Word Work

I went off the book and began Word Work last week (The 2 Sisters choose Listening to Reading next, but I am not ready to deal with CD players yet!).  I needed to assess kids for progress reports, and it was the easiest to begin with what they already knew!

Right now, I am using a single activity as a required Word Work, and then a few independent activities as "May Do's" if they have time.

I use the little "My __ Book" for each letter.  We do it as a poem in a pocket chart first, and then the students have to complete it independently during Word Work.  It is a routine I taught from the first week of school, so they are comfortable with the it and know what to do without needing much instruction each time.

Here's the pocket chart version (my pictures are mixed from two different weeks, but they all look basically the same):

I read it, then we read together, and then they come up to use highligher tape to show the focus letter (blue) and any sight words (purple) we have learned so far.

And the student version:

They must

1. Write their name.
2. Color the pictures.
3. Highlight the focus letter (by coloring with a light-colored crayon, underlining, circling, etc.)
4. Highlight our sight words (in the same manner as above).
5. Read to at least one friend who signs the back.  If I am available, they may read to me (one way I check in or 1:1 correspondence, sight words, etc.)

"My Ss Book" - from last week, but all the letters look the same.  Each has a different poem with sight words and letter matched pictures.

Word Work is done at tables, by themselves or whispering with a partner.

Since we have done this many times before I named it "Word Work", they are able to do this exercise independently (and help a friend who might forget!)

This is the "Must Do" of our Word Work.  Once it is finished, they may choose another Word Work activity.  Right now, I have two choices.  The first is a capital and lowercase matching game I made a few years ago (in my TpT store).  The second choice was added after one week of practice; it is just cards with the kids' names and plastic letters I found on clearance at Lakeshore.  They can match the letters from their names or a friend's name.

I store Word Work in plastic drawers.
 

Drawer 1 is the "Must do first" little books.
Drawer 2 (and we have a Drawer 3 now) are the choice activities to be done after the book is finished.  I may eventually add another drawer, but I don't want to overdo it.

It went very well, better than I expected, actually.  I still need to remind them to clean up, but everyone is getting their work done with minimal teacher input, and I was able to finish assessments for progress reports!

I introduced Word Work alongside making choices - check out the next post!