Sight Word Activities: Songs, Practice, & Worksheets
Teaching reading is a tricky game but it’s easier with sight word activities. This is especially true when teachers are tasked with teaching kids how to read when the little ones don’t even know all of their letters yet. So what’s the best way to do this? I use fun, energizing sight word songs for all students. I’ve used this strategy for general education students, students with disabilities, and students learning a new language.
Music and Movement Sight Word Activities
To catch the attention of my students, I turned songs and nursery rhymes into catchy spelling tunes. I created posters and writing books out of these. First I use the posters to introduce the words each week. Since I have 36 words, I focus on one word a week. I use these along with the audio songs and videos in whole group to present the word, practice the song, and rehearse the motion for each word. After the word of the week is finished, the poster goes up on the wall. The posters that I use match writing worksheets that the students work on throughout the week. We refer to the sight word set often and use them during journal time, whole group activities, and review.
A Weekly Low-Prep Plan
I post my Sight Word Week Plan in the whole group area for carpet time. Then I follow the same plan for each week changing only the focus word. I love this method because I can gather the materials needed for the plan and keep them in the same location throughout the year for each word. This equals lots of fun and little planning!
On Monday
Introduce the week’s word and song. Show the poster and flashcard. Discuss tall letters, short letters and basement letters. Sing the song multiple times and do the movements. Have the students read the word with fun pointers.
On Tuesday
Play the sight word writing video while singing and doing the movements. Use magnets on the board or alphabet tiles to make word. Give each child a chance to put the letters together correctly either on the board or at individual work spot.
On Wednesday
Sing the song and do the action. Use wipe off boards, doddle pads, or bendable sticks to write words. I demonstrate the correct letter formation on the board.
On Thursday
Sing along with the sight word video. Have students spell words through body spelling. For instance, if the word is “the,” the students first stand up with arms out to make a “t,” then change to one curved leg with arms down to make an “h,” and end with their bodies curved and arms curved into the stomach to make an “e.” Then partner up the students and begin “back spelling.” This involves each the students tracing the letters of the word, one at a time on the other student’s back. My students beg for back spelling!
On Friday
Sing the song again for current site word. Have laminated paper crowns prepared with Velcro fasteners. Using a wipe-off marker, write each letter of the sight word on its own crown. See the picture examples. The idea is to write one letter of the sight word on each crown, give the matching number of students a crown, mix the letters up, and sound out the mixed up word. Next I have the remaining students tell the crown wearers how to get in the correct order. This is an absolute student favorite, and the children are always so excited it’s Friday!
Create Word and Picture Connections
When teaching the words, I explain the picture associated with each word. Some words are “book words” like the, is, and am, which make it easier for us to read, listen, and understand what others are saying. These words have a closed or open book on the poster or flashcard as a reminder that they are “book words.” The other sight words have a picture representing the word to help students make a visual connection to the word. I explore these picture with my students and ask them to brainstorm what other pictures or objects could represent the words.
Handwriting Time
This set is vital to my writing times. The students get to watch me write on the board and they also get to watch the videos of me writing. The videos are great because my hand is no longer in the way which lets students see exactly what is happening. I print and copy the writing pages and staple them across the top to create bound books for each student. Since I divide mine into three sets, each student has 3 different books by the time the school year is over. I send home each book after we have completed it so the students can practice. I use the books for journaling activities on Mondays and in Language Arts Centers throughout the year.
What fun activities do you use for sight word instruction? Do you have a fun, interactive set you’ve created? Share your tips and thoughts below!
