Countdown Book 1 | Teacher Guide | Really Great Reading

COUNTDOWN

Really Great Reading PO Box 46 Cabin John, MD 20818 866-401-7323 www.ReallyGreatReading.com Copyright © 2017 Really Great Reading ®

Curriculum Development Team: Amy E. Vanden Boogart, Ed. D., Janeen Hergert, M. Ed., Sharon E. Stockman, M.S., CCC-SLP, Randall Klein, Scott DeSimone

Graphic Design and Interactive Media: Ingrid Shwaiko, Rachel Nadeau, Mark Snyder, Cora Jane Hay

First Edition ISBN: 978-1-942598-25-1

No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission of the publisher.

Printed in the U.S.A.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION iv

UNIT 1:

Lesson 1 1 Lesson 2 7 Lesson 3 13 Lesson 4 20 Lesson 5 26

UNIT 2: Lesson 1 33 Lesson 2 42 Lesson 3 50 Lesson 4 57 Lesson 5 64

UNIT 3: Lesson 1 71 Lesson 2 79 Lesson 3 87 Lesson 4 95 Lesson 5 102

UNIT 4: Lesson 1 111 Lesson 2 118 Lesson 3 124 Lesson 4 132 Lesson 5 139

UNIT 5:

Lesson 1 147 Lesson 2 155 Lesson 3 162 Lesson 4 170 Lesson 5 177 APPENDIX 185

Introduction

Table of Contents

What Is Countdown? v

Who Is Countdown Designed For? v

Countdown’s Overarching Goals v

Countdown’s Instructional Approach vii

Overview of Countdown’s Scope and Sequence viii

Scope and Sequence ix

Countdown’s Broad Structure: Strands & Sub-strands xi

Tables of Strands, Skills, and Activities xvi

Countdown’s Unit and Lesson Structure xix

Countdown’s Components and What’s In This Book xx

Lesson Design xxii

Countdown’s Strands: What You Need to Know xxiii

WYNTK: Countdown In General xxiii

WYNTK: Functional Vocabulary and Key Concepts xxiv

WYNTK: Rhyming xxv

WYNTK: Phonemic Awareness xxv

WYNTK: Alphabetic Principle xxviii

WYNTK: Sight Words xxxi

How Much Time Will It Take to Complete Countdown? xxxii

Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys xxxii Teaching in Whole or Small Groups xxxiii

Observing Skill Mastery in Countdown xxxv

What Are the Qualifications for Teaching Countdown? xxxvi

The Role of Images and Icons in Countdown xxxvi

Teach to Students’ Understanding Rather than Their Memory xxxvi

Optional Supplemental Instruction xxxviii

Environmental Activities xxxviii

Positive Error Correction xxxviii

Teaching Motions for the Consonant Phonemes xxxix

Countdown Activities: Units 1-16 xxxix

Items in Supplemental Resources of Countdown Online xlv

Items in the Appendix xlvii

What Is Countdown?

Countdown is a set of supplemental literacy lessons, structured in units, for students who are learning to read. Each Countdown unit contains five lessons, each with three short activities (called lesson “parts”). The lessons provide direct, explicit, multisensory, and systematic playful instruction in phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics to give students a firm foundation in the subskills that lead to strong decoding and fluent reading. Countdown instruction is used to supplement (or replace) portions of a core reading program. Countdown follows a carefully designed Scope and Sequence so your students will not miss any steps on their path to mastering key foundational literacy skills. All instruction is teacher-directed and teacher-led with student participation, and the lessons are designed to be short, yet impactful.

Who Is Countdown Designed For?

Countdown is designed for young students who are beginning to learn and practice the alphabetic principle; that is, the understanding that spoken words are composed of individual sounds, and that letters represent those sounds. Countdown instruction is designed to begin as early as the first week of kindergarten, although some teachers have used it successfully in preK-4. There is no prerequisite knowledge for students entering Countdown

Countdown is designed by educators for educators. Its unique design allows for fast-paced, sequential delivery of vital instruction and practice in a whole class setting. It’s great for classrooms that need strong instruction, a simple structure, and a clear path to ensure that the vast majority of children learn how to read.

Countdown can also be used in an intervention setting for the child who is slower at acquiring skills, is missing some key foundational knowledge, or struggles with working memory and needs more repetitions to become proficient with certain skills.

Countdown’s Overarching Goals

The primary goals of Countdown are:

1. To help students build robust phonemic awareness skills with an understanding that words are made out of a sequence of sounds and that we can isolate individual sounds and distinguish them from one another

2. To teach students how to use phonemic awareness skills to read and spell

3. To help students understand the alphabetic principle, or the idea that letters represent sounds

4. To build students’ automaticity with letter-sound relationships

5. To help students decode simple Closed Syllable words with accuracy and automaticity

6. To help students read a set of high frequency-words (referred to in Countdown as sight words) with accuracy and automaticity

7. To build students’ phonics knowledge related to consonant digraphs and consonant blends, and to provide strategies for reading simple two-syllable words

Essentially, Countdown is designed to give students the skills and knowledge they need to become strong decoders and fluent readers.

