I SPY Letter Mats These are included for each letter of the alphabet and can be used in a variety of ways. In the picture above I used them with Magnetic Wands and chips. You can get them at a reasonable price here.
The kids love sweeping the wand over the work mat to pick up all of the chips, and I love that I can use the work mats over and over again. Note: These would look great printed on Astrobrights paper.
Another way to use the work mats would be to let the students color them or dab them with dot markers.
In phonemic awareness, you don’t use the letter symbols, so I don’t show the students the cards when we are working with this work mat in the beginning. However, They are versatile, and they can be moved to a center for phonics practice so that the students can continue to work on segmenting words by actually seeing the letters that make up the sounds. For this activity, the students use the picture cards with the letters mixed up. For example, Student asks himself: “Where do I hear the sound?” and places the cube in the spot where the sound is heard. This can be repeated for all of the letters in the word, and then the students can write the words on a whiteboard if desired. There are 30 different picture cards that come with this activity.
Three in a Row! This activity comes with a variety of Bingo cards so that you can use this in a small group. The teacher segments the words by reading the individual sounds /h/ /e/ /n/ and then the students blend the sounds together to determine the word. The first student to get three in a row is the winner. Again, when students are ready to go to the next step these can be moved to a center, and they can independently read the word cards and cover the pictures.
Sound Switch! For this fun game, students will work on building words and then changing the beginning sound in the word to make new ones. They will then determine if the new word is a real word or a make-believe word. There are 10 cards and a recording sheet with this activity.
Playdoh Alphabet Mats There is an alphabet mat for each letter of the alphabet. The mats include pictures that represent the letter sound as well as a place for them to make the letters with playdoh and trace them. These are available in both color and black and white.
Sound Snap! This fast-paced game is fun to play in small groups. There is a work mat for each letter of the alphabet. Each student has a different target sound they are looking for. In the example above the target sound is /m/ as in mouse. As the cards in the deck are turned over the students are looking for pics that match their target sound. As soon as they see one they grab it and put in on their mat. When all four spots are filled they call out, “SNAP!” The first one to fill their mat is the winner. This game also works well in a center for groups of students to play.
These alphabet books are for students who are struggling to learn their letters and sounds. I have a routine that I follow with my intervention group that has been extremely effective in helping them learn their letters and sounds. The routine that I use is laid out in the units step by step, as well as the materials and directions for making the alphabet books.
*Three in a Row {Demonstrate understanding of spoken words}
*Spot the Sound {Beginning, middle & ending sounds in words}
*Sound Snap {Letter/sound correspondence}
*Sound Switch & Sound Switch 2{CVC words & changing letters in words to make new ones}
*I Spy Letter Mats {Letters and Sounds}
*Dob a Letter Mats black and white {Letters and Sounds}
*Play-doh Letter Mats color {Letters and Sounds}
*Alphabet Songs & Letter Cards {Letters and Sounds}
*Phonemic Awareness Activity Cards on a Ring: {Rhyming, Syllables, Letter & Sounds, Onset & Rhyme, Blending, Changing sounds in words to make new ones.
*I Have Who Has Games {Letter Identification. Letter Sounds}
*RTI Lesson ideas and alphabet books
*Spin a Letter game for letter/sound recognition
Over 330 pages of fun.
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As a middle school teacher, I always find it fascinating to see the strategies you K-1 magicians use to get kiddos reading. Thank you for your expert creativity.
How can I get a hold of you? I saw some of your work on t pt and was wondering if you take customer orders?
Hi Deanna! I am sooo very blessed to have been in two of your presentations over the past few years. I must say that you inspire me so much! I emailed you when I started teaching K in 2011 and you generously shared your B2S centers with me. I have read your blog almost as much as I read the Bible and you are the reason I have been recognized by 2 districts as district teacher of the year (Pflugerville in 2011 and Aledo in 2017) as well as the HEB Texas Teacher of the Year in 2015. Thank you for inspiring me! I just saw you in Houston at GYTO and you mentioned emailing you about writer's workshop. Here is a post I wrote a few years ago. I have added and changed ideas since this post, but thought I would share it with you. Thank you for your inspiration, Deanna!
Oops! Here is the post: http://sprinklestokindergarten.blogspot.com/2016/02/writing-in-primary-grades.html
Erica Roe (Crowder)
ericanroe@yahoo.com
Love this Alphapalooza 2. It looks like a lot of fun. You are very creative.
My school just purchased the Guided Reader Bundles. I love them! I read your post on organizing them and you said you use a 1 in binder. When I printed the first month it is huge (a good thing) but it will not fit in a 1 in binder. I must be missing something. Can you help me out? Thank you!
I am super excited to set up my centers this year, and these are a fantastic addition.
I love this! These are such important skills and this teaching them in a fun way for students.
I love this bundle! There are so many different ways for little minds to learn and the variety helps with engagement!
I love all your ideas. So creative and interactive.
Love, love, love your enthusiasm and your products. We are implementing leveled reading groups this year and this would be a great intro and reinforcer for the struggling kiddos.
I would love to try Alphapalooza 2Phonemic Awareness with my class.
GREAT! You should be able to download it now. I had to fix some links on my new blog.
Such a fun way to help students learn letters and sounds.
I would love to grab this freebie!
GREAT! You should be able to download it now. I had to fix some links on my new blog.
Thank you!
Activities look great! Thanks!
Gtreat activities! Thanks!
Looking forward to using these with my Kindergarteners this year.
Can’t wait to try this with my Pre-K class!
Great ideas! Thank you for sharing
Thank you!
You are truly inspirational!
Thank yo so much!
You are amazing. Thank you for taking the time to post all your materials.
You are welcome! Have a great year!
This should be a great addition to my teaching.
Thank you!!!