Level 1: We are a Family

Rhythm & Rhyme: Connections to Print

Level 1 Activities help a child develop an “ear” for the spoken language. When surrounded with oral talk, the hearing, identifying , and matching similar word patterns flourishes. This is the foundational building block for reading.

The following activities help build the connections between the sound(s) to the printed alphabet letter(s).

Early Literacy Foundational Skills

• Sound (Phoneme) Matching

  • listen & detect similar sounds at the beginning (onset) of a word

  • listen & detect similar sounds at the ending (rime) of a word

• Syllable Counting

  • listen, detect, & count syllables (beats) within a word

• Word Counting

  • listen, detect, & count words in a sentence or phrase

We are a Family

GOAL: sound matching & matching letters to sounds

Materials:

• word family cards

  EX: ‘at’ ‘et’ ‘it’ ‘ot’ ‘ut’

  EX: ‘ap’ ep’ ‘ip’ ‘op’ ‘up’

• individual alphabet letter cards

To make word family cards: (1) write word families on individual index cards (EX : write ‘at’ on ONE card); (2) write individual letters on individual index cards - EX: ‘b’ ‘c’ ‘h’ ‘m’ ‘p’

Directions:

1. Introduce & practice rhyming words - say three words, two will rhyme but not the third. Have the child identify the two rhyming words.

   EX: ‘cat’ ‘stop’ ‘hat’

2. Using the word family cards and individual alphabet letter cards build the two rhyming words.

   EX: take the ‘c’ card and the ‘at’ card. SAY /c/ and slide the ‘c’ card in front of the child. Then SAY /at/ and slide the ‘at’ card to the right of the /c/ card. Now SAY /c/ /at/ sliding your finger underneath the proper letters as you speak. Repeat sliding saying the word a an appropriate speed.

3. Repeat with the second rhyming word.

   EX: take the ‘h’ card and the ‘at’ card. SAY /h/ and slide the ‘h’ card in front of the child. Then SAY /at/ and slide the ‘at’ card to the right of the /h/ card. Now SAY /h/ /at/ sliding your finger underneath the proper letters as you speak. Repeat sliding finger underneath as you say the word at an appropriate speed.

4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 with a new set of rhyming words.

HELPFUL TIPS:

• Always model first until the child is comfortable with this activity.

• Individual word families (EX: at, op, en) use ONE card for ONE word family.

• If using consonant digraphs (EX: ch, sh, th) use ONE card for ONE sound.

• If using vowel digraphs (ES: ai, ea, ee) use ONE card for ONE sound.