary worksheets, vocabulary games, and a vocabulary display for your classroom wall!

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Vocabulary Headbands (Beginning, Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced) - Blaire Flowers

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Vocabulary Headbands (Beginning, Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced) - Blaire Flowers

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Vocabulary Headbandz is a fun game that students love.  Simply print off your vocabulary words onto these free editable vocabulary cards.  Each student attaches a vocabulary word card to their headband.  The teacher/class can decide who goes first (ie; could be type of shoe, color of shirt, letter of first or last name, etc).  Then play passes to the left. The player flips over the timer and ask each of the players a question that will help figure out what the picture or word is on their head.   Once that person has asked each player a question, simply begin another round and then another. If the vocabulary word is guessed correctly before the timer runs out, simply take another card and put it continue the above directions. Continue to ask questions until the timer runs out.  For each vocabulary word that is guessed correctly, the player gets a point. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

This game does a great job of allowing students to put the definition of a word into their own words.

This website has several other great games and activities with tons of free pintables including: word of the week, vocabulary journals, vocabulary memory/concentration, vocabulary display, vocabulary bingo, roll a word, vocab short stories, draw a word, etc.

The website is designed for young readers, however; many of these activities can be used in all stages of readers.

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Are you required to teach a list of vocabulary words each week? Vocabulary words are a very important piece of teaching students to read. Learning and mastering essential vocabulary words can be achieved through vocabulary graphic organizers, vocabulary templates, no-prep vocabulary worksheets, vocabulary games, and a vocabulary display for your classroom wall!

Before we jump into the activities, if you prefer to see some of these activities in action, check out the video below!

Vocabulary Words of the Week in Journals

At the beginning of the week, we take two days to introduce all of our new vocabulary words for the week. When the words are introduced the teacher shows the word and a picture to match the word. The students take turns guessing what the word means. Finally the teacher reads the definition with the students. The students help the teacher determine an action that will represent the vocabulary word. This is a very important piece because research shows that when kinesthetics are included into learning, students are better able to retain the new information. All week this action is paired with the word whenever it is read or said. The students then write the word and definition onto their Words of the Week sheet and place it into the vocabulary journal for future reference.

Vocabulary Journals

Vocabulary journals should be a staple in every classroom. Vocabulary journals can take the form of a stapled packet, coil binded book, or hole punched binder. The purpose of a vocabulary journal is to have a place for students to keep all of their vocabulary practice and a place for them to look back and reference past vocabulary words. I love adding the vocabulary journals the parent teacher conference portfolios. I also love to have students bring their vocabulary journals back to the reading table during reading groups to reference or add information.

Free Editable Word Cards

Every week we put our new vocabulary words on cards. These cards are used all week for a variety of games and activities. At the end of the week, the students take the cards home to practice and keep. Download a free copy of the editable vocabulary cards here.

This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase. For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link.

Vocabulary Headbandz

Vocabulary Headbandz is a fun game that students love. Simply print off your vocabulary words onto these free editable vocabulary cards. Each student attaches a vocabulary word card to their headband. The youngest participant takes the first turn. Then play passes to the left. When it's your turn, just flip over the timer and ask each of the players a question that will help you figure out what the picture is on your head. Once you've asked each player a question, simply begin another round and then another. If you guess the vocabulary word before the timer runs out, simply take another card and put it behind your headband. Continue to ask questions until the timer runs out. For each vocabulary word that is guessed correctly, you get a point. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Teacher Tip:
If you don't own the Headbandz game, the headbands could be made from sentence strips and binder clips.

Memory/Concentration

Memory (also known as Concentration) can be played two different ways. Students can have two stack of vocabulary words and take turns turning over two cards in an effort to get a match. Each time a card is turned, the student turning the card has to read the word aloud and use it in a sentence. If the student gets a match, he/she can keep the match and go again. If the student does not get a match, the next player takes a turn. Another variation of the game would be to have one copy of cards have the vocabulary words printed on them. The other set of cards has the definitions printed on them.

Vocabulary Display
Teacher Tip: Use two different colors of paper when printing the cards. Also, choose a dark color or make copies on card stock paper so the answers don't show through the back side of the card.
Vocabulary displays can be a powerful instructional tool. Complete the vocabulary posters with the students. Provide the students with their own vocabulary mini-posters to complete with the teacher. If you have more than one word per day, make multiple copies of each word and display them all. Leave this information up on the wall all week and at the end of the week, the expo marker can be wiped off with Lysol wipes or a Mr. Clean magic eraser.

Vocabulary Bingo

After the class has learned at least twenty-five different vocabulary words, bingo is a great option that students love to play that will provide a great opportunity to review. Students simply write a vocabulary word in each space of their bingo card. The teacher provides the definition of one of the words and the student finds the vocabulary word and covers it with a bingo chip. The first student to get 5 in a row, 4 corners, or black out wins the game.

Roll a Word

Students need a vocabulary word list or stack of word cards. This activity should be played with partners or small groups. Students take turns choosing a card/word. Then student rolls a dice and follows the prompt on the Roll a Word sheet. Other players determine if the answer is correct. Players take turns until the teacher decides that the time is up.

Vocab Short Stories

Writing stories is the ultimate determination of whether or not a student truly understands the meaning of his/her vocabulary words. The teacher writes the vocabulary words that he/she would like the students to use when writing their short stories before making copies. Students need to use all the vocabulary words in context all while forming a short story. This activity comes with templates for 8 words, 10 words, or 12 words as well as with or without space for drawing a picture to match the story.

Parts of Speech

Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are an important piece of students learning grammar so why not combine them with vocabulary word practice? Students read the words at the top of their sheet and then sort them into the proper grammar categories. This worksheet is available in 8 words, 10 words, or 12 words templates.

Draw a Word

Drawing detailed pictures of a word's meaning is another powerful tool to help students learn, understand, and retain a new vocabulary word. The teacher can choose the six words prior to making copies or the student can choose the six trickiest words.

Picture This

Give each student a vocabulary card with a number. Write the numbers from 1-25 (or however many students you have in your class). Once students get their card, instruct them not to show anyone their card. Provide the students some time to draw the vocabulary word with as many details as possible. The student needs to also include their card number in the corner of their drawing. Write the list of vocabulary words on the board and give each student a recording sheet. Students walk around the classroom and look at each picture. Then they write the vocabulary word answer in the correct box of their recording sheet. Another variation for teachers who want more structure would be to have students sit at their desk while students take turns coming to the front of the class one a a time to explain their picture to the class. Students who are sitting at their desks would need to determine the word that the picture is showing and write the answer on their recording sheet.

Act it Out

Act it Out is similar to Picture This except instead of drawings, the students would use actions. The actions are performed as a group or one at a time in front of the class for the others to guess the vocabulary word and write it on the recording sheet.

Vocabulary Word Mini Posters

Earlier in this post I explained vocabulary displays. When the teacher is completing the vocabulary posters with the students, the students can complete the mini posters and put them in the vocabulary journals. This is a great option to keep the students engaged and actively participating.

Vocabulary Dice

Vocabulary dice can be used with any list of vocabulary words. Give each student a list or stack of vocabulary words. Students can do this activity independently or with a partner. Once a word is chosen, the student rolls the dice and follows the prompt on the dice. Answers can be provided verbally or written on a piece of paper or marker board.

Vocabulary Sentences

Students choose five of the trickiest words from the vocabulary word list. Then the student writes a sentence that shows the meaning of the word in context within the sentence. Students can also color the vocabulary word within the sentence.

What's included in this 56-page vocabulary pack:

Vocabulary Journal

My 5-Day Vocabulary Routine

Words of the Week

Vocabulary Words Worksheet

Vocabulary Mini Posters

Roll a Word

Vocabulary Dice

Vocabulary Bingo

Vocabulary Short Stories

Draw a Word

Parts of Speech

Vocabulary Sentences

Act it Out

Picture This

Editable Word cards

Editable Grammar Flip Flaps

Vocabulary Posters with Display

Detailed Explanation with Pictures for each Activity

Click here to purchase the entire Vocabulary Pack resource.

