This past school year I was very confident in most areas of my teaching and if I wasn’t I had an “action plan” for the new year. However, one area was constantly pulling me aside – -sight words! We of course I know how important the study and mastery of sight words is in kindergarten, but how do you reach ALL the kiddos? For me at least teaching sight words is that area that is evident that the students are picking it up or they are not. So, before I share with you how I plan to tackle sight words this upcoming year I first want to go backwards a little and tell you the overview of sight words in my classroom!
My district requires us to teach 40 sight words. However, I have added a few additional words so we actually learn around 50. I’ve listed the sight words below and you can click to download the list if you’d like! You can see that we initially only teach 1 sight word per week and then increase to 2 words per week. I do feel for those that have to teacher 3-5 words a week. Not saying that it is impossible…I just think about those sweet babes that can barely grab onto 1 per week. However, I have full faith in you warriors and you can make it happen! 🙂
Okay, so I told you how any sight words I teach now let me explain when/where/how I teach the words. Each morning we start out at the carpet for calendar, poetry, and phonemic awareness. At this time I also introduce the sight word{s} for the week on Monday. We then review all of the sight words we have learned so far for the year at that time. I go through the stack of cards in a normal fashion of my showing the cards and the students calling out the words. We also add in a fun way to practice the word{s} for the week. For example, we do a little chant called blast off.
{start down by the ground} T-H-E, THE! {blast off or jump into the air}
T-H-E, THE, THE, THE, I can spell, the! {make a fist and pump it into the air for each letter/word, point to yourself for “I can spell”}
You can download the sight word cards by clicking HERE! They are a freebie! 🙂
After I first introduce the new sight word I will then write it on the word wall. I have my word wall on the whiteboard so I am able to just write the new words! I have had a few ask how I was able to get the boxes on the whiteboard and I didn’t actually do it, I inherited it! 🙂 However, they used black electrical tape!
Okay back to the subject…after introducing/reviewing sight words at the morning meeting I then review all words again at the guided reading table. It depends on the group but I review the sight words one of two ways; I will either flash the card to all students and they answer chorally. Or, I will flash the card to just one student and give them 3-5 seconds to respond. If they are unable to respond I will state the word and we go on. I of course never want to put the student “on the spot” with a word they might not know, but then it is very hard to know who is actually stating the words and who is repeating the words when answering chorally.
After we review our stack of sight words we play a game called mix it and fix it! For this activity I have placed magnetic letters in a small bowl for each kiddo. They take the letters our and fix the word correctly. I will then have them mix it up, and fix it back up 2-3 more times. After we have done this I will have them practice writing the word on their whiteboards.
Of course during whole-group writing we are working hard on sight words as well. I realized it is hard and sometimes distracting for the kiddos to search the word wall for their needed word so I made them a mini word wall lists for their writing folders. They started the year with a half sheet and eventually I switched them out for a full sheet. If you’re wondering what shapes mean at the bottom…it is simply a way for my to direct them to find the word. If they are looking for “we,” I could say, “Did you check in the hear column for /w/ we?”
You can download the sight word lists for your kiddos below!
PDF version or EDITABLE version
I decided that the one other area of our day that we could utilize to hit sight words hard would be Daily Five or literacy centers! I had a few packets that could work, but nothing that would hold their attention for very long. I needed some activities that were more engaging and FUN! So, I set out to create some fun and engaging sight word activities that would hold my students’ attention next year and be meaningful at the same time! What I realized about sight words is they can hardly be “taught.” I mean we can do our part by introducing the word, but then it is up to that repeated exposure for it to “stick”. Some students might only need to see the word 3 times to have it memorized and others might need to see it 30 times. Also, so many sight words do not follow the “rules” so it really is all about memorization.
You can see below the new sight word activities I whipped up for my new batch of kiddos!
How about some sight word caterpillars? Those set off the cute radar for sure! The caterpillar head has the sight word listed…so the students just need to find the matching letters to spell the sight word. You can then have them record their answer on the recording sheet {optional}.
All of the activities I shared above are in my ENDLESS Sight Word MEGA bundle. The endless part means that as I create additional sight word activities for my kiddos I will be placing them into this bundle. So, once you own the bundle you’ll own all the free updates too! Also, this bundle is editable so you can edit the sheets to match your kiddos’ needs! I am offering a special “buy in” price of $15 for the sight word mega… The price will increase on Monday, July 20th at midnight and then again as the mega bundle grows!
If you’re interested in snagging it you can click below!
I’m also obsessed with these cheesy videos for the beginning of word work time to practice sight words! They recently updated them which helps a lot! 😛
Alright, that is all I have for now…have a super weekend!
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I just love all your ideas!! Thank you for posting this. I appreciate you sharing how you teach sight words in your class. Do you start the first week of school? I am definitely adding this bundle to my cart!
Hey there! Our first week is a Thursday-Friday. So, that following first "week" is when we start 🙂
Tara
Great ideas and resources! Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful post! I love teaching sight words and am always on the lookout for new ways to do so!
Learning at the Teacher Table
Great ideas! Thank you for sharing them! Are these the words from Journeys or a separate list given by your district?
Debi-
My district does follow Journey's 40 words. However, I add in 1-2 new words on the review weeks like mom, dad, love, first, last…those words the kiddos will need to know for reading/writing! 🙂
Tara
Love It ALL!!
Thank you Tara for answering my question! I'm definitely looking forward to trying this out!
Noemi?
I love your alphabet chart. I just bought your sight word bundle is the chart in that bundle?
Hey there! That alphabet chart goes along with my KinderPhonics program 🙂 Here is a link if you haven't seen it before! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/KinderPhonics-Units-1-3-BUNDLED-1644630
Tara
I bought the bundle yesterday. It is amazing! So many fun and engaging activities that I know my kiddos will love. Best of all it is editable!!!! Thanks so much Tara.
I love getting to peek into your classroom! My kiddos love working with the guided reading materials I got from you. Thanks for sharing!
Pam
Mrs. P’s Specialties
Thank you so much for your ideas! I bought the endless sight word packet and I'm excited to use it this year with the kids. I am planning to have 15-20 minutes blocked out just for sight word centers and these will be a big part of it. Thank you for the sight word videos! My 2 year old was singing along with it so I'm sure it will be a big hit by my kindergarteners!.
I personally find the best way to learn sight words is watching videos.
my daughter loves this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvnNKSQWMPU
it's fun, have nice music and pretty pictures.
I personally find the best way to learn sight words is watching videos.
my daughter loves this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvnNKSQWMPU
it's fun, have nice music and pretty pictures.
In this post you talk about you student's writing folders and this is where you store their mini sight word lists for them to access while writing. Can you elaborate on that for me?? What does their writing folder consist of, how do they use it, etc??? It seems like a great idea from the little you mentioned above and I would love to know more.
Hey there Chelsea would you mind emailing me and I can help? 😀
littlemindsatworkllc@gmail.com
Hi,
I love your page!! Can I ask what font you use for your sight word cards?
That’s LD traditional : )
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