Get Rid of Those Alphabetizing Worksheets! Try Task Cards Instead!

So you’ve got your students practicing their skills in alphabetical order, but you want to keep them from being bored? Alphabetical order worksheets are boring. Alphabetical order cut and paste worksheets are time-consuming and messy. Why not try something different?

These task cards are just what you need! Get your students up and moving with this set of alphabetical order task cards. If your students need to work on ordering to the first and second letter, this activity will do just that.

To use, place the cards in a reading center or around the room. Students will read the word list on each card and write the words in alphabetical order on their recording sheet. This can be a movement activity or an effective learning center.

Through this activity, students will enhance their alphabetization skills.

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

A team of dedicated, experienced educators created this resource to support your English Language Arts lessons.

In addition to individual student work time, use these task cards to enhance learning through guided reading groups, whole class lessons, or remote learning assignments. 

If you have a mixture of above and below-level learners, check out these suggestions for keeping students on track with the concepts: 

🆘 Support Struggling Students

• Help students who need help understanding the concepts by providing one to one assistance or small group instruction.
• Provide access to previous assignments, as well as posters or anchor charts for students to recall past lessons.

➕ Challenge Fast Finishers

 

• Challenge your accelerated learners to alphabetize longer lists of words by combining 1, 2, or even 3 cards into one!

 

🛴 Scoot Activity 

Place the cards around the room in numerical order and give each student a recording sheet. Assign students or pairs to a starting point card. Give students time to review the card and record their answer in the corresponding space on their paper. Students will rotate to the next card when you say, “SCOOT!” Continue in this manner until students return to their starting point. 

 

👋 Exit Ticket 

Use these cards as a formative assessment after your lesson. Pick a random assortment of cards and project them on the board for the whole class to see. Students can record their answers on a sheet of paper, sticky note, or their notebook. 

Plan lessons for all ability levels with our 10 Best Scaffolding Strategies! 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. A recording sheet and answer key are also included with this download. 

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access. 

To keep the task cards out of pockets or under desks, punch a hole in the corner of each to place them on a binder ring. 

Sustainability Tip: Print a few recording sheets on cardstock and slip them into dry-erase sleeves. Students can record their answers with a whiteboard marker, then erase and reuse them.  

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This resource was created by Rachell, a teacher in South Carolina, and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities and resources that cut down on lesson planning time:  

teaching resource Alphabetical Order Task Cards - Set 3 A set of 11 task cards alphabetizing a series of words to the third letter. teaching resource Alphabetical Order Scoot Put words in alphabetical order with this 24-card movement activity for your whole class or small group. teaching resource Alphabetical Order Card Sort - Set 2 A set of word cards to practice putting words in alphabetical order.