Elf on the Shelf Word Sorts – Free Printables!
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Help the Elf sort the words! Get a free printable no-prep version AND blank version for practice identifying and reading with any targeted phonics skills or spelling pattern!
What Are Word Sorts?
An essential component of Structured Literacy is explicit and direct instruction from the teacher, with opportunities to practice and reinforce concepts after that instruction.
Word sorts are great for this!
👉 A word sort is a hands-on, engaging activity where students practice recognizing and categorizing words based on specific features or patterns like phonics skill or spelling patterns.
Instead of relying on memorization or guessing, students must examine the words and identify patterns, which reinforces the skills they learned and builds fluency.
This has a significant impact on improving reading AND spelling skills!
📖 Reading Example: Think about the words Tim and time.
- If we see a word that follows a vowel-consonant (VC) pattern, we recognize it’s a closed syllable. So when we read the word Tim, we know the vowel will be a short /ĭ/ sound in the word.
- If we see a Vowel-Consonant-e (VCe) pattern in the word, we recognize it’s a VCe syllable. So when we read the word time, we know the vowel will be the long /ī/ sound in the word.
📝 Spelling Example: Think about the words rain and play.
Both words include the long /ā/ sound. But when spelling them, how do we know which vowel team to use? Well, there is spelling generalization for vowel teams ai/ay that tells us!
- Ai is used in the middle of a syllable, and ay is used at the end of a syllable.
If we know the generalization, spelling the words is simple!
Using the Worksheets
You’re getting two free versions of these holiday-themed practice worksheets!
Both show an elf who needs help sorting words. Kids are sure to have a blast with this fun, targeted activity!
Worksheet 1: Sorting CVC and VCE Words
This no-prep worksheet is focused on help kids notice CVC and VCe patterns. Kids will clearly see how these patterns impact the vowel sounds heard in words.
To use:
- Cut out the words and sort them according to their patterns.
- Glue them into the correct column.
- Read the words in each column, making sure to apply the correct vowel sound. (Kids should hear that all the CVC words have a short vowel sound, and all VCe words have a long vowel sound.)
- Read the word lists 3 times, coloring in an elf each time they read.
⛄️ Get more VCe practice with our FREE Winter Roll & Write activity!
Worksheet 2: Blank Template for ANY concepts or patterns
We’ve included a blank word sort template so that you can make this activity work for any student, group, or class you have!
We know the needs of all students are different, and we want to make activity meaningful and accessible for all students.
To use:
- The teacher will choose the two skills or concepts that students will practice.
- The teacher will determine how to use the sheet. The bottom blanks will need to be filled in with words. The teacher can either dictate words for kids to spell OR fill in the blanks with words and make the appropriate amount of copies. (Looking for words? Grab our phonics word lists for ideas.)
- After words have been filled in, kids will cut out the words and sort them according to their patterns. Then glue them into the correct column.
- Kids will read the words in each column.
- Read the word lists 3 times, coloring in an elf each time they read.
More Phonics Practice Resources
- Christmas Train Phonics Games (8 No-Prep Games)
- 30 Best Christmas Gifts for Reading Teachers
- 3 Free Holiday Word Mapping Worksheets
- More Christmas/Winter Resources
🖨 Download & Print
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☃️ Get More Free Printables: Fluency Snowman for ANY phonics skill!