- word card boat
- boat
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:
Language Development/Receptive Language: Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
Literacy Knowledge/Phonological Awareness: Identifies and discriminates between sounds and phonemes in language, such as attention to beginning and ending sounds of words and recognition that different words begin or end with the same sound.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 8: Listen to, identify, and manipulate language sounds to develop auditory discrimination and phonemic awareness.
Learn About Letter Sounds Together: Letter Sound (/b/)
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Alphabet Awareness, Phonological Awareness (Beginning Sounds), Word Recognition
Hold up the boat word card and have children say the word with you, emphasizing the beginning /b/ sound.
- Say, Many things begin with the /b/ sound, like boat. Let’s look around the room. Raise your hand if you see something that begins with the /b/ sound.
- Guide children to understand that they can choose a real object (a book), a picture of an object (beaver), or a classmate whose name begins with the /b/ sound.
- Select a child to name an object/classmate.
- Have everyone repeat the word, emphasizing the /b/ sound.
- Repeat with other volunteers.
If a child chooses something that doesn’t begin with /b/, say the word aloud and emphasize the beginning sound. Ask, Do you hear the /b/ sound at the beginning of this word? What sound do you hear? We will look for that sound at another time.
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 (ABC Center or similar) immediately after the direct instruction and repeat instruction before children work in the center identifying letters.
Adaptation: If very young children have difficulty coming up with a /b/ word, point out several objects, such as a book and a red crayon. Ask, Which word begins with the /b/ sound, book or crayon? Emphasize each beginning sound.
English Language Learners: If English Language Learners have difficulty identifying objects beginning with the /b/ sound, have them repeat the sound numerous times. Have them place their palm in front of their mouth as they say the sound and feel the air on their hand. Give them an alliterative sentence to practice with their hand in front of their mouth: Ben buys big balloons.