Florida Center for Reading Research
Fluency: Words, Fast Match
Here is an interesting take on the old timed-fluency activity. In pairs, learners work together to see how fast they can read two sets of high-frequency words. Peer one reads a word from his list; peer two works fast to find that word in...
Curated OER
Beginning and Ending Consonants
Young readers explore consonant sounds. In this beginning phonics lesson, learners fill in a beginning/middle/end vertical column chart with the sounds they hear in the pictured object. Practice spelling CVC words.
Curated OER
Making Words
Young writers identify and generate words using the strategies of phonics on the Making Words computer program. Words are typed instead of having to use tiles or paper. Extension activities such as playing the memory game, drawing...
Curated OER
Introduce Middle Sounds Segmenting (Mico Version)
Mico the puppet offers a phoneme challenge for emerging readers: can they find the object with the middle sound they hear? Use the fantastic set of full-color picture cards to play this game with small groups or even the whole class....
Curated OER
Build Accuracy /a/, /m/
Make letter sounds a game for pre-readers using these letter cards. After you demonstrate, learners take turns drawing letters out of a bag. Weight them for the letters they have been practicing most recently. Once they've chosen a...
Curated OER
Build Fluency /m/
Once kindergartners have learned the letter m they are ready for this sound correspondence activity. Start with a stack of letter cards including mostly m and a few other letters they haven't learned yet. Find these letter cards here for...
Curated OER
Letter Sound Fluency
How fast can you go? Test scholars' letter sound recognition with a timed game. Using letter cards of all the letters you've learned so far, learners take turns flipping cards and correctly saying the letter sound. Model this first,...
Curated OER
Phonics Monster Game Suggestion: Change It
Students play the game "Change It" and practice making words from phonic monster cards. In this "Change It" lesson, students read words and phrases that are used as functional print with visual cues. Students respond to icons, pictures,...
Curated OER
Feelings and Emotions
Students discuss and write about different feelings they or someone else may have. In this feelings lesson plan, students discuss different ways they express their feelings. Then they get a picture with someone who is demonstrating a...
Innovative Mobile Apps
Fry Words
Looking for a straightforward app for practicing high-frequency words? You've found one here! This app includes all 1000 Fry words and several ways for kids to practice with each and every one.
Scholastic
Folk and Fairy Tale Readers: The City Mouse and the Country Mouse
Support the growth of your emergent readers with this printable version of the classic fable "The City Mouse and the Country Mouse." Including supporting illustrations and simple dialogue, this story is perfect for developing the fluency...
American Library Association
Great Early Elementary Reads
Here is an excellent reference list of over 60 recommended book titles for early readers, each of which includes the author, title, number of pages, and brief summary.
Curated OER
ABC Sound Off!
Games are great ways to reinforce practical concepts. This game has students determine which letter each picture begins with. There are sounds for correct and incorrect answers, which the students will enjoy. The game is short and could...
Curriculum Corner
Digraph Boggle
Th, wh, ch, and sh are only some of the consonant digraphs early readers need to master. Increase skills and digraph recognition with a fun game. Children find words containing an initial or final digraph, circle them, and then write...
Curated OER
Reintroduce /a/
What does the letter a sound like? Scholars practice with letter sound correspondence by honing their pronunciation of the /aaa/ sound. Use these helpful tips to explain how to make this sound if needed. Then, they brainstorm words that...
Curated OER
Introduce /e/
Examine the most-used letter in the English language incorporating pronunciation, letter recognition, letter sound, and word examples for the letter e. Scholars examine the letter shape and listen to you pronounce the /eee/ sound. As you...
Curated OER
CVC Word Cards
Learners explore short vowel sounds as they cut out these seventy word cards. The cards may be used in a variety of classroom activities. Make games out of word recognition such as grouping together the rhyming words, trying to toss the...
Curated OER
Blending Sounds and Reviewing Sight Words
Sight words are so important for young readers to know and the more words they recognize the broader their reading ability becomes. This presentation provides 12 words for students to review in two different ways. First, letters are...
Curated OER
Spelling Review
Kindergarteners can review short "o" spelling words in this colorful PowerPoint. Words include: "log", "jog", "stop", "pop", and "drop." Three additional challenge words are listed, also with short vowel sounds, including: "stamp",...
Curated OER
Introduce /a/
Start your alphabet study strong using these strategies combining pronunciation, recognition, letter sound, and word examples focused on the letter a. Scholars examine the letter shape and listen to you pronounce the /aaa/ sound. As you...
Curated OER
Introduce /t/
What sound does the letter t make? As scholars develop letter recognition, form sound associations with strategies like these. Explain the tongue movement in making the /t/ sound, asking learners to try it. Draw the t on the board and...
Curated OER
Introduce /r/
Use these inventive strategies to focus on the letter r, forming sound associations along with letter recognition. Explain the tongue movement in making the /r/ sound, asking learners to try it. Draw the r on the board and give examples...
Curated OER
Reintroduce g
Synthesize pronunciation, recognition, letter sound, and word examples as scholars learn all there is about the letter g. They examine the letter shape and listen to you pronounce the hard /g/ sound. As you explain how this sound is...
Curated OER
Introduce Soft-C
Do your emerging readers know that letters sometimes borrow the sounds of other letters? Explore the soft /c/ sound, explaining that c has borrowed the sound from s. After giving scholars some examples of words that begin with this...