Well, I am so excited about Literacy Work Stations!  I am more than 1/2 way through the book–I have so many ideas, I have no idea where to start!  I decided to keep a legal pad next to me as I’m reading to jot notes in and write down things I need to do before school starts to get the Work Stations off and running!  I think my most favorite part is that I’ve only written down three things that I need to go buy (and I don’t really need them, but they will enhance what I’m doing), and the rest of the things I already have–that’s why I love this book so much, my hubby is enjoying it too-I’m not spending all our money on new things!  Here’s my list:

4 more mini pocket charts from Target

Glitter pencils from Target Dollar Spot

another hardware storage drawer system with 24 drawers

Total: under $30!

As I was reading the sections on Big Books, Writing Work Stations, ABC Work Stations, and Word Word Stations, the common theme was to have task cards so the children could have words to draw from (sight words) and find and use them in their Station work.  I decided to make it simple for myself (we have a list of 61 sight words the 1st grade teachers want our Kinder Kids to know).  Do I really want to sit and write the same words over and over again on index cards? NO!! It’s summer vacation!  So, I imported them into Word and made them into 2×4 inch sized labels, printed them out and stuck them on 3×5 index cards, punched a hole with my Crop-A-Dile (see below) and inserted a metal ring.  I have 10-15 more sets to make in varying sizes, but the first set is done!

The Kinder Kids will use them to make words with magnets, practice writing them, put them in ABC order, group them by syllable, sort by number of letters, trace them, write them in shaving cream, make them with playdough, use them for writing, find the words in Big Books, find the words in trade books in the Library Work Station, etc…

They are so easy to make, and I’m attaching the labels so you can print them out (Avery 8361 sized labels 2×4)  and some  pictures.

sightwordstickers08

Are they incredibly amazing? No, but I think my kids will learn the sight words more quickly by constantly having them in front of them and using them a variety of ways!

Kristen 🙂