In this blog post: Grab everything you need to create a SOR phonics tool kit for whole and small group phonics instruction that align with the Science of Reading.
If you’re new to the Science of Reading and phonics-based small groups, you know how exciting it is to finally understand how to teach reading and make it stick… but also how overwhelming it can be!
You’re looking for the best Science of Reading aligned resources, tools, and activities and it’s probably making your head spin.
After all, it’s a very buzzy word right now and it’s getting slapped on everything – even if it doesn’t truly align!
My goal is to help you fill your classroom with research-based materials and activities for as little money as possible! Read: free.
That’s why today i’m going to help you put together a FREE SOR phonics tool kit!
This blog post contains Amazon Affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn a small commission when you shop using these links, but it costs you nothing extra!
What is a phonics tool kit?
Last year, teachers loved the free ELA Tool Kit that I offered, but I wanted to create a version that was 100% based in the Science of Reading. That’s how the SOR Phonics Tool Kit was born!
Do you love free stuff?
SOR Phonics Tool Kit
Create an SOR phonics tool kit to use during whole group and small group instruction.
The free SOR Phonics Tool Kit download includes editable covers, phonics mats, and a mini sound wall that you can use during whole group and small group phonics instruction.
You can also add in manipulatives that you probably already have in your classroom! Keep reading to find out what I put in my Phonics Tool Kits.
How can I use these phonics tool kits?
You can use the SOR phonics tool kits in both whole group and small group phonics instruction. They’re very versatile and can be customized to meet your needs!
If you want to use them whole group, you’ll want to create one for each student. You can use pencil boxes, photo boxes, or pencil pouches to hold everything.
I would have students keep their tool boxes at their seat so that they can easily pull them out to use there or bring them to the carpet for our phonics lessons.
In small groups, I would create one phonics tool kit to keep at each spot at my small group table. This is a great choice for reading interventionists who see students from every grade! You can have a toolkit for each grade level with customized sound walls or change out the materials based on what that group is working on.
free phonics tool kit download
So now let’s discuss what’s included in the free SOR phonics tool kit download and how you can use each piece.
First, there are editable covers included! You just type in your class list once and these will automatically populate. You have the choice between small and large covers.
The Tap It, Map It, Graph It mats promote the process of orthographic mapping. You can use these mats with phonics words that students are working on encoding, or you can use them with heart words.
Students will say the word, tap the sounds, map the sounds, and then graph – or write – the phonemes in the boxes.
These Segment and Blend Mats can be used in a similar way. Students will say a word and count the sounds. They will place down that many counters. Then, they can push the counters up as they say each sound before blending them all together again.
I love, love, love mini cars to work on fluency because they’re guaranteed to instantly engage my students!
These Fluency Road Mats are the perfect way to work on blending words! Students will tap the sounds on the dots. Then they will drive their car along the road as they blend it back together.
You can also have students place magnetic letters where the dots are or write letters above them before blending.
Syllable division is another skill that we work on a lot, especially in first and second grade, but it’s hard to find resources for it!
These Syllable Division Mats make working with multisyllable words easy. Students will clap the syllables to break the word apart. Then, they will write each syllable in it’s box.
Remember, you don’t have to include every one of these mats in your phonics tool kits! Pick the ones that would be most helpful to your students.
mini sound walls
When I created my classroom sound wall, many teachers asked about a personal, portable sound wall option. Portable sound wall rings are the perfect solution!
These portable sound wall rings are easy to store and use, and they aren’t overwhelming for students because each page only features a few sounds at a time.
Students will have a consonant sound wall ring and a vowel valley sound wall ring. I used these plastic binder rings to secure them!
Personally, I actually like these portable sound wall rings even more than a file folder option because it’s so easy to flip right to the sound, and they aren’t visually overwhelming!
These mini portable sound wall rings are editable! That means that you can type the spelling patterns you teach right onto the pages.
This makes it super easy to personalize the sound wall rings for each student.
