words their way activities 2nd grade

Arts & Music
English Language Arts
World Language
Social Studies - History
Holidays / Seasonal
Independent Work Packet
Easel by TPT
Google Apps

Interactive resources you can assign in your digital classroom from TPT.

Easel Activities

Easel Assessments

Unlock access to 4 million resources — at no cost to you — with a school-funded subscription..

words their way second grade

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types, results for words their way second grade.

2nd Grade Word Sorts - Words Their Way

Also included in: 2nd Grade Phonics and Chunk Spelling Word Work Curriculum Bundle

Words Their Way Spelling Lists & Activities, Distance Learning Google Included

Words Their Way Word Search Activities Bundle 2nd and 3rd Edition

Words Their Way: Letter Name Alphabetic - NO PREP ACTIVITIES FOR EACH SORT

Also included in: {BUNDLE #1} Words Their Way - Letter Name, Within Word, Syllables and Affixes

Words Their Way Activities Printable Notebooks w Digital Google Slides

Within Word Pattern Spellers Words Their Way Word Search Activities

Also included in: Words Their Way Word Search Activities Bundle 2nd and 3rd Edition

Words Their Way: Within Word Pattern Spellers - NO PREP ACTIVITIES FOR EACH SORT

CKLA Skills Spelling Words | Color by Code | 2nd GRADE BUNDLE

Words Their Way Sentence Activities

Words Their Way - Derivational Relations Spellers - A Worksheet for Each Sort

Also included in: {BUNDLE #2} Derivational Relations, Syllables & Affixes, Within Word

Derivational Relations Words Their Way Word Search Activities

Sight Words Worksheets for 2nd Grade (includes editable worksheets too!)

Also included in: Editable Sight Words Worksheets Bundle | Sight Word Practice

1st Grade Word Sorts - Words Their Way

Also included in: 1st Grade Phonics and Chunk Spelling Word Work Curriculum Bundle

Word Study notebook for Words Their Way

Words Their Way Homework Set - Grade 1

{BUNDLE #1} Words Their Way - Letter Name, Within Word, Syllables and Affixes

Benchmark Advance Second Grade Roll and Read Sentences

Also included in: Benchmark Advance 2nd Grade BUNDLE

Letter Name Alphabetic Spellers Words Their Way Word Search Activities

3rd Grade Word Study

Syllables and Affixes Words Their Way Word Search Activities

Second Grade Sight Words Word Search Puzzles (2 Puzzles)

Word Document File

Also included in: Second Grade BUNDLE (for 2nd Grade ONLY)

Bundle of Words Their Way Activities for Sorts

Words Their Way

Organizing Words Their Way for Kindergarten or First Grade

TPT empowers educators to teach at their best.

Keep in Touch!

Are you getting the free resources, updates, and special offers we send out every week in our teacher newsletter?

Words Their Way : The Ultimate How To Guide

The Ultimate How To Guide to Words Their Way

Around here we are big fans of Words Their Way, an assessment-based, differentiated, leveled approach to spelling and word work.

Here’s a little background on our experience with the Words Their Way program:

Hopefully this post will give you some insight and tips if you’re looking to learn how to implement and organize Words Their Way in your classroom.

DISCLAIMER: At this time, we no longer use Words Their Way. We now use Word Play , a word study program that incorporates differentiated word sorting and other elements like chunk spelling. Some of those activities and games would make great companion resources to Words Their Way .

But we will always keep this post available to you as a resource!

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT WORD PLAY PHONICS

Click here to try a 1 Week Free Sample of Word Play Phonics!

To begin using Words Their Way, we recommend that you gather some supplies.

The first step in implementing Words Their way is giving the class a (rather lengthy) spelling test. We use the Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI) for 2nd grade. On the Pearson website there are examples of the different tests and run down on scoring them.

