Differentiation Ideas #1.... Making Words

Do you ever feel like administrators and the state is saying- "You need to differentiate- hit every learner" and you're thinking- should I just move my bed into school because I'll need to live here to get it all done!

Well, I am going to be blogging you ideas of how to differentiate for all learners, but not take loads of time.  Yippee!!

The first center I use every week is called Making Words.  I use a product from Carson-Dellosa.

There are over 36 lessons in this product- each building on the next.  The lessons start out with more "clues" (on the right-hand side) and then progressively get harder vowels/combinations etc.  What I really like about the product is each page has letters at the top that the kids can cut apart and manipulate, but then do not have to keep for the next lesson (Which is huge with 6-7 year olds!).

I start out the year by teaching the students how to use the page.  Truly the right side helps the left.  I wish the sides were actually reversed, but I don't have to create something and the bones are strong, so I use it.  :)  Have the students make the "clue" and then play with the letters to make a word and fill in the blank.  Then write the word on the left side.  After we complete these together for 2-3 weeks, I let most complete independently and pull the kids who are continuing to struggle to my reading table and we complete it back there.

As you move into classroom independence, I start leveling the page.  I will go through 4 examples that I have used so you can see easy differentiation without a ton of prep.  I then label names on a folder and put the correlated sheets inside.  Done!

The first example is for the average student (1st grade).  I haven't made any modifications.  The kids cut the letters off the top to manipulate and I call the right side the "clue" side.  They need to make the clue (ex. ___ in) and then use the remaining letters to come up with a word.

The next example is for above average students.  I take clues away.  They still have to use the same letters at the top.  They just have to be able to manipulate more letters to come up with true words.  Do you need higher still?  Have them pick 1-3 words and make vocabulary words on the back.  (Ex. 1.  Noun? Verb? Adjective?  2.  Use in a sentence  3.  Draw a matching picture)

The next example is for the below average students.  I always make sure there is a clue for every spot on the left-hand side.  At the bottom I give words they can choose from.  They have enough support to complete independently, but still have to do the work to figure out whether this group of letters is a word or not.

Finally, this example is for a student already on, or moving towards an IEP.  I try and work with words from their word wall (sometimes changing the letters at the top to match).  There is always a choice of words at the bottom.  Do you need to make this more adaptable?  Have the student make 5 words instead of 8 etc.

Need some ideas for older kids?  What about creating words from science or social studies?  You could make the front the mixed up letters and the back the clues with a few sentences at the bottom of the back.  Math terms is another idea for older students.  Many of those words can be difficult for older students to read and understand.

This is one of my favorite activities because it blends not only with reading, but writing.  You can see students start playing with letters as they invent the spelling of a word during writer's workshop.  It also takes me maybe 5 minutes to change up and meet the needs of every learner in my room.  Try it out- you won't be sorry!