How Do You Change Out Choices?
Where Do You Get Your Words?
Scaffolding Students
Our Favorites Word Work Choices

Differentiating Word Work
In addition to different words, many of our word work choices are also leveled. Within each container, I keep colored folders for my three different ability groups – below, at, and above grade level. Students know to pull the papers or recording sheets from their colored folder. This is a really simple way to make sure everyone is getting just what they need and what they are ready for!
Sentence Unscramble
Sound Sorts
Now that we’re learning about long vowels and vowel teams, we spend a little time each week sorting sounds we see and hear. This is wonderful phonics practice and I love that all my friends (regardless of level) get just-right phonics practice.
Going Digital with Word Sorts

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I love your post! How do you use the Super sentences & are you considering making a pack in your store with some of these items? Where do you get the items in your leveled folders from?
Thanks so much for sharing! Chris
Hi Chris! Thank you so much. It's always nice to see how others run their reading block. I'm hoping to have some Word Work resources up in the next few weeks. In terms of the leveled folders, a lot of it I make or resources from Reading Street. In the picture above, the activities are actually from Versatiles – which my 1st graders love!
You only allow 3 students at a time at the word work center? Do you have a very small class? My class loves the stamp your words center, Stikki Wikki, BANG (using spelling words), writing words with red and blue markers(vowels in red and consonants in blue). You have some great ideas! I can't wait to see more installments!
Hello! I have a normal-sized 1st grade class (23) but they are pretty talkative. I try to keep my rotations pretty small. If a student really needs to visit Word Work, I'll allow a 4th, but otherwise friends can visit every other day. It works for us! 🙂
Do you have your word work activities on TpT? I like the super sentences and pyramid activity.
Hi Hollie! It's a work in progress. Make sure to follow my TpT store, so you can be notified when I add my Word Work resources. 🙂
Hi Hollie! I just put the finishing touches on the Work Work pack. You can find it here – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Word-Work-Centers-Visual-Directions-1936033
Miss you not being a fifth grade teacher but I have "borrowed" many of your ideas and bulletin boards. My question is–where did you get the containers that are holding all of your activities?
Thanks,
Karen
I stocked up when the lidded Sterilite boxes were available all summer at Big Lots in various sizes (they may still be there), and I usually see them in stock at Target. I've seen the latches in blue, green, and purple.
You are SO organized!! It inspires me! I love your visual directions with the pictures and examples! That is such a fabulous idea! I never got around to finalizing my plastic boxes like yours… that may have to be a goal for next year! 🙂
You're too sweet, Molly! Thank you so much. 🙂 Organization calms my soul and makes 'my' classroom mine. It's amazing how quickly my 1st graders have learned to make sure it stays 'just-right.' 😉
This is a great post, and I can easily adapt this for my fourth grade Daily 3. I was just wondering if you had a system for whose turn it is for word study. Right now, I assign times, but I would love to move to more of a choice.
Thank you!
Mary
Fit to be Fourth
I am curious where you get your 3 levels for Reading Street word work. Thinking blue are amazing words, yellow are spelling words, and green…? Thanks so much for all of your detailed posts, especially those related to Reading Street. I am following your TpT store and anxious for more differentiated products.
Hi Melissa! For green I mostly use the week's must-know/high frequency words. I use 8 words for week, so often I will 'add-in' a word or two that spiral review from an earlier week! 🙂
Hi Melissa! I just put the finishing touches on these Word Work activities. You can snag them here – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Word-Work-Centers-Visual-Directions-1936033
Is there a way to easily print out these three sets of lists? I know how to download the amazing and high frequency words per week with the pdf, but not sure on the spelling. I'm sure I'm just missing something.
What are versatiles?
I’m going to try to use leveled sight words (pre-primer/primer for my lower kiddos, 1st grade for mhy on level, and 2nd/3rd for my above) and then words with our weekly phonics focus (one syllable for my lowers, more blends for my on level, and mutli-syllable words for my higher kiddos), but I wanted to know how many words you use in each set? And how often do you change out your words? Weekly?
Hi Lindsay! We focus on 6 words a week. 🙂
Where did you purchase your clear boxes for centers? I’ve seen similar Sterilite containers that are slightly larger (15×11, I think) at Walmart for $3.88 and found these exact ones in a six pack on Amazon for $23. I was just curious if you found them cheaper anywhere else. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Hello! I’ve written about these boxes and where I get them in this post: http://brownbagteacher.com/classroom-storage-container/
You are amazing! I just discovered your blog and I am jumping with joy over the wealth of information. Thanks for helping me get my word work on track. This is a fantastic blog!
i want do 1ST GRADE WORD WORK