Grading the assessment can be tedious, but it’s so great to see all the data. Each of the words is broken down into key components—beginning sounds, vowel sounds, suffixes, etc. You don’t analyze every part of every word, so you need the feature guide to show you what you’re looking for. You put the student’s test in front of you and start checking off what was written correctly. We made a form for the students to write their answers on. This form allows us to do a little record keeping right on their forms.

Words Their Way Spelling Inventory Primary

The feature guide in the book is horizontal but we found it easier to grade quickly with a vertical page so we made our own vertical form . We use the same page all year so it is easy to track student growth. Tip: We use a different color pen each time we give the assessment and color the key at the top of the page accordingly.

After checking each word, total the number of checks in each column . The different columns represent different levels of spelling mastery. Each feature is checked in 7 different words. If a student correctly writes the feature (for example, short vowel sounds) 6 or 7 times you know it has been mastered. If a child gets 5 or fewer correct, that’s considered the student’s instructional level. This is the level the child will benefit most from practicing.

Want our spelling test sheet and vertical spelling inventory?

Click here to get our FREE Words Their Way Spelling Inventory & Resources.

Making Groups

After testing your students, the next step is to organize them for word study.

The simplest thing is to grab a piece of paper and list the levels down one side. Then look through the assessments and see who fits each category. I write the number they got correct in that category on top of their name.

Here’s an example:

Keep in mind that this isn’t an exact science! In a Words Their Way workshop I once heard, “Do what you can!” That’s the key. If you can manage 8 different groups with weekly reassessments, go for it. But if you are only ready for 2 groups with word sorts every other week, that’s okay too. Make it work for you! What is important is that you’re getting at least some differentiation.

I decided I could handle 5 groups. I made a little notebook to keep track of the groups. There is a half-sheet form for each week. I cut down a post-it note for each group and added the kids’ names. (Tip: Using post-it notes makes it easy to transfer the information to the new sheet each week.) Then I list the sort for each week.

Words Their Way Activities Organization Planning Book

Want to our group planning pages? Click here to get our FREE Words Their Way Resources.

Materials Prep

Now to deal with the actual sorts. This is the make-it or break-it point when it comes to using Words Their Way. If you can handle this circus, the rest is easy.

At Emily’s school, they ordered a ton of copies of each sort and she had a filing cabinet full of sorts at her disposal whenever she needed them. In case you aren’t that lucky, here’s a method that worked for me .

I got some 6 pocket folders from Really Good Stuff, similar to these . I numbered each folder 1-6 and then used a post-it to label the pockets inside with the group level and number of kids. Each folder holds one week’s worth of sorts and each group has its own pocket in that week’s folder.

The next step took me awhile, but now that it’s done I’ll never have to do it again! I went through the different sort books (for 2nd grade that’s Letter-Name Alphabetic, Within Word Patterns, Syllable & Affixes) and copied each sort on yellow paper . I did them double sided to fit in one binder.

Words Their Way Spelling Word Sorts Organization

Now, every 6 weeks or so, I take my folders, binder, and record notebook to the work room. I figure out what each group needs for the next 6 weeks and put the copies in the correct pocket. This is when having the master in yellow comes in handy- I never mix it with the copies!

I can copy and organize 6 weeks worth of sorts in less than 30 minutes !

The only other supplies you need are a spiral bound notebook for each student to do their daily sorting, a zipper pocket for each student to hold the weekly sort (we reuse these for a couple of years until they are too beat up), and highlighters for introducing the sorts on Day 1.

With Words Their Way, the focus of the program is sorting the words. It’s a great way for children to learn but it can be tedious to do it day after day. The book has lots of different sort suggestions and I’ve tried most of them.

Over the years, my weekly system has evolved, but this is how it looks most recently.

Words Their Way Organization Weekly Word Sort Routine

On Fridays, I give each child their sort. They cut the words apart and label the back with initials (so simple, but so handy when you find random words on the floor!), and store the cards in a little zipper pocket. ( Tip: We share an even easier way to do this in another post! )

While they’re working, I call each group back to the table one at a time. We discuss the sort and they highlight an exemplar for each category. That helps them to remember what features they’re sorting for.

