Bright Ideas for Teaching Blends {Including FREE Resources}

Over the years, I've learned that teaching students to read is a "squishy" process. There are so many skills students have to grasp in order to read fluently with a high level of comprehension.  One set of skills that benefits most students is having phonemic awareness and a knowledge of phonics.
Knowing letters, their sounds, and how they work together can give students the tools they need to attack many unknown words.  I like teaching phonics.  It is usually pretty easy to tell if a student has it or not.  Phonics is a little less squishy than some other aspects of teaching reading.

I incorporate a variety of activities into our weekly work to practice phonics.  For early readers, I think it is very important to continuously work with and review phonics skills.  One simple way I  accomplish this goal is by using picture/letter cards (or posters) with my class.

In my district, we use Wilson Fundations as our primary language program.  It sets the sequence and scope for the phonics that I teach in class.  Foundations includes a frequent review of letters and their sounds through the Letter-Keyword-Sound activity.
I created this set of cards (and posters) so that my students could review initial and final blends through hearing and saying the letters, the keyword, and sound for each set of blends.
I usually use these cards during our group time on the carpet.  Below is an example of how to use the card for Letter-Keyword-Sound practice.

While I'm teaching the blends, I will go over these cards daily.  After we've moved on from blends, I'll pull these out once or twice a week as a quick and easy review.  

If you do not want to fool with the cards, you can use the posters for your Letter-Keyword-Sound work.

Of course, you can use these cards and posters for display or anyway you would like.
For your FREE set of blends cards and posters, click here or on any of the pictures above.

Other ways my students work with blends include...

PICTURE SORTS

WORD SORTS

RHYMING WORD MATCHING

COMPLETE THE WORD & ILLUSTRATE 

These type of exercises are a great way for students to work independently with blends.
If you are interested in any of these print-and-go resources, they are part of my Words at Work packets, available at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  Click here for more details.

     

In addition to the card review and the printable practice, I also incorporate blend work into literacy centers.  I love math and literacy centers for spiral review throughout the year.  Literacy centers give students yet another opportunity to explicitly work with initial and final blends.  

Pictured below are two FREE literacy centers that focus on initial blends.  Click on either picture for a FREE copy of that center.

LITERACY CENTER FREEBIE (LEAFY DAY BLENDS)

      LITERACY CENTER FREEBIE (HOT CHOCOLATE BLENDS)

Students generally catch onto initial and final blends fairly easy.  Giving them ongoing practice with these skills helps ensure that your young learners will not forget these letter sounds and how to use them when decoding words.
I hope some of these ideas will be useful to you in your classroom.
Thanks so much for stopping by.

Long Vowels: Simple Ways to Get Started

For the first several weeks of school we spend loads of time working with short vowels.  We read with them, spell with them, sort with them, create rhymes with them, trade them out to create different words . . . you name it, we do it.  But, all of this work is (or at least should be) review.  

Today was our first day of many that we really focused on long vowel sounds.  Over the next few months, we'll spend lots of time learning about letter patterns that make the long vowel sounds.

My very favorite tool for teaching students about reading words with long vowel sounds is the saying, "Two vowels in a word, the first vowel says it's name, the second vowel plays the quiet game."  (There are other similar saying that get the point across as well.  This variation just sticks with me the best).

I say this to my young learners over and over and over.  Eventually they know it by heart.

I made these anchor charts to use as headers on the board as we brainstorm words that follow the two vowels pattern.  I (or the students) write words on the board and then we mark the vowel that says its name and cross out the one that's playing the quiet game.  Over the next few days, I'll repeat this activity using different words that follow the same pattern.

If you would like a free set of these anchor charts, click on the picture below.  There are eleven different charts with different long vowel combinations.  The clip art is from Graphics from the Pond and the fonts are by Kimberly Geswein.

Another simple way to practice this (or any other) spelling pattern is an anchor activity I like to call fold and draw.  Students fold their paper to create boxes.  In each box, they will write a word using the spelling pattern and then illustrate it.  Students can fold their papers twice to have four boxes or they can fold it three times to create six boxes.  

Like the anchor chart activity above, students can repeat this activity again by spelling different words and drawing different illustrations.

One more way we are practicing long vowels is with my recently bundled Words at Work Mega Pack {Word Work for Long Vowels}.  I designed these activities to be consistent as we progress to each vowel.  I want students to focus more on the skill than trying to figure what they are supposed to do to complete the task.

This packet works perfectly for independent assignments in class, as a word work practice, or as homework.  All of the activities are low prep, just print and go.  If you want more details more details, click on the picture below.

