Level 3: Sort by Sound
Sequence of Sound: Connections to Print
Level 3 Activities focus on the sequence of sounds in a word. Attention is directed to specific positions of sounds within a word. This is the foundational base for segmenting sounds independently. When recognition of beginning, ending, and middle sounds is acquired, emergent readers are better equipped to isolate sounds and hear them separately.
Early Literacy Foundational Skills
Sounds (Phonemes) Isolation
listen & detect individual sounds at the beginning of a word
listen & detect individual sounds at the ending of a word
listen & detect individual sounds in the middle of a word
Sort by Sound
GOAL: sound (phoneme) isolation & matching sounds (phonemes) to letters
Materials:
bags of small objects with three different beginning sounds
EX: toothbrush, marble, mirror, penny, pencil
alphabet letters (plastic/ cards) matching the three different beginning sounds - place in bag with small correlating objects
EX: ‘t’ ‘m’ ‘p’
To make alphabet letter cards: write individual letters on individual index cards - EX: ‘b’ ‘c’ ‘h’ ‘m’ ‘p’ ‘t’
Directions for New Players:
Have child select one bag of small objects with correlating alphabet letters (focus is on beginning sounds)
Ask the child to pull one object or letter out of the bag and place it in front of them.
Have the child say the name of the object or the letter sound.
EX: child pulls out the letter ‘p’ and says /p/ (the sound of the letter - not the letter name). If the child states the letter name, then say, “Correct, that is the letter name. What sound does that letter make?”
EX: child pulls out the mirror and says, “Mirror”
When all objects and letters have been correctly identified, place the letters in a row from left to right (this does not need to be in alphabetical order)
Have the child pick up one object and re-state the name of the object. Ask the child to place that object underneath the corresponding letter.
IF THIS IS A CHALLENGE, model the following:
“This is a mirror. I hear the /m/ sound at the beginning.” Point to a letter (EX: ‘p’). “This letter is a ‘p’ and says /p/. Does that sound like the /m/ in mirror?” Repeat the above until the child matches the ‘m’ letter with the mirror.
Directions for Established Players:
Materials:
bags of small objects with three different ending sounds
EX: pencil, bell, book, rock, hat
alphabet letters (plastic/ cards) matching the three different ending sounds - place in bag with small correlating objects
EX: ‘l’ ‘k’ ‘t’
To make alphabet letter cards: write individual letters on individual index cards - EX: ‘b’ ‘c’ ‘h’ ‘m’ ‘p’ ‘t’
Directions for Established Players:
Have child select one bag of small objects with correlating alphabet letters (focus is on ending sounds)
Ask the child to pull one object or letter out of the bag and place it in front of them.
Have the child say the name of the object or the letter sound.
EX: child pulls out the letter ‘l’ and says /l/ (the sound of the letter - not the letter name). If the child states the letter name, then say, “Correct, that is the letter name. What sound does that letter make?”
EX: child pulls out the mirror and says, “Pencil”
When all objects and letters have been correctly identified, place the letters in a row from left to right (this does not need to be in alphabetical order)
Have the child pick up one object and re-state the name of the object. Ask the child to place that object underneath the corresponding letter.
IF THIS IS A CHALLENGE, model the following:
“This is a pencil. I hear the /l/ sound at the end.” Point to a letter (EX: ‘t’). “This letter is a ‘t’ and says /t/. Does that sound like the /l/ in pencil?” Repeat the above until the child matches the ‘l’ letter with the pencil.
CHALLENGE:
Create small bags with focus on the middle sound.
HELPFUL TIPS:
Always model first until the child is comfortable with this activity.
Caution if using consonant digraphs (EX: ch, sh, th) use ONE card for ONE sound.
If using vowel digraphs (EX: ai, ea, ee) use ONE card for ONE sound.