I Spy Game

Here is the Literacy Vitamin for the week.

ELA Monthly Pacing Guide: December/January.

Domain: Phonemic Awareness

Children will:  Listen for and play with sounds, particularly initial sounds.

Teachers will: Play games with small groups/individual children – notice abilities or different children.

The I Spy game supports children’s ability to listen to, and play with, sounds. It helps the child come to the awareness that words are made up of sounds pieced together. Using objects, children learn to hear and identify the initial sound in a word. This is part of phonological awareness – an oral language skill.

I Spy Game

1. Take each object or picture out of the box, basket or bag and name each object with the children. Say, “What is this?” and place on a mat or tray. Can also have the children each take one and put it on the mat or tray.
2. Line up the pictures or objects on the mat or tray and name them again with children. “So we have a _____, a _____, etc.”

3. Begin the game. Call on each child to take a turn. “Josie, I spy with my little eye something on the mat that is green, and hops and starts with fffff. Can you find it and put it in the basket? What is it?” Always have the last clue be the sound.  Don’t rely on colors only as then it becomes a color finding game.
4. Repeat for the remaining objects giving each child a turn. 
5. Can extend with “fetching games” placing objects around the room and whispering clue to a child and asking them to get it.

Resources:

Montessori I SPY sound game

SEE Phonemics and Phonemic Awareness

Valerie, Heidi & Lisa