Try this hands-on short i word family activity!
(This post contains affiliate links.)
I’ve written before about the importance of learning to read with word families. Over the past few months I’ve offered a set of printables for the short a word families. We’re moving on! Here you’ll find six free printable word family houses and wheels for short i.
I’ve created these for my 4 1/2 year old, whose sight word knowledge is growing as he reads emergent readers (get my free emergent readers here!). He can also sound out basic three letter words, but asking him to do flash cards feels unfair. Instead, my active boy will zip through these word family houses without resistance.
To assemble the word family houses, follow these steps:
1) Print the document on brightly colored cardstock. Here’s what a sample download will look like:
2. Cut out the house and wheel. Make sure to cut into the house and snip out the window, too.
3. Laminate both pieces. I love this affordable home laminator. If you’ve cut out the window before laminating, you will have a nice clear window. This is what you will have:
4. Attach the pieces together with a brass fastener. Here are our finished houses:
And here’s My Four reading through the stack.
Update: All the short vowel word family houses are complete! Get them here:
Short a
Short e
Short o
Short u
Michelle Weiss
Hello,
I’m currently doing my student teaching in a kindergarten classroom, and I am so glad that I found your page. You have such wonderful ideas! I just printed nearly all of your word family houses because they are so fabulous, and I’m so excited to share them with the kiddos. They look really nice, and I’m so appreciative that you are willing to share your ideas (especially for free)!
Thanks!
Anna Geiger
I’m so glad to hear that, Michelle! Hopefully you found the word family houses for all the short vowels. I hope you keep coming back for more things you can use.
Nicki Kent
I love your stuff! SO helpful for my kindergarten class… So excited to use these with my kids! Ps. The short a word family Read n’ Stick mats wouldnt open the same way as all the others. Not sure if its my computer or not but was wondering if they were a different type of file somehow or something?
Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful creations!
NIcki
Anna Geiger
Hi Nicki! I’m so glad you’re finding things to use in your classroom – I love when teachers find me! The short a read ‘n stick mats were one of the first printables I created, so I may have uploaded them differently. Will try to remember to put that on my to-do list – to check it out. Thanks for the FYI!
Anna Geiger
Just wanted you to know, Nicki, that I updated the short a read ‘n stick mats so that they should be the same as the others now.
Margie
Thanks, Anna, for the word family houses. The short a ones are ready for use in my classroom. I’m so glad to see these short i ones, too. My students are going to love them. Keep up the wonderful work!
margie
Anna Geiger
You’re welcome, Margie! One of these days I’ll have all the sets made 🙂
Deb @ Living Montessori Now
I always love having a variety of activities to reinforce phonics skills. Thanks so much for sharing your free word family houses! I featured your word family houses as the Free Printable(s) of the Day at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page and on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/debchitwood/free-printable-of-the-day/
Anna Geiger
Thanks so much, Deb!! As always, I had record numbers that day!
Jackie Higgins
Thanks for the freebie! These are awesome. My son is just diving into some word families and we are using words their way so all of your info/ resources has been super helpful.
I featured this post on Mom’s Library at Ready-Set-Read this week. http://www.ready-set-read.com/2013/07/word-work-activities-featured-on-moms.html Thanks for linking up.
Anna Geiger
I’m so glad you can use it, Jackie! And thanks SO much for the features!
Crystal & Co
You have no idea how much I appreciate all of the education printables and resources that you share on your site!
My readers loved this. Check out your feature here: http://www.crystalandcomp.com/2013/07/best-mom-advice-7813/.
annageig
Thank you SO much, Crystal!
Deceptively Educational
These printables are amazing (thank you for your generosity) and ever so helpful. Thanks for sharing at the After School Linky Party. I’m featuring this tomorrow. Stop by and check it out and keep sharing your phenomenal ideas and activities. I love to see what you’re up to each week!
annageig
Thank you so much for the feature AND the pin – I saw how many repins it got! I really appreciate it!
Mary Catherine
Thanks for sharing at Stress-Free Sunday — I’m featuring you this weekend!
annageig
Thanks so much for the feature, Mary Catherine!
Tara H
Thanks so much for sharing these! It’s something I would have never thought to do.
annageig
I hope you can use them, Tara!
annageig
I’m glad you came by, Reshama!
Dollie @ Teachers of Good Things
Awesome ideas! You are very creative!
Thanks for linking up with Tender Moments with Toddlers & Preschoolers Blog Hop!
annageig
Thank you, Dollie!
Carrie
What great activities!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
annageig
Thanks for visiting, Carrie!
Kali: Doula & Birth Photographer
love love love that you made more!!!!! my 3.5 year old loves her short a ones! keep them coming!!! thank you so much!!
annageig
Thanks so much, Kali! I really appreciate your comment — it’ll keep me going 🙂
I see you’re a doula photographer… can I share something fun? Here’s a link to The Doula Book…http://www.amazon.com/The-Doula-Book-Companion-Healthier/dp/0738215066
That’s me on the cover, ha! I was part of an ad campaign for my hospital a few years ago (they just needed a lady who was 8 months pregnant) — and I must have signed myself away because months later I saw myself on the cover of this book!
Kali
That’s awesome!! 🙂
Katie @ Gift of Curiosity
These are fantastic. Gosh, you come up with some great free resources for parents! Love how creative these word family houses are!
annageig
Thanks, Katie! Confession — I saw something like this on Pinterest — the poster had a photograph of them but couldn’t remember where she’d gotten them. So I copied the idea and made my own. Originality is not my strength!
Toscha
I really love your sight word houses. Thank you for sharing them with us. I take them every where we go. My daughter just loves them and so do I. Thank You
annageig
I’m so glad you can use them, Toscha!