Long /i/ Fry Sort

THANK YOU First Grader...at Last! for this AWESOME IDEA!

I painted popsicle sticks and wrote the words with permanent marker.  I color coded the phonics rule.  This one is blue.

Each set is color coded so when students mix-up sets, they can differentiate.  I color coded the back of each fry, too.

Dollar Tree Deals!

Foam Dice (2/$1)  Whenever I see these dice at Dollar Tree, I always get them.  You can use them for anything.  Plus, they are quiet.

CVC, Letter Sounds, Number Learning Cards (3/$1)  I bought 4 sets and labeled w/ numbers (set 1, 2, 3, 4-So, students will not mix-up the sets)

Foam Puzzle Clock.  I bought 5 clocks.  Label on the back w/ the number of that set- So, students can work side-by-side and not mix-up  pieces.

Big Number-Line to 70.  I bought 5 number-lines.  I taped this number line together and laminated for durability.  Then I cut it up in puzzle piece fashion.  This number-line is about 10 ft. long, so you need some space.

Word Sort Printables for Treasures!

The following are Word Sorts I created that correlate with our reading series, Treasures.

CLICK FOR WORD SORT PRINTABLES!

Phonics Stamps

I love using stamps in centers because they are durable and the students enjoy using them.  I purchased these stamps from Lakeshore to use as an extension after they complete the "must do" activity.  

I created a recording sheet to help the students organize the words.    Each colored stamp focuses on a different phonics skill.  (beginning sounds, middle sounds, ending sounds)  In addition, I purchased the second kit, Lakeshore sells, which focuses on skills good for the second-half of 1st grade. (digraphs, blends, vowel sounds)  I organize the stamps in ice cube trays from Dollar Tree b/c I didn't want the cardboard box the stamps came in to get torn and all inky.

Here is an example of the Phonics Stamps Activity in action.  What a great way to practice!  The only downside is that it is not self-correcting.

Permanent ELA Center Activities

I explained in a previous post rules for implementing center activities.  One of my rules is I have center activities that never change but the skill will change.  The following are examples of my ELA activities that I teach the kids how to do once and they are good for the rest of the year.  Therefore, I am not wasting time teaching them how to do the activity.  This leaves more time for them to practice the skill. 


If you notice all activities start with something they can manipulate.  The follow-up activity is more of an assessment/accountability tool.

Word Work Center- These are Phonics Puzzles that reinforce the new phonics skill we are learning that week.  These puzzles show S blends.  The student matches the word with the picture.  It is self-correcting b/c the puzzles will match.  I made 4 sets of the same puzzle.  Since I will have no more than 4 students in a center at one time.  In case the students mix-up the puzzle pieces, I label them with numbers on the back.  All #1 pieces go in the #1 bag etc.

Word Work Center-  This is a follow-up to the Phonics Puzzles.  When the students complete the Phonics Puzzle, they write the provided sentences in their journal and insert the correct word.  The should be familiar with the words, since they are the same ones that were on the Phonics Puzzles. 

Word Work Center-  This is a broader shot of the Phonics Sentences.  The students have a Word Bank of their phonics words on the dinosaur.

Listening Center- The Rhyming Puzzle pieces are similar to the Phonics Puzzles.  The only difference is the Rhyming ones only have pictures on them.  I make 4 sets of the puzzles and organize them with the numbers just like the Phonics Puzzles.  The follow-up activity is a Rhyming assignment which reinforces the same words the students were exposed to in the puzzles.  

Reading Center-  These are Sight Word Sentence Puzzles.  The puzzle pieces focus on the new sight words and phonics skills being taught that week.  When the students put the sentence together they record it on a recording sheet.  There are 8 puzzles, each one is different.  This activity is explained on a previous post.

Phonics Activity

This is a great phonics resource.  It has lots of work mat reproducibles.  All you need is to copy and laminate.  It does come with reproducible letter tiles, but you could just buy your own.  Letter tiles are sold at any school supply store.

I make the mats self-correcting by having the answer on the back.  At the beginning of the year, the students can use the completed side to place the letter tiles over the letters.

I made a set of vowel work-mats.  I color coded them, so each student has all the vowels.

Phonics Resources

These are great resources to review phonics skills!

I have the following two books but Creative Printing Press makes more. Clink on the link to check them out!

        

Phonics Activity

Here is a cute activity for ELA Centers.  It is great for onset/rime, chunking and differentiating between real and non-sense words.  The only downside is that this activity is NOT self-correcting.

The student must match a blue side with the red.
The only downside is they may create nonsense words and not realize it.

Word Families

After Easter, I bought 200 Easter eggs for $2.00 at Wal-Mart.  I am constantly finding new ways to use my Easter eggs and here is one of them...

The students rotate the egg to spell a new word.  Then they record the word on their recording sheet.  Each egg will have 4 words on it when you twist the sides.  They will record all the words from the purple egg next to the word "purple".  They will record all the words from the yellow egg next to the word "yellow" and so forth, until they fill the sheet.

At the very top right hand corner of the recording sheet is an egg.  They must write a number in that egg.  The number should be the same as the bag they are getting the eggs from.  For example, all eggs with a #4 on the bottom will go in the bag with a #4 and be recorded on the recording sheet with the #4.  I am probably making it more confusing but the kids get it!  I do this because bag #1 may have all short /a/ words and bag #2 may have all short /e/ words.

WEBSITE WITH GREAT RESOURCES!!!

The Following Website is A-MA-ZING!

Alphabet Avenue Website

It is the sister website to Carl's Corner

Alphabet Partner Puzzles by Carl's Corner-Alphabet Avenue
This activity is self-correcting!

Snap that Sound! Beginning Constant Sound by Carl's Corner-Alphabet Avenue
(I created a recording sheet and included the words on the back making it self-correcting!)

Alphabet Work-mat by Carl's Corner-Alphabet Avenue
(The kids use Wikki Sticks to make the letters or Play-Doh)

Spelling Scrabble

This is a fun way to review spelling words.  Students try to find the word that is worth the most points.  Since it maybe challenging for some students to add more than one addend, they can make dots underneath the letters (as demonstrated in the example).  I created this recording sheet on PowerPoint, as well as the Scrabble Pieces. 

 Recently, I made a new set of Scrabble pieces that are lower-case and the vowels are in red.  Since we emphasize only capitals at the beginning of the sentence etc...it only reinforces that idea.

CVC Activities

CVC Puzzle Cards
(I got these in the toy section of Wal-Mart.  They have CVC words on the front and back.  In addition, this activity is self-correcting. Don't forget to number the cards, so they will not get mixed-up) 

CVC Picture Cards
(I created these cards on PowerPoint.  I created 12 cards per vowel letter.  This is an easy activity to make.  You can get the tile letters at any school store.)

CVC Beginning Sound Cards
(You can download this activity from the Florida Center for Reading Research. Here is the link to this activity.   It starts on page#6, Onset/Rime.  I made my own letter cards for this activity.)

The following is a link to CVC cards http://mrsdiminnie.com/cvcwords.htm. All you need to do is print, laminate and go! You will need some tile letters, though.