- crayons
- index cards
- laminated pictures (with labels) of words that begin with “Bb” and pictures that begin with other letters
- paper
- museum
MA Standards:
Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.2.c: Identify the initial sound of a spoken word and, with guidance and support, generate several other words that have the same initial sound
Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.3.a: Link an initial sound to a picture of an object that begins with that sound and, with guidance and support, to the corresponding printed letter (e.g., link the initial sound /b/ to a picture of a ball and, with support, to a printed or written ”B”).
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.
Literacy Knowledge/Alphabet Knowledge: Attends to the beginning letters and sounds in familiar words.
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 Museum
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Letter Recognition, Listening and Speaking, Phonological Awareness (Beginning Sounds), Vocabulary
Educator Prep: Before the activity, find pictures of things that begin with the letter “Bb” and a few that begin with other letters. Mount them on index cards and write the name of each picture on the card. Laminate the cards if possible or cover them with packaging tape so they don’t get torn easily
Invite children to create a letter museum. Remind them that a museum is a place that shows collections of things. Explain that you want them to make a letter museum with a collection of some of their favorite things that begin with the letter “Bb.”
- Have children draw pictures if they don’t find a favorite “Bb” word in the pictures you supply. Help them write a label.
- Post a sign that reads Our Letter Museum, and a smaller sign that reads The B Collection.
- Display all the /b/ pictures. Have children talk about their pictures and name the objects.
- Hold up a picture that does not begin with “Bb” and ask, Do you think you would find a picture of a <mouse> in this collection? Why do you think that? Help children conclude that <mouse> begins with the letter “Mm.” Say, Mouse would be in an “Mm” collection! Let interested children create an “Mm” collection, or a collection for any other letter they wish, to add to the museum.
English Language Learners: If children have difficulty identifying words that begin with “Bb” have them trace the letter at the beginning of each word they choose and ask, Does that letter have a straight line? Does that letter have a bump? You may need to trace the letter with them.