Toy Cars: Idea #212

Is your student obsessed with toy cars? Why not try using those toy cars to practice sight words? All you do is print each sight word on a separate piece of paper in large font. Then give your student a toy car and have them trace the letters of each sight word with their toy car. As they move their toy car along the letters, have them say the sight word. After they have finished tracing, use the papers as flashcards and quiz your student. This is a simple way to get your child excited to read more words!

Search for Sight Words: Idea #211

Gumball printable found here.

Lakeshore Learning has some wonderful sight word games that can enhance your student's learning. One of the games that I particularly like is called Search for Sight Words. Each card in the game has a large gumball machine. Each gumball has a word printed on it. Your student is to read the sight word at the top of the gumball machine and then find the five gumballs that also have that word. Your student uses counters to cover the words up. Once your student has found all five, they can flip the card over to check their answers. 

There are different levels to this game. Each game includes 25 different word search cards, 4 activity boards, and 40 counters. Four children can do this activity at the same time! This game helps students quickly identify and remember sight words. Your student will love finding these sight words in the books they are reading. You can find the Search for Sight Words game here. Enjoy!

Reading Spinner: Idea #210

To motivate your student to read more, try making a reading spinner. All you do print off a spinner template here and cut out your own arrow. On each section of the spinner write a way your student has to read the story. For example, Read the story like a monkey or Read the story like a mouse or Read the story to a friend. The ones I used were the following: "Read the story together", "Popcorn Reading", "Read the story to me", "Read the story to yourself", "Read the story in your favorite place", and "Read the story in a whisper". 

Obviously be as creative as you would like and pick things that your particular student would enjoy doing. This activity is a great way to practice reading a story over and over again. It can also be an effective way to help your student read with expression. Your student will enjoy reading in so many different ways!

Reading Dice: Idea #209

To motivate your student to read more, try making reading dice. All you do is make a cube out of paper or print off a dice template here. On each side of the cube write a way your student has to read the story. For example, Read the story like a monkey or Read the story like a mouse or Read the story to a friend. The ones I used were the following: "Read the story together", "Popcorn Reading", "Read the story to me", "Read the story to yourself", "Read the story in your favorite place", and "Read the story in a whisper". 

Obviously be as creative as you would like and pick things that your particular student would enjoy doing. This activity is a great way to practice reading a story over and over again. It can also be an effective way to help your student read with expression. Your student will enjoy reading in so many different ways!

Comic Books: Idea #208

What kind of books does your student like to read? When I was a kid I loved to read comic books during silent reading time. I preferred the Barbie comic books, but at school the only comic books that my 1st grade teacher had were Archie comics. Those comics books helped motivate me to want to read. Does your student also like comic books? If so, read on...

I did a little research I found this great company that makes beginning reader comic books. The company is called TOON into Reading. The books are simple, starting with level 1 and go up to level 3. You can either buy the books or read some of them online. The website includes cartoon makers, coloring pages, and popsicle puppets to make learning even more fun! 

If your kid is really excited about comics, you should tell them about Free Comic Book Day coming up on May 4, 2013. What a great way to motivate your student to want to read. I know that's what got me excited to read when I was young!

Big Books: Idea #207

Kids love big books. By big books I mean those books you can find at the library that are as large as your student! Kids love reading the big words and looking at the large pictures. Big books are great when students are looking for patterns or sight words. They are especially good for captivating your student's attention while reading a story. 

You can buy big books online at Lakeshore. If you buy the book you can circle sight words or highlight patterns you see in the book. Get your student involved so that they feel ownership and get excited to read the story.

You can also check big books out from your local library. Obviously you can't write or highlight in these books, but you can use highlighter tape or something similar that is not permanent. Kids love putting the highlighter tape on the pages and seeing the different colors. Let your student be apart of it!

As a teacher I loved reading big books to my students. They were always so engaged and excited while I read out of a big book. If your student does not seem excited to read to you, try checking out a big book, on your student's level, from your local library. Your student will love it!

