First Grade Word Work Center Activities

This word work resource for first grade includes lesson plans, printable activities for all year long, and kid-friendly directions!

This organized system will save you tons of time - and make sure students actually remember how to do each activity. First, teach students the core set of word work activities and games. Then, simply rotate in different versions of the activities (seasonal/holiday versions and other variations are included). This system creates a high level of consistency, but also allows for variety so that students don’t get bored!

For 6 of the core activities, have students bring word lists/cards to the center, and they can do the activity with their own words. Instant differentiation - without any additional prep work on your part!

The materials can be used alongside any phonics or word study program that you use. The resources can be used many different ways, such as during literacy centers, D5, a word study block, small groups, guided reading, or even whole group.

This resource is for you if you want to:

- Teach your students to stay on task with their word work 

- Get your students to practice reading and writing words through purposeful games and activities

- Create consistency, so that students don’t struggle to learn new instructions for every single word work activity

- Stop boredom and disengagement with a variety of flexible, fun materials

- Easily differentiate activities to meet a range of needs

- Give your students kid-friendly directions so they don’t forget what to do

- Have different options for holding students accountable

- Get organized with a schedule for introducing materials throughout the year

- Stop spending hours searching for word work activities - and have everything you need in one place! 

This resource may not be for you if:

- You need a complete phonics program or word lists. 

- You only want students to work independently at the word work center. 

Here’s what’s included:

- 5 lesson plans to teach procedures and routines for the word work center

- An editable schedule you can use to plan your word work activities throughout the year

- A core set of printable activities (listed below), with variations for the activities + lesson plans to introduce each activity + kid-friendly directions cards 

- A set of “Foundational Skills” activities designed to help struggling students practice the basics (like letter sound knowledge)

- 950 total pages of materials (carefully organized into separate, smaller files, with an instructions video and photos)

Activities:

- Word Making Practice: includes a template (and 2 variations) for having students make words with magnetic letters, letter tiles, stamps, etc.

- Word and Picture Sorts: 27 picture sorts are included, plus different activities for having students sort words (the actual word sorts are NOT included, since this resource is designed to be used with word lists you already have)

- Move and Match Game: a game that can be played with any words you want students to work on; includes 12 different themes, including holiday and seasonal

- Spell and Pull Game: a game that can be played with any words you want students to work on; includes 12 different themes, including holiday and seasonal

- Fill It Up Game: a game that can be played with any words you want students to work on; includes 12 different themes, including holiday and seasonal

- Spelling Race Game: a game that can be played with any words you want students to work on; includes 12 different themes, including holiday and seasonal

- Spin and Find Game: a game that can be played with any words you want students to work on; includes 12 different themes, including holiday and seasonal

- Word-Making Spinners and Cubes: 34 different sets of spinners and cubes, designed to have students practice a variety of skills, including word families, blends and digraphs, r-controlled vowels, and long vowels

- Word Hunts: 32 different no-prep sheets that give students instructions for finding different types of words in the context of real text

- Student (or Teacher) Created Games: materials for having students create their own Memory, Boom!, Bingo, or board games with the words they are practicing

- Sound Box Spelling Cards: 50 pages of printable spelling cards to have students practice spelling CVC words, initial blends and digraphs, CVCe words, final blends and digraphs, r-controlled vowels, and vowel teams

- Foundational Skills Activities: 10 different activities to give lower students practice with beginning sounds, ending sounds, medial vowels, and digraphs

Looking for more literacy center activities for First Grade? Read about my complete literacy centers bundle for First Grade HERE!

Please contact Alison at Alison@LearningAtThePrimaryPond.com if you have any questions about the materials!

Total Pages: 950 pages