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Are you required to teach a list of vocabulary words each week? Vocabulary words are a very important piece of teaching students to read. Learning and mastering essential vocabulary words can be achieved through vocabulary graphic organizers, vocabulary templates, no-prep vocabulary worksheets, vocabulary games, and a vocabulary display for your classroom wall!

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Vocabulary Bingo is a very versatile way to review vocabulary words after they have been introduced and meanings are established--not as an initial activity.
How It Words: Students are given a grid (3X3 or 4X4 depending on the number of words) and students fill in vocabulary words in the blank spaces.  The teacher reads definitions and the students try to get BINGO.
Variations: Teachers of advanced readers could use synonyms or antonyms of the vocabulary words instead of the definition.  The teacher would say either the vocabulary word or "the opposite of ___".  Another variation would be for the teacher to use a synonym of the vocabular word in a sentence and the student would cover up the vocabulary word that could replace the synonym.  The teacher could also show visuals of the vocabulary words instead of reading the word aloud.

https://www.teachervision.com/vocabulary/vocabulary-bingo#:~:text=Ask%20students%20to%20draw%20a,vocabulary%20words%20in%20the%20boxes.&text=Students%20put%20a%20chip%20on,they%20yell%20out%20%22Bingo!%22

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4 Fun New Ways to Review Vocabulary While Distance Learning (Instructional Readers) - Quiana Fields

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4 Fun New Ways to Review Vocabulary While Distance Learning (Instructional Readers) - Quiana Fields

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4 Fun New Ways to Review Vocabulary While Distance Learning (Instructional Readers) – Quiana Fields

The Best New Distance Learning Vocabulary Activities for Breakout Rooms (teacheveryday.com)

Overview/Description:

In virtual teaching, many teacher overuse kahoot, quizlet, and quizizz to review vocabulary. There are other ways to get students to think about vocabulary and definitions that will keep them engaged while learning and retaining meanings.

How it connects to the course:

In our reading, CTW, the text talks about how our brains make connections with words based on our personal experiences. This will help with retaining definitions and comprehension as students make connections with new words based on prior knowledge. The text also suggests to teach vocabulary with "real things." These ideas give students the opportunity to find real things.

How it works:

1.       Who/What Am I?

Students are assigned a word given a description, definition, or example. The student must create a description using the first-person point of view. (This helps with personification practice, too.) Students then take turn either whole group or small group to share their description while others guess the vocabulary word.  Differentiation and support can occur by having students work in pairs.

2.       Virtual Bingo

A link to a bingo card maker is attached to the site. The teacher would create an online card that will allow hybrid students to work together/at the same time. This is played like tradition BINGO; words and definitions are used instead of numbers.

3.       Show and Tell Analogies

Using 2-4 words, the teacher challenges the class to quickly find something at home that can represent each word. Students are allowed to share and explain any connections between the word and the object. This can be differentiated and students can take pictures or find images online and create a t chart with a column for the picture and a column for the description or definition.

4.       Vocabulary Pictionary

Each student is assigned a word and asked to draw it either on paper or digitally. As a class, the students would try to figure out a word’s meaning by the picture.

Critique:

The majority of my students remain in the virtual setting. These four ideas are free and can be immediately implemented into a classroom alongside in-person students. This could also be assigned as an asynchronous assignment to be used later during a live instructional session for review and to allow students to talk and share ideas. I appreciate that these activities engage students and allow them to review without multiple choice questions or recopying definitions.

The Best New Distance Learning Vocabulary Activities for Breakout Rooms (teacheveryday.com)

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“Learning New Vocabulary Words with Comic Strips” (beginning, transitional)—Kara Neal

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“Learning New Vocabulary Words with Comic Strips” (beginning, transitional)—Kara Neal

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https://thisreadingmama.com/vocabulary-words-comic-strip/

This activity by “This Reading Mama” includes vocabulary word strips and a vocabulary comic strip activity sheet. This activity helps student learn new vocabulary words by drawing a picture of what the word means, writing the definition of the word in their own words, writing the word in a sentence, and writing (and drawing) a word that means the opposite. This activity is mainly for beginning or transitional readers because it requires more independent and fluent reading and writing. This activity could be adapted for emergent readers as long as the teacher models the activity and allows students to copy his/her sentences.

How it works:

First, print a stack of vocabulary comic strip activity sheets for each student, as well as the “vocabulary power journal” front page and back page so that you can make a vocabulary book/journal for each student. Next, print off the vocabulary words or however many words you would like, fold them up, and place them into a jar. Twice a week, pull out a word at random and teach the students the word (give them the definition, examples, use the word in a sentence, etc.). After you have taught them the word, the students will begin their work in the vocabulary journal. The student will write the definition of the vocabulary word in their own words into the first box. Next, the students will draw a picture to describe the word in the second box. Then, the students will write a sentence using the word in the third box. Last, the students will write (and draw a picture) of a word that means the opposite of the vocabulary word in the fourth box.

This activity connects back to the course because it is used like the circle map that we learned about. This activity includes different vocabulary exploration tools that we also learned about such as: “in your own words”, an example or illustration of the word, finding the antonym or non-example of the word, and using the word in a sentence.

My critique:

I really love this activity. I think it would be a great activity for any of the primary grades as it would help them learn and retain new vocabulary words because they are applying it in so many different ways. I think that this activity would be a lot of fun for the beginning readers in my Kindergarten classroom and I would love to use this activity with my emergent readers by modeling the activity for them and allow them to copy my sentences. Although my emergent readers wouldn’t be completing this activity independently, they would still benefit from learning new vocabulary words while also working on their writing skills. I also like how it’s a journal, so they can go back through it to review vocabulary words that they have already learned.

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15 Meaningful Vocabulary Activities that Work In Person or Online: Beginning/Instructional - Cassy Childress

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15 Meaningful Vocabulary Activities that Work In Person or Online: Beginning/Instructional - Cassy Childress

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Description - This link provides 15 activities that can be used in your classroom or virtually. The suggestions and ideas on this site are free. However the "weareteachers" site does offer deals and shopping opportunities for additional learning resources.

How it Works - There are fifteen suggestions provided to help make learning vocabulary fun!
1. Draw Vocabulary Sketchnotes
2. Post a Graffiti Wall
3. Try Flipgrid for Vocabulary Activities
4. Battle it out in Vocabulary Jeopardy
5. Use RAFT to write vocabulary stories
6.Discover the Power of Words
7. Create Graphic Organizers
8. Focus on a Word of the Week
9. Join the Million Dollar Word Club
10.Explore Shades of Meaning
11. Personify a Word with Social Media
12. Vocabulary Word Taboo
13. Roll a Die for Vocabulary
14. Write an Acrostic
15. Become a Word Collector

Critique - I feel that this website provides some great ideas for teaching vocabulary in-person or virtually. Several of these activities meet the needs to students who are Beginning to Instructional readers. If I had one complaint, I would say, there needed to be a few activities or suggestions that aligned with the ability level of an  Emergent reader.

Link:

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30 Meaningful Vocabulary Activities for Every Grade

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Learning new words is like adding to your writing toolbox.

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Random Wheel - Word Wall-Jacqueline Mitchell

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Random Wheel - Word Wall-Jacqueline Mitchell

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This is a digital spinning wheel that includes: Act it out, Use it in a sentence, Give 2 clues, Say a synonym, Draw a picture, Say an antonym, and play Hangman!

How it works:  Students can use this link to spin the digital wheel.  I visualize students in groups of 2 with one 'spinning' and the other 'doing' switching turns.

The "Digital Spinning Wheel" connects back to our reading because it is using the Frayer model enabling readers to understand words and relationships between background knowledge, prior knowledge, and experience.  It also focuses on learning one word at a time in a very active way.  It is also a great way to review word walls!

Vocabulary Game - Random wheel (wordwall.net)

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Foldable Vocabulary Templates – (Beginner, Instructional) Jenny Kogut

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Foldable Vocabulary Templates – (Beginner, Instructional) Jenny Kogut

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Foldable-Vocabulary-Templates-765624

This is a free resource that allows students to learn hands on. Allow students to use these editable templates, to create a 3-D foldable as they develop new vocabulary concepts.  This is designed to be a time-saver for teachers and an engaging activity for students.

