Phonics Tools: Paper & Digital Learning Tools

Last time I showed you my plan for working with students on math skills and it was a HIT so today I back to talk to you all about how we can tackle phonics skills (with some ELA options) in here too. Let’s dive into Phonics Tools: Paper and Digital Options.

What Could Be Our Phonics Tools?

Phonics Tools can be a collection of those materials you already have on hand to teach phonics to your students. The goal for this phonics kit is to make one per student to reduce the risk of spreading germs. If each student has their own materials, you can teach phonics lessons quickly and easily without passing out materials.

All these materials can be kept in a variety of containers. One suggestion I have shown is a pencil box. I used this just because I had it on hand. Another option is a cloth pencil pouch. I suggest using what you have on hand or what you can get cheaply before buying anything.

What Goes in Each Kit?

I don’t think this is the year to buy lots of new things for your class so please use anything you have on hand to put in these bins. I am showing you what my plan is using material I have on hand or can grab for cheap.

In my bins, I am using

• lowercase letter magnets already purchased at Target last year and in a Dollar Tree container, 3 for $1.
• dry erase marker
• Dollar Tree make up cloth also 3 for $1 at Dollar Tree
• red, green black crayons for OG approach to phonics, these are left over from last year
• piece of plastic canvas for OG approach to phonics (I use these and cut them in half.
• pencil
• Dollar Tree white container that is 10 for $1.
• Sticker magnets on the lid of the above container
• Steel ring counters

One tool I did purchase was 5 packages of these stackable erasers from Target. They come in 4 colors so I can make 4 sets of phonemic awareness tools! How cute are these for students to build sounds with and then break apart sounds with.

Other Math Tools for Students

Next, I am going to make every student one of these phonic tools kits. I made this set in the small version that fits inside the pencil box AND this medium size that does not. I actually like this size the best, but you can choose for yourself.

Students NEED a some phonics support items to set them up for success. This will be even more true if students won’t be allowed to walk around the room to refer to an alphabet or to grab a supply as freely.

Keeping All Our Math Tools Together

I made a list of all the phonics anchor charts and supporting materials I typically would use in my classroom in small groups. alphabet, phonics sound charts, and so much more… and put them all in one set area.

Peek at the Tools

I know you are going to LOVE these phonics tools. I purposefully read over the ELA standards for Common Core and for my state to include as many standards and terms as I could.

You will get 31 charts and tools to use with your students. You can see this one is for Multiple Meaning words, color words and number words are behind it. Now every students, at home or across the room can see the same information easily.

One of my favorite is this collection of ask and show cards. These not only give students the terms and examples, but as a teacher you can ask questions… then the student can COVER the answer that is wrong and hold up the card to show the answer that is correct. You get Yes and No, true and false, nouns and verbs, fact and opinion, and author and illustrator cards. SO MUCH FUN and so simple to use in many ways for learning.

So many teachers LOVE the number and color system the Phonics Tools cards used so we continued it here. Because these tools will grow with your learner, you can differentiate with ease.

The example above shoes the yellow (13) card for sounding out words.

Teacher Tools to Match

We knew you LOVED the teacher mat options, so we included those too. They are identical but BIGGER. You can laminate and use a binder ring to keep them together. You could also place in page protectors inside a binder and flip to what page you will using.

Check Out These Tools

Here is an example of the teacher mat and student math tools. Since you download this file, you can also PROJECT the teacher pages if you have a smart board! Students can use their mat and you can instruct with yours… in person or even virtually.

Digital Files Included!

If the Spring has taught us anything, it is to be prepared to go digital at any time. Don’t worry, I have you covered. With this Phonics Tools Paper and Digital Learning Tools, you get DIGITAL files as well, in the form of images, that you can upload instantly to your secured students learning platform.

I did not load these images into any learning platform like Seesaw so you can use exactly how YOU want and need to use them with your students.

Printing Tips & Peek at Digital Files

I recorded a video here for you to view on printing tips and tricks for the math file. Since this file is so similar, viewing this file will help you as well.

Digital Learning Boot Camp