Consonant Blend Detectives: A 4-Day Phonics Adventure!
Materials Needed:
- Whiteboard or large chart paper
- Dry-erase markers or regular markers
- Consonant blend flashcards (beginning blends like bl, st, gr; ending blends like nd, st, mp)
- Picture cards showing objects whose names contain target blends (e.g., block, frog, hand, nest)
- Word cards corresponding to the picture cards
- Letter tiles or magnetic letters
- Simple storybook(s) featuring words with consonant blends
- Timer (optional)
- Fun stickers or small rewards
- Optional: Simple board game template, dice
Day 1: Beginning Blend Blast Off! (Focus: l-blends & r-blends)
Warm-Up (5 mins):
Quickly review individual consonant sounds. Ask Ily: "What sound does 'b' make? 'l'? 'g'? 'r'?"
Introduction (10 mins):
"Today, we're becoming Blend Detectives! Sometimes, two consonants team up at the beginning of a word. They keep their own sounds, but we say them quickly together, blended! Like 'b' and 'l' make /bl/ in the word 'blue'. Let's try some!" Model blending sounds for bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl and br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr.
Activity 1: Blend Sound Match (15 mins):
Show flashcards for l-blends and r-blends. Practice saying the blended sounds together. Lay out picture cards (e.g., block, cloud, flag, glue, plant, slide, bread, crab, drum, frog, grapes, prize, train). Say the name of a picture, emphasizing the beginning blend. Have Ily find the picture and repeat the blend sound.
Activity 2: Blend Building (10 mins):
Using letter tiles/magnetic letters, build simple words together focusing on the day's blends. Examples: 'flag', 'slip', 'frog', 'trip'. Have Ily sound out and blend the letters to read the word.
Wrap-Up (5 mins):
Read a short sentence using some of the blend words learned, like: "The green frog slips on the grapes." Ask Ily to point to the words with the blends.
Day 2: Super S-Blends Sleuth! (Focus: s-blends)
Warm-Up (5 mins):
Review Day 1 blends using flashcards. Quick speed round!
Introduction (5 mins):
"Great detecting yesterday! Today we're hunting for 's' blends like sc, sk, sm, sn, sp, st, sw. Listen: 's' + 't' = /st/ like in 'stop'. Let's practice these new blend sounds."
Activity 1: Blend Sort (15 mins):
Mix picture cards for s-blends (scarf, skate, smile, snail, spoon, star, swing) with a few from Day 1. Create columns on the whiteboard labeled with different blends (e.g., 'bl', 'st', 'fr', 'sm'). Help Ily sort the pictures into the correct beginning blend category.
Activity 2: Blend Bingo (15 mins):
Create simple 3x3 bingo cards with words containing blends learned so far (mix of l, r, and s blends). Call out a blend sound (e.g., "Find a word with /sp/") or show a picture card, and Ily covers the corresponding word on her card.
Wrap-Up (5 mins):
Write 3-4 s-blend words on the board (e.g., 'spin', 'step', 'swim'). Ask Ily to read them aloud. Offer a sticker for super sleuthing!
Day 3: Excellent Ending Blends! (Focus: Ending blends)
Warm-Up (5 mins):
Read a few word cards with beginning blends from Days 1 & 2. Have Ily identify the blend.
Introduction (10 mins):
"Blend Detectives, blends don't just hide at the beginning of words! They can also team up at the END. Like 'n' + 'd' make /nd/ at the end of 'hand'." Introduce common ending blends: ft, ld, lp, lt, mp, nd, nk, nt, sk, sp, st. Practice the sounds.
Activity 1: End Blend Match-Up (15 mins):
Prepare word 'chunks' (e.g., cri__, le__, la__, be__, ha__, ju__) and separate cards with ending blends (sp, ft, mp, st, nd, nk). Help Ily match the ending blend to the chunk to make a real word (crisp, left, lamp, best, hand, junk). Read the completed words together.
Activity 2: Ending Sound Hunt (10 mins):
Show picture cards for ending blend words (gift, cold, help, belt, lamp, hand, pink, tent, desk, wasp, nest). Say the word, clapping or emphasizing the ending blend sound. Have Ily repeat the word and the ending blend sound.
Wrap-Up (5 mins):
Use letter tiles to build a few words with ending blends (e.g., 'fast', 'milk', 'pond'). Have Ily read them.
Day 4: Blend Bonanza Review!
Warm-Up (5 mins):
Flashcard speed round! Show a mix of beginning and ending blend flashcards. Ily says the blend sound.
Activity 1: Storybook Blend Hunt (15 mins):
Read a simple storybook together. Give Ily a marker or pencil. As you read, have her 'hunt' for words with any consonant blends (beginning or ending) and circle them or list them on the whiteboard.
Activity 2: Blend Bonanza Game (15 mins):
(Optional: Use a simple board game path). Take turns rolling a die. On each space, draw a picture/word card. If it's a picture, say the word and identify the blend. If it's a word, read it aloud. If it's an action space, it might say "Name 2 words starting with 'gr'" or "Find the picture for 'lamp'". Aim: Reach the 'Finish' line.
Assessment (5-10 mins):
Present a list of 10-12 words mixing beginning and ending blends (e.g., stop, frog, hand, slip, crisp, plant, swim, nest, stamp, train). Ask Ily to read them aloud. Note accuracy. Briefly, show 3-4 picture cards and ask Ily to identify the blend sound (e.g., Picture of 'star' -> /st/).
Wrap-Up (5 mins):
Celebrate Ily's great work as a Consonant Blend Detective! Review the blends learned. Ask which ones were the most fun or trickiest. Reward with praise and earned stickers.