How does it work?

1)      Choose an editable template to use (.doc or PDF)

2)      Print the template

3)      Students will write the vocabulary term on the outside

4)      The student will complete the form on the inside

·         write the definition of the term

·         non-example

·         example

This concept can be differentiated for any student. Depending on their level, you can have them draw their responses, cut/glue pictures out of magazines, write, type, work with a partner, work alone, add categories, reduce the categories to aid in successful work completion.

This connects back to this week’s course of study because vocabulary is our current focus. We have been learning about various strategies to help students develop vocabulary concepts.  This activity reminds me of Marzano’s 6 Step Process. I like the idea behind this foldable because it provides an opportunity for student’s to engage in the activity.

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"Guess Who" Vocab Edition (Emerging, Beginning and Instructional Readers)- Caitlyn Palazzola

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"Guess Who" Vocab Edition (Emerging, Beginning and Instructional Readers)- Caitlyn Palazzola

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“Guess Who” is a game that all students can play that will help to review and extend students’ knowledge for vocabulary words.  This game can be adapted for readers of all levels, but students who cannot read the words independently can use support from the teacher or peers.  The goal of this activity is for students to collaborate to define vocabulary words in their own words and identify those words based on clues.

To play “Guess Who” the teacher (or students) will print out or write the vocabulary words on cards that the class will be reviewing.  Tape words to the students’ backs, not allowing them to see their word.  The rest of the class will read the word and give clues that will help the student guess their word.  This could also be adapted to be played as a game with the whole class or on teams and used in other content areas.  Students could also give clues using drawings, actions, synonyms, antonyms, and examples/non-examples.

Also included in the blog, are other games that make vocabulary acquisition more engaging like, “When in Doubt, Bluff” and “Fast Talker”

This activity connects back to our course because students can use multiple strategies from Marzano’s 6 Steps including: restating in their own words, providing examples, constructing representations and engaging in activities and games.

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As the old adage goes, if you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime. It turns out the same can be said about a student's vocabulary: Teach her what a word means, and she'll become a stronger reader.

Even better, say researchers, teach your students what eight to 10 words mean, over the course of 37 to 50 weeks, and even your lowest readers could experience a 30 percent increase in word knowledge... And the more words your students know, the more likely they are to comprehend what they read.

But as any of us who has memorized lists of vocabulary words knows, it can be - well, boring. As with many things school-related, the key to your students' success with building their vocabularies is to make it fun!

Write the vocabulary words on index cards (or have students do this). Here's a set of figurative language vocabulary cards...

Without letting the students see, tape the cards to their backs.

Have the students walk around the room and give clues to one another about the word on their backs. (For example, if Sam is wearing the word "onomatopoeia," his partner may say, "The bacon sizzled in the frying pan." Sam then takes a guess at what the word is. And so on.)

Divide your class into two teams. Write a vocabulary word on the board or write the words on cards and just display them inside this poster...

Students who know the definition should stand up. Students who are bluffing and don't know the definition also should stand. (Students who are unsure also may remain seated.) Call on a student at random to define the word. If the student gets it, his team gets points for every team member that is standing. If the student does not get it, the team loses points for every team member standing. The team with the most points at the end wins.

Type the vocabulary words onto a SmartBoard or Powerpoint template (or use a visualizer) and project each word, one at a time, so the class can see it. Or, write the words on strips of paper for students to pull out of a bag or basket.

Once students have a word, instead of asking for the definition of the word, call out alternative commands:

(You can also write those commands on a beach ball and have students toss it to each other as you go through the words.) Or, you can put the commands on a paper cube that students roll for their "vocabulary fate."

See how quickly the students can come up with an answer as you randomly call on them.

It's a great idea to keep throwing in old words as the year progresses, so your students have a better shot of retaining the vocabulary words. Consider giving points or prizes when students identify vocabulary words in their reading material or outside of class.

They'll have fun. They'll become better readers. And you won't break a sweat! Everyone wins!
Since we're on the topic of vocabulary, I thought I'd share my favorite way to teach vocabulary words. It's through doodling!

Yes, doodling! I've found that combining vocabulary instruction with doodles...and then writing, is an amazing way to expand students vocabulary.

I even created a set of 160 Daily Doodle Vocabulary words for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8.

Thanks for stopping by!

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No-Prep, No-Excuses, No-Hassle Vocabulary Games

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As the old adage goes, if you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime. It turns out the same can be said about a student's vocabulary: Teach her what a word means, and she'll become a stronger reader.

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Word Wheel (Instructional Readers) - Melissa Mayr

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Word Wheel (Instructional Readers) - Melissa Mayr

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http://eisforexplore.blogspot.com/
How it Works - Go to above link for detail directions.  The site provides a wheel you can download and print onto cardstock and laminate.  You will then attach a spinner.  This game can be played in groups or as a class.
Students love to play games and this is an interactive way to introduce new words in a book or before a new science unit, etc.  First, discuss and introduce the words like shown for us this week by Ms. Archer.   Students will then spin the wheel and land on pieces of the pie that tell students to: draw it, part of speech, act it out, define it, give an antonym, give a synonym, use it in a sentence.
This activity involves many of Marzano's 6 steps such as; reviewing the word, games, construct a picture, restate in own words, provide a description.  I would play this game before a new book introducing the new words and then after the book is read to see if they gained a better understanding of the word in the context of the text.

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Interview a Word (Instructional Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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Interview a Word (Instructional Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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https://www.scholastic.com/content/dam/teachers/articles/migrated-files-in-body/interviewword.pdf

This activity is great for upper elementary and secondary students to dig deeper into the meaning of a word.  It also encourages students to explore the word’s relationships to other words.  For this activity, divide your class into groups and give each group a word and the interview sheet.  The students will work together to answer the questions as if they are the word.  Then, bring the class back together and interview each group by asking them the questions on the sheet.  The other groups will then guess the word based on the way the questions were answered.

This activity builds student’s vocabularies by having them identify synonyms, antonyms, and variations of the word.

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Vocabulary Roll the Dice Game (Instructional Readers)- Schuyler Thoemke  

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Vocabulary Roll the Dice Game (Instructional Readers)- Schuyler Thoemke  

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Roll the Dice Game is an activity or game that is similar to the Frayer Model of Word Mapping. Each side of the dice is a set topic- 1. definition, 2. sentence, 3. antonym, 4. picture, 5. synonym, and 6. part of speech. It is a FREE resource if you sign up for her emails.

How it works:
In this particular example the teacher uses it in rotations on every Wednesday. On Monday, the five  new vocabulary words are introduced and discussed. On Tuesday, the students create their own picture dictionary and on Wednesday they play this dice game. I think that this is a great way to make use of the Frayer model categories in a different way. Its important to note the teacher uses it on day 3 as an additional review of the words or game for them to engage with. My only critique is that I do think that the teacher could even ask the student to roll the dice twice or a third time for each word to make sure they were being exposed to multiple categories per word. She was using it in 10 minute rotations, so that is what worked for her students. I also like that this resource is adaptable to what works with a weekly schedule.

This connects back to the class because it is a variation on the Frayer Model of word mapping. I also encompasses many of Marzano's 6 steps; specifically activities to review, construct a picture and involve games.

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Hello darlings! Do you teach vocabulary to your students? I think this is one thing we are missing in the upper grades and we are doing a disservice to our students. As they move up levels in reading, the thing that I notice that holds my students back the most is the challenging vocabulary they encounter. This of course affects their comprehension.

I decided I had to squeeze vocabulary into my daily ELA Block. I have Reading and Writing Workshop each for an hour and I have a half hour for Word Study. I take that work study piece and break it up into three rotations- Spelling (word Study)- Vocabulary- Grammar.

My activities for each rotation are very repetitive for a reason. It becomes a routine that students come to expect which allows them to get right to work and not waste any of the 10 minutes. It is very structured so students could basically run the stations themselves. This is how I am able to pull small groups during ELA Rotations to help kiddos who are struggling in other subjects.

This is an example of my rotation board. I currently only do three rotations. You can grab an editable version here.

Here is a rundown of my weekly schedule...

