More Differentiated Word Family Word Work With CVCe Words and a Giveaway!
There’s a new addition to the family! The Word Family Word Work Galore family now includes CVCe long vowel word families.
And the first of many bundles is the Long A CVCe Bundle (also available individually).
Like the original Short Vowel Word Families, these new sets include many familiar features and a TON of NEW activities and extra fun items.
My entire goal with making Word Families originally was to offer other teachers my weekly schedule and plan for introducing word families. My personal goal for these units has always been to provide my kindergarteners with developmentally appropriate and engaging activities that would give them TONS of practice with these ‘oh so important’ word families. After they have that practice, I wanted to have consistent and familiar printables that they could use to show they’re mastery. The short vowel word set has been such a great resource for me that I also have started a CVCe for long vowels.
I always start out each week by making words with large placards. I love it and they love it because it’s a great interactive, kinesthetic activity to get them thinking about their new word family. Students who aren’t holding the placards, are recording the new words in that week’s word family on their recording sheet.
Just print, cut them apart and have your kinders record the words they make.
Once the placards are used, the word family goes on my wall. This is the focus wall for word work in my classroom. It never ceases to amaze me how much my students use this wall as a reference for writing and for completing so many of their word work activities. My Ball Words (sight words) are placed under my letter cards, and I put my word family words above those.
I also place a set of these words in my writing center for quick, grab and go reference if a students needs them.
There is a set of sorting cards for each family as well. Before my students use these independently, I always introduce the words and pictures in my small reading groups during Daily 5. Some students need more reinforcement than others, so some will get to practice these words in different ways several times before I expect them to work with them on their own. Other students need just a quick introduction and are ready to go.
I always want the activities to be fun and engaging so that my students look forward to each new word. Paint color chips are a great way to have students practice writing the words…one letter for each box.
And sorting the pictures by family using my ‘Mr. Munchie Mouth’ is always always always a classroom favorite. (Of course, I give him a special voice, he sometimes burps when he gets an especially tasty word family word or sometimes he may even try to nibble their hand a bit when they feed him . . . it’s fun . . . it’s kindergarten . . . it needs to be engaging.
One of my new activities I have included in these word families is a Word Family Story. Students can either read the story independently, or you can read the story with them. Then on their own, I have them highlight all the word family words in the story, count them up and record that number at the top. Then, because I have several differentiated versions of this activity, they complete an activity on the bottom of the page. They might unscramble a sentence and write it or answer a question about the story depending on their readiness level.
There is also a write the room activity for each word family. These are, as well, differentiated so that students can merely write the word, write the beginning sounds of the word family or finish a sentence and read their sentence to a friend upon completion. I love that all my students get the opportunity to write the room . . . get up and move . . . and yet, complete an activity that is right at their level of ability rather than having it be too difficult or too easy for some and only ‘just right’ for a few.
Independent practice also means that they can use interesting materials in meaningful ways to produce their word family words. And because this activity is self-correcting, they get immediate feedback as to whether they are doing it correctly or not.
These self-correcting mats are very versatile. You can use them with letter beads . . .
. . . play-doh stampers . . .
. . . or magnets . . . the idea is to get a ton of practice . . . so these are great additions to add my Work with Word Stations in Daily 5.
My kinder friends also always enjoy making their words with letter links as well. They like that it’s something different . . . I like that it is developmentally appropriate and kinesthetic while giving them that extra reinforcement and familiarity with these new words and their spelling.
For times when you want to add a homework piece or morning work piece to for these families, each package also includes an interactive and differentiated word family slide printable . . .
. . . a differentiated Say, Make and Write printable . . .
. . . a differentiated I-Spy printable . . .
. . . and a differentiated Color, Count and Write printable.
Once students have a couple of word families under their belts, I have a few extra pieces that I have included in each set that will help with sorting between families.
These include games and several printables that will help you extend your word work study.
Of course, if you would like to learn more about these word family packets just click on any of the pictures here.
And if you would like to learn about my Short Vowel Word Families just click on the picture below.
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Marsha Moffit McGuire
With more than 20 years of teaching experience, it is my pleasure to bring you my most favorite ideas and activities to keep young learners engaged and loving learning.
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