Friday, March 23, 2012

WOW: Work on Words Center: Updated!!

Hello! I can't believe a whole week has gone by since I posted our St. Patrick's Day projects. We have spring conferences next week...busy week ahead.  I also work part time at Hobby Lobby (LOVE that discount!) so that makes it doubly busy...anyway...I spent a little time after school working on my word work activities. I would like to say right at the start...none of these are my original ideas. I've seen them on Pinterest or found them on other great blogs from teachers who are generous about sharing their ideas.  Here's a pic of the center:
I have some puzzles, magnetic letters and sight word dice in the center.  We use the sight word dice for roll and color activities like this:

 I just take a clip art image and add a sight word to each space. The children roll the die and color the space to match.

Here is my version of what I am calling "Stack a word" as found here. (Looks like the original source has been removed from what I can see...) The children read the sight words and stack the squares...if the stack falls over, they start again. Simple but fun.
I also have my version of Word Doctor in the center. The children have to put the "bones" together to read the word and write them on the recording sheet. I saw the idea here first, but made my version using DJ Inkers clip art and words from our word wall.

It is stored in a school box type of container so it's small and portable, but everything fits inside.

I cannot remember the blog post for this idea for the life of me...I've been searching a little while to try to find it, but I know there are a lot of great word work ideas there...sorry! If I find it I will link to it! (Came across the link on pinterest...of course! Here is it!! Check out all of the great ideas in this post!)The children spin the top and record the word it lands on. I think the original post says they are supposed to graph and see which word reaches the top first, but I have them write the word on a recording sheet. (Dollar store cake pan and tops with a laminated word sheet taped in so I can change it.)

I saw these word frames on pinterest and thought they were great! I made my own version using DJ Inkers clip art. I laminated them and cut out a window for practicing words/reading.

I made 3 of them! You can download the frames here.

Stick with me...only 2 more things to share...I have about 20 small containers that contain sight words, made out of foam letters. The children have to take the letters out of the container and figure out which word wall word it is. I also have a recording sheet, so they don't have to do all of the containers, they just write the number of the ones they did.

 I am using a small Target dollar spot pocket chart for this partner activity...I'm sure you've done or seen a version of this...one child hides 6 bones behind the dogs (DJ Inkers clip art again). His/her partner tries to find all six bones by reading a word and checking to see if there's a bone behind it. They have to read the word first! Sometimes they forget that part!!! Anyway...they love it and do it over and over.
Ok; I guess I lied...I actually have one more thing to share...these are sight word pointers and are great for finding sight words in books. The children choose a pointer and look for that word as they read. I printed the words on colored cardstock stars and taped them to straws. They've lasted a couple of years! Simple and oh so easy to make! I've included a template of blank stars if you'd like to make your own!


...as always thanks for checking in on my little corner of the kindergarten world. Have a great day!