Do your students have trouble blending sounds? Several of mine do have trouble blending the sounds to make a CvC word. Sometimes people email me and ask me how to get students to be able to do this.
This is a one way for students to get some practice blending sounds. I use the Smartboard and pull up the interactive dice. There is one dice that is already preloaded with vowels. Then I add 2 more and change the words on it to beginning sounds and ending sounds.
When you touch the dice, they spin. The kids love that of course. Then we make the sounds for each dice and then blend them together. It is easier for the students to blend it if we use a sing-song type voice and if they can recall the sounds quickly- /m/ /u/ /g/.
I have some older students that need some help remembering the short e rule so I also use these dice for that too.
For each word we blend, we decide if it is a real or nonsense word. You almost can’t get away from having nonsense words come up. Then we record these words on our recording sheet.
For my students that really struggle with this skill, I have them make the sounds for each letter as they write it: what sound do you say for t? what sound do you say for a? what sound do you say for n? Now run your finger under the word as you read it! It is always important that they read the word as a whole and not just in pieces.
Here is a recording sheet for you if you can use it. Hope this idea of blending sounds helps your students!
Have you discovered these Differentiated Instruction Cubes? Love, love them!! I use them with my Roll, Blend, & Write It cards to give students more practice with blending sounds together. These are onset & rime cards.
The cubes are large and soft so when they are tossed they are quiet! They are easy to use in centers or small group reading.
These are the same cubes but I am using my CVC cards for this center.
You can click on the pictures to be taken to these items. My students are going to be getting in a lot of fun blending practice!
Aylin Claahsen says
Hi Lori,
I definitely have plenty of little friends who struggle with blending sounds to read words…I just bought some foam dice that have letters on them. I will be recreating your fun SmartBoard lesson with the dice very soon- thanks for the idea. π
Aylin
Learning to the Core
Anonymous says
Thanks for sharing this simple, yet fabulous activity. I'm getting ready to make this with my smart software right now. I will definitely be using it tomorrow!
Karen
An Apple a Day in First Grade
Bridget S says
I love it!!! What a great idea. I've done the same with dice I've made, but this is much cooler π Since our interventionist doesn't have a Smartboard, but the classroom teacher's do, this would be a great station activity π
THANK YOU!
Bridget
Literacy Without Worksheets
Barbara Leyne says
This is a great idea, Lori! I don't have a smart board in my new school but I could easily adapt with real dice.
Thank you!
Grade ONEderful
Ruby Slippers Blog Designs
Tammy says
Interactive dice? I need to hear more about this!
β Tammy
Forever in First
lorivines4 says
The foam dice would work great for the blending. It just seems some students struggle a little more with this skill than others, doesn't it Aylin? Hope the idea helps!
lorivines4 says
Karen, I hope the blending with the dice helps your students! It can be a difficult skill for some. π
lorivines4 says
You are so welcome, Bridget! I am glad that you like the blending dice idea and I hope it helps your students.
lorivines4 says
Barbara, the foam dice would work just as well as the Smartboard dice. Hope it helps your students with blending!
lorivines4 says
I hope you can find the interactive dice, Tammy. I will give you new directions if you don't find your way to them. π
Susanna Westby says
Oh, how I wish I had a smartboard! Well, I do have a projector and an ipad, so maybe I can figure something out. I just recently figured out how to control my computer with my ipad so I can walk around the room with it! So fun!
Susanna
Whimsy Workshop Teaching
lorivines4 says
I wish you had a Smartboard, too Susanna! Foam dice would work for the blending idea too. π
Anonymous says
I am having a hard time finding the dice…any other trick to finding it? Thank you!
lorivines4 says
Jennifer, when you open up your Smartboard Notebook software look for the Gallery. It is a picture that looks like the blue sky with a moon in a frame. In the search box, type in and search for dice. When the options come up, click on interactive and multimedia. The dice should be found there. I hope you can find it! π