Countdown ’s secondary goals include:

1. To provide schools with a uniform, consistent path for teaching key foundational literacy skills

2. To make delivery of instruction easy and stress free for the teacher and the student

3. To help teachers monitor the acquisition of key foundational literacy skills and use data to group their students by ability if so desired

Specific Curricular Goals

Countdown ’s specific curricular goals are listed below. The goals are broken down into two major sections: Units 1-16, which focus on pre-decoding skills and scaffolded decoding and encoding, and Units 17-28, which focus on increasingly independent encoding and decoding of words in isolation and in connected text.

• The first half of the year (Units 1-16) teaches pre-decoding skills (understanding the alphabetic principle, building basic phonemic awareness skills, understanding letter-sound relationships, and watching and participating in models of proficient decoding and encoding). By Unit 16, students should be able to read and understand the structure of CVC words like hug, sat, rip, and wet, independently or with the teacher’s support.

• The second half of the year (Units 17-28) focuses on using these skills to decode more complex words in isolation and in connected text. Students practice both with support and independently, and the focus is on building automaticity with letter-sound relationships, increasing scaffolded and independent phonics decoding and spelling practice, building automaticity with high-frequency words, and reading connected text. By the end of the Countdown program (Unit 28), students should be able to read and understand the structure of more complex single-syllable Closed Syllable words, like dust, hush, smash, and west, as well as two-syllable words where both syllables are closed, like sunset and picnic.

Upon completion of the first half of Countdown (Units 1-16), students should, independently or with support, be able to:

• Recognize rhymes

• Produce rhymes

• Isolate the initial sounds of words

• Distinguish between letter sounds

• Identify letter-sound correspondences for short vowels and consonant sounds

• Blend the parts of spoken compound words

• Blend the onsets and rimes of spoken words

• Blend the sounds in twoand three-phoneme words

• Segment the sounds in two- and three-phoneme words

• Add and substitute phonemes in simple words

• Encode (spell) three-phoneme words with short vowels

• Decode (read) three-phoneme words with short vowels

• Read 27 high-frequency words

• Chorally read short, decodable phrases

Upon completion of the second half of Countdown (Units 17-28), students should be able to:

• Blend the sounds in threeand four-phoneme words

• Segment the sounds in threeand four-phoneme words

• Encode (spell) three- and fourphoneme words with short vowels

• Decode (read) three- and fourphoneme words with short vowels

• Read 60 high-frequency words

• Read short, decodable phrases and sentences with fluency and automaticity

• Distinguish between long and short vowel phonemes

• Delete, add, and substitute phonemes in spoken words

• Identify and decode words with digraphs

• Identify and decode words with consonant blends

• Identify and decode single-syllable Closed Syllable words

• Segment the syllables in two-syllable words

• Blend the syllables in two-syllable words

• Decode two-syllable words with Closed Syllables

Countdown accomplishes these goals with direct, explicit, and multisensory teaching of the subskills that lead to strong decoding and accurate, fluent reading. For a more detailed look at the Scope and Sequence, see p. ix.

For teachers who want to expand the scope of their Countdown instruction, some additional Countdown lessons are available through Countdown Online. These optional lessons teach two additional syllable types:

• Vowel-Consonant-e (words like hope, cape, snake, etc.)

• Open Syllables (words like hi, we, she, etc.)

Countdown’s Instructional Approach

Explicit instruction and teacher modeling are critical to helping students grasp the concepts that underlie proficient decoding. Countdown instruction is teacher-directed with student participation. As students progress through the program, their participation becomes increasingly independent. In the first half of Countdown (Units 1-16), students participate chorally and build familiarity with the concepts taught as they work with the teacher and with one another; in the second half (Units

17-28), while the instruction is still teacher-directed, there is much more guided and independent practice of the concepts taught. In the first half of the program, there is an option for students to use manipulatives (color and letter tiles) to gain more hands-on practice of skills and to demonstrate their learning individually. In the second half of the program, the use of manipulatives is required for all students and becomes the foundation for student practice and demonstration of concept mastery. (For more information about Countdown ’s manipulatives, see p. xxi.)

Overview of Countdown’s Scope and Sequence

Countdown lessons initially focus on readiness skills, such as making observations, using descriptive language, and categorizing items. The Unit 1 lessons teach these readiness skills, along with some key concepts and functional vocabulary, such as same and different; first, next, and last; whole and part; and above and below. It is essential that students understand these ideas so that they can respond to the direct, explicit phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics instruction provided later in Countdown

The first few units also teach students how to begin playing with the sounds in words. First, students are exposed to the idea of rhyming. Then, they are asked to recognize rhymes and, later, to produce rhymes. Countdown uses rhyming to help students notice similarities and patterns of sound within words (Units 1-3).

As they work on rhyming, students also begin participating in phonological and phonemic awareness activities, which help students play with sounds in ways that prepare them to understand the alphabetic principle, or the idea that words are made out of sounds and that symbols (letters) are used to represent sounds.

