Beach balls and sight words= learning and fun! I made this sight word beach ball years ago and just recently found it again in my closet (anyone else put things away so well that you forget you have them?). I got them out again and have been using them with my summer school groups. And they are having a ball!! Sorry- couldn't resist that. :)
* cheap
* easy to prepare
* quick, fun learning
* simple to store
The reasons above are all I need to tell if something will be worth doing in my room for a quick review of skills. Beach balls are cheap! And now is the time to find them in the stores!
You use permanent marker and divide up the sections any way you would like on the ball. Then write one sight word per section. Students toss the balls around to each other while sitting or standing in a circle. When they catch the ball, where ever their thumbs land those are the words they read. I have two beach balls- each with their own set of words. I write the grade level on the top of the ball so I can keep track of which set of words we are using.
We also like to toss the beach ball and play thumbs and pinkies. Instead of just reading where your thumbs land, you also read the words your pinkies are on. Gives them more words to practice!
And as I mentioned above, they are so simple to store when not using them that you may even forget you have them!
I had a brainstorm today while thinking about this activity. I would love to get some small, hand size balls to use. These could be individual review balls with individualized word lists to fit a student who is having trouble with a set of words. Or I might do balls with words that begin with "wh" or "w" or "th". Words like where, were, what, with, want, etc... really seem to be difficult for some of my students to remember. When they had a couple of extra minutes in a day, they could get out the one that they need the most review on and roll it around in their hand to practice. I have got to get to the store and get me some small ones now!
Love it! I don't know what ever happened to my sight word beach ball but while I've been packing up my room, I found 2 brand new beach balls. Still in the package! OK, I guess for next year.
ReplyDeleteI can see how kids would love throwing those things around the room. Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't own several, to be able to erase the words and change them as often as you wanted?
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First
I wrote words on masking tape and then taped them all around the ball. After awhile I could remove the tape and replace with new words. I used this with Kindergarten, so I only used up to 10 words at a time.
DeleteCute activity for summer school! I recently cleaned out my storage closet and found lots of things that I put away so well I forgot about them. ;)
ReplyDeleteBobbie
The Daily Cupcake…A Kindergarten Blog
I did this years ago too and forgot about it! Ha ha. Thanks for the reminder:)
ReplyDeleteBarbara
Grade ONEderful
Ruby Slippers
I have done this with one beach ball, but would love to buy one for everyone at the end of the year to "practice" those sight words over the summer. I am going to keep my eyes on beach ball sales this summer!
ReplyDeleteRobynn
BusyBees
Ms. Lopez, sounds like you are set to go for next year then! Isn't it funny what we find sometimes?
ReplyDeleteTammy, the kids do absolutely love tossing these balls around! It would be good to be able to change out the words.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bobbie! Isn't it funny what we find that we have packed so well? :)
ReplyDeleteI know, Barbara! These are several years old and I had forgotten all about them. :)
ReplyDeleteRobynn, I love that idea! I had never thought of sending one home for the summer for them to practice on!
ReplyDeleteLove this! I did something similar for Spring using a carrot...it is good to take with you on field trips if there is a down time and you are waiting around! :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle
Apples and ABC's
What a great and fun idea! I too found several of these in my closet. Now I know what to do with them this summer. As the students get more proficient, wouldn't it be fun to see how they could use those words in sentences or phrases?! Thanks for the great idea!!
ReplyDeleteMichelle, that's a great idea for down time on a field trip! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAndrea, it is so funny what you might find in your closet! I love finding new (old) stuff and thinking oh yeah, I forgot about this! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great activity for making practicing sight words fun!
ReplyDeleteKaylee's Education Studio
Thank you, Kaylee's Education Studio! I appreciate you coming by to comment and it is a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteI blogged about this a few weeks ago except my beach ball is with numbers and math fluency! I definitely need to make ones of these!
ReplyDeleteMarcy
Saddle Up For 2nd Grade
Fantastic ideas that kids love.Time to hit the store...that stuff is everywhere now!
ReplyDeleteThese things also travel really well to keep that learning going while you are on the road, too!
Natalie, The Educational Tourist
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