ACTIVE LEARNING PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS

Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize sounds in oral language (rhyme, alliteration, syllables, etc.). Tie movement in with oral and aural activities to engage the body and brain.

RHYME

Handy Rhymes
Have children extend their arms as they say pairs of words that rhyme. For example: sun (extend right hand) - fun (extend left hand). As they progress, the teacher says a word (extend right hand) and then children say a word that rhymes (extend left hand).

Rhyming Song
Do this activity to the tune of “Skip to My Lou.”
Cat (hold out right hand)
Hat (hold out left hand)
Those words rhyme.
Cat (hold out right hand)
Hat (hold out left hand)
Those words rhyme.
Cat (hold out right hand)
Hat (hold out left hand)
Those words rhyme.
They all end with “at.” (Roll hands around as you say this.)

Rhyme Ball
You will need a ball, beanbag, or other object to toss for this game. Children sit or stand in a circle. The teacher says a word and then tosses the ball to a child. As the child catches the ball, she must say a word that rhymes.

Rhyme Detectives
Tell the children that they will get to be detectives andlisten for words that rhyme. You say a word, and they put their pinkies up if they hear a word that rhymes with it. Pinkies down if it doesn’t rhyme.
For example: Cat - hat (pinkies up), run - dog (pinkies down).




SYLLABICATION

Mouth It!
Have children gently place their palm under their chin and ask them repeat to words. Surprise! The mouth opens on each syllable (all syllables have vowels and the mouth opens).

Move It!
Clap, hop, walk, or nod the syllables in classroom objects.
*Disco, hula, swim, or march to syllables in rhymes and songs.
“Beep” like aliens or “Wa wa” like Charlie Brown’s teacher as you say words or read.

Instruments
Have children beat out syllables with instruments.

*You could also use cardboard rollers, straws, pencils, etc. like drum sticks to tap out rhythms and syllables.

Syllable Show
Slowly say a word. Children hold up the number of syllables they hear on their fingers.

*You could also let them show the number of syllables by placing the appropriate number of poker chips or other objects on their desk.



BLENDING

Body Touch
Blend words touching parts of the body. Touch the head as you say the beginning sound in the word. Touch the stomach as you say the middle sound. Touch the feet as you say the final sound. Quickly move from head to feet and blend the sounds.

*You can also use the body to isolate sounds. For example:

Where do you hear the /s/ in bus? (Children touch feet.)


Finger Tap
Bend in your fingers and extend your thumb. Going from left tap a finger for each sound with your thumb. For example:

/j/ /e/ /t/. Run your thumb over your fingers as you blend the sounds and say the word.

BLENDING

Children will be actively engaged as they practice blending sounds with some of the activities below.

Body Touch
Blend words touching parts of the body. Touch the head as you say the beginning sound in the word. Touch the stomach as you say the middle sound. Touch the feet as you say the final sound. Quickly move from head to feet and blend the sounds.

*You can also use the body to isolate sounds.
For example: Where do you hear the /s/ in bus? (Children touch feet.)


Sound Sack
Take a small sack and fill it with common objects or small toys. Engage children’s attention with this song to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot.”
What’s in the sound sack, who can tell?
Maybe it’s a book or maybe it’s a shell?
What’s in the sound sack, who can say?
Blend the sounds, you’ll know right away!

Choose an object and stretch out the sounds. When children can blend the sounds and say the word, remove it from the sack and place it on the floor. Before putting each item back in the bag, segment the sounds again.

*Start with compound words. When children are successful with that, use objects with two syllables. Finally, children will be able to blend individual phonemes.


Finger Tap
Bend in your fingers and extend your thumb. Going from the left tap a finger for each sound with your thumb.
For example: /j/ /e/ /t/. Run your thumb over your fingers as you blend the sounds and say the word.



*You can do a similar activity by extending your left arm in front of you. Make the first sound as you touch your shoulder, the second sound as you touch the elbow, and the third sound as you touch the hand. Then quickly sweep the right hand down your left arm as you blend the sounds and say the word.

SINGING SIGHT WORDS

Music can be the “dessert” in your curriculum. Try using some of these familiar tunes to practice reading sight words.

Singing the Word Wall
Sing the word wall from a to z with the tune of “Gilligan’s Island.”

Sight Word Cadence
Children echo each line as you sing four word wall words at a time.
There are some words you need
If you want to learn to read.
A All And Are
Be Book Boy By…etc.

