Heart words: map the tricky part
Words like said, was and the cannot be fully sounded out, but most of each word still follows the rules. Heart word mapping teaches children to sound out what they can and learn only the tricky part by heart.
For: Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers and parents
The whole pack as one PDF
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A cover page with the plan, then 12 worksheets in order (13 pages). Free, no sign-up.
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Save to PinterestWhy mapping works better than flashcards
- Memorizing whole word shapes is hard and does not last. Connecting letters to sounds (orthographic mapping) is how words become instant.
- In “said”, only ai is unusual. The s and d are regular, so they do not need extra memory.
- Few words at a time, with daily review, works best.
What helps
- Say the word, tap the sounds, write each sound in a box.
- Mark the heart part and talk about why it is tricky.
- Read and write the word every day for a week.
The planstep by step.
1Week 1
the, to, said, was, of, you
2Week 2
are, come, some, do, what, they
3Week 3
one, two, have, give, were, where
4Week 4
there, could, once, friend, love, any
What is the difference between sight words and heart words?
Sight words are any words we want children to read instantly. Heart words are the ones with a part that does not follow the usual rules; the heart marks that part.
Related packs
The LetterSchool app
Between worksheets: practise in the app
The same letter shapes as this sheet, with instant feedback on every line, animations and stars. Children play, and learn the right formation.