Target Dollar Spot 2018: Opposite Puzzle Cards

I found many, many things that I *needed* from this year's Target Dollar Spot teacher supplies.  One of the things I picked up were these awesome Opposite Puzzle Cards.

I plan on using this in my Word Work stations this year.  I'm always on the lookout for ways to incorporate some grammar, so when I saw these I had to have them.

I bought 3 sets of them for $1 each.  Who can beat three dollars for a no-prep word work station? Done and done.

T E A C H E R  T I P:  The only thing I did was use a Sharpie marker to write numbers on the back.  I put all 1s on the back of one puzzle's pieces, 2s on the second puzzle, and 3s on the third.  This way, should a puzzle piece not be put away properly (happens ALL THE TIME), my students can easily identify which set the wayward piece belongs to.

Target Dollar Spot also had some alphabet/letter sound puzzles.  Go get these before they're gone!

Switch! Spelling Game

A month ago I decided I needed a new way for my students to practice spelling skills.  I wanted to create a game that was engaging, not only for the player whose turn it was, but for both players at all times.

You know what I'm talking about.  When two kids are playing a game and one of them isn't paying attention because it's not their turn.  They're looking around, disengaged, and definitely not learning.  Not with this game!

When I created Switch!, I made sure that both students would have a job to do no matter whose turn it was.  Here's how it works:

Player 1 spins and moves to the color they spin.  Then they perform a task.  Here's where Partner 2 plays a role because if  Player 1 spins "Write It" or "Spell It" Player 2 is drawing a Word Card for Player 1 and reading it to them.  Player 1 is either writing the word or spelling it verbally while Player 2 checks the spelling.  If they spin "Switch" the players reverse roles.  If the spinner lands on the blue question mark, Player 1 moves and follows directions on that space, which may include switching spaces on the game board with their partner.  That always gets their attention!

Also, I built in a reward for spelling words correctly: they get to move a bonus space.  So, no penalties for errors, but positive reinforcement for getting it right.  Boy, do my kids try hard to get it right!

When I introduced this game to my students, I did so in small groups.  It took several turns for them to learn the rules, but after that they flew!  Now I just place 3 sets of the games in my word work bins and they are able to play independently.

My students are loving this new game.  I am seeing a high level of engagement and improvement in their spelling skills, especially for the vowel teams and diphthongs we've been working on.  Each week, I print out a new set of word cards and I'm ready to go.

You can check out my Switch! game on TPT here. 


I hope your students love it as much as mine do.

A Teacher Tip for your Stations

Hi there!  Just a quick teacher tip that I thought I would share with you today...

Have you ever made multiples of a station or game with cut/laminated pieces?  I usually make 3 sets of each station/game so that I can have 3 sets of partners working on the same thing.  When I do that, there always seems to be those 1-2 cards that get left out at clean up time and then you don't know which set it belongs to.  Ugh!

Am I preaching to the teacher choir?  Can I get an amen at how frustrating that is?

I finally figured out, after a long time and many, many frustrations, to either print each set on different colored paper, OR, to simply use a Sharpie to label the back of each set with a number (i.e. set "1", "2", etc.).

 

Genius!  Now, when a card gets left out at clean up time, it's easy to figure out which bag it belongs to.  In fact, I've taught my 1st graders about this little trick and they know how to get any lost pieces back to their respectful bags all on their own.

Hope this little tip helps some of you in case you hadn't tried it.

Have an awesome day!