As I prepare You Can Read to use with Ladybug, I am appreciating some organizational methods I put into place when using it with Krash! It is making it very easy for me to get things ready for her! I have never shared how I organize it all and thought maybe I should!
Not familiar with You Can Read? It is a sight word program for younger readers who are eager to learn to read, but still need lots of hands on fun in the process. It can be used with younger kids who are showing interest or for any age child who is just learning to read. The 18 units are based on the Dolch Pre Primer & Primer Sight Word lists, as well as a few I added in, for a total of 72 words. There is also a color and number word set. The base 18 units are available for free here. There is also a Bundle for $10 which gives you the additional word units plus all of the extras, plus one simple download for the base units.
The main organizational tool I use with this program…
Accordion File Folders
I got mine at Target when they were in the dollar section {maybe for $3, I can’t remember}. I have 3 folders like this to fit all of the units in, this is just the one that holds the first units {there are 18 base units plus color and number words}. I used the little tabs that came with the folder to write the unit number and the actual words in that unit.
What’s in the folder?
All of the base printables {many are laminated to be reused, so I had none of that to do for Ladybug}. I just looked for what was missing {consumable like the color by word} and printed those for Ladybug.
Printable Extras from the You Can Read Bundle~ You Can Read includes many special extras that are ONLY available in the bundle. I chose which ones I want to use for her and print those also.
One of the extras is a sensory bin word search which has tons of tiny laminated words. I sort ours in this awesome plastic tray. I had to re-sort all of our words {such fun} since I dropped it as I was pulling it down off of the storage shelf!
Extras from other sources ~ I use a few printables from other sources. First, the sight word color by number printables that are located here. I printed her a new set to color, and also included the set Krash colored which is laminated so we could play matching games with them! We also use Education Cube inserts that were made specifically for You Can Read by my friend Jenn.
Sight Word Readers & First Little Readers ~ We have 2 sets of small easy readers we use and I have them all labeled with the key sight words in the books. Some books could go along with different units, so I just sorted them based on how many we had for each unit. If you use other sight word based easy readers, you can find key sight words in them and sort them out by unit. We also have an old set of Open Court K readers which I have sorted also.
The Sight Word Readers already have the key sight words printed on the front.
I sort the books I want to use for each unit and file them in the pockets so I don’t have to go hunting when we get to each unit!
Here’s a peek at the stash for Unit 1…