Word Catcher: Idea #206

In order to practice word families with your student, try out this fun game called Word Catcher. It is perfect for a road trip. It is a perfect game to play during quiet or independent time. Your student will love making their very own word catcher and best of all, your student gets to draw in this game. Check out how to play here. Enjoy practicing!

Fiddle Sticks: Idea #205

Going on a road trip anytime soon? Are you trying to think of ways your student can practice sight words in the car? Try playing Fiddle Sticks found on this website. It is extremely easy to play and kids really enjoy it. Here is what you do:

1. Get the following items: popsicle sticks, a plastic cup, and a marker. 

2. Write down some sight words you would like your student to practice.

3. Write one word on the end of each stick. 

4. Color the tip of one of the sticks. 

5. Put all of the sticks in the plastic cup with the word side down.

6. Students take turns taking out sticks and reading the words. Each time they can read the word correctly, they can keep the stick. If they can't read it, they put the stick back in the cup. 

7. The student who picks the stick with a colored tip must put all of their sticks back into the cup.

8. The students then continue playing the game. The student with the most sticks at the end of the game wins!

Hopefully this game will keep your student entertained during the long car ride!

Reading Games Website: Idea #204

I came across an excellent sight words website today. You can find it here. You can have your student do the games on the website during center time or as a warm up or as a reward when your student has done a good job. On the website you will find the following games:
    
     -Several Sight Word Matching Games
     -Sight Word Stories (with sight words highlighted)
     -Frig Magnet Poetry
     -Picture Word Games
     -Sentence Building
     -Alphabet Coloring
     -Draw a Picture Game

Your student will love this very helpful website. Have fun practicing!

Reading Stick: Idea #203

Try using a reading stick to get your students excited to read to you. All you need is a decorated plastic stick (or a real stick). I am a fan of using rain sticks because kids love holding them and listening to the sound they make.

To use the reading stick, give each student a copy of the same book. Then give one student the reading stick. When a student is given the stick, they are to read a page of the book outloud and then pass the stick on to someone else to let them read. Students use the reading stick until the book is finished.

Sometimes it is fun to have students read the story in a different way, for example, "This time as we read the story whisper the words" or "This time as we read the story, mouth the words."

Students love using the reading stick. Have fun!

Wikki Stix: Idea #202

Hands-on activities are an absolute must when a child is learning. To enhance your student's learning, try using wikki stix. Kids love their texture and easy mobility. You can even buy them in fun colors. When practicing sight words, or any words for that matter, try doing this:

1. Write down 10-12 words you would like your student to master reading.

2. Print each word in large font on an 8.5x11 piece of cardstock paper.

3. Make sure to laminate each page.

4. Give your student one of the pages and have them use wikki stix to trace the word. 

5. Try quizzing your student on the words after they have traced three or four words. 

6. When your student has completed tracing every word, use the pages as flashcards and quiz your student on them. 

Your student will enjoy learning sight words this way!

'The Word on the Bus' Song: Idea #201

A couple days ago I wrote about the 'B-I-N-G-O Sight Word Song', so today I would like to introduce another sight word song that could help motivate your child to read. Try singing the song below to the tune of 'The Wheels on the Bus'. 

The word on the bus says 

can, can, can,

can, can, can,

can, can, can.

The word on the bus says

can, can, can,

All through the town!

-Lyrics found here

Try printing the lyrics on a large laminated bus poster. Put a blank space where I inserted the word can so that you can change the word. Check it out here. Have fun singing!

Lakeshore Sight Word Readers: Idea #200

Are you looking for more books that are on your student's reading level? When I taught Pre-K we used some awesome sight word books from Lakeshore. Here are ten facts about these great books: 

     1. The books are short and simple.
     2. The books are sturdy.
     3. The books are beautifully illustrated. 
     4. You can buy the level 1 book collection or level 2 if your student is advanced.
     5. You can buy fiction or non-fiction books.
     6. The books contain 32 of the most common sight words.
     7. Each book focuses on 5 to 7 sight words. 
     8. In the front of each book you will find a list of the sight words contained in the story to better know if it is appropriate for your student.
     9. The non-fiction books focus on things from the five senses to plants (with photos).
     10. These books are an excellent way to boost your student's reading confidence.