Students then focus on mastering letter-sound correspondences and applying this knowledge to encoding (spelling) and decoding (reading) simple one-syllable words. By the middle of the year (Unit 16), students have learned all 26 letters (names and most common sounds) and are, independently or with the teacher’s assistance, reading and spelling words like hug, map, and jog. More importantly, Countdown helps students understand the structures within these words and how to use their phonemic awareness skills (segmenting and blending) for reading and spelling. Along the way, students play games to master a set of high-frequency words. By the end of Unit 16, most typically developing students are, with or without support, reading simple phrases (like “in the van”) and are ready to transition to more complex phonics concepts.

Units 17-28 leverage this strong literacy foundation and expose students to more complex consonant structures like digraphs (wish, thick) and two-sound consonant blends (f l a g, m i s t). Students read increasingly complex phrases (“on the big ship”) and sentences (“ We can all jog here.”). By the end of Countdown students are reading and understanding the construction of simple two-syllable words like catfish, tablet, and insect, and are reading simple phrases and sentences that contain these constructs (“Unlock the cabin at sunset .”).

A detailed Scope and Sequence can be found on the next page. Before reviewing the Scope and Se quence, it is important to understand Countdown’s structure, which is described beginning on page xi.

Countdown’s Broad Structure: Strands & Sub-strands

Developing the ability to read proficiently is somewhat like assembling a puzzle. There are many interlocking pieces, each essential to the whole picture. Countdown is organized into skill strands that are similar to puzzle pieces, with each piece contributing to the bigger picture of reading mastery. As each new piece is put into place, it becomes clearer how the additional pieces fit in. Some of these strands, or puzzle pieces, are broken down further into sub-strands based on individual skills that comprise the larger strand.

The information below briefly describes Countdown ’s individual strands and substrands. More detailed information about the strands and sub-strands can be found in the What You Need to Know sections, beginning on p. xxiii.

Functional Vocabulary and Key Concepts

FUNCTIONAL VOCABULARY AND CONCEPTS SIGHT WORDS

RHYMING

PHONEMIC AWARENESS ALPHABETIC PRINCIPLE

Countdown’s Strands

For students to participate in and benefit from direct phonemic awareness and phonics instruction, they first need to understand specific vocabulary and key concepts. Initially, Countdown lessons introduce concepts and vocabulary (such as one-to-one correspondence; directionality; first, next, last; same and different; and whole and part) through playful instruction, using words and images that are familiar to most young students. Once this foundational knowledge is well established, instructors may confidently use specific terminology and apply key concepts to teaching students about the sound structure and symbols of our language. For example, students must understand the difference between whole and part before they can grasp the concept of a spoken word being broken into component sounds (“parts ” of the word) that we can isolate and pronounce; and they must be proficient with the terms first, next, and last to be able to confidently identify the first sound in a word or to spell the next sound.

Rhyming

Recognizing and producing rhymes is an early sign that a child is developing phonological awareness (a general understanding of the sound structure of language). These skills often emerge spontaneously as young children engage in language play. Rhyming ability may indicate that a child has begun to notice global similarities in patterns of sound within words. While rhyming can be fun and engaging, and all students may benefit from some exposure to it, it is just a first step

toward building strong phonological awareness. Rhyming is not a major component of the standard Countdown Scope and Sequence, but additional activities are available in Countdown Online for teachers who may want more rhyming practice for their students. See p. 200 for details.

Phonemic Awareness

Strong decoding begins with phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness is the gateway and underpin ning to a comprehensive understanding of the alphabetic principle. Phonemic awareness gives stu dents a framework for understanding phonics. It’s critical that students understand that spoken words are made of individual speech sounds, or phonemes, that can be combined in different sequences to create new words. The Phonemic Awareness strand has four sub-strands: Beginning Sound Isolation, Blending, Segmenting, and Phoneme Manipulation (Addition, Deletion, and Substitution).

Beginning Sound Isolation (BSI)

Countdown begins by helping children understand that words are made up of a sequence of sounds (phonemes), that we can isolate these individual sounds, and that they can be differentiated from one another. Countdown’s beginning sound isolation activities achieve the program’s initial goal, which is to build up students’ consciousness of individual phonemes. This is the first layer of skilled phonemic awareness. An example of beginning sound isolation is /b/, bear, since the first sound in bear is /b/.

Blending

Once students are conscious of individual phonemes, the Countdown activities begin to focus on blending these phonemes into words. Phoneme blending is the combining of sounds. This is a very important step in the development of skilled decoding because, ultimately, students must be able to blend together the phonemes represented by multiple letters in a word. Blending individual sounds can be difficult at first, but it is a skill that can be enhanced through explicit instruction and practice.

Examples:

• Blend the phonemes /b/ /ĕ/ /t/ into a real word. (bet)

• Blend the phonemes /s/ /m/ /ă/ /sh/ into a real word. (smash)

Segmenting

Segmenting phonemes, or separating sounds, is the opposite of blending. It is formally called phoneme segmentation and refers to the ability to divide a spoken word into its component sounds (phonemes). This is a critical skill in both reading and spelling development because it is the foundation of successful encoding (or spelling). Encoding (spelling) a word is the best way to understand its structure, and encoding a word is largely dependent on a student’s ability to segment phonemes and then spell them one phoneme at a time.