What else should I put in my phonics tool kits?
The nice thing about these phonics tool kits is that you can easily customize them with materials you already have in your classroom!
I like to keep a variety of materials in the toolkits so that we can switch it up and keep things interesting. I’ve linked all of my favorite things to include in my Amazon Storefront here!
Here is a list of all the materials I would include, and then I will go into how I would use each one:
- Math tiles
- Playdough
- Cubes
- Counters
- Mini Slinkies
- Pony beads
- Plastic chain links
- Mini toy cars
- Hand clappers
- Fidget poppers or ten frame pop its
- Mini dry erase boards
- Mini magnifying glasses
- Highlighters
- Sticky notes
- Googly Eye Rings
Math tiles can be used in so many different ways! You can use them just like you would use chips or counters when segmenting and blending words. They can also be used for word chaining, which is my favorite way to use them!
You will say a word and students will put out a tile for each sound.
Say another word in which one sound changes.
Students will identify where the sound changed, pull down that tile, and replace it with their extra tile. This is amazing for phonemic awareness practice!
I love to keep playdough in our tool kits because it’s so versatile! Students love making balls of dough and smashing the sounds. You can also have them make a ball of dough for each word in a dictated sentence and then smash it after they write it.
You can use counters, chips, and cubes in a similar way in your phonics tool kits. I just like to keep them all in there so we can switch it up! Students can use these to map sounds as they segment words. If you use them with the mini dry erase boards, then they can write the word after they map the sounds.
If your students are working on syllable division, you can use the hand clappers to clap the syllables as they break the word apart. Totally not necessary, but it makes it fun! You can also use these to clap a word and break it apart.
The mini magnifying glasses can be used to search for words that fit the phonics pattern you’re working on in texts. Again, not necessary, but it makes it fun! Then you can have students write the words they find on their sticky notes or highlight them if they’re looking in a decodable book or passage.
Plastic chain links might not be traditionally used for blending words, but I promise it’s a gamechanger! Students will take a link for each sound and hook them together. Then they will slide down the chain as they blend the word. They can slide multiple times to blend faster and faster!
Similarly, you can use plastic pony beads on a pipe cleaner or shoelace. Students will slide one bead at a time as they segment a word. Then they will quickly slide them back to the other side as they blend the word together.
Mini Slinkies are also great to keep in your phonics tool kit for blending practice! Students can stretch the slinky as they say each sound. Then they will push the slinky back together as they blend the word.
make your own phonics tool kits!
Phonics tool kits really are the perfect way to keep all of your phonics and phonemic awareness materials ready and accessible to students. Being able to grab a tool kit and go is such a timesaver for your daily classroom routine!
Ready to make your own science of reading aligned phonics tool kits? You can get the free download here:
Do you love free stuff?
SOR Phonics Tool Kit
Create an SOR phonics tool kit to use during whole group and small group instruction.
Want to dig deeper into the Science of Reading? These blog posts might help:
⭐ What is the Science of Reading?
⭐ How to use a classroom sound wall [FREE SOUND WALL DOWNLOAD]
Hi! Thanks so much for the sound wall and tool kits! I’m excited to get it created and implemented in my room. What all do you put in the kits from the get go? All supplies or place in as time goes along?
I would add them as time goes so that students know how to use them properly! I would start with the mini sound walls, the tap it mats, and the counters and show students how to use those. Then I’d slowly add in one more piece as I introduce them to students! Unless I’m making them for small groups, then I’d start with it all so it’s on hand.
Hi. How can I get the activities like the multisyllable words, blending road etc…?
They are a part of the free phonics tool kit 🙂
hi are the materials for the toolkits free…I would like to download some to use for my students.
Yes the printable materials are free 🙂
do you have a description on how to use these? I would love to send one home to parents
Hi! There is a short description within the download. These were created with small group instruction in mind, but you could easily send home the How To Use page or type up a short explanation for parents. 🙂