First GradeThe following is a list of words that children encounter often when they are reading and writing. It is helpful for children to be able to recognize these words without sounding them out.
(*These words can be used to make other words.)
| about | did | *how | our | they're |
| after | do | I | *out | *thing |
| again | don't | *in | over | this |
| *all | *down | is | people | to |
| *am | *eat | *it | *play | too |
| *and | favorite | *like | pretty | two |
| are | for | little | *ride | *up |
| *at | friend | *look | said | us |
| be | from | *made | *saw | very |
| because | *fun | *make | *school | want |
| before | get | many | *see | was |
| *best | girl | me | she | we |
| *big | give | *more | sister | *went |
| *black | go | *my | some | were |
| *boy | good | *new | *talk | what |
| brother | *had | *nice | teacher | *when |
| *but | has | *night | *tell | where |
| *can | have | no | *that | who |
| can't | he | *not | the | *why |
| *car | her | of | their | *will |
| children | here | off | them | with |
| come | him | *old | *then | won't |
| could | his | on | there | you |
| *day | house | other | they | your |
Playing word games offers excellent opportunities for practicing specific groups of words. These can be used for word recognition and also for spelling. The following word games can be used to strengthen your child's sight word vocabulary. You might want to write the words on cards and store them in a plastic zip-lock bag which can be taken wherever you go.
Take one of the words with an *. Think of a word that rhymes. Take turns naming words that rhyme until you can't think of anymore.
Have your child see how many words he/she can read in one minute. You can make a graph then watch the number of words read grow over time.
Be a word dectective...have your child look for specific words from the list in books, magazines, or on signs. Or, play a version of "I'm thinking of..." Give your child a clue about one of the words, such as, "I'm thinking of a word that has five letters and starts like nine."
Put a squirt of shaving cream on your kitchen counter. Have your child spread out the shaving cream like finger paint. Say a sight word and have your child spell the word in the shaving cream.
The next time you are on a trip, standing in line, or waiting for an appointment, try this. Have your child find as many words from the list as he/she can on billboards, signs, menus, etc.
Hide ten to fifteen of the word cards. Have your child find them and then read them to you.
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