Examples:

• Segment the sounds in fudge. (/f/ /ŭ/ /j/)

• Segment the sounds in check. (/ch/ /ĕ/ /k/)

Phoneme Manipulation: Addition, Deletion, and Substitution

Truly refined phonemic awareness includes even more advanced skills, like phoneme addition, deletion, and substitution. All three of these are considered “phoneme manipulation” skills. Phoneme manipulation is generally more challenging than segmenting and blending phonemes. Manipulation requires students to hold phonemes in their working memory long enough to isolate specific phonemes, add, delete, or change specific phonemes, and then blend the phonemes back together to form a new word. Units 1-16 contain a few phoneme manipulation activities that utilize teacher modeling to expose students to these advanced phonemic skills. In Units 17-28, students get more guided and independent practice with the skills of phoneme addition, deletion, and substitution.

Phoneme addition examples:

• Add the phoneme /w/ to the beginning of the word in. (win)

• Add the phoneme /k/ to the end of the word high. (hike)

Phoneme deletion examples:

• Say stop without the /s/. (top)

• Say felt without the /t/. (fell)

Phoneme substitution examples:

• Replace the first phoneme in map with /k/. (cap)

• Replace the vowel phoneme in check with /ĭ/. (chick)

Alphabetic Principle

The alphabetic principle is the understanding that letters represent the individual sounds in spoken words. Recognizing that there are predictable relationships between letters and sounds, and that stu dents can learn these relationships, is critical to their decoding success. There are three sub-strands included in the Alphabetic Principle strand: Letter-Sound Identification, Decoding, and Encoding.

Letter-Sound Identification

Once students understand that they can isolate individual phonemes and distinguish these phonemes from one another, Countdown activities begin to relate these sounds to letters. Letters are introduced in clusters. Clusters typically contain three consonant letters and one vowel letter. On the next page is a chart of the clusters and their scheduled introduction.

Even though Countdown doesn’t introduce any letter-sound relationships in the first five units, by the eighth week (Unit 8), students have learned 12 letters (three clusters of letters, which include nine consonants and three vowel letters.) By the end of the Unit 14, students have been working with all 26 letters and their most common sounds. Because the first five units build such a strong foundation of functional vocabulary and phonemic awareness, by the time students begin working with the letters, they are in a position to truly understand the alphabetic principle and, therefore, to internalize the letter sounds as they learn them.

Unit Cluster Letter Symbols

6 1 m, t, p, a

Taught

The specific letters taught in each Countdown cluster have been selected thoughtfully and purposefully. Clusters 1-5 each contain one vowel letter and three consonants. Clusters 6 and 7 contain three consonants each. Letters are taught roughly in order of most frequently occurring in English to least frequently occurring; the goal is to provide students with the most “useful” letters first so that they can immediately apply their knowledge of the particular letter sounds learned to decoding and spelling real words. For instance, after learning only the letter sounds taught in Cluster 1 (m, p, t, and a), students use the alphabetic principle to decode and encode words like map, mat, pat, tap, and at. This allows students to (consciously or unconsciously) see that the skills they are learning in their Countdown lessons can be useful when learning to read and spell new words. Care has also been taken to avoid teaching visually similar or otherwise easily confused letters in the same cluster; for instance, b, d, p, and q are taught in four separate clusters.

Encoding

Once students can understand that a word can be segmented into its component sounds and they understand letter-sound relationships, Countdown helps students begin to spell (encode) simple three-letter short vowel words like dog, mop, and sun. At first, this is done primarily by the teacher modeling the alphabetic principle. The teacher segments a target word into sounds and then, as she speaks the three sounds, places one letter at a time in proper sequence to form the word. Later, students learn how to “build” words, segmenting a target word into sounds, then, using their manipulatives, placing one color tile to represent each sound, and finally, spelling each sound with a letter. Encoding is meant to show how print and sounds map onto each other. This is the understanding of the alphabetic principle at the word level.

Decoding

practice decoding very simple words in isolation and in short phrases along with the teacher, but by the second half of the program, they begin decoding increasingly complex words with more independence. Countdown gives students the strategies and practice they need to decode unfamiliar words. When students are able to decode words accurately and automatically, they are better equipped to derive correct meaning when they read.

Sight (High-Frequency) Words (Heart Words)

Countdown gives students ample practice in reading high-frequency words, the most commonly used words in the English language. In Countdown, we refer to high-frequency words as “sight words,” although a student’s sight word vocabulary consists not just of high-frequency words, but any word, high-frequency or not, that is read automatically, without conscious effort by the student. When children can read high-frequency words accurately and automatically, it helps them read any text more fluently.

Some words should eventually be known “by sight,” without analysis, either because they occur very frequently (high-frequency words) or because of their phoneme-grapheme (sound-letter) irregularities. In Countdown, high-frequency words are referred to as “Heart Words” because students are encouraged to memorize these words, or learn them “by heart.” While it is possible to gain some phonemic (sound) information from the letters in these words when they are first encountered (e.g., come starts with /k/ and m spells /m/), the ultimate goal is to read such irregular words automatically, without conscious effort.

