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We all know how important it is to teach sight words — those high-frequency words that pop up constantly in texts. Being able to recognize them instantly makes a huge difference in reading fluency. Sight words don’t always follow regular phonetic rules, so sounding them out can be tricky for beginners. Although high frequency sight words are key to developing reading fluency, practicing them can get repetitive and kids can lose interest in studying them.  Why It’s So Important to Teach Sight WordsSight words are everywhere in the texts we read, and being able to recognize them on sight allows students to read smoothly without getting bogged down by decoding. This fluency frees up their minds to focus on the story and meaning, which is the real goal of reading. By making sight word practice fun and seasonal, we’re not only building reading fluency but also helping kids see reading as something enjoyable and achievable. That confidence boost goes a long way!  Why Small Groups Matter for Sight Word MasteryLet's face it, not everyone is ready to learn the same things at the same time. The wide range of abilities and readiness in classes these days makes small group instruction necessary if we want our students to be successful in their learning. Small group instruction lets you tailor sight word activities to individual students’ needs, providing ample practice with the support of the teacher and peers. Small groups also create a safe space where they feel more comfortable participating, making mistakes, and trying new strategies for learning. While they play sight word games, you can provide real-time feedback, correct misconceptions, and offer hints to guide them towards the correct answer. This also helps them practice self-correction—a valuable skill in reading development.  Small Group Games: Making Practice Fun and InteractiveGames naturally engage kids and make repetitive practice feel fresh and exciting. Sight word games can be customized to target the specific sight words each child needs to practice. Small group games allow children to participate actively, supporting each other and benefiting from guided feedback. Here are some different games and activities that can engage them and keep them learning.  Sight Word Bingo with Various ThemesBingo is a classroom classic, and switching things up with various themes can keep it feeling fresh. I use 220 High-Frequency Sight Words Bingo Cards and 95 Common Nouns Sight Word Bingo Cards and add in different themed cards that I’ve created. The kids love it! They stay engaged while practicing those essential sight words that will help them read more fluidly. I’m not changing the words, just the visuals, so the game feels new without needing extra prep time. Plus, as they recognize these words faster, their reading confidence grows, and they’re better prepared to tackle new texts independently.  Memory Match With a TwistMemory Match is another simple game that’s great for reinforcing sight words in small groups. I just switch up the images to match the time of year or theme—pumpkin pie cards in the fall, winter sports, valentines or groundhogs in February, animals, planets, etc. The words stay consistent, but the themed visuals keep the kids’ attention. They’re practicing the same high-frequency words over and over in a way that feels new. This consistency is what helps them recognize these words instantly, which really pays off when they encounter them in books or lessons. I make 2 sets of the words to play the match game and choose different sets of words to practice based on the needs of the students.  Pairing Sight Words with Actions: Kinesthetic LearningFor students who benefit from movement, adding physical activity to sight word practice can help solidify word recognition. Sight Word Hopscotch Tape or write sight words on the floor, creating a hopscotch path. As students hop through, they read each word aloud. This game can be adapted for different sight word lists, whether focusing on high-frequency words or common nouns. It's a fantastic way to incorporate a movement break while practicing reading skills. Swat the Word for Extra Movement For those high-energy days, try Swat The Word. Spread themed sight word cards on the table or wall, hand out flyswatters, and call out words for the kids to “swat.” Whether they’re swatting groundhogs in February or sports in May, they’re practicing those sight words without even realizing it. It’s hands-on, keeps them engaged, and gives them a break from sitting still while they focus on their sight words.  Why Themed Sight Word Practice WorksKeeping the same set of words while switching up visuals works wonders. The new visuals keep it fresh, and kids build that solid sight word base without getting bored. Each time they see those words with different images, it reinforces their recognition—plus, they get to try out a new theme. If you’re looking to keep sight word practice fun and effective all year, I have a bunch of themed resources in my store’s sight word category. Here's a sampler of my construction kids sight word games for you to try out. You can check out the full set here.   Whether you’re trying out Sight Word Bingo or playing Hopscotch in the classroom, the goal is to create a fun, supportive environment where students can build confidence and fluency with sight words. With the right tools and activities, sight word recognition becomes less of a challenge and more of an adventure! Here’s to helping our students become confident readers! 🎉   Related Posts