Monday-No Rotations-Everything is Whole Group

Word Study: Take pretest to determine differentiated spelling list. Go over the word family for the week. Students highlight in different colors the parts of the word family in each word.

Vocabulary: Introduce five new vocabulary words. Discuss parts of speech and use hand gestures and chants to show if it is a noun, verb, or adjective. Work together to put each word in a detailed sentence.

Grammar: none

Tuesday- Rotations- 10 Minutes each

Word Study: Usually this is just practicing the word families with our Word Study Choice Board.

Vocabulary: Create a picture dictionary for each word. Students draw a picture to represent each word and create a sentence to describe it. They do this in their spiral notebooks.

Grammar: This usually consists of a worksheet, center, or online game involving the weekly objective.

Wednesday- Rotations- 10 Minutes each

Word Study: Choice Board

Vocabulary: Dice Game-
students roll a die and complete the task for that number.

Grammar: Worksheet, Center, or Online Game

Thursday- Rotations- 10 Minutes each

Word Study: Choice Board or Quiz a partner

Vocabulary: Sentence Construction Competition

Grammar: Worksheet, Center, or Online Game

Friday- Assessment Day

Word Study: Test

Vocabulary: Test- students write each word in a detailed
sentence using context clues.

Grammar: none

Resources

The following are links to the resources I use for ELA.

I hope this gave you some helpful tips and ideas!

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Adding Vocabulary to your ELA Block - That Teaching Spark

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Hello darlings! Do you teach vocabulary to your students? I think this is one thing we are missing in the upper grades and we are doing a disservice to our students. As they move up levels in reading, the thing that I notice that holds my students back the most is the challenging vocabulary they ...

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Lowell Mill Girls - Intermediate/Advanced Readers - Amanda Crutchman

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Lowell Mill Girls - Intermediate/Advanced Readers - Amanda Crutchman

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This is a virtual assignment that I used this year in my US History II class. The lesson provides authentic primary and secondary resources for students to develop their own narrative of the working conditions in turn of the century factories through the vehicle of fact/opinion identification. It checks comprehension through many formats of questions, and all questions fall somewhere in the QAR format.

How It Works: After reading background information on the Industrial Revolution, students learn the difference between facts, opinions, and reasoned judgements. The read a series of excerpts, answer comprehension question that either require the students to directly use the text, or to make inferences and reasoned judgements.

I like the how it well organized and direct its expectation of how a student is supposed to answer each question/prompt.

What I didn't care for is that 1) there wasn't a read aloud option, 2) it could have included more visuals to drive home to the points of the excerpts to help students visualize and relate, and 3) didn't provide any opportunities for extension activities like journaling or persuasive writing.

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The Industrial Revolution began in Europe in the late 1700s with the introduction of power-driven machinery in English and Scottish textile factories. This transition to new manufacturing processes soon influenced industrial and economic developments in the United States. In 1814, Cabot Lowell established the Boston Manufacturing Company in Waltham, Massachusetts. His textile factories became known as the Lowell Mills. Between 1830 and 1860, women were the key labor force for this growing industry. The wages ranged from $3.00 to $3.50 per week and were much higher than women could earn on their family farms or hometowns. Working in the mills allowed the women, known as "mill girls," to earn their own way without depending on their families, and to save money for their future marriages. Women going to work in factories created cultural change, and it was a controversial issue in the mid 1800s.

In this module, you will read primary and secondary sources about the Lowell Mill Girls. You will use critical thinking skills in order to distinguish the author's use of fact, opinion and reasoned judgment in writing about these events in history.

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Use critical thinking skills to identify an author's use of facts, opinion and reasoned judgment in their writing.

Focus Standard

RH.6-8.8 - Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

Skill

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The Industrial Revolution began in Europe in the late 1700s with the introduction of power-driven machinery in English and Scottish textile factories. This transition to new manufacturing processes soon influenced industrial and economic developments in the United States. In 1814, Cabot Lowell established the Boston Manufacturing Company in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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Vocabulary Routine using The Apple Pie Tree (Emergent, Beginning, Transitional)- Madison King 

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Vocabulary Routine using The Apple Pie Tree (Emergent, Beginning, Transitional)- Madison King 

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The attached lesson plan is a vocabulary lesson that can be done across various days using a read aloud to introduce the words. There are many different activities and approaches to learning and understanding the words throughout. The vocabulary focus is on four words picked out from the book or related to the book that students explore more deeply as the week progresses. Being that a read aloud is used to teach the words, I believe this lesson could be done with emergent, beginning, or transitional readers. Even if the text may be difficult for lower readers to tackle on their own, we know that children learn as many words from listening as from reading. The activities throughout the lesson could be done whole group to satisfy younger students or more independently for older students. The chosen words seem like they would be new tier two vocabulary words for any students that may be emergent, beginning, or transitional readers.

All materials needed for a successful lesson are included with the lesson plan directions. This instruction would happen across a week beginning with an introduction of the words, a read aloud that uses the words in context, and a chance for students to anchor the new terms to a kinesthetic motion created by them. Over the next couple days, students will have discussions surrounding the words, use the words to describe pictures, answer yes/no questions about the words, and imagine scenarios where those terms would be appropriate to use. Toward the end of the weeklong vocabulary lesson, the students would use graphic organizers to make sense of the words and use the words in their own writing.

This activity connects back to the course because it is an example of how Marzano’s six steps can be used in a vocabulary lesson similar to what we watched Anita Archer accomplish in her lesson. Throughout the lessons, the terms are described and explained with an example and then thoroughly discussed. Students construct a representation of the term with a hand motion created related to the term and use graphic organizers to explain the word in a visual way. Additionally, students interact and engage with the word in several different activities such as describing pictures using the word, finishing sentence stems involving the word, and using the words in their writing to help give them multiple meaningful exposures to the words. The graphic organizers used also reflect the Frayer Model in which students define the word, describe it, and come up with examples and nonexamples of the words. Word maps are often used with tier three words, but this lesson takes certain aspects of the Frayer Model that relates better to tier two words and uses it to deepen students understanding of the words. I really like this lesson because it is clear that it was created with the intention of students learning the concepts around the word, not just how to say and define it.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vocabulary-Routine-with-Read-Aloud-The-Apple-Pie-Tree-by-Zoe-Hall-K-5-5999775?st=e06d7bd11b6d08a00af94d634510c228

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10 Games to Play with any Vocabulary Word (All stages)- Mary Lawson

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10 Games to Play with any Vocabulary Word (All stages)- Mary Lawson

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https://www.notsowimpyteacher.com/2016/11/10-games-to-play-with-any-vocabulary.html
This website  has 10 vocabulary games suited for that period of the day when you review the vocabulary words from the class Word Wall.  All 10 games are designed for use with any vocabulary word. They can be used with every stage of reader, subject, and grade level, even Kindergarten.

How It Works: Choose which game you want to implement into your lesson as a review.  You can choose Jeopardy, Bingo, Memory, Pop, Headbanz, Jeopardy, Trashketball, Board Games, Charades, and Rolling Words.  Some of the games require you to print out a game board. You decide which words to use. Once you have made the game, you can reuse it at any point during the year.  The children love playing a good learning game!

These activities relate back to the course content because we learned the importance of reviewing vocabulary words after they have been taught appropriately. This resource is designed to review the vocabulary words that have been placed on your classroom Word Wall. I like that you can use any word and can reuse them throughout the year.

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Below is a link to comprehension bookmarks. I wanted to find some sort of self-monitoring comprehension tool. I found these bookmarks that address visualizing, asking questions, making connections,  and making inferences. Depending on one of the skills listed above, students will use a bookmark to note something that they have found in a book. Students will then record this on the bookmark and leave it where it was found within the book. I believe this resource can be for beginning and instructional readers. Due to the level of comprehension independence required, I do not think this is suitable for an emergent reader. There are sentence stems to assist and guide the reader's thinking.  I would incorporate this into my independent reading station during small group reading. This is something that I would have students share at the conclusion of small group reading.

I think this can be an effective tool since a bookmark can be more engaging than a simple worksheet. I have one student that loathes worksheets so I am constantly trying to be creative. A criticism that I have is that the bookmarks are not lined to help with writing. So some students can potentially fill a bookmark up with only a few words.

