Learn the difference between vowels and consonants with this game!
Contributed by
Emily Carter
Posted Wednesday August 23, 2006
|
Featured Toy in this Lesson Plan
Magnetic Wooden Letters
Fat Brain Toys Item #: MD115
Includes 52 colorful wooden letters with full magnetic backing--both upper and lower case! Store conveniently in a solid wood storage case with see -through lid. Age 3+
Click here for complete product details...
|
|
|
Name of Fat Brain Toy(s) Incorporated
|
Magnetic Wooden Letters
Fat Brain Toys Item #: MD115 |
|
| Academic Level/Grade |
1st,2nd |
|
| Number of Students Designed For |
any |
|
| General Subject Area |
Language Arts |
|
| Materials Needed |
Magnetic chalkboard or whiteboard
Chalk or dry erase markers
One or more sets wooden magnetic letters
Eraser
|
|
|
Stated Objectives
|
The goal of this activity is to help students idenitify the difference between vowels and consonants.
They will also practice spelling and reading skills as they solve each problem.
Quick thinking is required in a group setting in order to be the first with the answer. You may want to use a timer if you are playing this game with only one or two children to encourage them to think quickly. |
|
|
Student Response
|
Group interaction and a game setting make learning this sometimes-confusing concept a little less intimidating to young students. The familiar medium of the magnetic letters makes it attractive to the children and draws them into the game. Playing against each other or a timer gives an added challenge that children naturally respond to--it's fun! |
|
|
How was the Fat Brain Toys product used?
|
Use your normal lesson plan to explain to the students the difference between vowels and consonants. This activity may help them understand this as a new concept, or reinforce something they've already learned.
To begin this game with only one or two students, place the box of magnetic wooden letters on a desk or table in front of the children. Have them each spread out one set of the letters in alphabetical order.
Next write a sentence on your board that can be easily read by your students. For example:
The fat rat sat on a log.
Have the students read the sentence out loud, making sure they have correctly identified each sound.
Next, erase a few of the vowels so that your sentence looks something like this:
Th_ fat r_t sat _n a log.
Have the students race each other to see which vowels are missing. They can choose from the pile in front of them and place the missing letters in order on their desk and raise their hands as soon as they have the answer. The first student to come up with the right combination of letters gets to put their letters on the board in the correct spots.
Now ask the students to identify whether the missing letters were vowels or consonants? Then have them identify the other vowels in the sentence.
Rewrite the missing vowels and this time erase a few of the consonants so that the sentence looks something like this:
T_e fa_ _at _at o_ a _o_.
This will be more challenging, as the students will have to remember the order of the words in the sentence and the spelling. Give the students a little more time to come up with the answer. First student to come up with the correct answer in the right order gets to put their letters on the board again. Ask the children again to identify whether the missing letters were vowels or consonants and have them identify the other consonants in the sentence.
Keep track of how many turns each child guesses correctly. The first student to correctly guess and place letters in five sentences could be the winner. |
|
|
How was it helpful to the lesson?
|
Magnetic letters are a classic for children. It is a familiar medium to most children, having played with them long before they could even say the names of the letters. These high quality magnets are fun to use--they are bright and colorful, and the form of these letters is more "friendly" than the hard sharp plastic magnetic letters.
Placing the magnetic letters in place may be less intimidating for young children still learning to write, while still allowing them to practice reading, spelling, and identification skills in a group setting. |
|
|
Measurable Learning Observed
|
Each student can solve the problem for themselves by placing the letters directly in front of them. This allows the teacher to observe whether or not the student who does not find the answer first is able to correctly identify the missing letters.
Placing the letters on the board shows that the student has correctly recalled each word in the sentence along with the correct spelling.
Having the students identify vowels/consonants reinforces the concept and helps them understand the difference. |
|
|
Extended Activities
|
Some students may not yet be ready to read a sentence. You may try writing out the alphabet. Have the child read the alphabet out loud. Next erase all the vowels. Ask the child to identify the missing letters and place them on the board. Then ask them whether the missing letters were vowels or consonants. Repeat as above, this time erasing three or four of the consonants. Have the child identify them again and place them on the board.
You may also try using a list of simple words that the child can read. Using silly words makes it more fun for the children as well.
You can adapt this activity for your students needs and reading levels. |
|
|
Additional Information
|
To play this game with more than two children, have the children arrange the letters alphabetically on the board next to the sentences.
To solve the problem individually, each child can write the missing letters in order on their own sheet of paper. The first child to correctly write the letters gets to place the magnetic letters in the correct spaces on the board. (Adds written practice to the game in a nonthreatening way...the students don't have to try writing in front of each other if they are not yet ready.) If your students struggle with writing quickly, you might use a set of index cards with the letters on them for each student to choose from. |
|
