Red Light, Green Light: Idea #243

Do you remember playing the game Red Light, Green Light as a kid? Well, kids still love playing that game. Try making it educational by putting a sight word twist to it. I found the idea here. This is how you play:

1. One person is the traffic cop while the rest of the players line up against the wall facing him.

2. The traffic cop decides when to say green light or red light or yellow light. When he says green light, the players can run towards him. When he yells red light, the players must stop. When he says yellow light each player must identify a sight word on a given flash card. If they can read it, they can take a giant leap, otherwise they just stay in their spot.

3. Any player who moves when the traffic cop says red must go back to the wall (or the starting point).  They can avoid going back to the start if they can read a sight word flash card.

4. The first player to get to the finish (or to where the traffic cop is standing) wins the game and becomes the new traffic cop. Before they can become the new traffic cop, they must be able to read 5 given sight words.

Have fun playing!

Sight Word Duck, Duck, Goose: Idea #242

One of my favorite games to play as a kid was Duck, Duck, Goose! Most kids enjoy this game because it is active and most importantly, you get to chase someone. Try playing this game using sight words. Here are two different ways you could play it using sight words:

OPTION #1: Make some game cards that have two sight words on each card. As a 'goose' or chaser is chosen, have them draw a card. The chaser then reads the two sight words to the other game participants, using those words as he goes around. For example, if the card he drew said: go   the, he would use those words as he went around the circle. So, he would say, "go, go, the" instead of duck, duck, goose.

OPTION #2: Give each player a sight word card to tape on their back. As the chaser goes around the circle, they replace saying goose with the sight word that they see on the student the student's back. For example, if the chaser wanted to choose a student whose sight word was so, this is what the chaser would say, "Duck, duck, so!"  

Try both options and see which one works for you. What a fun way to be active and learn sight words!

Pin the Tail on the Donkey: Idea #241

Don't you love the classic birthday game Pin the tail on the donkey? So simple, yet so fun. Try making this simple game into a sight word game. This is what you do:

1. GAME PREP: Go to the following webpage: http://www.sightwordsgame.com/sightwordgames/pin-tail-donkey/.

2. Print off the following pages: Donkey- Blank and Donkey Tails- Sight Words.

3. Cut out the donkey and the tails. Then have them laminated.

4. TO PLAY: Tape donkey on the wall, then give each student a donkey tail. When it is their turn, have them read the sight word on the tail. 

5. Once the student has read the sight word to you, blind fold them and let them try to place the tail in the correct place. If the student cannot read the word, they give the tail back to the you and go to the end of the line.

6. The student who wins is the one who gets the tail closest to the correct spot on the donkey.

Have fun!

Word Checkers: Idea #240

Time for yet another sight word game! Try playing the game Checkers with sight words. I found the idea this website. All you do is write a sight word in each square on the checker board. Then set up the game and play it according to the Checkers rules. The only thing that is different is that your student must read the word correctly before they can move where they want to on the board! Your student will love practicing their sight words while playing this fun game.

Head Chair: Idea #239

Are your students competitive? If so, you should try playing the game Head Chair found on this website. It is an excellent way to practice sight words. Just follow these simple instructions:

1. PREPARATION: Make or buy some sight word flash cards that are at your students' reading level.

2.  Get some chairs and form them in a line facing you (the teacher/parent). Make a sign for the chair in the front of the line that says Head Chair.

3. TO PLAY: Have all students sit in a chair in the line. Teacher/Parent shows the student in the Head Chair a sight word flash card. The student does not leave the seat until he/she misses a word.

4. Once a student misses a word, the student goes to the end chair, allowing the rest of the children to move up one seat.

5. The purpose of the game is to see which student ends up in the Head Chair.

Your students will love this competitive, but fun game!

Sight Word Scramble: Idea #238

Kids love scramble worksheets. Try to motivate your student to learn sight words with a Sight Word Scramble worksheet. You can either make your own or check out www.HaveFunTeaching.com to find some similar to the one found below. Your students will love making a scrambled word into a sight word that they recognize and can read. 

Found on the following website: www.HaveFunTeaching.com

I would suggest doing a word scramble with simple three letter sight words and then moving up to longer words. Word scrambles can be harder than you think!

Erase Relay: Idea #237

It's getting close to the end of the year. I'm sure that your school has a field day, or something similar to it. Why not try an Erase Relay to practice those sight words one last time? I found the idea here. This is all you do:

1. Make two lists on your chalkboard or dry erase board of sight words. Make sure that there are at least as many words as there are students in your class.

2. Divide your class into two teams. Have each team stand in a line facing the board.

3. When you tell the students to go, the first student in each line will go up to the board, point to the word at the top of their list and read it to you.

4. If the word is read correctly, the teacher nods and the student can erase the word.

5. The student then gives the eraser to the next student in line. If the student cannot read the word, they just give the eraser to the next student in line.

6. The team that erases all of their sight words first wins!

Erasing words was never so much fun!