Sounding out accuracy, musical chairs

Grade: K, 1

Length: 15 minutes

Materials: Index Cards, Music, Bucket

Goal: Given a printed regular word, students can sound out the word and then say the word (abc -> “aaabbbccc” -> "abc").

Items: All letter sounds learned so far

What to do

Before beginning the game, create a list of CVC words (or any other word pattern you want students to practice). Copy words onto index cards. Place all index cards in a bucket.
Today we are going to play musical chairs. Raise your hand if you know how to play musical chairs. Good!
My version of musical chairs is a little bit different. Just like in regular musical chairs, you will walk in a circle around the chairs as music is played. When the music stops you must sit down in a chair. There will be one more person than chairs. So, if you don’t get a chair, you are out.
However, in my version of musical chairs, in order to keep your chair you must pick a word from my word bucket, sound it out, and read it correctly! If you don’t sound out and read your word correctly, you are out! If everybody gets their word correct, only the person who didn’t get a chair is out.
Watch how I do it. Demonstrate picking a card. Show your card to the students. Now I am going to sound out and say my word. Caaat…Cat! Thumbs up or thumbs down? Great. Now I can sit down in my chair.
Does anybody have any questions? Answer any questions students may have.
Make sure to remove a chair after each round. Also remove a chair if a student gets out for not sounding out or reading a word correctly.
Observe students. For students who struggle, give them help and make a note in an Activity Log.