Two Letter Words
Sing two letter words to “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”
If you want to spell he, say “h” “e.”
If you want to spell he, say “h” “e.”
It’s easy as can be when you sing and spell with me.
If you want to spell he, say “h” “e.”

Three Letter Words
Sing three letter words to “Where Is Thumbkin?”
What spells the? What spells the?
T – h – e (T – h – e)
T-h-e spells the. (T–h–e spells the.)
T – h – e. (T – h – e)
*Sing three letter words to “Three Blind Mice.”

*THE Poem: You can say the, or you can say the,
but you always have to spell it T- h - e!

Four Letter Words
Learn to spell four 4 letter words with “Happy Birthday.”
T – h – a – t spells that. T – h – a – t spells that.
T – h – a – t spells that. T – h – a – t spells that.
*Sing four letter words to “My Darlin’ Clementine” or “YMCA.”

Five Letter Words
Five letter words can be sung to “BINGO.”
There is a word that you should know and green is the word-o.
G – r – e – e – n. G – r – e – e – n. G – r – e – e – n.
And green is the word-o.
*Sing five letter words to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

Six Letter Words
The tune of “Ten Little Indians” can be used to spell six letter words.
S-c-h-o-o-l,
S-c-h-o-o-l,
S-c-h-o-o-l,
That spells school.

*The theme song from “The Mickey Mouse Club” can also be used for six letter words.

Seven or Eight Letter Words
*Fit the letters in longer words to “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” and “Coming Round the Mountain.”

Chiming Words
Use a xylophone for this activity. Strike keys on letters and the blend.

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BLENDING

Children will be actively engaged as they practice blending sounds with some of the activities below.

Body Touch
Blend words touching parts of the body. Touch the head as you say the beginning sound in the word. Touch the stomach as you say the middle sound. Touch the feet as you say the final sound. Quickly move from head to feet and blend the sounds.

*You can also use the body to isolate sounds.
For example: Where do you hear the /s/ in bus? (Children touch feet.)


Sound Sack
Take a small sack and fill it with common objects or small toys. Engage children’s attention with this song to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot.”
What’s in the sound sack, who can tell?
Maybe it’s a book or maybe it’s a shell?
What’s in the sound sack, who can say?
Blend the sounds, you’ll know right away!

Choose an object and stretch out the sounds. When children can blend the sounds and say the word, remove it from the sack and place it on the floor. Before putting each item back in the bag, segment the sounds again. 

*Start with compound words. When children are successful with that, use objects with two syllables. Finally, children will be able to blend individual phonemes.


Finger Tap
Bend in your fingers and extend your thumb. Going from the left tap a finger for each sound with your thumb.
For example: /j/ /e/ /t/. Run your thumb over your fingers as you blend the sounds and say the word.



*You can do a similar activity by extending your left arm in front of you. Make the first sound as you touch your shoulder, the second sound as you touch the elbow, and the third sound as you touch the hand. Then quickly sweep the right hand down your left arm as you blend the sounds and say the word.

COMPOUND WORDS

Compound words reinforce the concept of "word" and encourage "blending" (putting together)  and "segmenting" (taking apart).


Puzzles
Write words on opposite sides of a paper plate. Cut a puzzle shape between the words. Mix them up and ask children to put the puzzles together and read the words.
Hint! For younger children use picture cues.

*Cut the plate into thirds. Write words on two sections as shown and the compound on the third section.

          

Open and See
Cut paper into rectangles 4” x 10.” Fold in half. Open. Fold each edge to the center as shown. Write individual words on the two side sections. Open and write and illustrate the compound word.

      


Compound Boogie
(Tune: "Ball in the Jack" IS EVERYBODY HAPPY? CD)
Take the word "rain" and the word "coat." (Extend a hand on each word.)
Put them together and get “raincoat.” (Bring hands together.)
Dog – house…foot – ball…cup – cake…
Sun – shine…lunch – box…
The compound boogie is easy to do.
You make one word out of two!
And now you can join in the fun.
I’ll say two words and you make them one.
Play – ground…side – walk…bath – tub…
Tree – house… some – thing… sail – boat…
Bed – room… snow – man…cow – girl…
Door – bell…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6sMMCFjYk4

Separating Syllables
Separate words by bringing hands together and saying a compound, such as “sunshine.” “What happens if we take away ‘sun.’ What happens if we take away ‘shine’?” 

Building Compounds
Put words or pictures on unit blocks. Have children put these together and read the words.