The expectation is that Countdown students will learn and practice 60 high-frequency words by the end of kindergarten. Below is a table listing the order in which the Heart Words are introduced.

If your goal is to teach more than 60 high-frequency words by the end of kindergarten, or a different set of words than the ones listed below, Countdown has some tools that can help you accomplish this. Countdown Online ’s Supplemental Resources section contains a tool called the Heart Word Generator which allows you to choose which highfrequency words to teach and practice. This tool gives you the flexibility to teach the high-frequency words you select each week. The practice activities in Countdown are cumulative and controlled; students only practice with words, phrases, and sentences

Unit Heart Words Taught Unit Heart Words Taught

8 the, in, my 17 N/A (Transitional Unit) 9 a, is, for 18 was, no, so 10 I, am, here 19 say, now, have 11 and, at, go 20 said, come, down 12 it, like, be 21 they, that, this 13 to, not, can 22 ate, our, who 14 you, are, do 23 where, what, must 15 did, too, will 24 we, he, she 16 with, all, me 25 but, want, there 26 saw, own, please 27 make, good, new 28 out, one, two

that contain concepts within their grasp based on what they have been taught up to that point in the lessons. Each activity allows students to practice the skills and concepts taught in the current and previous units, and the activities build upon one another in complexity. If you choose to modify the list of Heart Words that your students are exposed to, it may change the cumulative and controlled nature of the phrase and sentence reading in Countdown because your students may not have learned all the words that are used in those activities.

Functional Vocabulary

Strand Concentration by Unit

Tables of Strands, Skills, and Activities

Below is a chart that will help you visualize the instructional concentration of unit clusters in the first half of Countdown. Notice how foundational skills like functional vocabulary, rhyming, and beginning sound isolation are targeted in the first five units. Then, once those foundational skills are established, Countdown instruction progresses to more refined phonemic awareness skills like blending and segmenting phonemes, as well as encoding, decoding, and high-frequency (sight) word acquisition.

AP: Encoding

Sight Words

Sight Words

AP: Decoding Alphabetic Principle

AP: Letter Sounds PA: Manipulation PA: Segmenting Phonemic Awareness

PA: Blending PA: BSI Rhyming Rhyming

Functional Vocabulary

Countdown is structured into strands and sub-strands, each focusing on different skills. Each skill is taught and practiced with a variety of student-friendly activities. The tables on the following pages further describe Countdown ’s individual strands, the skills they target, and the activities used to build up these skills. Each activity is designed to be completed in approximately five minutes and has a specific goal that’s related to one of the strands or sub-strands. Three activities per day means that instruction will take about 15 minutes per day.

In the second half of kindergarten, the structure of Countdown changes, and each lesson can be taught in approximately 15-25 minutes a day. There are no rhyming or functional vocabulary activities in the second half of Countdown (Units 17-28). Instead, the Phonemic Awareness, Alphabetic Principle, and Sight Word strands are the exclusive focus.

STRAND

Functional Vocabulary and Print Concepts

SKILLS ACTIVITIES

Describing and Comparing

Finding Similarities and Differences

Rhyming

Phonological & Phonemic Awareness

Alphabetic Principle

Sight Words

First Instance Unit, Lesson, Part

Describing and Comparing: Similarities U1.L1.P2 Describing and Comparing: Differences U1.L1.P3

Recognizing Parts of a Whole Whole/Part U1.L4.P2 Categories

Understanding Categorization and Exclusion from a Category

Introduction to Category U1.L2.P1 Introduction to Category: Exclusion From U1.L2.P2

Eat vs. Wear Sort U1.L3.P1 Directionality

Sorting in Two Categories

Tracking Left to Right

Left to Right & One to One U1.L3.P2

Identifying First, Next, and Last First/Next/Last U1.L3.P3 Recognizing Above and Below Above/Below U1.L5.P2 Sequencing

Identifying Before and After Before/After U1.L3.P3 Recognizing Beginning, Middle, and End Beginning/Middle/End U1.L5.P1

First, Next, Last in Time

First/Next/Last: Temporal Sequencing U1.L5.P3

Hear That Rhyme U1.L2.P3 Which Words Rhyme? U2.L2.P3 Producing Rhyme Creating Rhymes U3.L2.P3

Recognizing Rhyme

Peel That Sound U2.L1.P1 Sound Stories U2.L1.P2

Beginning Sound Isolation

Blending Compound Words, Onset-Rime, and Individual Phonemes

Segmenting Phonemes

Adding/Substituting Phonemes

Letter Naming & Letter-Sound Correspondence

Peel and Sort U2.L2.P1 Peel and Say U2.L5.P1

Peel and Match U3.L4.P1 This or That? U3.L5.P1

Mystery Bag U2.L1.P3 What’s That Word? U3.L1.P3

Stretch Those Sounds U6.L2.P3 Count the Sounds U9.L4.P1

Add That Sound U13.L2.P1 Sound Swap U16.L2.P1

Letter-Sound Intro U6.L1.P1 Name that Sound U6.L1.P2 This Letter or That? U6.L2.P2 Find That Letter U6.L4.P2 Connect the Letter U6.L5.P1 Which Letter? U7.L1.P3 Letter-Sound Review U15.L2.P1

