Sight Word Organization and a FREEBIE!

I don't know about you, but I am ALWAYS looking for better way to organize and manage things in my classroom so that things run smoothly! 

I wanted to share with you how sight words work in my classroom. I have been doing this system for a few years now and I LOVE it! (Just as a side note...I cannot take credit for everything you are about to see. I have picked up things here and there from co-workers and friends and combined it all to make a system that works for me)

Every week our firsties have 10 spelling words. 4 of them are sight words and the others are word family words.

I put the sight word cards for each week in an envelope. Each envelope has the week number, week date, and a list of the 4 sight words. We focus on 1 word per day. After the spelling test, the words are then put up on the word wall. Then...

The empty envelope is put in at the back of my sight word box. Then the envelope for next week is at the front, ready to go! 

Our students are expected to spell AND read the sightwords by the end of the week. 

I made flashcards for each word and put them all in a coupon binder, separate by weeks. 

I have all of my flashcards organized for the entire year and in a basket. 

This is the check off list for all of the sight words. There is a spot to check off whether they can read the sight word as well as spell it. I have 1 of these printed off for each student and put into a 3 ring binder. 

Here is a closer view (*Note: Weeks 1&2 have more than 4 sight words...this is because these are words they should have learned in Kindergarten.)

Every Friday, I have a parent volunteer (usually my room mom) come in to have the kids pass off their sight words for the week. She grabs my binder (which contains their check-off sheets) and the 4 flashcards for the week. She then pulls the kids back one by one to see which words they know how to read. If they can read it, she crosses the word off. If they can't, she just leaves it blank so I know which words they still need to practice. I look at their spelling tests to mark off which ones they can spell. 

The sight words they can read are also marked off onto this paper. This one stays in their homework folder. This way, the parents know which words to have their child practice at home. 

And....now time for a FREEBIE! I am in the process of making an AWESOME sight word packet. Here is a little sneak preview! (Click on the picture below to download)

These are activities your parents volunteer can do with your students on a moments notice! There is NO prep for this... all they need this Sight Word Practice paper and flashcards! 

I hope everything in this post makes sense. If you have ANY questions whatsoever, PLEASE let me know and I will be happy to clarify! 

xoxo,

Jackie