Outline Mats

Happy Saturday everyone!

Today we want to share some work center mats for practice with ABCs, high-frequency words, and numbers. The kiddos love using these mats with pom pom balls and tweezers, and it helps to strengthen their fine motor muscles too!

You can download the mats in our TPT store!

The bundle includes: 120+ high frequency words, the alphabet, and numbers!

They can also be used with pom poms, playdough, Wikki Stix, dry erase, or under gel bags, etc.

These are the tweezers they're using! Click here.

Enjoy and happy weekend everyone!
Stefanie and Chrissa

How to Make a Letter Tray

We've received so many inquiries about our magnetic letter trays! Here's some more info!

Materials you will need:

1. First, get some cookies sheets. Tip: Grab a magnet while you're in the kitchen aisle to make sure the cookie sheet is magnetic. :)

2. Then, use a ruler and pencil to sketch out where to place the letters.

3. Next, use oil-based paint markers to draw lines and write the letters.

4. Last, add your magnetic letters.

Now you are ready to have fun building words with your kiddos!

*Feel free to use this post as a how-to mentor text. jk jk :P

Comment below!

Chrissa & Stefanie

Font Sorts

These cards are perfect for independent and small group practice in flexibly identifying numbers, letters, and words in various fonts and letter cases with automaticity.

Download the Sort Cards HERE!

A POSSIBLE ROUTINE FOR SORTING THE CARDS:

*Mix up 2 or more sets of cards and put them in a pile in the middle of the table.

1. pick a card and read it
2. everyone reads it
3. sort it

Enjoy!

Letter and Keyword Matching Cards

Download our FREE Letter and Keyword Matching Cards as featured in the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project's Instagram photo!

They go perfectly with our other Alphabet resources that are available in our TPT store!

Word Practice!

Check out our new High Frequency/ Sight Word Practice Sheets!

These high-frequency word (sight word) sheets are great for independent practice! They can easily supplement any classroom's word work curriculum or literacy centers. On each page, students will color, trace, write, cut, paste, build, and search for the words. The skills progress on the page, leading the students to finish the activity by independently writing the word. There are also extra letters to choose from on the bottom of the sheet, encouraging the students to not only unscramble the word, but also identify the necessary letters.

***Remember these sheets are not meant to take the place of valuable instruction and authentic hands-on experiences, so don't put away the gel bags, play dough, paint, sand, magnetic letters, etc.***
;)

FIND THEM HERE: Our TpT Store

Word Walls

According to Patricia Cunningham (2012), who is credited with inventing the word wall, “the word wall is an area in the classroom where words are displayed -– but not just any words -– truly important ones. They are systematically organized and a tool designed to promote group learning.”  

Cunningham, P.M. (2012). Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Top Ten Tips for Setting Up Your Word Wall:

1. Try to put it as close to eye-level as possible...We like to reserve the most visible part of the classroom wall space for the word wall. Ideally the letters would go across in a single row, but try for as few rows as possible, as we know some classrooms are oddly-shaped.

2. The letters should include both capital and lowercase letters, and a keyword picture. The word wall labels (and other alphabet resources) that we use are available in our TPT store!

3. Use visual borders between the letters and solid backgrounds. Our brains are programmed to see borders and the solid backgrounds cut out distractions.

4. Make the words in large, bold, black font about 2" (150+ font size) on white paper; in a typeface similar to the text they will see in their leveled books. Click here for a free editable word list.

5. Cut around the shape of letters to help with visualizing how the words look...and this helps with handwriting- ex. Students will remember that 'the' has two tall letters and one short letter at the end.

6. Back words in various colors of card stock. Make words that begin with the same letter like 'with', 'went', 'when' in different colors to make them more distinguishable; put pictures or clues on homophones.

7. Designate words with common spelling patterns; ex. Put a star sticker next to 'can' because it can help you spell ran, fan, van, etc.

8. Try to make the word wall interactive- ex. Make a word wall with felt and Velcro so words can be removed and used by students; Store words on rings or in library pockets under the word wall; Make personal miniature word walls.

9. Add words gradually. The first words that go up onto the word wall should be the students names. Just like the other words, these are added gradually as you study a name each day. (The names can eventually be moved to a separate name chart- more on that next time.) Later in the year celebrate words can be removed from the word wall because students know them.

Stefanie's Word Wall at the beginning of the year last year.
Notice that it starts with the students' names.

10. Remember to have fun with your students in reviewing words on the word wall in daily via cheers, songs, games, etc.!

Stefanie's Word Wall is ready for the new year to begin :)

Chrissa's Word Wall last year-
made with a giant piece of felt and painter's tape!

Some easy ways to store the word wall words:

in a small photo album

small accordion file pouch