English lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes
Blend sound buttons to read a word
Phonics & Sight Words
CCSS RF.K.2.DCCSS RF.K.3.BEngland: Reception Phonics (blending)England: Y1 Phonics Screening Check
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Blend sound buttons to read a word.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Blending CVC words
Leads to: Real words and alien (nonsense) words; Blends with l: bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl; Blends with r: br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr
Materials: Sound cards and picture cards, Magnetic letters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Blending CVC words). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which vowel finishes the word? b _ d (clue: you sleep in it) (a / e / i / o / u) → ePrompt: Think of the word from the clue and say it slowly.
- Change the first sound in "wet" to /l/. What new word do you make? → letPrompt: Take away /w/. What is left?
- Which vowel finishes the word? h _ n (clue: a bird that lays eggs on a farm) (a / e / i / o / u) → ePrompt: Think of the word from the clue and say it slowly.
Hook · 3 min
- Hide picture cards in a bag and ask children to say the first sound of each one they pull out.
- Share the objective: Blend sound buttons to read a word. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Press each sound button and blend the sounds together. Which word do they make? p · i · g
- Step 1: Blending means pushing the sounds together to read the word.
- Step 2: So the answer is: pig
- Answer: pig
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Press each sound button and blend the sounds together. Which word do they make? d · o · t (dip / dog / dot / hot) → dotPrompt: Say each sound in order, from left to right.
- Press each sound button and blend the sounds together. Which word do they make? l · o · ng (lung / long / song / log) → longPrompt: Say each sound in order, from left to right.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Press each sound button and blend the sounds together. Which word do they make? t · r · ee (three / free / tea / tree) → treePrompt: Say each sound in order, from left to right.
- Press each sound button and blend the sounds together. Which word do they make? r · i · ng (wing / rang / rig / ring) → ringPrompt: Say each sound in order, from left to right.
Watch out for
- Adding an extra "uh" to sounds ("buh" instead of a clean b).
- Reading the letters one by one but not blending them into a word.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Blending CVC words.
- Use concrete materials: sound cards and picture cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Real words and alien (nonsense) words; Blends with l: bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl; Blends with r: br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/kindergarten.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder