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Sight Word Bingo

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About This MicroSim

Sight Word Bingo combines the excitement of a classic game with sight word practice. Children listen for called words, then find and mark them on their personalized bingo card. This multi-sensory approach strengthens the connection between hearing a word and recognizing it in print.

Features

  • 48 Sight Words: Large pool of Dolch words for varied gameplay
  • Three Grid Sizes: 3×3, 4×4, 5×5 for increasing difficulty
  • Audio Calling: Each word is spoken aloud clearly
  • Repeat Button: Hear the current word again as many times as needed
  • Show Word Toggle: Hide the visual word display for audio-only practice (off by default)
  • Win Detection: Automatic detection of rows, columns, and diagonals
  • Celebration: BINGO announcement and confetti animation
  • Random Cards: New unique card each game

How to Play

  1. Select Difficulty: Choose grid size (3×3, 4×4, or 5×5)
  2. Click "New Card": Generate your unique bingo card
  3. Click "Call Word": Hear a word spoken aloud
  4. Click "Repeat": Hear the word again if needed
  5. Find the Word: Look for that word on your card
  6. Click to Mark: Click the matching word to mark it
  7. Get BINGO: Complete a row, column, or diagonal to win!

Tip: Check "Show Word" to see the word on screen, or leave it unchecked for audio-only practice.

Game Modes

Level Grid Words To Win
Easy 3×3 9 3 in a row
Medium 4×4 16 4 in a row
Hard 5×5 25 5 in a row

Iframe Example

You can include this MicroSim on your website using the following iframe:

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<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/reading-for-kindergarten/sims/sight-word-bingo/main.html"
        height="542px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, students will be able to:

  1. Remember: Recognize spoken sight words and match them to print
  2. Understand: Connect auditory word recognition to visual recognition
  3. Apply: Quickly scan and locate specific words in a grid
  4. Analyze: Use pattern recognition to work toward winning combinations

Why Bingo Works for Sight Words

Bingo is effective for sight word instruction because:

  • Multi-sensory: Combines listening and visual scanning
  • Motivation: Game format maintains engagement through repetition
  • Urgency: Need to find words quickly builds automaticity
  • Social: Can be played with peers or family
  • Variable difficulty: Easy to adjust for different skill levels

Suggested Activities

  1. Class Bingo: Project the game for whole-class play
  2. Partner Bingo: Two students share a device, taking turns calling
  3. Speed Round: How many words can you mark in one minute?
  4. Word Wall Match: After winning, find bingo words on classroom word wall
  5. Sentence Building: Create sentences using the winning row of words
  6. Listening Challenge: Turn off "Show Word" for audio-only recognition practice
  7. Repeat Practice: Use the Repeat button to hear tricky words multiple times

Assessment Opportunities

  • Observe how quickly students locate called words
  • Note which words students struggle to find
  • Track if students recognize words before seeing them on screen
  • Listen for students reading words aloud as they search
  • Use "Show Word" off to assess pure auditory word recognition
  • Monitor how often students use the Repeat button (indicates challenging words)

Differentiation

  • Support: Use 3×3 grid; enable "Show Word"; encourage use of Repeat button
  • Challenge: Use 5×5 grid with "Show Word" off for audio-only recognition

Classroom Variations

  1. Blackout Bingo: Mark every word on the card
  2. Four Corners: Mark all four corner words
  3. X Pattern: Mark both diagonals
  4. Teacher Caller: Teacher calls words instead of computer
  5. Reverse Bingo: Students call words for teacher to find

Technical Notes

  • Uses p5.js for interactive graphics and animations
  • Web Speech API for word pronunciation
  • Web Audio API for game sounds
  • Touch and mouse support for cell selection
  • Responsive design adapts to container width
  • Smart calling ensures only words on your card are called

References