I like to have them start sorting the words while they’re still at the table. If it’s an easy sort or an advanced group, I might only need to see them sort a few words before I know they’ve “got it.” If it’s a trickier sort or a struggling group, I may want them to finish the entire sort with me right then so I can offer guidance and address questions. Depends on the group and it depends on how much time I have at the moment!

Since starting the Daily 5 a few years ago, word sorts are the first thing my students do when they go to the Work on Words station.

Sorting Routine

On Monday, they sort and write. Tuesday is the favorite: speed sort. I got some sand timers for them to use for speed sorting. Wednesday they sort and graph. Thursday they sort and glue the words into their notebooks. And on Friday we start with the new sort. They can do each sort in less than 5 minutes.

There is no one right way to do this. Find what works for you!

I like to use visual sort instructions to remind the class how to do each type of sort.

Small Group Lessons

Now that I’m doing Daily 5 , I have much more free time for working with small groups (Hooray!!). If I can’t meet with a group on Friday, I use one of my Daily 5 rotations on Monday to catch them up. I also try to meet with every group once during the week to play a game that relates to their sorts. We have mentioned some of these in previous posts. We have some phonics games in our store that you can use with Words Their Way (but were designed to correlate with our Word Play Phonics curriculum .)

Because I don’t use Words Their Way for spelling words, I don’t do a “spelling test” of their sorts every week though it would be easy to do a quick 4-6 word check of a few words with each group at the end of the week.

However, I do repeat the PSI assessment (mentioned at the beginning of this post) every quarter. After assessments I will rearrange the groups as necessary. The Words Their Way level sort books provide periodic assessments that I have great intentions of using, but don’t always (okay, very rarely) get time to use. I’ve found they provide helpful, but not crucial information, so don’t beat yourself up if you can’t fit them in to your schedule. Doing the PSI a few times a year is really a good measure of where my kids are and they don’t typically change so much in a quarter that you need weekly assessments.

Words Their Way is so thorough in scope and sequence that most of my students progress from one sort to the next in order. Occasionally (especially with my ELL students), there will be a big jump in acquired skills, but most students will go step-by-step. The PSI assessments are still important, though, so you can make sure they are actually progressing and that students are still working at their instructional levels.

It sounds like a lot to take on, but once you establish your organized system, the whole thing will run like a well-oiled machine. And the growth you see in your students will be worth all the hassle of setting it up.

In the years I’ve been diligent with the program, my kids were much more confident in their understanding of spelling patterns. In the years when I’ve let it slide, I may have some really good natural spellers, but they don’t understand why words follow certain patterns.

If we want to shape good little spellers, it just makes sense to teach them how to think about words.

Click here to get our FREE Words Their Way Resources.

Read more about: 1st Grade , 2nd grade , 3rd Grade , Daily 5 , words their way

You might also like...

5 Ways to Simplify Word Sorting

Repeated Reading Fluency Strategies and Why Your Students Need Them

Reading Fluency Charts

After a combined 14 years in 2nd grade, sisters Heidi & Emily are passionate about helping simplify life for other teachers!

Find what you need

What can we help you with.

Stay in the Loop

Get the latest tips and updates straight to your inbox.

Words Their Way Free Resources for Word Study

These FREE word study activities for Words Their Way have made my word study program a huge success in my 4th grade and 5th grade classrooms! The resources are aligned to the 2nd Edition word sort books (published 2009) or the 3rd Edition word sort books (published 2018). Each PDF will open in your web browser for easy downloading or you can have all of the word study activities sent straight to your inbox. Read on to see what word study activities and resources are available to you to try for free!

SEND ME ALL FREE WORD STUDY RESOURCES!

