Word Journey - Write high frequency words on paper plates and spread them on the floor. Children step from one plate to the next like stepping stones. First, ask them to read the words. Next, arrange the plates in sequence to make a sentence that they can read.

You can also draw a hopscotch frame outside on a sidewalk. Write words in each section and challenge children to hop and read!

Tisket Tasket - Put flash cards with words, math facts, letters, etc. in a basket. Have the children sit or stand in a circle. One child is chosen to be "it" and given the basket. "It" skips/walks around the outside of the circle dropping a word behind one friend as the rest of the class sings:

     A tisket, a tasket, there are words in the basket.
     Drop one behind a friend and see if she can read it.

Children turn around and see who has the word. That child reads the word and then changes places with "it" as the game continues. You could also let "it" drop a word behind each person and sing "and see if they can read it."

Hint! When a child doesn't know the answer when you play a game, invite them to "phone a friend" for help!

Quick Reads - Let children practice rereading poems and big books with one of these strategies:

Rainbow Reads - Children put palms open to their left. As they read each line they swing their arms in an arch from left to right in front of their body.

Darth Vadar - Children cup hands and place them around their mouth as they whisper like Darth Vadar.

Dance Read - Wiggle hips like a hula dancer, point finger up and down like a disco dancer, do the swim in the air, or make other movements as you read.

Punctuation with a Punch - Children stand and put their hand in the air as they begin reading for a capital letter. They step in place for each word, hop for a comma, and then clap when they come to a period. They jump for an exclamation point, put hands on hips for a question mark, and snap for quotation marks.

Animal Reads - Children read like cats, dogs, mice, birds, etc.

Invisible Read - Lip sync the words.

Teacher Reads - Children imitate how the teacher would read the selection.

Hint! Write the different styles for reading on index cards. Put them in a sack and shake them up. Let a child choose a card from the sack and then do shared reading using that style.

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