Ever since posting the DIY tactile letters, I wanted to create templates to make tactile words for the first three lists of the Dolch 220 sight words. I'm such a believer in a multi-sensory approach to teaching that, despite the amount of time they'll take to make, they'll be so … [Read more...]
Cereal Box Puzzles
Years ago I attended a literacy center workshop and the presenter offered tons and tons of great ideas for activities. I love the kind of workshops where you leave with great ideas for hands on activities that you can create and use the very next day! During the session she … [Read more...]
DIY Word Family Sliders
Teaching students to identify "chunks" in words is an important step in learning to read. Identifying these "chunks" helps to build fluency as the student will not have to stop and blend each individual sound. Word families are groups of words that share the same ending. For … [Read more...]
DIY Rhyme Magnets
Phonological awareness refers to an understanding of the sound structure of language- that is, that language is made up of words, syllables, rhymes and sounds. So why is it that phonological awareness is so important? It is because the understanding of how language works is a … [Read more...]
Make Your Own Tactile Letters– Without the Sandpaper!
I've always wanted to make my own tactile letters, but even the thought of cutting the sandpaper with scissors sends a shiver up my spine. Tactile letters can be so expensive, that purchasing them is a little hard to swallow on a limited budget. I was in my favorite home … [Read more...]
How To Make A Blending Board
Ever since posting the video on how to use these blending cards to help students blend CVC words, I've been receiving emails asking for the directions on how to make the boards. The students at our Career Tech Center made blending boards for every kindergarten and first grade … [Read more...]
How to Make Vowel Sticks
It is so, so important that our kindergarteners and first graders learn those short vowel sounds. It's amazing how those five little letters can cause so much havoc in learning to read and write if learned incorrectly. The vowel sticks activity is a great activity to teach and … [Read more...]
How To Make a Flip Chute
Okay, you are probably wondering what in the world is this! I think it's called a "flip chute". I first saw this little contraption in my teacher friend Beth's third grade classroom in one of her literacy centers. She was having the students use the flip chute to identify … [Read more...]
Bowling For Sight Words
Kids love playing games. So why not incorporate teaching and practicing sight words into active and fun activities designed to keep them engaged while still learning! Bowling for Sight Words is a kid-endorsed, absolutely awesome game for practicing sight words. This bowling … [Read more...]