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Looking for a way to encourage your readers to remain actively engaged with texts?

WELL LOOK NO FURTHER!

Code Bookmarks are FUN tools that students can independently use to self-monitor for comprehension!

Topics covered:
Finding humor
Making Inferences
Text to Self Connections
Text to Text Connections
Text to World Connections
Questioning
Visualizing
Main Idea (important parts)
Favorite parts
Deeper thinking

ENJOY!

Your feedback is GREATLY appreciated!! I'm always eager to see how my products are implemented in other classroom!

Visit me via TPT or PINTEREST @ first grade and beyond

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Comprehension Code Bookmarks: Self Monitoring MADE EASY!

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Looking for a way to encourage your readers to remain actively engaged with texts? WELL LOOK NO FURTHER! Code Bookmarks are FUN tools that students can independently use to self-monitor for comprehension! Topics covered: Finding humor Making Inferences Text to Self Connections Text to Text Conn...

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Visualizing Activities (All Reading Stages) - Kelly Falin

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Visualizing Activities (All Reading Stages) - Kelly Falin

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Build a Mystery Word (Transitional Readers) - Abby Snay

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Build a Mystery Word (Transitional Readers) - Abby Snay

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Build-A-Mystery-Word-Interactive-Word-Work-for-grades-3-4-1235404?st=3f3e7bb63a55b75b7e4cd6f23cda4988

The resource I am linking this week is one that requires students to bot use context to identify the missing word, but also use letter pieces to support them as they attempt to spell the words. I chose this activity because it is something that can quickly help students practice parts of words, assuming those students are at least Within Word spellers, but also encourage them to expand to identify new words. In my classroom, I would most likely have students work on this in small groups as I walk around the room and provide support. I might also ask them to discuss one word per group and be ready to share a new sentence or story using that word with the class .

My only criticism of this resource is that the vocabulary is out of context of authentic text, so this would, of course, be a supplemental practice item.

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5 Senses Read and Retell (Beginning and Emergent)- Anita Ungs

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5 Senses Read and Retell (Beginning and Emergent)- Anita Ungs

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https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/balancedliteracydiet/Recipe/00089/

The attached resource details a way to help engage beginning and emergent readers in active listening and begin to make text-to-self connections.
How it Works: The teacher begins by reviewing the 5 senses and specific vocabulary relating to them (see, listen, feel, etc). Before reading, the teacher shows the cover of the story and encourages students to identify different sense-based observations they can make. At pre-decided points, the teacher stops while reading to have students make more sense-based observations. At the end of the story, the class retells the story centered around what senses were peaked during the reading.
This connects back to class because this activity is a great introduction to comprehension skills like visualizing and making connections. Young readers are encouraged to relate their body to the story they are hearing, grounding their listening. This is a way to make daunting comprehension skills tactile, self-centered, and easily accessible for our youngest readers.

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Making Predictions (Emergent and Beginning Readers)--Kara Neal

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Making Predictions (Emergent and Beginning Readers)--Kara Neal

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“Making Predictions: 1st Grade Read Aloud” (emergent readers or beginning readers)—Kara Neal

https://brownbagteacher.com/making-predictions-1st-grade-read-aloud/

Activity description:
Making predictions throughout a story helps students better understand what they are reading and keeps them actively engaged in a book. This “making predictions” activity can be used to support students’ comprehension by teaching them how to make and support their predictions during a story. There are two different activities in this blog. One of the activities can be used as a whole group using sticky notes and chart paper. The second activity can be used as an independent activity to check for students’ understanding. The independent activity allows students to make their prediction while also explaining why they think the event may happen in the “because” portion of the activity. This allows for deeper thinking and understanding of the story. Both of these activities can be used with either emergent or beginning readers. Emergent readers can listen to the book as it is being read aloud and then they can draw pictures of their prediction on a sticky note for the “making predictions” chart during the whole group activity. They can also draw their prediction on their independent activity page while the teacher writes down their prediction as well as their “because” reasoning. Beginning readers can also listen to the book being read aloud, or they can read a book independently during a guided reading lesson. Beginning readers can then write their predictions on a sticky note to place on the “making predictions” chart during the whole group activity and can also write and draw their predictions on their independent activity page.

How it works:

Before the lesson begins, the teacher marks off a few places in the book where s/he would like the students to make predictions. As a whole group (or during a guided reading lesson), the teacher stops at each spot that s/he has marked and asks the students to make a prediction based off of the words or the pictures in the story, asking them what they think might happen next. To prevent students from using each other’s ideas during the whole group activity, each student is given a sticky note to write his/her predictions on (emergent readers can draw their predictions instead!) and then s/he then places his/her sticky note onto a “making predictions” chart. At the end of the book, the teacher asks the students one last prediction question. This time, the students will write and draw their predictions while also writing and drawing WHY they think that event might happen in order to support their idea (emergent readers can draw and the teacher can write their predictions instead).

My critique:

I really like this activity. I have used a similar “making predictions” independent activity page and it really helped my students understand the story better and also helped them make connections during the story. The creator of this blog didn’t really include emergent readers since this activity was geared more towards first graders; however, I have used this activity with emergent readers as well. Emergent readers can listen to the story being read aloud and they can draw their predictions while the teacher writes their ideas down for them. I also like the prediction chart sticky note activity. I think it’s a great way to keep students from using each other’s predictions and also allows the shy or less confident students share their ideas anonymously.

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Follow-The-Yellow-Brick-Road/Story Map - (Beginning, Instructional  Stages) - Melissa Mayr

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Follow-The-Yellow-Brick-Road/Story Map - (Beginning, Instructional  Stages) - Melissa Mayr

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https://justcaracarroll.com/follow-yellow-brick-road-retelling/

This is a story map with a twist.  It is an excellent way to engage younger students to retell the main events of a story.  I listed Beginning, Instructional stages above but this can be discussed and modeled for any stage of reader.   Students "Follow-The-Yellow-Brick-Road" to retell the story, going through each step.  The teacher first walks through the yellow brick road as a class, using sticky notes as they retell the story.  She then has the students retell the story in their own words, working on their own or you could do groups. This is a good example of the gradual release instruction. Story maps are a great way for students to form a sense of story structure. This version of a story map gives a little excitement to the exercise as they Follow-The-Yellow-Brick-Road like in the Wizard of Oz.

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Activities to Build Inference Skills (Instructional: Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced Readers) – Quiana Fields

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Activities to Build Inference Skills (Instructional: Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced Readers) – Quiana Fields

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The Teacher Next Door: Eight Activities to Build Inference Skills (Instructional: Transitional, Intermediate, Advanced Readers) – Quiana Fields

https://the-teacher-next-door.com/8-activities-to-build-inference-skills/

Description – This is a blog post created by Jenn. Jenn is a teacher who provides resources for teachers and helps them save time. She offers resources in reading, math, writing and grammar, holidays, technology and other classroom ideas.

As a middle school English teacher, teaching inferencing can be difficult due to the varying experiences that my students possess. I was intrigued by Jenn’s variety of activities, suggestions, and freebies that she provided for this extremely important comprehension skill.  She gives 8 activities that can be used during instruction in the classroom.

How it Works –

1.     How do we use inferencing daily? Classroom Discussion

2.     Making an Anchor Chart

3.     What is going on in this Picture - https://www.nytimes.com/column/learning-whats-going-on-in-this-picture

4.     Use Pixar Short Films

5.     Picture Task Cards

6.     Teach with Wordless Books (This was also suggested in our targeted lesson this week)

7.     Making Multiple Inferences with the same picture

8.     Thought Bubbles with text

Critique It - I liked that all of the 8 suggestions that I mentioned were absolutely free. Then she also does provide more intense, area focused (fiction and nonfiction) activities that can be purchased for less than 10 dollars on teacherspayteachers.com. I particularly will incorporate The New York Times site, number three listed above. A new picture is uploaded without the caption every Monday that can be used for students to make inferences.