I highly recommend these books. Your student will love reading them to you. Check them out here. Have fun reading!

'B-I-N-G-O' Sight Word Song: Idea #199

Why not try practicing those tough sight words by putting them to music? Try singing the following song with your student to the tune of 'B-I-N-G-O':
 

There was a sight word I wanted to spell and can was my sight word.

C-A-N (clap with each letter) spells can, 

C-A-N (clap with each letter) spells can,

C-A-N (clap with each letter) spells can,

and can was my sight word!

-Lyrics found here

Obviously you can sing this song using any of the sight words you are practicing. The best part about this song is that it gets stick in your head, so your student will know how to spell and identify those sight words so well!

Rock, Paper, Scissors: Idea #198

Have you ever played Rock, Paper, Scissors? It is so fun for kids. Especially if the person who looses has to do something for the other player! I found a version of Rock, Paper, Scissors online where your student is able to practice reading phrases. This is how you play it:

1. Type in the following website: http://www.mrsperkins.com/

2. Scroll down and click on Dolch Worksheets.

3. To the right you will see a Random Dolch Phrase List. You can either use the one they have included, or change the phrases to ones you would like your student to master. Once you are pleased with the list, click Use These Words.

4. Scroll down to the Rock, Paper, Scissors game and click Go. A worksheet will come up. Go ahead and print it off.

5. The directions are at the top of the paper. If you have forgotten how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors click here. Make sure you have one counter for yourself and one for your student. Then you are ready to play.

6. When you win Rock, Paper, Scissors you get to move ahead one space on the board and read the phrase you land on. The player who makes it to the end first wins the game.

This game is a great way to see your student's reading progress. Have fun playing!

Funbrain: Idea #197

Check out this great website called Funbrain. On this website you will find both Math and Reading games. Under the Reading tab you will see online books to read, games to play, mad libs, and even comics. 

The stories on the website may be a little advanced for your student. Take this opportunity to read the stories to your student. By hearing a fluent reader read, your student learns how they should sound as they read to you. Enjoy checking out this wonderful website.

Fry Phrases: Idea #196

Fry phrases are phrases that children see a lot in their reading. When students know these simple phrases they learn to read quicker and more confidently. 

Don't get overwhelmed with the rather long list of Fry Phrases. Just focus on a couple of phrases a week to start off. Your student will get faster and better at reading the phrases the more you practice together. 

You can find a list of Fry Phrases here. I would recommend making the Fry Phrases into flashcards. After your student has mastered about ten of them, time your student to see how quickly they can read them. Have fun watching your student become a fluent reader.

Make a Movie: Idea #195

If your student is getting bored reading certain books, try acting them out. Kids find this very entertaining and fun. 

Just have your student read the story out loud, while you act out what is said. If there are several characters you may need more people to help. You could also try doing all of the characters yourself to make it even more interesting.

Your student will probably want a chance to act out the story as well, so take turns reading and acting out the story. You could even have them recorded and posted on youtube. Have fun!

Diving for Sight Words: Idea #194

It's starting to get warmer outside. Your student may want to go swimming soon. Why not take a trip to the pool and make it educational? Your student will love diving for sight words. It is both fun and easy to do!

Just get some sponges and write a sight word on each one. Make sure that you write the words big enough that your student can read them from far away. Also, write the sight word on the front and the back of the sponge in case it flips sides in the water.

Once you have written a word on each sponge, put them in the pool. Have your student stand at the side of the pool while you call out a sight word found on one of the sponges. Your student then jumps or dives into the water to find the sponge that says that particular word.

You could also try this a different way. Write a different letter on each sponge. Then call out a sight word to your student. Your student then has to find the correct sponges to spell the sight word. 

