- magnetic letters “G” and “g” or letter cards (one for each child)
MA Standards:
English Language Arts/Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.1.d: Recognize and name some uppercase letters of the alphabet and the lowercase letters in one’s own name.
Head Start Outcomes:
Literacy Knowledge/Alphabet Knowledge: Recognizes that the letters of the alphabet are a special category of visual graphics that can be individually named.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 7: Develop familiarity with the forms of alphabet letters, awareness of print, and letter forms.
EEC Infant and Toddler Guidelines:
PW50.: The older toddler engages in a variety of physical activities.
Sing Together: “Alphabet Hokey Pokey” #3
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Small Motor Skills, Letter Recognition
Tell children you are going to play “Alphabet Hokey Pokey” with them using the letter “Gg.”
- Form a circle and hand each child a magnetic uppercase “G” or a lowercase “g.”
- Tell children that you will hold up either an uppercase or a lowercase letter. Say, If I hold up a letter that matches your letter, I want you to jump in and out of the circle as we sing the part of the song that goes “You put your ‘Ggs’ in, You put your ‘Ggs’ out, You put your ‘Ggs’ in, And you shake them all about.” Then have those children stay in the circle while you sing the rest of the song.
- Demonstrate by holding up the uppercase letter “G.” Continue with the lowercase “g” so all children have a turn to practice. Then hold up letters randomly so children have to look and match to know whether to jump in or not. Continue as long as children are interested.
Alphabet Hokey Pokey
You put your “Gg”s in,
You put your “Gg”s out,
You put your “Gg”s in,
And you shake them all about.
Chorus
You do the hokey pokey (hold your hands up, wiggle your fingers, wiggle your hips)
And you turn yourself around. (turn around in place)
And that’s what it’s all about! (clap your hands as you sing the last line)
Educator Tip: Guided and independent letter, sound, and word practice continues to take place in center activities. If desired, you can set up the literacy center immediately after the direct instruction and repeat instruction before children work in the literacy center identifying letters.