Free Resources
All of the following resources can be opened in individual tabs and downloaded or printed.
Click on the upper right hand corner of each image to open resource.
Phoneme-Grapheme Cards (S).docPhoneme-grapheme cards (Large)
Objectives:
To provide a quick reference for the different spellings of each speech sound.
To assist students in learning virtually all spellings for 43 speech sounds.
Instructions:
There are 46 cards. Print on 75 lb or 110 lb. card stock and slice vertically at 4.25". Will require 23 sheets of card stock.
Use for large display on wall.
Phoneme-Grapheme Cards (S).docPhoneme/Grapheme Cards (Small)
Objectives:
To provide a quick reference for the different spellings of each speech sound.
To assist students in learning virtually all spellings for 43 speech sounds.
Instructions:
There are 46 cards. Print on 75 lb. or 110 lb. card stock. Slice at 5.5" horizontally, then in 2.8" sections vertically. Will require 8 sheets of card stock.
Use for small groups or for individual tutoring.
Concentration word games.docMemory Games
Contents:
This activity consists of nine games. Most of these are high frequency words. Each game presents sixteen cards with eight words appearing twice.
Three of the games include words beginning with wh, th, and wa. The other six games contain prepositions, numbered according to levels of difficulty as Prep(ositions)1, Prep2, Prep3, Prep4, Prep5, Prep6).
Print games in landscape orientation on 75 lb. or 110 lb. card stock with words on one side and deck identification on the other. Be careful to match words with the proper deck. You may choose to use a different color for each game.
Contractions game.docContraction Games
Objective:
To assist children in learning how two words can be combined into one, revealing the more familiar forms of daily use of language.
Instructions:
Print each set of contractions back to back on 75 lb. or 110 lb. white card stock, making sure the apostrophized endings match the contractions for the words on the fronts of the cards.
Cut sheets into strips, following the lines between text rows on the backs of the sheets.
Fold contraction endings separately for each strip so that the ending overlays the second word. In a few cases, it will need to overlay the part of the word that is lost in forming the contraction (will not = won't needs to be folded so that only the w shows in 'will').
Store in an appropriate container or a large ziplock bag.
Homophones.docHomophones
Objectives:
To increase the child's knowledge of how different graphemes (letters and letter strings) represent the same phonemes (sounds).
To associate word meanings with spellings.
To increase students' vocabularies.
To provide meaningful learning activities for individual tutoring or small groups.
To provide a meaningful center activity.
Description:
There are eight cards with sets of homophones. They are a representative sample of all that appear in the English language. Most are words that children need to know. Some offer a phonetic spelling for a common sight word (one/won; done/dun). Others have been chosen to illustrate how patterns work across words (bruise/brews; cruise/crews).
Separate instructions, along with brief word definitions, are provided for each set of cards. Usually only one definition is given. Students should discuss other possible meanings for each word.
ABC Projects.docABC Projects (40 Lessons)
Objectives:
To provide experiences in arranging words in alphabetical order.
To provide motor experiences in cutting and pasting or taping.
Instructions:
Print these pages on standard copy paper, one for each student and cut in half vertically to create two lessons from each sheet.
Students will cut apart the three words at the bottom of each sheet and arrange them in alphabetical order in the boxes at the top of the sheet. They may either glue or tape the words in place.
2 syllable word cards.doc2-syllable Word Strips
Objective:
To assist children in recognizing syllables within words.
Description:
This activity consists of 14 cards, each containing 18 two-syllable words, gathered from high frequency word lists and second grade spelling programs, a total of 252 word strips. These have been color coded to reflect phonics concepts and syllable patterns. The cards can be printed on different colors of card stock (colors listed are not mandatory). The color coding can help teachers sort the words into teaching units.
Flash Card Words.docHigh Frequency Words Flash Cards
Objectives:
To assist children in mastering the spelling and reading of high frequency words.
To provide opportunities for children to work in pairs or small groups.
Description:
This activity includes 144 miniature flash cards with high frequency words children need for reading and spelling. The words have been arranged according to levels of difficulty. Green words include simple short-vowel spellings. Blue words include simple long vowel spellings. Black words include complex vowel patterns including vowel digraphs. Red words need to be learned by sight although there are patterns among them as could, would, should and do, to, who.
A record sheet is included so that teachers can note when a child has learned a word. Two record sheets may be kept for each child, one for reading recognition and the other for spelling mastery. Because children will sometimes recognize a word one day and not on another, there is space to record the child's mastery on five separate occasions.
Final silent e cards.docFinal Silent "e" Cards
Objective:
To assist students in recognizing how a final silent e changes the vowel pronunciation in words.
Description:
These cards include almost all the short vowel words that can be converted to long vowel words with the addition of a final e. There are seven cards with ten words each.
Print the sheets on 75 lb. or 110 lb. white card stock. Then turn them over and print the final e on the back of each card. Cut apart and fold as directed. Store in an appropriate container or large ziplock bag.
Color rimes.pdfColor Word Rimes
Objective:
As color words are presented, this chart can be used to create word families to expand the child's spelling and reading vocabulary.
Stile.docClimbing the Fence: Using a Stile to Teach Blending
Objective:
To assist children with blending consonants with vowels.
Description:
This activity is based on the ancient use of the hornbook. Children learn to say the sounds of the vowels, then work with a consonant sound to quickly blend the two together as they climb over a fence.
Number rimes.pdfNumber Word Rhymes
Objective:
As number words are presented, this chart can be used to create word families to expand the child's spelling and reading vocabulary.
SoundSymbolChart.pdfMini Sound/Symbol Chart
This chart appears on page 7 of The Spel-Lang Tree: Roots. It appears here so that you can print it and use it for tutoring or with small groups. Print on heavy card stock.
Personal Dictionary.docPersonal Word Book
Objective:
To allow the child to create his/her own word book for reference when doing creative writing.
Description:
There are 30pages, each topped with a letter of the alphabet plus the ch, sh, th, and wh digraphs, with high frequency words already listed. The children can add any special words needed for their creative writing.
The Spel-Lang Tree - Creative Coloring Concepts 2.pdfCreative Coloring Concepts
Objective:
These units are intended as purposeful seatwork for children while the teacher may be working with other groups. They can be given out in contract form, allowing for individual progression. They include 12 color words, coloring sheets, and dot to dot activities.
Warning:
The packets contain 12 pages of configuration activities. These are remnants from a time when configuration was thought of as a legitimate way to identify words. While I never really bought into that idea, I included them simply to call attention to the number of letters in a particular word, to help children be more aware of the upward and downward exteners in letters, and the mathematical concept of comparing shapes. If you find these pages offensive, simply delete them from your packets.
Assessments for Roots.docxAssessments for Roots
Assessments for Trunks.docxAssessments for Trunks
Seeds Text .pdfDecodable Text for Seeds