Get ready to makeover your word study routines! Share your email below and I'll send you all of the word study resources listed here in one easy download. You'll also be subscribed to the Tarheelstate Teacher newsletter for upper elementary teachers!

I'll be sending you an email right away with a link to download your WORD STUDY RESOURCES.

If you do not see an email from Tarheelstate Teacher, check your spam folder, then email me at [email protected] !

The following resources are meant to complement a word study routine and program using the Words Their Way word sort books that come in levels based on developmental spelling stages. As a 4th-5th grade teacher, my students fall within one of the four main developmental stages: Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers , Within Word Pattern Spellers , Syllables and Affixes Spellers , or Derivational Relations Spellers . However, within the paid resources, I have included a teacher reference PDF with the word lists for each level so that any teacher can implement the activities in their classroom.

In this blog post, you can grab resources for Unit 1 for each of these stages!

WORD STUDY WORD SEARCH ACTIVITY FREEBIES

If you are familiar with Words Their Way , then you know that a "blind sort" is an activity where students sort the words from their word lists into categories (and write them down) as they hear the words called out. It's called BLIND because students are not looking at the words.

One year, the idea of "blind searching" using a word search that does not contain the students’ word sort word list came to my mind. By "blind searching" through a word search without having a list of the words contained in the word search, students have a fun way of discovering the word patterns for their upcoming word sort/word study list.

Discovery Word Searches are an engaging, fun way for students to sharpen their ability to recognize words that ARE spelled correctly (which I've found is a major key to spelling improvement). In a discovery word search, when students find words in their word search, they sort the words into categories based on the look of the word and/or the sounds in the word (just like when sorting words with word sort activities!).

FREE UNIT 1 WORD SEARCHES FOR WORDS THEIR WAY WORD SORTS

1) Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers Word Searches

2) Within Word Pattern Spellers Word Searches

3) Syllables and Affixes Spellers Word Searches

4) Derivational Relations Spellers Word Searches

👉 Click the button below to grab your FREE Word Searches. The PDF will open in a new window where you can download and print the file!

If you love the Unit 1 freebies and want more, you can find all my Words Their Way Word Searches here !

WORD STUDY ACTIVITY NOTEBOOK FREEBIES

After incorporating word searches into my word study routine, I found that I was always piecing together extension activities for my Derivational Relations group (the higher group of students who always seems to need something more to do for word study). After meeting the needs of this group haphazardly for my first year’s implementation of Words their Way, I finally sat down and created individual extension activities that made sense for each of the Derivational Relations Spellers word lists . Later, I created similar notebook activities for Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers , Within Word Pattern , and Syllables and Affixes Spellers .

These word study notebook activities are meant to give students more structure as they delve into building a deeper understanding of the words and spelling patterns on their word list. For a number of the sorts, extension activities are also included. While the activity sheets are designed for independent exploration, students often need support in learning how to complete the activity pages. I recommend a gradual-release approach to using these word study notebook activities. Incorporate the pages as extension activities or use to guide your small group lessons.

Here’s an idea of the activities students may be asked to complete:

In the Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers activities , students may be asked to distinguish between beginning consonant sounds, create words by matching a beginning sound to same-vowel and mixed-vowel word family endings (onsets +rimes), identify and represent initial sounds in words beginning with digraphs and blends, separate individual phonemes and blend them together to create CVC words, compare and contrast how preconsonantal nasals change the spelling and pronunciation of a word, sort words with r-controlled vowels from CVC words containing an r before the vowel, match contractions to their expanded form, and more!

In the Within Word Pattern Spellers activities , students may be asked to identify short- and long- vowel sounds, create words given a beginning sound or blend + an ending (onsets + rimes), choose the correct beginning letters, vowels, or rime to complete a word, write "silly sentences" to apply the meanings of homophones, create contractions, make words plural, and more!

