- multiple plastic letters “a,” “e,” “r,” “t,” and “w” (the same number of each so that the word water can be formed several times) ;
- word card water
MA Standards:
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.
Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.3: Demonstrate beginning understanding of phonics and word analysis skills.
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.
Learn About Letters Together: Letter (“Ww”) and Word (water) Hunt
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Letter Recognition, Word Recognition, Vocabulary
Hide the letters “w,” “a,” “t,” “e,” and “r” around the room. Tell children they are going to hunt for water by finding the letters in the word water. Start the hunt. When a child finds one of the letters, have him or her bring it to the circle. When all the letters are found, have children work together to make the word water, using the word card as reference.
Educator Tip: Guided and independent letter, sound, and word practice continues to take place in center activities. It is helpful to set up the literacy center immediately after the direct instruction and repeat instruction before children work in the literacy center identifying letters.