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Visualizing (Instructional Readers - Transitional, Intermediate, and Fluent/Advanced) - Cassy Childress

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Visualizing (Instructional Readers - Transitional, Intermediate, and Fluent/Advanced) - Cassy Childress

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Describe It -  The Classroom Nook is a blog written by Rachel, a teacher who hopes to provide resources, tips, strategies, and creative ways to make learning not only fun for the student but the teacher as well.

She provides a blog, podcast, members resource library, video tutorials, and you can shop her materials on teacherspayteacher.com

She offers a Reading Comprehension Strategy Series that caught my eye. Specifically, "How to Teach Visualizing" in the Upper Elementary Classroom. This "How To" provides instruction on how to gradually release this process in the classroom. It suggest how to model visualizing, provides suggested Guided Read Alouds, as well as independent practice.

How it Works - This resources is part of a bundle that she has created that includes seven major strategies that enhance comprehension.

This resource includes:

a teacher guide

a student LINKtivity

a student recording sheet

a student bookmark

a classroom poster

a student-friendly rubric

teacher observation sheets for individual conferences and small groups (3 formats for varied instruction)

The Link:  https://www.classroomnook.com/blog/teaching-visualizing

Explain Connection: In week 2, the discussion focused on how to enhance Beginning and Instructional Leveled Readers. Visualizing is one of the strategies that can be used to teach and foster the "during reading" process. We discussed Doodle-a-Story and Storyboarding. I felt that this activity would just piggyback on those instructional resources and provide additional materials, rubrics, book suggestions, and another perspective.

Critique - I enjoyed reading Rachel's blog and exploring her website. I look forward using some of her resources provided in her extensive reading comprehension bundle. I like that you do not have to purchase it all together. Each component runs about 8 bucks. I know this exceeds the five dollar budget but I felt is was worth the extra three dollars and I hope you do too!

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As adults, it's hard to imagine NOT visualizing while we read, since it comes so naturally to a seasoned reader. But, for kids, they may not have been taught to focus their mind in that way. That's where clear reading comprehension strategy instruction on visualizing, or picturing as some teacher refer to it as, comes into the...well, picture ( pun intended)!

When we teach reading comprehension strategies specifically, including visualizing, we give our students a framework and a blueprint for how to THINK about what they are reading.

This framework leads to a deeper understanding of a text and helps students to interact with what they are reading. When students using reading strategies like visualizing (as we will discuss in great lengths in this post), they become active participants in their learning.

Pssst... Want a super engaging and interactive way to have students practice visualizing?

LINKtivity® Interactive Guides are EXACTLY what you need to make learning fun & accessible for all!

Get access to the Visualizing LINKtivity® (+a growing library of LINKtivities!) inside of LINKtivity® Learning - an all-access pass to our entire vault of LINKtivities!

Below are the different categories within this post to help you jump to exactly what you need! Click on each category title to navigate there directly:

One of the most common ways to teach students visualizing is to describe it as creating a picture or movie in our mind. We want students to constantly be adding to, changing, tweaking, and revising their mental images just like a movie is constantly evolving. In fictional texts, readers should visualize the settings, characters, and even the actions of those characters. In doing so, readers will have a better understanding of the story as a whole. In nonfiction texts, we want our readers to visualize the details about the topic, or the event in history in order to fully grasp the concept. Visualizing isn't something that readers should be doing periodically, it's something that should be ongoing for the entire length of the story.

Although the strategy is called "visualizing," we should also encourage students to use all 5 of their senses, when appropriate, to really get the best mental image. For example, we don't want students to just picture what a character looks like, but also what they sound like. If that character is eating their favorite food, we want students to imagine what that food smells and tastes like, too.

One of the best things about the visualizing strategy is that there is really no right or wrong answer. When readers visualize as they read, they rely on information from the text as well as their own prior knowledge to create mental images of what is happening in the story. Each reader may create unique images, as prior knowledge will differ between each reader.

The concept of visualizing is typically easy for students to understand. Introducing visualizing can be done through a simple drawing activity. Give students a specific thing to draw, but do not offer any specific details about what it should look like. For example, you may ask students to draw a clown, a beach scene, or a house. Allow students to draw the object or scene as they imagine it in their mind. Then, allow students to share their drawings with a partner. This will help illustrate the idea that we all visualize something different because our experiences are different. Someone who has been to a circus might have a different image than a student who has only seen clowns on TV or in books. Our experiences inform our mental images.

Teaching reading strategies usually starts with modeling through a read-aloud. Choose a text to share and be sure to pre-read that book and prepare for places that you will stop to model the mental images that you are creating. You may want to have a whiteboard or chart paper available to actually draw, or have the drawings prepared ahead of time, to show your students when explaining your mental images. You can also draw your mental images on post-it notes and place them on the actual page in the story that sparked the mental image. Again, these images can be drawn in real time with students or prepared ahead of time to share with the students as you get to that part in the story. Be sure to showcase all 5 senses when describing your mental picture.

As students become familiarized with this strategy, invite them to create their own images using all 5 senses during a read-aloud. Have students share their drawings with a partner. Continue to remind students how our mental images vary because each of our experiences vary.

Of course we want students to be able to visualize regardless or what book they are reading. However, as students have their first experiences working this this strategy, choose books that lend themselves to visualizing will help students to have a quick win, and easily see this strategy in action.

Be sure to choose a book that is full of descriptive language and details. Books with more obvious examples will help set students up for success and will train their brains to really paint vivid images in their minds.

Here are some of my favorites: (affiliate links)

CREATE SIMPLE VISUALS TO REMIND STUDENTS TO VISUALIZE:

Students will need ample time to practice this strategy with you in guided reading or strategy groups as well as with their independent books. In all settings, students will need simple visuals to help them remember to use this strategy often. For example, a bookmark highlighting the strategy will help remind students to visualize while independent reading, or while reading in small groups.

Likewise, a colorful classroom poster to refer to is also a friendly reminder to keep creating mental images while reading. Create a bulletin board set where you begin to highlight each reading strategy as you introduce them to your students. Students can refer to the bulletin board all year long!

Create on-going anchor charts of the mental images that you are creating during read-aloud modeling. These mental images, along with any written descriptions that you include with them will serve as great examples for students when creating their own mental images.

8 FREE Reading Strategy Bookmarks

Grab these FREE student bookmarks to help your students use reading comprehension strategies while reading.

There are a total of 8 bookmarks that explain reading strategy in kid-friendly language and is the perfect reference for students to use during independent or small-group reading time.

USE LINKtivity DIGITAL LEARNING GUIDES
New to LINKtivities? >> CLICK HERE

Teachers - if I've said it once, I've said it a million times - LINKtivity® digital learning guides are WHERE.IT'S.AT!

They are especially handy for providing students with concrete examples in a variety of ways! And - they are PERFECT for teaching reading strategies like visualizing. Check out the video below to see a sneak-peek!

Here's how it works:

In the visualizing LINKtivity, students first watch a short animated video clip that quickly catches their attention with fun doodles and images. The clip introduces what the strategy is and how readers use it.

﻿From there they read alongside their "virtual reading buddy" to see the strategy applied to a text. While clicking through the digital book, each time the student comes across a thought bubble, they click on it and are brought to a new slide in the LINKtivity guide to see what their reading buddy is thinking!

Then, to take their learning to the next level, students read 3 additional high-interest reading passages to practice the strategy on their own. In a similar fashion as they did with their reading buddy, students click through the digital storybook and stop to visualizing along the way.
HAVE STUDENTS RECORD & SHARE THEIR MENTAL IMAGES:

Having students draw their mental images not only helps keep them accountable while reading, but it also helps them to to become better at applying the strateg. When drawing, encourage students to add details using all 5 of their senses. When explaining their images to someone else, students can rely on these 5 senses to help describe their thinking.

Encourage students to include written descriptions of their mental images. This will help them articulate their thinking and will help you to assess their application of the strategy.

Assessment informs instruction. Keep notes of when you observe students using the strategy in whole-group, small-group, and individual settings. Here are some things to make note of when assessing a students' ability to visualize:

How detailed are their descriptions are?

Do they use all 5 senses?

Do the details they describe accurately portray what the text says?

Do they visualize the most important parts of the story, or are their mental images not relevant?

Do they need you to prompt them to use the strategy, or are they using it without assistance?

