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    Sentences: Building and Self Editing

    literacy-writing-sentence-building-worksheets-centers-kids-easy-fun-activities-first-grade

    My students LOVE building sentences with hands-on materials. We are also expected to use activities that can show progress, that are rigorous and that cover many differentiate skills at one time.

    How to teach self editing sentences

    During center time, we use lots of different word tiles, word blocks and word puzzles to build sentences.

    Hands-On Practice

    Use pasta to practice writing words or sentences

    During center time, we use lots of different word tiles, word blocks and word puzzles to build sentences.

    In addition to this manipulative word work task each day, here are some of the sentence building printables we’ve been doing in class to develop our skills through the school year.

    sentence writing practice pages

    I want my students to be independent with their sentence building, so for our centers and morning work, we use simple templates with many jobs to encourage skills that will transfer to their daily writing.

    Sentence Building Kits

    Jobs To Complete

    Our daily practice printables practice the following core skills:

    Read the words

    Trace the words

    Build the sentence

    Print the sentence using proper formation

    Self-Edit the capitals and punctuation

    Draw to show comprehension

    Peer edit with a friend

    Students build a sentence with each page, but that is just the beginning of their task; they also edit using a simple checklist AND have a peer edit as well. This holds them accountable to finish, and increases confidence when they get to be the “expert” fixing up someone else’s work.

    My students love to build silly sentences, but they seem to be much more successful when they have an opportunity to manipulate the words before they write. This format allowes for just that, and through the year we practice sight words, color words, parts of speech, blends, digraphs, compound words, quotations marks and contractions. Click to download a free set of sample pages to see if it works for your students!

    Literacy Skills Practiced

    After some practice, I see this habit of self-editing transfer to other writing projects as well, such as journal writing and writer’s workshop stories.

    Students begin to edit their own:

    capitalization
    random capitals
    punctuation: periods and question marks
    letter formation
    space between words
    backwards letters

    We use the editable version to create our own sentences, too! It’s fun to work together to write funny sentences together and use the names of students in the class. This really increases engagement and they look forward to building the sentences!

    These editable pages allow you to practice sentence writing and editing by using student names and spelling words!

     

    DIFFERENTIATION THROUGH THE YEAR

    As we move through the year, we move on to parts of speech. We focus on identifying nouns, adjectives and verbs within a sentence. Students have two options for each part of speech when building a sentence, which means students may create a sentence that is different than the person sitting next to them.

    Parts of speech sentence building kits

    Sentence Building Kits for the entire year of morning work or literacy centers

     

    Spelling Patterns

    Next, we move on to more complex spelling patterns.

    For these more complex words, I also use matching sets of word/picture cards in my pocket charts and centers activities to reinforce the spelling patterns further.

    Sentences with Blends and other spelling patterns

    Sentence Building Kits for the entire year of morning work or literacy centers

    Words with digraphs matching picture and word cards for literacy centers

    Just to keep things fun and interesting, the checklist for the blends set is a bit different!

    Students love creating a silly face as they self-edit their work! You can see the format on the page below.

    Sentence Building Kits for the entire year of morning work or literacy centers

     

    Organization for the Full Year

    Because I teach a multi-age class, I often use several of the sets at the same time to differentiate my instruction.

    My lower grade students begin with basic sentences (set 1), while my higher grade students start with parts of speech (set 3). Because the format is so similar, it is easy to differentiate throughout the classroom.

    You can make your own worksheets, or you can have all the worksheets we use through the entire year.

    Sentence Building 6 Pack Bundle Cover

    I have put together my entire year’s worth of worksheets organized by skills:

    1.Sentence Building Kit 1  Sight words, number words, color words (click to read over 1000 reviews!)
    2.Sentence Building Kit 2 Contractions, Quotation Marks and longer sentences
    3.Sentence Building Kit 3 Parts of Speech – Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs
    4.Sentence Builder  BUNDLE 1 Bundle 1 Full Year Set *Sets 1, 2, and 3 together PLUS EDITABLE PAGES

    5.Sentence Building Kit 4 – Blends Sentences using words with blends
    6.Sentence Building Kit 5 – Digraphs Sentences using words with digraphs
    7.Sentence Building Kit 6 -Trigraphs and Compound Words includes word and picture cards
    8.Sentence Builder Year Bundle 2  Bundle 2  *Sets 4, 5, and 6 together*

    9.Sentence Kits 1-6 – Full Year BUNDLE – All 6 sets and editable pages!

    The full year will last all year in your daily lessons, morning work, early finishers, writing centers, home practice, or even sub tubs as students become completely independent after the first few pages. It is available at a much reduced price.

    Pin for later:

    Sentence Building Kits practice basic sentences, sight words, blends, digraphs, and many more skills (free downloads)

    You can download a big pack of literacy activities by clicking the button below!

    Free set of sentence building printables

     

    Pin this free sentence building printables for later!

    Start teaching self-editing habits when students build and print sentences - and even peer editing with these free printables!

    Pin this post for later!

    Sentence Building through the entire year! Independent practice building and self editing sentences with parts of speech and spelling patterns together!

    Writing, Literacy

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    Reader Interactions

    4 Comments

    1. Eva Barcelo

      May 17, 2021 at 4:44 am

      I haven’t received the email with th free worksheet!

      • Whimsy Workshop Teaching

        May 25, 2021 at 5:44 pm

        You may have to check your SPAM folder. You won’t be added to the list unless you confirm and get your free download, and you can unsubscribe at any time. If you’re still having trouble, you’re welcome to email me at [email protected] Best of luck! 🙂

    2. kristina Naranjo

      September 12, 2021 at 11:25 am

      Love these Building Sentences. Looking forward to receiving mine. Thank you.

      • Whimsy Workshop Teaching

        September 13, 2021 at 2:16 pm

        You’re welcome!

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