This is a fun active game that helps with reading and spelling. If your student can't swim yet, try playing this in the shallow end of the pool. If your student is afraid of water, you may try filling a plastic tub or bowl of water and put the sponges in there. Your student will love feeling refreshed with a little water!

Sight Word Ping Pong Toss: Idea #193

Does your student love hands-on activities? Does your student like sports? If so, you should try the Sight Word Ping Pong Toss that I read about here. It is simple to play:

Get some ping pong balls and write a different sight word on each ball. Then give the balls to your student. Tell your student to throw a certain ball to you. For example, "Throw the are ball to me." Your student then looks through the ping pong balls and throws the correct one to you. Once all of the ping pong balls have been thrown, have your student tell you the words he needs and throw the balls back to him. As long as your student is engaged, keep tossing the balls. Your student will learn those sight words soon enough!

Sight Word Uno: Idea #192

Who doesn't enjoy playing a round of Uno? Well, you should try making it educational by playing Sight Word Uno. It is played exactly like Uno, but uses sight words instead of numbers. Kids will absolutely love playing this card game!

I was going to be super ambitious and make my own Sight Word Uno cards, but guess what? I found some online that are ready to print off and they are totally free! Just click here to see them. 

When you print the cards, make sure you use colored ink, or it kind of defeats the purpose of the game. Also, the printable Sight Word Uno cards are not double sided. I would suggest taping them to actual Uno cards so that your student can't see through the cards. If you have forgotten how to play Uno, the game is explained really well on the website.

I hope your student enjoys playing this fun game while learning sight words.

Sight Word Names: Idea #191

When you were a little kid did you want to change your name? I remember I had some pretty crazy ideas for names. Try encouraging your student to learn more sight words/words by giving them a new name. It is this simple:

1. Get a name tag and write the one word you would like your student to practice reading. Make sure you capitalize it just like you would any name.

2. That word becomes their name for the day. So, if they have a hard time reading the word said, their new name is Said for the day.

3. To make this into a game, give each student in your class a name tag with a sight word name on it. 

4. Have students go around introducing themselves to everyone in the class with their new name. (Play this game later in the year when everyone already knows each other!)

5. Have everyone come back to their seats and take their name tags off.

6. See who can remember everyone's new sight word name in the class. 

Kids will think it's fun to have a new name for the day and best of all, it is a chance for them to all remember that particular word.

High 5 Sight Words: Idea #190

A simple way to get your student to practice reading words throughout the day is to make High 5 Words. All you do is have your student trace their hand on paper, cut it out, and write the word on the hand (as shown above). 

If you would like your student to learn multiple words, cut out multiple hands. It is fun to use colored paper too. Make sure to tape these hands by the door. When your student leaves the room, have them high five the hand and read the word. Kids love it and it is a great way to practice words. 

I found this fun idea here. Have fun high fiving!

4 In A Row: Idea #189

Your student will love this really fun sight word game called 4 In A Row. You will love this game as well because your student will get some awesome reading practice. This is how you play:

1. You will need: one die, a 4 In A Row game board, and colored counters.

2. To play: Have student roll the die.

3. Student then reads a word that has the same number as the die. You will find the numbers in the corner of each box on the board.

4. Student puts a counter on the word if they have read it correctly.

5. The person who has four in a row first wins! The four in a row can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.

You can find this game here along with the wonderful printable game board shown above. Have fun!

Color the Boxes: Idea #188

Some kids really like to do worksheets. If your student enjoys them, you should check out Sight Words: Color the Boxes. It's a worksheet that includes both reading and coloring. You can find the worksheet here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sight-Words-Color-the-Boxes. 

FIRST your student reads the sight word found at the beginning of the row.

THEN your student colors in the boxes to match the sight word.

I hope your student has fun coloring!

Sight Word Poetry: Idea #187

Poetry is fun to read and listen to. Try teaching your student sight word poetry to master those tough words. You can either make the sight word poems up yourself, or buy a sight word poetry book. You can buy one for ten dollars at Barnes & Noble. Once you have chosen the poem you want to teach your student, do the following:

1. Copy it off and three hole punch it. 

2. Read the poem to your student, then read it together, and then have your student read it to you. 

3. When your student is able to read every word of the poem, put the poem in a three prong folder for your student. 

4. The next day introduce a new sight word poem found in your book and repeat the process. You can have your student highlight words or draw pictures to make it more engaging.