When it comes time to see how a student is performing with this reading strategy, use a rubric to help give you an understanding of how they are doing. Providing this same rubric to students in kid-friendly language will also help students know how they are doing as well and areas where they need to improve.

Want to get your hands on the Visualizing LINKtivity®?
Join the LINKtivity® Learning Membership and start using this ready-to-go resource for visualizing that includes:

Get access to the Visualizing LINKtivity® PLUS all the other reading comprehension strategies inside of LINKtivity® Learning - an ALL-ACCESS pass to every single LINKtivity® created (INCLUDING all 7 reading strategy LINKtivities!)

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Reading Comprehension Strategy Series: How To Teach Visualizing in the Upper Elementary Classroom - THE CLASSROOM NOOK

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Love podcasts? Check out this post in the form of a podcast episode on The Classroom Commute Podcast :

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Making Predictions (Emergent and Beginning Readers)- Mary Lawson

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Making Predictions (Emergent and Beginning Readers)- Mary Lawson

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https://wiseowlcathy.blogspot.com/2020/05/making-predictions-COLLIER.html
Making Predictions is a Cathy Collier resource that incorporates the use of anchor charts before, during, and after direct reading instruction. The objective is for students to define the strategy and learn how to think while using the strategy. Then, the children make predictions during a whole group guided practice followed by an independent practice.

How it Works:  The students help make the anchor chart about Making Predictions.  They will be more likely to use the anchor chart as a reference for thinking if they help construct the anchor chart.
Whole group reading instruction follows with the introduction to the cover of a book.  The students are guided through making predictions.  Then, Students are shown 6 pictures and asked to respond thumbs up or thumbs down if they predict they will see those items in the book.  After the book, the students revisit their predictions. Independent practice follows the whole group instructions.  The website has a link to a free resource for the independent practice and links to affordable TpT resources.

Cathy Collier has directed this lesson toward the Kindergarten  age students, emergent and beginning readers, and their thinking and writing skills.  She uses pictures more than words.  The independent practice uses mostly pictures with a few dotted lines for writing. This resource connects back to the course because students learn the definition of making predictions and the process of how to think while making predictions.  Making predictions is an important comprehension strategy because it teaches the students how to think about reading.

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Student Learning Video | INFERRING | (Instructional Readers) - Jenny Kogut

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Student-Learning-Video-INFERRING-Reading-Comprehension-Instruction-5684137

This is an affordable LINKtivity. This short animated video teaches the strategy of inferring.

How do I use it ?

1. Purchase ($3.50)

2. Download the video on any digital device.

3. Click play to watch

(Optional:) Follow up by reading to your students. Stop along the way to provide an opportunity for students to practice this strategy.

This student learning video connects to our course because it is about inferencing. It is designed to teach students how to infer. This is one of the many reading comprehension strategies that we have been learning about.

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What Do You Know? (Beginning and Instructional Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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What Do You Know? (Beginning and Instructional Readers)- Samantha Smusz

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https://www.fcrr.org/sites/g/files/upcbnu2836/files/media/PDFs/student_center_activities/45_monitoring_for_understanding/45_c032_what_do_you_know.pdf

“What Do You Know?” is an activity used to activate prior knowledge.

How it works:  Choose a topic that you would like for the students to activate their prior knowledge of before reading a text.  Write that topic in the middle box.  Pair students up and give them each the text to preview.  Encourage them to look at the pictures and headings.  Then have student take turns writing down a word or phrase that connects to that topic.  At the end, have students write something that they learned about the topic from their partner.

This connects back to our course because this is a pre-reading strategy that will actively engage the readers with the text.  It will allow the students to build meaning before they begin reading as well as interact with vocabulary that may be challenging.  This particular activity is setup so that the partners are supporting and feeding off each other.

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Book Recommendation Speech Bubbles (Emergent, Beginning, Transistional Readers) - Blaire Flowers 

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Book Recommendation Speech Bubbles (Emergent, Beginning, Transistional Readers) - Blaire Flowers 

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Book-Recommendations-Classroom-Display-FREE-and-EDITABLE-3228310?st=39343236a6b892ac494fcde767a7e4bd
or (blog site)
https://joyinthejourneyteaching.com/freebies/

How It Works: Book Recommendation Speech Bubbles help to peak students' interest in reading and promotes trying new books as well as tapping into those pesky comprehension skills we have discussed this week.

Both chapter and picture books should be displayed in the classroom library using these speech bubbles. The teacher would begin modeling by recommending one or two of the books - introduce the book with a brief summary, give some background information on the author (other books they might like), or read a small snippet to spark an interest. The teacher writes that particular recommendation on the bubble and leaves it in the book for students to review. After some scaffolding, students start making their own recommendations that can include the gist of the story, a storyboard, or visualizing (drawing their favorite part/character/setting, etc). This FREE download includes two resources - one PDF with the pre-written speech bubbles and one Power Point presentation with the editable speech bubbles.  This file is in black and white but can be copied on bright colorful paper to make them pop.

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K-W-L Chart (Beginning, Instructional, Transitional Readers) - Korrye Gaskins 

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K-W-L Chart (Beginning, Instructional, Transitional Readers) - Korrye Gaskins 

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K-W-L Charts are great for a variety of reading stages depending on how guided or independent the activity is.  Teachers can use this a whole group activity, for students to combine background knowledge and knowledge gained (which can be great for ELL students), or individually if students are learning about a variety of topics/are more advanced.
How It Works: The teacher creates a chart with 3 columns (or gives a similar graphic organizer to each student): I Know,  I Want to Know, I Learned. Before reading, students record any words, pictures, vocabulary they know about a particular subject in the K section. Then students add questions they may have in the Want to Know section. This helps to set a purpose for reading. After reading, add details or facts learned about the topic.  This type of graphic organizer or anchor chart works for fiction or non-fiction texts, is beneficial for vocabulary development and is easy to do as a whole group activity.
This connects to the course because it activates background knowledge, sets a purpose for reading, and helps to synthesize information learned after reading.  This progression is essential as kids begin to see comprehension as a process during reading, and not a product afterwards.
https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/k-w-l-charts

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Animal Style Strategies (Emergent, Beginning and Transitional Readers)- Schuyler Thoemke 

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Animal Style Strategies (Emergent, Beginning and Transitional Readers)- Schuyler Thoemke 

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Animal Style Reading Comprehension Strategies is an all-inclusive resource that introduces the animal and their “song/poem” of each strategies. The resource also this in poster form, small card form and as a bookmark for independent reading and thinking. It also includes graphic organizers for each animal and flip-books.

The teacher begins with the introduction of the poster- the animal, it’s name and the text (song or chant). Then they discuss how it applies to the book they are reading. The teacher would do this to introduce each strategy. Can be used as posters around the room, rings for student copies, reinforcement in small groups, etc. Once all the strategies are taught student can have a bookmark to keep with all the strategies listed for independent reading.  The teacher will then model how to use the graphic organizers and flip-books to show what the animal is “teaching” them. The teacher would do this by thinking aloud and modeling. The goal of this resources is to improve reading comprehension by engaging students in a creative way to use all of the strategies in their toolbox so that they will be able to activate them through their reading. I think that this resource could be used as early as emergent readers to start to introduce the animals and rhymes and continue until transitional readers with the graphic organizers and flip-books.

This connects back to the class because it encompasses many of the strategies discussed in the texts and modules. It is a memorable way ,with repetitive rhymes, for students understand the strategies and later apply them to clarifying and monitoring their understanding. It is also a resources that works well to gradually release responsibility to the students with plenty of room for modeling.
https://www.ateachableteacher.com/reading-comprehension-strategies-anima/

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Silly Story Mix Up (Emergent and Beginning Readers)- Madison King 

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Silly Story Mix Up (Emergent and Beginning Readers)- Madison King 

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“Silly Sentence Mix Up” is an activity that is used to increase comprehension. The focus here is learning how to visualize a scene prompted by text. The sentences are short with more simple structures and simple vocabulary which gears it toward emergent or beginning readers. Additionally, the fact that the visualizing is being done for one sentence at a time means that it is simpler than doing it for an entire text which is appropriate for emergent and beginning readers that are newly forming comprehension skills.

