Short Vowel Fluency

I just finished the short vowel fluency unit that I'm going to use to start my year next year with my first graders.  Since I'll have a combo I'll start long vowels with my second graders.  I love the way this unit turned out and below are a few pages from the unit.  The unit combines phonics, fluency, and common core language skills.  I'm going to use these units as focus lessons for phonics, but also as work work and a work on writing option for daily 5.  If interested check out the link below to find the entire unit on TPT. 

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Short-Vowel-Fluency-Word-Work-Unit-Differentiated-1293951

Phonics Through fluency

So I tried a few new things with phonics last year, and I think it worked out really well.  I needed to add more fluency practice into my day and I did not know where to put it.  So, I thought of phonics.  After introducing the phonics of the week and sorting words by phonics chunk, nouns/verbs, singular/plural  etc... I decided to add fluency to the mix.  I wrote passages that had the chunk that we were studying.  I wrote several versions with the chunk inside so that the kids would have 4 new passages a week (Friday was review/test day).  I also wrote 2  versions of each passage (one at a lower level and one at a higher level).  I wanted the kids to have as many opportunities with the words as possible.  During word work (Daily 5 time) later they would also have the opportunity to find the phonics chunks in texts.  I also was having a hard time fitting sight word practice into the day.  So I had the kids sort out the phonics chunk and pull out and sort sight words.  This latter part, the sight words, gave me more than I bargained for.  Since the kids were reading the passage, pulling out the sight words, and writing the sight words daily they became SUPER at writing and reading those sight words, and I loved that it was all in the context of a story.  We added other things like phonics games in word work Daily 5, but for the most part the fluency routine and sorts were the bulk of it.  This class I had did remarkable on our end of the year fluency and I think teaching phonics this way was part of it.  If interested I added some links to the units on TPT.  I just bundled the long vowel units in 2 versions (1 just a few no prep games/centers and 1 with a large variety of centers/games).  I'm going to write units for the short vowels this summer so I can start my year with it.  Below is one story from the oo unit that one of my students highlighted.  They then wrote the words in the sort.  I like the written sorts because it really helps them with their fine motor and writing fluency.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Long-Vowels-Word-Work-Fluency-No-Prep-Bundle-Differentiated-1285834

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Long-Vowels-Word-Work-Fluency-Pack-Bundle-Differentiated-1258823

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/oo-Word-Work-Unit-Differentiated-1201784

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Oi-and-Oy-Word-Work-Differentiated-1178301

New Beginnings

Well, after 18 years in the same classroom I've not only moved classrooms, but I've moved schools.  I'm excited and nervous, but also a little sad because I'm leaving behind a whole history of families and lovely people I've come to know.  Change is good (and quite a bit of work), but I'm so thankful for my sweet daughter who has patiently helped me unpack boxes, sort and resort books, and to my whole family who has listened to me ask whether I should do a black and white polka dot or chevron striped accents (my husband and son looked at me like I was from another planet) and traveled to many Dollar Tree stores to find storage bins.  I'm also thankful for my team partners, new and old.  You know you have a true friend when she offers to go pick fabric out with you for your walls.   I'm excited and feeling blessed!!!!