Curated OER
Phoneme Identification with Sound-it-Out Chips
Looking for a tangible way to help emerging readers identify phonemes? You've found it! They use chips without letters to segment single-syllable words into first, middle, and last sounds. As you say each sound, scholars place a chip on...
Curated OER
Reintroduce /f/
Draw a large letter f on the board to begin this letter recognition and sounds activity, asking kids to identify it if they can. Demonstrate the /fff/ sound and explain how you are making it as learners try it out. What words can they...
Curated OER
Phoneme Substitution (With Letters)
Get pre-readers comfortable with phoneme substitution using these helpful letter cards, which are printable in three different sizes depending on your classroom needs. Once scholars understand some letter sounds, they can begin...
Curated OER
Reintroduce /i/
As your scholars begin learning letters of the alphabet, help them connect sound, pronunciation, word examples, and letter recognition using these strategies. Focusing on the letter i, begin by drawing it on the board. Can scholars...
Curated OER
Reintroduce /s/
What letter is this? As you introduce pre-readers to letter sounds, keep them entertained with this fun game. Start by drawing the letter s on the board, large enough for all to see. Once you've demonstrated the sound it makes, use these...
Curated OER
Phoneme Blending Accuracy (Mico Version)
Which word is Mico trying to say? A puppet helps make phoneme blending fun as you challenge your scholars to blend segmented words. Mico (or a puppet of your choice) has trouble saying words without separating the phonemes. Using the...
Curated OER
Identifying and Generating Rhyming Words, Body
Can you tell which words rhyme? Choose a body part as a starting word (i.e. head) and begin saying words to see if learners can identify those that rhyme. Does red rhyme with head? Continue giving examples, some rhyming and others not....
Curated OER
Introduce /f/
Hook your scholars by drawing a large f on the board; do they know what letter this is? Once you've demonstrated the sound it makes, use these tips to help them make the same sound. Although the audio function is neat, it may not be...
Curated OER
Introduce First Sound Segmenting
Mico is back, and he's ready to test your scholars in initial sounds in single-syllable words. Using a puppet and the picture cards provided (these are great and in full-color), play a game with pre-readers. Hold up three picture cards...
Curated OER
Introduce Reading Connected Text
Get your scholars ready to read their first story...with a little assistance, of course. Projecting the short story (included) for all readers to see, point to each word so they can sound it out together. The strategy here is not to have...
Curated OER
Introduce /m/
Start by drawing a large letter m on the board for scholars to see. Do they know what letter this is? Once you've demonstrated the sound it makes, use these tips to help them make the same sound. There is even an audio pronunciation...
Curated OER
Middle Sound Segmenting Accuracy
Mico the puppet wants to play a game! Can you figure out which picture card he's thinking of if he only says the middle sound? Choose three picture cards from the extensive library provided here, making sure scholars know what word each...
Curated OER
Blending Syllables Name Game
What a fun way to practice segmenting words into syllables! Engage learners by using their own names, spoken by Mico the puppet (or one of your favorites). Mico announces names slowly, syllable by syllable. If scholars have a...
Curated OER
Phoneme Substitution, Harder (With Letters)
Emergent readers create new words by changing a phoneme, using sets of letter cards to spell out each CVC word. They begin by substituting initial sounds, then final sounds, and lastly the middle vowel. Help them sound out each word,...
Curated OER
Onset-Rime Segmenting Accuracy
Use a puppet (in this case named Mico) to make onset and rime more fun. Mico presents 12 picture cards to kindergartners, all depicting single-syllable words. He pronounces them with segmenting onset and rime, encouraging kids to say the...
Curated OER
Phonemic Awareness Instructional Routine: Isolation
This phonemic awareness activity would be great for morning meeting or circle time. Teacher calls out a word, s/he identifies the final phoneme. The class then take turns saying other simple or cvc words that also have the same ending...
Florida Center for Reading Research
Phonics: Letter Recognition, Clip-A-Letter
Young scholars show what they know about the alphabet. With two circles—one surrounded by capital letters and one with lowercase—pupils use clothespins to match letters, case to case or the opposite.
Growing Minds
Apple Exploration
Turn your classroom into a farmers' market! Reading Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson or Monica Wellington’s Apple Farmer Annie, launches this investigation of apples, farmers' markets, and the people selling products. The class...
Curated OER
Can You Find It?
Plan a Parts of a Book scavenger hunt. Begin by giving your young adventurers a book, and asking them to find the title, author, illustrator, and table of contents. After a discussion of the purpose of each of these items, class members...
Curated OER
Giving Thanks for Food and Farms
Sarah Stewart’s The Gardener and Food from Farms by Nancy Dickmann display the importance of community farms. After reading these short picture books, class members draw connections between farms and the food we eat each day. As a...
Curated OER
Tortoise and Hare Races
Practice basic map skills with the story of The Tortoise and the Hare. After listening to the story, class members create a map that indicates the starting line, the path the animals took, where they stopped to rest, and the finish line....
Curated OER
Where We Live
Who has the most? Young learners practice charting data using familiar information. They help fill out a classroom chart by recording the number of people, pets, televisions, etc. in their home. Guiding questions help them investigate...
Curated OER
Small Group: BL
Practice target sounds, especially the /a/ sound. The teacher first speaks and learners repeat words, discriminating between words with varying sounds after focusing on /a/. Letter cards are held up to show the symbolic representation of...
Curated OER
Collecting Data to Learn About the People Around You
Human graphs, anyone? Did you eat fruit today? What is your favorite costume? Have your K – 6 learners graph the responses. Early elementary grades may count and compare while upper grades compare responses of different groups or make...