Word Family Workbook

In our class, literacy stations are a very important part of our routine. One of our stations is always focused on word families. I found this quote I wanted to share with you, this is why I believe it is so important to have one center focused on word families.

"Research shows that strong readers are able to decode new words by comparing them to known words rather than by sounding them out letter by letter. The best way to separate between good and poor readers is repeatedly found to be their knowledge of spelling patterns and their proficiency with spelling-sound translations. That is why reading lessons that include phonograms, also called word families and chunks, are a highly effective way to help young children acquire and implement these kinds of reading skills and strategies."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/441165

I have been working on updating my Word Family station to make it less work for me. I decided to make a workbook that students will use throughout the entire year so all I will have to do is change the poster hanging at that station.

Here is a look at what the word family station looks like in our class: 

(Important Note: We do Literacy Stations 3 times/week)

 At the station I hang a "poster" with most of the words from that family. (We call it a poster, it is a normal size page, I can't afford to make these all poster size)

Day 1: Students practice reading the words from the poster and then they use their workbook to color the picture that goes with the family. They are given a list of real/nonsense words. Students read, cut, sort and glue the real words onto their picture. 

Day 2: Student practice reading the words from the poster then get their workbook out. Today students will write sentences for the words in the focus family. I vary the amount of sentences students need to write depending on where we are in the school year.

Day 3: Students finish their workbook if needed. Students read their sentences to a friend then they can play the word family game. My word family games vary each week sometimes they play word family tic-tac-toe, BANG, build the words with magnets, write the words with whiteboards, you get the idea. 

So I just posted the long and short a word families. I included the posters and work book pages for the following families: -at, -ab, -ad, -am, -ap, -ag, -an, -ack, -and, -all, -ay, -ail, -ake, -ame, -ar, -art, -ash, and -ate! 

Yep, that is 18 families! WHEW!

AND

I just posted the long and short e word families. I included the posters and work book pages for the following families: -et, -ed, -en, -ew, -est, -ell, -end, -eck, -eat, and -eck!

I am starting the long and short i family next. Stop by my store to check out this packet and if you think of any short or long families I missed let me know and I would be more than happy to add them :)