  

There are so many ways to tackle long vowels.  I love finding effective, simple, and easy to implement ways to practice this important skill.  I hope some of these ideas will be helpful to you.

Have a great week.  

Easing Into Summer

I don't know about you, but it seems to take me a few weeks to realize I've made it to summer break.  We've been off for about two weeks now and I have not completely unwound.  I've been working on a couple of school projects and trying to get caught up around the house.   A  and I are also spending some QT together; making crafts, playing some games, swimming, going to the park, reading, and doing a little pre-first grade academic work.
This week has also been Vacation Bible School at my church.  I've had a fabulous little group of kids in my "tribe."  It has been such a blessing to see their joy and excitement each evening.  Of course, being a leader in VBS keeps me in teacher mode (just a bit).  So, maybe next week I'll finish unwinding.

I have had a few minutes to start on my summer reading list.  First on my list is the new edition of The Daily Five by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser.  Ever since starting The Daily Five with my class, I try to reread the book each summer.  I especially like reminding myself about all the details of the launch period.  This summer I am so happy to have an updated edition to read.
One new part of the book that I'm extra interested in is chapter 8, The Math Daily 3.  I can't wait to learn about the authors' take on math independence in the classroom.  I'm using a lot of self control to keep myself from jumping ahead to that chapter.
I'll be sure to post about this book after I finish it up.

The other school related project I have spent time on is actually related to The Daily Five.  I started work on a series of word work packets called Words at Work.  Each of these packets include seven consistently formatted word work activities for each short vowel sound.  These activities are ideal for independent practice and are quick prep (just print and go).  I plan on using them as part of my word work time during Daily Five rotations.
A  has been my tester.  Seeing how a young learner responds to these activities is super helpful to me.   It's also a way to get in a little structured summer academics with  A.   Win.  Win.
All of these packets are available at my store, individually or bundled together in one mega pack.  If you would like to find out more, click on the picture below.

I'm planning additional Words at Work packets for long vowels, vowel variants, and more.  Hopefully I'll have plenty of time to get everything accomplished before school starts back.  But it's summer, so we'll see :) .
Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your week.

Wilson Fundations on a Shoestring

Hi friends.  How often do you find yourself in a situation where you would like to implement something in your classroom, but you just do not have the resources to do it?  I know, I know, I'm sure you  n e v e r  deal with type of issue in your classroom.

Wait, let me rephrase that . . .

I'm sure you constantly deal with that type of issue in your classroom.  Well, right now I am trying to implement Wilson Fundations in my class with very few resources provided for me.  

If you are unfamiliar with Wilson, it is a phonics/reading program.  It appeals to me because of the emphasis on hands on activities.  From what I can tell, to really set your class up with Wilson, the cost would be about as much as a new reading series.

However, like most teachers, I am not going to give up because the cost of something makes it seem out of reach.  For the materials to get started with Fundations, I decided to get resourceful (when possible) and make or find less expensive substitutes.  I also decided to purchase as much as I could from Wilson, but I had to be very targeted in how I spent my money.

One resource not pictured above is the Teacher's Manual.  It is very important when teaching with Wilson Fundations.

So far I am happy with the work my class has been doing with Wilson.  The whole group activities serve as reinforcement of letter sounds and are perfect for formative assessments. The activities fit in nicely during my Daily Five time as mini lessons.  For my struggling readers, working a bit more with Wilson during small group time seems to be just what they need.

Where there's a will, there's a way.  I'm happy to be getting my feet wet with Wilson Fundations without breaking the bank.

Jumping in Feet First

Hi friends.
We are under the one week mark until the end of the year and everybody at my school knows it.  I could tell you some stories . . .  but I'll spare you.  Let's just say it's safe to say that first graders forget themselves this time of year.
Anyway, Saturday night after all the grandparents left our house (we hosted dinner for both sets) and  A  was in bed, I decided to take the Teachers Pay Teachers plunge.  So, as my husband watched the latest James Bond movie, I sat with my little laptop working my way through adding my first products to Teachers Pay Teachers.  By the end of the movie I was finished.
I added my OI and OY Roundup.  You can check it out by clicking on the picture below.

It includes mini lesson ideas, posters, literacy center activities, recording sheets, and printables all focusing on oi and oy.

I'm excited to have accomplish the goal of opening my little store at tpt.  I can check one of my New Year's resolutions off my list.  Now I need to work on planning better for meals and going to bed earlier, which were my other resolutions this year.  Sorry I'm getting off track.

Moving on . . .

If you have any questions let me know.

Happy Monday.