Blends

We are a little behind where we normally would be in Phonics this year because we adopted a program called Fundations.  Do you use it?  I hated it at first because it's super dry and pretty boring.  BUT, my kids are reading!  They are learning all kinds of crazy Phonics rules and it's great!  I obviously supplement the program a lot, because I enjoy making learning FUN!  We have been working on blends lately and below are a few things we've been doing!  I have hyper-linked all the activities for you so you can check them out if you're interested or in need of some things!!

Stamping Blend Words!  Click HERE to grab this.  Easy literacy center activity!  Zero prep.

Blends Cut, Glue, Write Sentence Writing!  Wonderful practice with making sentences!  Rubric included.  Click HERE to grab these.

Blends Secret Words!  So much fun.  Click HERE to get these from Miss Giraffe.  Find the magnetic letters at Lakeshore Learning.

Blends Fluency Strips!  Perfect for a Guided Reading Warm-Up!  Click HERE to grab these.  

SCOOT/WRITE THE ROOM!  Click HERE To grab it!

This is such a fun activity!  Sprinkle the cards around and give the kids a recording sheet and pencil.  The rotate around and write the missing blends as well as the rest of the word on their papers.  I used this as a literacy center last week! 

Blends Spin 'N' Cover Activity!  Click HERE to grab this.

Blends and Digraphs Board Game!  Click HERE to check this fun game out!

Blends Magnet Mats!  Simple literacy center or early finisher activity.  Differentiated optiosn included in this pack!  Click HERE to check it out.

And also not pictured:

Blends Flashcards.  Click the cover below to get them.  

Blends Find-a-Friend.  Click the cover below to grab it!

xo
Megan

NEW Word Work Activities

I love magnetic letter centers.  They are novelty and they require minimal prep!  This is especially helpful for my sanity during the beginning and end of the year!  I created a few new phonics magnetic letter mats for students to use during literacy centers, guided reading, or as early finisher activities.  So far, I have mats for: blends, cvc words, magic e, and vowel teams.  I also have sight words but they have been in my store for several years.  What I love about my new phonics mats is the fact that they are differentiated!  Below grade level and/or on grade level students can work on adding just the missing blend/vowel team/vowel & magic e while advanced students can work on spelling the whole word.  I also included both color AND black and white versions of all mats, just in case colored ink is not an option for you.  These mats are a great investment to have on hand! Take a look below!

What other mats would you like to see?

xo

Megan 

Blends

Ahhh, the time of year when the kids really start to TAKE OFF with their reading!  I love seeing the great progress they make.  They get so excited, themselves, too!  It's a teacher's dream!  In addition to guided reading groups, I also do whole-group Phonics instruction.  I just can't give it up.  I spend about 20 minutes a day on it.  I feel like there is value to introducing a concept whole-group and then giving the kids time to practice it through games.  Recently, we learned about blends.  I direct taught about s-blends, l-blends, and r-blends.  We watched Jack Hartman's Blend Song daily {twice a day because they begged...}, read our poem of the week {which was blends} daily, and played games. Below are some pictures from the week!

These spin and cover games come from my Level D guided reading pack.

 These blends sentence strips come from my Level D guided reading pack.

These blends sentence strips come from my Level D guided reading pack.

Board game from my "Reading Foundational Skills" pack

Scoot game from my "Skatin' Through Beginning Blends" pack.

Poem of the week

This blends stamping comes from my "Skatin' Through Beginning Blends" pack.

To see all of my blends resources, click the covers below!

This little blends pack has posters, games, and printables that can be used for whole-group instruction, centers, guided reading, or RTI.

These flash cards are great for early finishers to use with sand timers.  I also use them for "Around the World" and during Guided Reading time as a warm up.

S-Blends Jeopardy is a super fun review!  To see more Jeopardy products, click HERE.  

My Reading Foundational Skills pack is full of pages to support the CCSS: RFS Standards!  There is a blends board game included.

xo
Megan

Blends

So it just occurred to me that I have lots of folders full of pictures that I intended on posting about but forgot with the holidays/after winter break back to school frenzy!  This week you'll be seeing several posts about things that we did a month or so ago!  First up: blends!  I don't have a lot of pictures from this but we did spend a week or so on them and I'll share what I do have.

I usually begin the lesson with some direct instruction.  I like to focus on one consonant blend group at a time {ie: s-blends, r-controlled blends, etc...}.  I introduce it and we make an anchor chart together where the kids brainstorm words for me to write.  We also read through our poem of the week, that is one of the blends we'll be focusing on.

We play games, watch one of my favorite You Tube videos each day, and practice again in RTI/Reading Groups.

I include blends activities into my centers the week after I've taught them in class.  This ensures that kids are getting a review after they've learned the concept.

Most activities we use are from my Skating Through Blends Pack.  I also have Blends Flashcards that are great for a quick review.  I like to have my volunteer/tutor use them with her students.  I also use them in reading group and for playing "Around the World" in class.   The board game above is included in my Reading Foundational Skills Pack.

This little set includes a blend find-a-friend game.

Have a nice Sunday!
xo
Megan