Encoding (Spelling)

Decoding (Reading)

Automatic recognition of Heart Words

Guess My Word U7.L2.P3 Unscramble This U7.L5.P3 Build a Word U9.L4.P3

Letters Make Words U6.L4.P1 Touch & Say U6.L5.P2 Phrase Reading U10.L5.P3

Look, Think, Say U8.L1.P3 Pop-Up U8.L1.P3 3-Up U8.L1.P3 Where’s That Heart Word? U8.L3.P1 Phrase Reading U10.L5.P3

Each unit from 17-28 focuses on one major phonics concept (e.g., teaching a specific digraph and practicing with that digraph) and incorporates explicit phonemic awareness instruction. Each unit also includes explicit and systematic practice with a set of letter-sounds and three new Heart Words. The table below describes how the second half of Countdown continues to provide explicit instruction and practice with the skills in the Phonemic Awareness, Alphabetic Principle, and Sight Word strands and sub-strands.

Skills Taught by Activity, Units 17–28

SKILLS ACTIVITIES

BEGINNING SOUND ISOLATION

Finger-stretching BLENDING Blending Phonemes Phoneme Blending SEGMENTATION Segmenting Phonemes Finger-stretching MANIPULATION

Phoneme Addition Phoneme Deletion Phoneme Substitution

LETTER IDENTIFICATION

STRAND

Look, Think, Say Pop-Up 3-Up Read a Row

ENCODING

HEART WORD FLUENCY

Detective Work Word Sort Phrases and Sentences to Read Sight

Look, Think, Say Pop-Up 3-Up Read a Row Phrase Reading Sentence Reading

Countdown’s Unit and Lesson Structure

In the first half of Countdown (Units 1-16), each weekly unit has five daily lessons, and each lesson consists of three parts. A “part” is one activity, and each activity is conducted independent ly of the other activities in that lesson.

Organized into:

Units

28 Total Units

Each has 5 Lessons.

Lessons

In Units 1-16, each lesson has 3 parts.

Parts

Each part takes 3-5 minutes.

Structure of Countdown Units 1-16

For instance, in Unit 3, Lesson 1, you will first run the Peel That Sound activity (focusing on beginning sound isolation) in Part 1 of your daily Countdown instruction. Then, in Part 2, you will run the Sound Stories activity, which is a beginning sound isolation/ alliteration activity. Finally, in Part 3, you will run the What’s That Word? activity, which focuses on phoneme blending. None of these three activities is related to the others. Each activity (part) will take approximately five minutes to complete, so each daily lesson should take about 15 minutes and can be taught in one 15-minute block, or in three separate five-minute blocks. For a detailed look at the activity list and the structure of a typical activity page, see p. xxxix and p. xxii.

Countdown Online, the web-based instructional companion to the Teacher Guide, is also structured in Units, Lessons, and Parts for Units 1-16, as demonstrated in the image below. For more informa tion about Countdown Online, see p. xxi.

Structure of Countdown Online, Units 1-16

Beginning in Unit 17, which is the first unit in Countdown Teacher Guide Book 3, the structure of a unit changes. While there are still five lessons per unit, each lesson is one continuous instructional block. The lessons no longer contain three independent activities, but are designed to be taught as one continuous lesson lasting for approximately 15-25 minutes. In each weekly unit (Units 17-28), each daily lesson (1-5) has a specific instructional focus. You will continue to use Countdown Online, and the structure of Countdown Online in Units 17-28 will mirror the Teacher Guide and will no longer require you to click on a specific lesson “part” (see

image below). This new structure enables you to delve deeper into the phonemic awareness and phonics concepts to be taught, and lessons often contain more than one activity related to the same phonemic awareness or phonics concept. The unit structure of Units 17-28 is detailed in the introduction of the third Countdown Teacher Guide.

Countdown’s

Structure of Countdown Online, Units 17-28

Components

and What’s In This Book

This Teacher Guide contains the first five units of Countdown and is only one of the pieces you need to deliver Countdown instruction. It, along with Books 2 and 3 of the Teacher Guide set, contains step-by-step instructions for delivering Countdown with fidelity. It also includes an appendix and other reference materials that will help you understand Countdown ’s curricular approach. Additionally, you will need a subscription to Countdown Online, which can be purchased from Really Great Reading. As previously described, Countdown Online is organized into a sequence of units, lessons, and parts, and it is strictly aligned to this Teacher Guide. You will use Countdown Online for Units 1-28. You may also choose to use the manipulatives found in the Countdown Student Kit in the first half of Countdown instruction (Units 1-16). In the second half of the program (Units 17-28), the manipulatives are required, as is the Countdown Student Workbook (see below for more information on these components).

Countdown Teacher Guides Countdown Online Countdown Student Workbook Countdown Student Kit

Components of Countdown

Countdown Teacher Guide Set

This set contains three lesson plan books and some ancillary companion pieces.