In the Syllables and Affixes Spellers activities , students may be asked to describe spelling and sound changes when suffixes are applied, derive word meanings from prefixes and base words, identify parts of speech, describe how long vowel sounds are formed, brainstorm words that contain a given word part, add correct endings, choose correct blends, apply the meanings of homophones and homographs, and more!

In the Derivational Relations Spellers activities , students may be asked to derive word and prefix meanings from prefixes and base words, generate words by adding suffixes, brainstorm words that contain a given word part, describe spelling and sound changes when suffixes are applied, identify parts of speech, write "silly sentences" with different versions of a base word, research the etymology of Greek and Latin word parts, and more!

FREE WORD STUDY NOTEBOOKS FOR WORDS THEIR WAY WORD SORTS (PAPER-BASED)

👉 Click each button below to grab your FREE Word Study Notebooks. The PDFs will open in a new window where you can download and print the files!

5) Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers

6) Within Word Pattern Spellers Notebook Activities

7) Syllables and Affixes Spellers Notebook Activities

8) Derivational Relations Spellers Notebook Activities

DIGITAL GOOGLE SLIDES VERSION - ALSO AVAILABLE FOR WORD STUDY NOTEBOOKS

Examples of the digital notebook activities included in every level of Words Their Way Word Study Notebooks

I’ve formatted each set of word study notebook for Google Slides. This allowed me to include colorful images and tables. All textboxes and moveable pieces are included for students’ ease of use.

Contained in the download below, you’ll find links to three levels of word study notebook activities. Click those links to make a copy of the Google Drive activities for you to see them for yourself!

👉 Click the button below to grab your FREE Digital Word Study Notebooks. The PDF will open in a new window where you can download and print the file!

If you love the Unit 1 freebies and want more, you can find all my Words Their Way Word Study Notebook Activities here (printable + digital) !

FREE WORD STUDY TEACHER GUIDE

9) When I send you your mega-file of free word study resources, you’ll also receive a word study guide where I share a peek into how I implement my upper-elementary word study routine using the Words Their Way word sort books. You’ll learn how and why I broke away from the Monday-Friday scheduling cycle and the activities in the 7, 8, or 9 day routine that I use instead. I share tips for differentiating your word study program for different groups, creating a schedule, and organizing your word study materials.

You can find much of this information by hopping around my word study blog series , but I've turned it into an e-book to make it printable and easy to refer to as you plan for and implement your own word study program. If you’ve downloaded the Guidebook in the past, you’ll want to download it again, as it received a huge update in the summer of 2022!

FREE SAMPLE SCHEDULE FOR A 7, 8, or 9 DAY WORD STUDY CYCLE/ROUTINE

A second, third, and fourth quarter sample word study schedule with a 9 day rotation

Would you like to customize your own word study schedule using the template above?

I’ve created a schedule that you can customize in Google Slides. Just click here or the button below to grab your own copy of this schedule . The link will prompt you to make a copy for yourself. (Freebie #10 if you’re counting, 😊.)

WRITER’S NOTEBOOK DAY STUDENT TRACKING & PERSONAL WORDS CHART

I include a day that I call “ writer’s notebook day ” into my students’ word study cycle. This means that within a 7-Day cycle, students spend one session going through a page of writing in their writer’s notebook to look for misspelled words. This activity is one of the biggest ways that I help students see the connection between their work during word study and their ACTUAL WRITING and USE OF THEIR SPELLING ABILITIES. While I have sometimes abandoned having students keep up with and record their misspelled words and corrections, this chart is a great way to teach students what to do for writer’s notebook day. It is especially beneficial if you have time to analyze common patterns that students are misspelling or want data on the transfer of "word study" to authentic spelling during writing.

11) The personal words chart contains sections for each letter of the alphabet. Students can record words that they commonly misspell on this chart. These can be incorporated into personal words for them to learn to spell or the chart can simply be used as a reference like a personal word wall.

