Well, in case you didn’t know . . . it’s November.
I’m just as surprised as you are. I’m also super happy about the extra hour we are going to get this weekend. I think I’m going to use it to SLEEP. Or eat. Either one.
Now that it’s November, we’ve got one trimester under our belts. WOW.
And while I have an amazing class (I really do! 🥳), the majority of my first graders are at the beginning of their reading journey.
In fact, a few of my kids are still working on letters and sounds.
Which means, a couple of weeks ago, when I played the Phonics Blends Game with a couple of reading groups at the teacher table, my group working on letters and sounds wanted to play it, too.
Of course they did!
I mean, don’t you want to play?! I love these games so much because in order to play, the students have to READ the words to determine where to move their playing piece on the game board.
In other words, my group working on letters and sounds couldn’t play this game. And I felt SO BAD. Like, seriously, I felt awful.
Tell me I’m not the only one who goes home and feels like a terrible teacher because you weren’t able to differentiate for your learners.
Or maybe it’s because you weren’t able to find your keys after lunch so your whole class was stuck outside the classroom in the unseasonably hot weather while you searched and searched your pockets and your work basket . . . and eventually, your principal had to let you in your own classroom. And, as soon as you got inside the air conditioning, you found your keys in the basket. They had been in the basket the whole darn time.
Oh. Only me?
ANYWHO . . .
I created a Beginning Sounds Game just for my sweet little Sounds Group. Because they deserve it and it makes great practice!
Oh my goodness – they were SO EXCITED!
In order to play the Beginning Sounds game, students have to recognize and identify the letter on the card, and then move their playing piece to the first picture on the board that has the corresponding beginning sound.
My kids LOVED LOVED LOVED this game! This particular game focuses on four letters (A, M, S, T) and has lots of DIFFERENT pictures for matching the beginning sounds. I swear, it felt like my kids “graduated” from this game really quickly so I had to make another one.
Next thing I knew, I created ten different game boards.
And I didn’t stop there.
Because guess what? Eventually, we will need to work on our ending sounds, and our middle sounds, as well!!
So VOILA!
Now I feel like I’m able to provide fun learning games for ALL of my learners no matter where they are in their reading journey!
But I do have to warn you.
Now, whenever ANY of my kids come to the teacher table for reading groups, they beg to play one of these games.
And when I say we’re going to read first . . . well, let’s just say I’ve taught them to say HOORAY.
Otherwise, NO GAME.
I’m super mean like that.
😉