🎄December is just around the corner, bringing all the excitement (and a bit of chaos!) that comes with the holiday season. For many primary teachers, this time of year is filled with anticipation, energy, and lots of opportunities to get creative with learning. It’s a wonderful chance to integrate some festive themes while keeping your students engaged and learning.❄️  To make things a bit easier during this busy time, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite resources that combine learning with holiday fun. These activities are designed to keep your students’ minds active and engaged—even when they have sugar plums dancing in their heads! Read on to find the perfect activities for your classroom this season. 🎅 Christmas Vocabulary Games and Writing Activities BundleTurn the holiday excitement into a learning opportunity with these festive vocabulary games and writing activities! This bundle includes a variety of games and writing prompts that encourage your students to practice key language skills while embracing the holiday spirit. It’s perfect for adding a bit of festive fun to your language arts lessons.  🎁 Christmas Writing Using The Five SensesHelp your students become more descriptive writers with this Christmas-themed five senses writing guide. It’s designed to inspire creative thinking while teaching the important skill of using sensory details in their writing. Your students will learn how to "paint a picture" with their words, making their Christmas poems come to life—perfect for those winter writing sessions!  ❄️ Winter Word Work Activities: Vocabulary and Games BundleKeep your students’ vocabulary skills sharp throughout the winter season with this bundle of fun, hands-on activities! This resource is packed with games and exercises that make word practice feel like play. It’s an ideal way to keep students engaged in learning during those colder months when indoor activities are a must.  📚 Winter Guided Reading & Novel Study BundleWinter is a great time to dive into guided reading and novel study activities, and this bundle has everything you need to make reading time a highlight of the season. It’s filled with activities that keep students engaged with their reading while improving comprehension skills. Whether you're reading together or working through individual books, this bundle makes reading a cozy, rewarding experience for all.  🎉 January & February Celebrations: Math and Language Games & Activities BundleIt’s never too early to plan for the new year! This bundle is packed with activities that celebrate January and February events while reinforcing essential skills. With themed math and language games, you’ll have engaging lessons ready for those winter days when students need a little extra motivation to stay on task. Plus, it’s a great way to seamlessly transition from holiday excitement into a productive new year.  I hope these resources help make the transition into December and winter a little brighter and more manageable for you and your students! Happy teaching, and enjoy this magical time of year with your class. May your winter days be filled with learning, laughter, and lots of cozy moments! 🎄  Related Posts
Glyphs are a fun and creative way to collect data in the classroom while engaging students in math and critical thinking. They allow students to visually represent information about themselves or a specific topic, then use these representations for data analysis, comparison, and graphing. If you’re looking for an interactive, hands-on approach to teaching data collection and interpretation, glyphs are a fantastic option.  What Is a Glyph?A glyph is a simple picture or symbol that students create by following a set of directions based on their personal preferences, experiences, or answers to specific questions. Each aspect of the glyph represents different data points. For example, in a pumpkin glyph, a student’s choice of pumpkin shape, stem color, or facial expression may reflect their preferences for different topics, their favorite activities, characteristics, or even survey results about the class.  Collecting Data with GlyphsData collection with glyphs is both straightforward and engaging. Begin by designing a set of questions or prompts, where each student’s answer corresponds to a part of the glyph. For example, in my 'Pumpkin Glyphs resource, students might choose different colored stems to represent if they are left or right handed or different shaped eyes based on the color of their eyes. The result is a unique pumpkin glyph for each student, where each detail represents a piece of information about them. This process turns a typical survey into a creative activity, allowing students to express themselves while generating real, usable data.  Comparing DataOnce students have completed their glyphs, you can begin comparing data across the class. Display the pumpkin glyphs on the board and have students identify similarities and differences in their glyphs based on specific criteria. For instance, students can compare how many chose the same eye shapes, indicating they share the same characteristic. This promotes discussion about similarities and differences, helping students recognize patterns and analyze group data. In a more structured comparison, you can sort the glyphs into categories. For example, in the 'Pumpkin Glyphs activity, students might group all the pumpkins with round eyes together, then count and compare them to those with triangle eyes. This visual sorting activity can easily lead into creating graphs to represent the data.  Graphing Glyph DataGlyphs naturally lend themselves to graphing activities. After comparing their glyphs, students can create bar graphs, pictographs, or tally charts to represent the data they’ve gathered. For instance, in my pumpkin-themed activity, after sorting by eye shape, students could create a bar graph showing how many students chose each type of eye. This helps students connect the abstract idea of data collection to a visual representation, reinforcing both their graphing skills and their understanding of data. You can extend the graphing activity by asking follow-up questions: "What is the most common pumpkin shape in the class?" or "How many more students chose green stems than brown?" These kinds of questions challenge students to interpret the graph and make inferences based on the data. Cross-Curricular ConnectionsGlyphs are a great tool for cross-curricular learning. While primarily a math-focused activity, glyphs can also tie into literacy and social studies. You can create glyphs based on books the class has read, social topics like traditions or holidays, or even science topics such as weather preferences. This provides a meaningful way to integrate data collection and graphing with other subjects.  Here is step by step guide and templates for using glyphs in your classroom.  This baby block glyph was a favorite of mine for student led conferences because it gave the parents and kids a chance to talk about when the kids were babies. Afterwards the class looked at the glyphs and made comparisons and connections.  Using glyphs for data collection, comparisons, and graphing is an exciting way to help students understand the power of data in a visual and engaging manner. The best part is that glyphs provide students with a hands-on, artistic way to express themselves while practicing important math skills like data sorting, comparison, and graph creation.  If you're interested in implementing glyphs in your classroom, check out my Glyphs Bundle in my Teachers Pay Teachers store to add a creative twist to your data lessons. Happy teaching! Related Posts