• Books 1 and 2 are designed to be taught in the first half of kindergarten and finish with students reading (and understanding) simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words independently or with support. In these books, students learn about and build confidence with phonemic awareness skills and the alphabetic principle. Students build essential functional vocabulary, participate in rhyming activities, play with phonemes, learn letter-sound relationships, and encode and decode simple words.

• Book 3 continues into more advanced concepts and is designed to be taught in the second half of kindergarten. Book 3 instruction finishes with students reading and understanding the structure of more complex single-syllable words like hush, flash, pond, and dust, and even exposes students to two-syllable words like catfish, sunset, and insect.

Countdown Online

• Countdown Online is a teacher presentation tool and an essential online companion piece to the Teacher Guide Set. Countdown cannot be taught without the use of Countdown Online. It is designed to facilitate smooth and efficient instruction as it brings your classroom to life with colorful, iconic imagery. This tool allows the teacher to deliver many exposures and practice opportunities while virtually eliminating teacher prep time. This web-based companion to Countdown can be accessed on any device, including an interactive whiteboard, LCD projector, laptop, tablet, or standalone computer. It is a subscription-based tool offered in 6-month or 1-year increments. Countdown Online also contains a set of Supplemental Resources (including additional web-based and printable practice activities, decodable passages, videos, posters, and more) to further enhance and support your Countdown instruction. See p. xlv for more information on the Supplemental Resources available in Countdown Online.

• To preview Countdown Online, visit www.explorecountdown.com and download the PreLaunch activity packet from www.ReallyGreatReading.com.

Countdown Student Workbook

• Countdown has one Student Workbook that, along with the Countdown Student Kit, contains everything a student needs to practice and build mastery with the skills taught during the second half of kindergarten. This workbook is used in conjunction with Teacher Guide Book 3 (Units 17-28). The activities increase student outcomes and serve as informal, formative assessments so you can understand which students have really mastered the concepts and which students may need more instruction.

Countdown Student Kit

• The Countdown Student Kit is designed to work in conjunction with the Countdown lessons. It includes the letter tiles, color tiles, SyllaboardsTM, and other components needed to complete

all 28 units of Countdown. Note: if you have previously taught Really Great Reading’s Blast Foundations program or have access to the Blast Student Kits, there is a way of upgrading the Blast Kit to work with Countdown. See www.ReallyGreatReading.com for details.

• When Countdown Student Kits first arrive, the tiles are not yet distributed on the boards. (The tiles arrive in sheets that can be easily snapped apart into individual tiles.) We suggest collecting the tile sheets from each kit and distributing the individual tiles as you introduce letter clusters (e.g., in Unit 6, when students are first exposed to the letters m, t, p and a (Cluster 1), you can distribute only those four letters). To make this distribution process easier, letter tiles have been pre-grouped to align with the weekly clusters.

Lesson Design

As mentioned above, in the first half of Countdown (Units 1-16), each weekly unit has five lessons, and each lesson has three independent instructional activities, or “parts.” The units are teacherfriendly and easy to follow. The diagram below details the layout of a typical page from Teacher Guides 1 and 2. In Teacher Guide 3, the layout is slightly different to accommodate the different lesson format (as described on p. xix).

UNIT 3 Lesson 1 | Part 3

• Look at these two pictures. Which word did we say?” A: nest (Push your fists together as you blend the word parts.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples: 1. rug/man /m/ /ăn/ A: man 2. bear/chin /b/ /ār/ A: bear 3. goat/corn /k/ /orn/ A: corn 4. jar/fish /f/ /ĭsh/ A: fish 5. cat/lime /k/ /ăt/ A: cat

1. Unit, Lesson, Part Markers: The Unit, Lesson, and Part are clearly labeled at the top of each page, as well as at the beginning of each activity.

2. Activity Number and Name: Each activity is numbered, and activities are described in detail beginning on p. xxxix. Identifying the activity number helps you quickly and easily locate additional information about the activity before you teach it.

3. Strand: Each activity is categorized under one of the strands and (sometimes) sub-strands. Descriptions of the strands can be found on p. xi.

4. What Students See: Images at the beginning of each activity show what the students see on the screen at the outset of the activity.

5. Objective: The objective details what students will accomplish through the activity.

6. Description: A brief description is provided the first time each activity appears; it tells you what will happen in the activity. In subsequent instances of an activity, a note directs you back to the full description on a previous page.

7. 3, 2, 1: The 3, 2, 1 section indicates what you should do to prepare to launch the lesson. It alerts you to open Countdown Online and, if manipulatives are an option for a given activity, the 3, 2, 1 section lists the necessary materials.

8. Launch: The Launch section is the beginning of the scripted lesson and provides directions for what you should do and say to lead students through the activity.

9. Differentiation Options: Differentiation options are provided to allow you to simplify the activities or make them more challenging to meet the needs of your students.

Countdown’s Strands: What You Need to Know

Countdown is structured into strands and sub-strands focusing on different skills. The “What You Need to Know” (WYNTK) sections below discuss the key ideas behind each strand. Reading through the What You Need to Know content will provide you with a crash course in the concepts being taught, will give you background information about why you will teach certain content, and will ensure that you have a clear understanding of concepts before you teach them.