By putting the poems in a folder, your student can refer back to previous poems learned. This can also help your student gain more confidence in their reading abilities. Your student will love learning sight word poetry!

Sight Word Dominoes: Idea #186

Who doesn't like playing Dominoes? It's a fun game for all ages. It is the perfect game to play while practicing sight words, just put words on the dominoes instead of dots. Here is what you do:

1. You can make your own sight word Dominoes, or print some off of this website (as many copies as you would like). I would suggest printing them off on cardstock paper.

2. Cut the dominoes out.

3. For each number, write a sight word. For example, for the 1 dot write the word can. For the blank space write the word are and so on.

4. Laminate the game pieces and then it is time to play!

5. Play the game just like the game Dominoes. Just make sure that before your student lays down a domino, they read the words on it. If they can't read the words, they have to pass.

6. If you forgot how to play Dominoes, look here for some great instructions!

Have fun!

Hear Myself Sound Phone: Idea #185

Does your student love playing with phones? If so, you should invest in a Hear Myself Sound Phone to motivate them to read. They will really enjoy using these fun phones. Here is some information on the phones:
       -Your child speaks through one end of the phone and can hear himself out of the other end.
       -Using the phone is an independent activity. Your child can talk, listen and read on their own!
       -The phone can help your student focus as they practice sight words.
       -It is a quiet toy. A student can whisper into the phone and hear it loudly in their ear.
       -It is the perfect size for a young student (about 6.75" long).
       -You can check out these awesome phones here.
Try using the phone to have your student practice sight words or read a short story. Your student will be enjoy using the phone so much that they will want to read A LOT. You could use the phone as an incentive when your student is working hard or has reached a reading goal. Maybe too much time talking on the phone isn't such a bad thing!

Fly Swatter Game: Idea #184

To incorporate the warmer climate outside in your teaching, why not play the fly swatter game? Kids LOVE it and it's a great way to practice sight words. Here is what you do:

1. Write a list of the words you would like your student to practice. 

2. Count the number of words on your list (it doesn't have to be a lot).

3. Draw the same number of flies on cardstock paper. I actually printed my flies off the internet using this cute pattern. Can flies be cute?

4. Write a different sight word on each fly and cut it out. 

 5. Laminate the flies.

6. Draw or print a fly swatter. I found mine here. You could also use a real fly swatter, if you have one.

7. Laminate the fly swatter.

8. Put the flies on the floor or tape them on the wall.

 9. Give your student a fly swatter and say one of the sight words.

10. When your student hears you say a sight word, they must swat the fly with that sight word on it as quickly as possible. Then say another sight word and so on. If you have two students you can make it into a competitive game to see who is able to swat the word first.

Have fun with this intense game!

MORE Word Lists: Idea #183

Are you looking for more word lists to help your student become a fabulous reader? Check out some of the following:

1. HIGH FREQUENCY SIGHT WORDS- This is a list that is made up of words that are frequently seen in printed texts. Obviously learning these words will help your student become a better reader. Check out this website to see the lists all through the elementary grades. Start with the simple Kindergarten list and then go on to the first grade one.

2. FRY WORDS- These words are most commonly used in reading, writing, and spelling. Students are expected to read the word within 3 seconds once they have seen it. Mastery of fry words leads to reading success in the upper grades. Take a look at the following website to find a list of fry words: http://www.uniqueteachingresources.com/Fry-1000-Instant-Words.html. 

3. DOLCH WORDS- This list contains 220 words that are found in children's books (Preschool-3rd grade). Students are expected to quickly recognize each word on the list in order to gain reading fluency. Check out the list here.

These lists overlap of course, so click on the links and see which one you like the best. Don't get overwhelmed with all of the words. Most of them your student has already mastered!