Making Words & Word Work

I try and give my students the opportunity to "build words" in some capacity every single day.  One of the most fun and engaging ways I've found to do that is through a simple "Making Words" activity.    Each student receives one sheet of paper that has letters to cut out.  Students manipulate the letters to create real words, and they list them on their original sheet of paper.  I've created a pack of 31 Making Words printables that can be used throughout the year!

When to use Making Words activities...

1.  Morning Work/Bell Ringer

2.  ELA stations

3.  WORD WORK center

4.  Partner activity

5.  While the teacher sets up for the party or next activity  :)  

Students will work on a variety of skills as they are building words...Word families, phonics, phonological awareness, spelling, sight words, etc.   Before having students begin this activity, it is very important to DEMONSTRATE and MODEL how to build words.  Scaffold students' learning by thinking aloud and showing students your thought process while making words on your classroom Smart board or projector.  

{Please note...Answer keys are not included in this product because every child will create a different list of words.}  Here are a few examples:

Suggestions:

1.  Give students a snack baggie to store their letters incase they do not finish the activity.

2.  Have students work individually or in teams of two.  

3.  If you have a competitive group, add a timer to the equation!  My students are always motivated to beat the clock.  Have older students compete to create the longest word, the most words, or even the most unique word...Something NOBODY else in the class thought of.  

4.  If your students sit at a table, print the Making Words activities on different colored paper so the kiddos' letters will not get mixed up.

5.  As time passes, give students a hint.  "Can you make a word that means..."  "Can you make a word from the word wall?"  "Can you make one of our weekly spelling words?"

6.  For older students, you can assign point values for different size words like in Boggle.  (3 letter word equals 3 points, 4 letter word equals 4 points, etc.)

7.  Use blank spaces for "wild" letters.

8.  When students get stumped, have them share a word with a friend or trade 3 of their letters with a friend so they can build and create even more words.  

I hope your students will love Making Words as much as my students always have!  Leave a comment below (AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS), and I'll send this Making Words Printable Pack to a few lucky winners.  :)