WORD STUDY SPELLING INVENTORY

In order to truly implement Words Their Way, you will want to assess your students’ spelling abilities at the start of the year. I use the Words Their Way spelling inventory for elementary students to sort my students into 5-6 differentiated spelling groups.

12) This PDF includes the printable Spelling Inventory with a feature scoring guide that helps me understand my students’ developmental spelling levels and sort them into groups. The PDF includes more helpful details about assessing your students!

🌟 If you are looking for a self-scoring spreadsheet for Words Their Way or to assess your students with , I had to mention this resource created by my friend Daniel of Helix Forms . (I very rarely highlight products like this on my blog, but I firmly believe this product is top-notch and will save you TONS of time as you implement differentiated word study/Words Their Way Groups.) The Automatic Scoring Spreadsheet analyzes the spelling inventory, giving you a quick score and the recommended spelling stage for students to begin their word study program.

TRY THE UNIT 1 WORD SEARCHES, NOTEBOOKS, AND GET ALL OF THESE RESOURCES SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX IN ONE EASY DOWNLOAD BY JOINING THE TARHEELSTATE TEACHER EMAIL COMMUNITY!

Note: This post contains affiliate links to the word study resources that I recommend. This means that I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Read my full disclosure here.

If you would like to cross-check the Words Their Way word study books that you have with the editions that these free resources are aligned to, you can take a look at the Words Their Way 2nd Edition word sort books and the 3rd Edition word sort books .

FREE WORDS THEIR WAY ACTIVITIES FOR WORD STUDY.jpg

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR UPPER ELEMENTARY WORD STUDY

Within Word Patterns

IMAGES

26 Words Their Way/ Spelling ideas
Words Their Way : The Ultimate How To Guide
2nd Grade Word Sorts
Words Their Way Sorts by Callie Jarman
Words Their Way Activities and Ideas in 2020
58 best images about Classroom Words Their Way on Pinterest

VIDEO

5th graders unit 3 vocabulary words
DR Sort 6 spelling video lesson
Words Their Way
How to reduce screen time and break addiction part 1/2 #shorts
Words Their Way Letter Name #10 Word Families -op, -ot, -og
Words their way 5th grade column 1

COMMENTS

"words Their Way" 2nd Grade Word Lists Teaching Resources
This set of printables for any word list is perfect for 2nd grade and easily adaptable for 1st and 3rd.All of these activities work for any word lists. You decide if students use: word wall words, high frequency words, Words Their Way, spelling lists, seasonal w Subjects: Balanced Literacy, English Language Arts, Spelling Grades: 2nd Types:
Words Their Way Second Grade Teaching Resources
You can differentiate with more ease and save 20% with this bundle of word study word search activities as it includes four levels: 1) Letter Name Alphabetic Stage 2) Within Word Pattern 3) Syllables and Affixes Spellers, and 4) Derivati Subjects: Balanced Literacy, English Language Arts, Spelling Grades: 3rd - 6th Types:
Words Their Way : The Ultimate How To Guide
The first step in implementing Words Their way is giving the class a (rather lengthy) spelling test. We use the Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI) for 2nd grade. On the Pearson website there are examples of the different tests and run down on scoring them. Grading the assessment can be tedious, but it’s so great to see all the data.
Words Their Way Free Resources for Word Study
Words Their Way Free Resources for Word Study — Tarheelstate Teacher CLICK HERE TO FIND TIME-SAVING TEACHING RESOURCES! By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively. Bag is empty
Words Their Way- Within Word Patterns
Sorts 43-44. High Frequency Words and Contractions. Sort 43. Sort 44. Sorts 45-46. Inflectional Endings for Plural and Past Tense. Sort 45. Sort 46. Sorts 47-48 Long- a and Long -i Homophones.
Words Their Way
Words Their Way is a new approach to teaching spelling that allows students to learn words at their individual level of instruction and teaches them how words work. Each trimester, students will take a diagnostic spelling assessment (for which they do not study) to determine their spelling level. After looking at what students know about ...