Word Families

I think I have mentioned here that I am a Kindergarten Teacher.  I am one of the fortunate Teachers that get the privilege of job sharing.  I teach every other week.  So, I can be a semi-SAHM to our fabulous 3 year old daughter.  I am always looking online for better and innovative ways to teach.  

So, when I came across this incredible idea on The Snail's Trail, I had to try it for myself.  

This activity is a fun way for kids to practice reading short words using word families.  A word family is the end of a word, that makes other words when the beginning letter is changed.  Dr. Seuss (whose birthday is this week btw) was a master at using these word families.  Learning word families helps children begin to read groups of letters instead of having to sound out each individual letter.  This helps with reading fluency (speed), which eventually helps with reading comprehension (understanding what you just read).  I can't wait until my next work week, to see how the kids like it.  I love the colors and my students will love that they can move the little window over the beginning letters.  

It was so easy, and an excuse to collect paint chips!  I already have a love affair with paint chips.  

For this project, you need two types of paint chips.  The paint chips that have a little square cut out and the strip type with three or four different shades.  I tried to get them in similar color families to assist the children in keeping the correct beginning sounds and word families together.

All you have to do is write the word family to the right side of the little "window".  Then, on the matching strip, write a beginning sound for that word family in each shade.  

The children use them by placing the window over the beginning letter and reading the word. 

I also put mailing labels on the back of the beginning letter strips and wrote the word family that they go with.  My hope is that we can quickly get the right strips together and get reading instead of spending all of our time trying to match them up.

 I laminated my finished word family and beginning sound cards, but if you are just using it with one child you probably wouldn't need to.  With 30 sets of hands in our classroom we have to put armor on everything.