Words Their Way Activities and Ideas

Words Their Way is such a wonderful program, but sometimes as a teacher it can be difficult to figure out a variety of beneficial activities to help them learn. I first want to start off by talking about a way to keep your students organized with the activities that you give them throughout the week. If you are following any of the Word Sort books it suggest doing a range of activities with the concept being taught with that sort. What that says to my teacher brain is A LOT of flying papers and disorganized desks. I have a finish folder for my students to put unfinished work, but I want a place where they keep only Words Their Way. I know some people have their kids glue EVERYTHING they do with it in a journal…but oh my lanta that is a TON of glue. So I have a simple method, and it isn’t anything fancy. If you rather not read through this whole blog post you can always visit my Facebook page where there is a video of me talking about this.
All you need are three things:

A Stapler
12X18 Construction Paper
Little Ziplock Baggies

What you are going to do is at the beginning of a new sort you will give them a new construction paper with a Ziploc baggie stapled to the inside. Make sure that you open the bag when you staple it otherwise you will staple it shut ;). This now becomes their work mat for their sort. They can practice with the sort as many times as you want, and they just put the pieces they have cut up back into the ziplock bag until they are ready to glue onto the front of the “Folder”/ Mat.

Yes…glue that sort on the front! Why on the outside? Well otherwise if they do it on the inside the excess glue makes the folder stick together. You want them to continue using this folder to put the other activities in that you are going to have them do that has to do with the sort. You could even have two sorts worth of activities in one folder. They would just glue the other sort onto the backside of the folder, and use the same plastic bag before they glue. Fill that folder with all kinds of activities. Below I have a picture of activities that I use, which you can purchase in my store if you click the image.

Once they have completed the sort I like to send them home with another copy of the same sort for them to do at home. I attach the note to the front for the parents to sign, and slide it in their sort folder and it ALL goes home! I tell my students they get to keep this sort forever for them to practice. They just bring the sheet signed back so I know they practiced. You can print the note home for yourself. Just right click the image of it and print or save.

Words Their Way Activities and Ideas

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