The students use the provided sentence cards to make silly sentences. Three different stacks are formed for each part of the sentences. Students choose one card from each stack to form a complete sentence. After students build the sentence, they must write the sentence down and illustrate it on the provided sheet. The website includes all paper materials needed.

This activity connects back to the course because it teaches one of the many comprehension strategies we have discussed. Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading instruction, so introducing these skills must begin in the primary grades in order for readers to eventually be reflective metacognitive readers. Visualizing is a great skill to practice in primary grades and students would enjoy doing so in such a silly and entertaining way. The sentence by sentence structure and the funny nature of the sentences makes this a low pressure way to practice visualization skills which will resonate with emergent and beginning readers. These readers are often used to approaching comprehension through listening to stories as they develop their listening comprehension skills, but this activity could give beginning readers the chance to comprehend something they are reading themselves as well. This activity could also be easily adapted to fit specific reading levels to ensure the level is exactly right for improving comprehension skills.

https://www.fcrr.org/sites/g/files/upcbnu2836/files/media/PDFs/student_center_activities/k1_comprehension/k1_sentence_meaning/k1_c004_silly_sentence_mix_up.pdf

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Story Retell Hand (Emergent and Instructional Readers) -Caitlyn Palazzola

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Story Retell Hand (Emergent and Instructional Readers) -Caitlyn Palazzola

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Story Retell Hands are engaging props used by readers to help students retell a story using 5 key components including: characters, setting, beginning, middle and end,

Teachers will introduce the Story Retell Hand during whole group read alouds by holding up the hand during the story as characters and settings are revealed. After the story, students are asked to formulate a retelling summary using the beginning, middle and end prompts.  Once the teacher has modeled this comprehension strategy, students can engage with others in groups or complete it independently with little to no support. Students can use the story hand as independent readers to remind them to stop and check for understanding throughout the text and after reading, to check for comprehension.

Story Retell Hands connect back to class since summarizing is a difficult skill for beginning and emerging readers. This activity provides support by helping students retell the story using finger prompts for: characters, setting, beginning middle and end.  The gradual release approach is also applicable to this activity as teachers must first model it themselves before students can use it independently.

The story hand can be used for emerging and beginning readers during read alouds and beginning readers can also use the Retell Hand independently for Primer level texts.

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Story Retell Hands

Story Retell Hands: I'm teaming up this week with for an awesome activity for story retell! Kids love puppets. Retell is a common standard found in classrooms. Students use the hands to identify characters, setting, and plot. I included a variety of sizes and types, depending on the level and need of your classroom.

You can find the story retell hands HERE on Teachers Pay Teachers . In the pack, I added several versions for puppets and posters. In my classroom, I added some of the hands to my reading station for my students to use as a reminder for story sequence/character & setting:

Why print the story retell hands on color paper?

Astrobrights Paper stands out amongst all the same old white paper we use each day! Studies show that color improves retention as much as 18%! The "Happy" 5-Color Assortment , pictured below, includes Cosmic Orange, Solar Yellow, Terra Green, Venus Violet and Fireball Fuchsia. #ABBrightminds #colorizeyourclassroom
Thank you to ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers for partnering with me on this blog post. I received payment, trade, and or products from Astrobrights in exchange for promoting. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that we use and love. This post also contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

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Story Retell Hands - First Grade Blue Skies

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Story Retell Hands: I'm teaming up this week with for an awesome activity for story retell! Kids love puppets. Retell is a common standard found in classrooms. Students use the hands to identify characters, setting, and plot. I included a variety of sizes and types, depending on the level and need of your classroom.

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Pause and Predict (Instructional Readers) - Abby Snay

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Pause and Predict (Instructional Readers) - Abby Snay

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This is a graphic organizer that prompts students to make predictions and support their predictions with evidence from the text. This resource is useful because it has several spaces for students to “Pause and Predict” throughout the text, allowing them to revise their predictions as they make their way through the literature. I also appreciate the text focus, as students are required to support their predictions with direct quotations.

Since this activity requires supporting evidence and more lengthy written responses, this would be appropriate for instructional readers. This could be used in any stage of the gradual release of responsibility, but it could easily be utilized alongside a “thinking out-loud” approach as the teacher models predictions and then shifts to allow students to predict individually or in pairs midway through the text.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Making-Predictions-Worksheets-Paper-and-Digital-Reading-Graphic-Organizers-5277160?st=6e6ad1457ed480863b972aa5303b2165

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Guided Reading Flip Flap Books - Early readers- Jacqueline Mitchell

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Guided Reading Flip Flap Books - Early readers- Jacqueline Mitchell

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"Guided reading flip flap books' are fun interactive activities allowing learners to record their comprehension.

Learners record concepts such as; predictions, questions, beginning, middle, and end, vocabulary, setting and character analysis. Anna DiGilio creates fun and engaging flip flap books that students love. Favorites include the "I-Phone Accordion Book" that teaches sequencing.  Also, the detective flip flap book that has students play detective using comprehension strategies to comprehend the stories they read.

"Guided Reading Flip Flap Books" connect back to our class because students are predicting, questioning, visualizing, and using QAR strategies. Students are engaged while actively reading.

DiGilio uses "Guided Reading Flip Flap Books" for early readers but I think my transitional readers in Middle School would have a lot of fun becoming detectives. We could even have have props such as magnifying glasses and detective hats.
Reading Comprehension Activities-Emergent/Early/Transitional - Simply Skilled Teaching (simplyskilledinsecond.com)

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THINK MARKS - Transitional Readers - NAME

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THINK MARKS - Transitional Readers - NAME

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"Reading is Thinking-Think Marks” is a series of activities that encourage students to apply comprehension strategies using sentence stems, codes, post-it notes and graphic organizers.

Students use “Think Mark” codes that represent comprehension strategies to mark their thinking during their reading.  Predictions, connections, inferences, questions, and summarizing are included in the Think Mark codes. Findley explains the sequence she follows when using this activity with students and provides free graphic organizer printables and examples of anchor charts.

“Think Marks” connects back to our course because the gradual release of responsibility is used to implement this activity. Students are provided with explicit instruction on each type of thinking using sentence stems before the activity is put into practice. This activity also encourages students to actively think during their reading as discussed in our text.

“Think Marks” could easily be adapted to use with beginning readers during a read aloud or transitional readers for independent practice after the strategy has been sufficiently discussed.

https://jenniferfindley.com/reading-is-thinking-using-thinkmarks/

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Word Building Mats GR 3-5 (Word Ladder): Spelling, Rhyming, Phonics, Vocabulary (Beginning and Instructional Readers) - Jenny Kogut

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Word Building Mats GR 3-5 (Word Ladder): Spelling, Rhyming, Phonics, Vocabulary (Beginning and Instructional Readers) - Jenny Kogut

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https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Word-Building-Mats-GR-3-5-Word-Ladder-Spelling-Rhyming-Phonics-Vocabulary-1087348

Description: This is a word building strategy called Word Ladder. It was designed to help students practice spelling, word recognition, decoding, phonics, problem solving and vocabulary.

How to use:  Print the Word Building Mats and set aside for your gifted learners who are always finishing their work early (brain exercise). Send copies with students who leave for small group or 1:1 remediation/tutoring.  This activity can be differentiated and used in multiple ways. Laminate for long term classroom use.

1.       Identify the start word

2.       Begin reading in either direction: clock-wise or counter-clockwise

3.       Read the clue beneath the blank lines

4.       Write the answer above the clue

·         Note:  you will change only one letter in each word  - to form a new word

This activity connects back to this week’s course because the activities and reading in chapter 5 from Classrooms That Work are about teaching phonics and spelling patterns.  On page 71, students are discovering secret words through clues to make words. This activity teaches the described framework, teaching children the common spelling patterns, in a different, but similar way.  I like this particular strategy because children get to experience using multiple strategies to figure out the new word. After students read their clue, they visualize it and activate their prior knowledge to define the word before writing it down. Given the blank word building templates allows for designing one’s own Word Ladder activity. The possibilities to use and differentiate this activity are truly endless. This specific activity was created for grades 3-5, but with a little modification it could benefit readers in all grades (K-12).