As the seasons change and holidays approach, it’s a great time to bring a festive twist into your math lessons! Combining holiday themes with essential number sense activities can not only engage students but also reinforce key concepts like addition, subtraction, and understanding place value. Whether it's pumpkins, turkeys, snowflakes, or holiday lights, adding seasonal elements to math practice brings excitement to the classroom while helping young learners build strong foundational skills.  Interactive Games for Building Number SenseHoliday-themed number sense games provide opportunities for active learning. Here are a few ideas that combine math skills with a festive flair: Pumpkin Patch Addition & Subtraction Create a “pumpkin patch” on a bulletin board where each pumpkin has a number. Students can pick two pumpkins and add or subtract the numbers, recording their equations. For more advanced students, include fact families, so they can create four related equations (e.g., 8 + 2 = 10, 2 + 8 = 10, 10 - 2 = 8, 10 - 8 = 2). Holiday Lights Place Value Challenge Use cutouts of holiday lights to represent different place values. For example, red lights can represent ones, green lights tens, and yellow lights hundreds. Have students string together different lights to form numbers, then challenge them to write the number in standard notation, expanded form, and as a written number word. This activity reinforces place value while giving a festive touch to understanding how numbers are composed.  Turkey Feathers Fact Families Create turkey templates with blank feathers. Each student writes a different number sentence (addition or subtraction) on each feather, forming a complete fact family. For example, if the turkey’s body has the number 12, the feathers might include 7 + 5, 5 + 7, 12 - 7, and 12 - 5. This activity emphasizes the relationships between addition and subtraction while allowing students to get creative with holiday-themed crafts. Snowflake Math: Representing Numbers in Multiple Ways Cut out snowflakes with numbers written on them. Students work in groups to represent the number in multiple ways: using base ten blocks, expanded notation, standard notation, and written as a word. You could turn this into a collaborative competition where each group works to correctly finish their snowflake representations the fastest.  Exploring Basic Facts with Fun ThemesHolidays are a perfect opportunity to strengthen students’ understanding of basic facts for addition and subtraction. Here are a few activities to try: Fall Fact Family Sorting Provide sets of cards with different number sentences (e.g., 4 + 3 = 7, 7 - 4 = 3). Have students work in pairs or small groups to sort the cards into fact families. Incorporating fall visuals, like acorns, leaves, or apples, helps make this more engaging. Holiday-Themed Flashcards Decorate flashcards with holiday symbols like snowmen, presents, or wreaths and use them for addition and subtraction practice. Students can work in pairs or small groups, quizzing each other on quick recall of math facts while getting in the holiday spirit.  Winter Wonderland: Number Matching Games Turn number matching into a wintery game! Prepare cards with numbers represented in different ways—base ten form, written words, expanded form, and standard notation. Students can race to match the cards or play a memory game where they flip cards over to find pairs that represent the same number. Representing Numbers in Various FormsUnderstanding how numbers can be represented in different ways is essential for young learners. By integrating these activities with a holiday theme, students are more motivated to explore numbers.  Gingerbread House Place Value Sort Create gingerbread house templates where each house has different "rooms" for ones, tens, and hundreds. Provide a set of number cards, and have students place the cards into the appropriate rooms to match the place value. This visual aid helps them better understand how numbers are built. Winter Base Ten Block Challenge Use base ten blocks with winter themes, such as snowflakes for ones, snowmen for tens, and igloos for hundreds. Students can draw cards with numbers, then use the blocks to represent the number in base ten form. Challenge them to write the number in expanded notation and standard form as well. Festive Expanded Notation Race On holiday-themed cards (like presents or ornaments), write numbers such as 345 or 218. Students race to represent the numbers in expanded form (e.g., 300 + 40 + 5 for 345). This activity helps reinforce understanding of place value while keeping it fun and seasonal.  Using holiday themes in your math lessons not only adds excitement to learning but also strengthens students' number sense and math fact fluency. Whether it’s through hands-on games, collaborative group activities, or interactive challenges, these festive number sense activities are sure to help your students develop a deep understanding of key math concepts, all while enjoying the seasonal spirit.  Base ten blocks are great for visually representing numbers. Here is a set of blocks that you can print out, laminate, and cut out to carry with you when you don't have the real blocks.  As you plan your lessons this fall and winter, consider how you can incorporate basic addition, subtraction, and place value activities into your holiday-themed instruction. You’ll keep students engaged and set them up for success in mastering foundational math skills!  Related Posts
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About Me Charlene Sequeira
I am a wife, mother of 4, grandmother of 9, and a retired primary and music teacher. I love working with kids and continue to volunteer at school and teach ukulele. 
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