I love Read to Self.
I love Read to Someone (most of the time).
I love Work on Writing (we write about what we read).
I do not love Word Work.
When I taught first grade, I loved word work. The stations worked well for their short attention spans, gave a break to their stamina building. I also hadn't read The Book Whisperer and renewed my passion to have kids read read read! 2nd and 3rd graders are choosing word work because writing words with marker is fun and playing with magnet letters is fun. Apparently some of them have yet to figure out that reading is more fun! So I make word work boring. I don't want them to choose word work. I want them to chose to read. Right now, our word work is based on vocabulary. Each week we have six words. Students define the word, draw a picture of the word, and use the word in a sentence. It is the same routine from week to week (which means I don't have to spend hours putting together word work activities)
During the summer a Daily 5 Book Study was going on. Check out Best Practices 4 Teaching and Fabulously First who were hosts for the word work portion of the book. It's a blog hop too...so lots of other bloggers added their thoughts.
If you are doing Daily 5 and incorporating Word Work, what are you doing?
Happy Saturday,
I'm just starting Word Work this week, and I'm worried about the same thing! I feel like I've got my kids really loving reading, for the most part- and I'm nervous that adding in Word Work will make them suddenly forget about that. I hope someone posts some tips for still allowing choice but making word work as 'fun' as reading!
ReplyDeleteJenny
Luckeyfrog's Lilypad
Hi Laurie! :) I feel your pain!!! This year, I'm working from this sound study/word study book I made (you can get all the cards for free on TPT!). I'm going to have my kiddos log words all year during lessons, and always bring that book to word work. One of the tasks will be going through the books in their book boxes and cataloging words that fit the weekly pattern. That way the words become relevant to them. I have also thought about using some dice or cards to have them build words with the weekly pattern (which they will also have to log in their book).
ReplyDeleteI'm excited about the book because my kiddos who struggle with certain sound/word patterns can be instructed to work only on those words from their book.
It's not completely figured out, but I'm happy to share as I go! I think it's going to be a good start!
Kate
Second Grade Sparkle
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAh! I misspelled *cataloguing! Looks like I need some word work!!
ReplyDeleteI did learn that word work shouldn't be longer than 10 minutes. After 10 minutes they can work on writing or read to self. I use my Spelling and Word Work Packets on tpt. Basically rainbow writing, sand writing, roll and write, etc.
ReplyDeleteMy students are 4th/5th graders. I want to do some Spelling, Grammar, root/prefixes/suffixes for word work. I have not exactly decided what kinds of activities I want to do though. I might just introduce words/skills and have them apply them to their writing or use some sort of menu. I need to figure out a plan today though.
ReplyDelete~April Walker
The Idea Backpack
Come on over and linkup your technology tips post and enter my giveaway!
Thanks for the Word Work idea! I was wondering how to introduce Word Work to my students. I like that you use your vocab words (we have 10 a week from our StoryTown series) in WW.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Erin
http://adventuresinthirdgrade-brown.blogspot.com/
Word work is my least favorite part of Daily 5. I must be really bad at it, because my kids choose the others over it all the time. :)
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First