Second graders need to learn high frequency or sight words. These words that they memorize and identify by sight are an important part of second grade reading curriculum, but just giving word lists for memorization can be, well, boring! Rote memorization isn’t engaging for the students, and it’s monotonous for you as a teacher. Spice up your high frequency word curriculum with even more sight word activities to try with second graders.
Play-Doh Words
Your students will delight in forming their high frequency words with Play-Doh. Get a variety of colors and let your second graders learn their sight words kinesthetically. Engaging multiple senses and learning styles will help engrain the new words into memory. Students can also practice motor skills while forming their words with different shades of Play-Doh. Sight words should be about more than just memorization. They’re also about play! (There’s nothing wrong with giving the students a chance to build other things with Play-Doh once they’re finished with their sight words.)
Magnet Words
I love the little letter magnets that go on the fridge. They are great to keep in your classroom for a variety of activities. Magnets are perfect for sight words. Have your students spell out their high frequency words with the colorful ABC magnets. This activity works especially well with some shorter sight words like its, both, and why, but can also be used for longer words like because, always, and around.
Magazine Words
Using colorful letters in magazines to build sight words is so much fun! Your students will love scouring publications to find different sizes, fonts, and colors of letters to spell out the sight words on their list. Ask your media specialist or librarian if there are older magazines you can use for this activity. Art teachers may also have a healthy supply. (Make sure the publications are student-friendly!)
Sight Word Stories
Give your students a list of sight words. After reviewing them in a small group, have them create a story using the words. You can have them practice writing the story or use this as an opportunity to practice oral fluency by having students share their creative ideas aloud. Second graders also love to illustrate their stories. Have them create their own digital or paper pictures to use with their story. They could also act them out with puppets, stuffed animals, or Lego people.
Fancy Words
Students love to doodle! Let them get creative and design their words with block lettering, polka dots, dashes, and more. Making sight words fancy is just another way to use repetition in writing to help students remember words.
Teaching your second graders sight words is important as they develop their reading comprehension and fluency skills. There are so many different ways to help your children learn their high frequency words. Here are even more sight word activities to try with second graders. Most of the activities mentioned are ready for you to use with my sight word paper bag book bundle. Try it with your class this year!
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