WYNTK: Countdown In General

Countdown uses a speech-to-print approach, thus it initially focuses on building a student’s phonological and phonemic awareness skills, then leverages those skills to help build up letter-sound relationships. Rather than showing them the letter b and teaching that it says /b/, Countdown works to establish a student’s conscious awareness of the /b/ phoneme, and then associates that phoneme with the letter symbol b

Since Countdown instruction is considered speech-to-print, it focuses heavily on building strong phonemic awareness skills. Children must have strong phonemic awareness (i.e., the ability to

focus on the sounds in spoken words) before they can recognize that those speech sounds are represented by letters (symbols) and before they can understand that there is a great deal of regularity between sounds and spellings. Countdown teaches phonics at the level of the individual phoneme from the outset; the focus, even early in the program, is not on syllables or onset and rime (these are touched upon only briefly). Once children have well-established phonemic awareness skills, you can leverage those skills as you teach phonics.

WYNTK: Functional Vocabulary and Key Concepts

For students to participate in and benefit from Countdown instruction, certain background knowledge must be established. Students must understand specific vocabulary and key concepts that underlie the phonemic awareness and phonics concepts they will learn. Unit 1 is the introductory Countdown unit that focuses on building this background knowledge in functional vocabulary and other key concepts. In Unit 1, the concepts and terms introduced are:

• Describing and comparing items, including finding similarities and differences using the terms same and different (background knowledge for identifying two words with the same first sound)

• Category, including inclusion into and exclusion from a category and how to sort items into categories or groups (background knowledge for categorizing a vowel sound as long or short, or categorizing the first sound in ball as either /b/ or /n/)

• Left to right directionality (background knowledge for reading printed text)

• One-to-one correspondence (background knowledge for knowing that one sound is spelled by one letter)

• Using the terms first, next, and last and before and after to describe directionality and spatial sequence (background knowledge for identifying the first sound in a word, the next sound in a word, the last letter in a word, or identifying which words have the same first sound)

• Using the terms whole and part (background knowledge for understanding that a whole word can be divided into individual sounds, which are each part of the word )

• Using the terms beginning, middle, and end (background knowledge for knowing which word comes at the beginning of a sentence, or which sound comes at the end of a word, or which letter is in the middle of a word)

• Using the terms above and below (background knowledge for placing letters below color tiles in the Build a Word procedure)

• Using the terms first, next, and last to describe temporal sequence (background knowledge to help students understand the sequence of steps in the Countdown activities)

It is important for you to know that your students understand the functional vocabulary and other key concepts taught in Unit 1 because you may then confidently use these terms and concepts in teaching students about the sound structure and symbols of our language.

Many kindergarten students will enter kindergarten with at least a vague understanding of some of these foundational terms and concepts and will solidify their knowledge in Countdown ’s Unit 1 activities. However, some students may not have any prior knowledge of these terms and concepts. These students may require more than one week of instruction to truly establish their functional vo cabulary knowledge. An alternative Scope and Sequence (found on p. 187) with three introductory weeks focused on developing functional vocabulary and basic concepts, rather than just one, allows you the option of providing additional exposure to and practice with these important foundational terms and concepts.

WYNTK: Rhyming

Spoken words can be divided into phonological units called onset and rime. The onset of a word is the sound(s) that comes before the vowel. In the word cat, the onset is /k/. In the word plate, the onset is /pl/. The rime is the vowel sound and all consonant sounds that follow the vowel. In cat, the rime is /ăt/. In plate, the rime is /āt/. The word cat, when segmented into onset and rime, would be /k/ /ăt/; the word plate would be /pl/ /āt/. When words rhyme, they have different onsets but the same rime. Thus, the word cat rhymes with other words ending in /ăt/, such as bat, mat, pat, and chat. The word plate rhymes with date, wait, great, state, and crate. The ability to recognize rhyme is the ability to identify words that have the same middles and ends, or the same rime. The ability to produce rhyme is the ability to think of other words that have the same rime as the target word, but different onsets.

Rhyming is just a first step toward building strong phonological awareness. It can be fun and engaging, but it is not one of the phonological skills that directly leads to success with decoding. In Countdown, students progress from being exposed to rhyming pairs of words, to identifying rhymes, to producing rhymes themselves.

WYNTK: Phonemic Awareness

Students who have phonemic awareness understand that spoken words are made of individual speech sounds, or phonemes, that can be combined in different sequences to create new words. Once students understand that spoken words are made up of speech sounds that can be isolated and manipulated, they are in a position to understand how those sounds relate to letters. Research shows that phonemic awareness has a powerful influence on early decoding skills. Phonemic awareness is the foundation of automatic, fluent letter recognition and word identification (decoding) and ultimately of reading fluency and comprehension. Therefore, the activities we present to beginning and struggling readers must involve the child’s phonemic awareness. We must elicit it, observe it, and recognize how the phonemic portion of the task is being performed, whether easily or haltingly.

The phonemic awareness component of Countdown involves various skill-building activities, such as segmenting, blending, and manipulating phonemes. These core skills are taught and practiced in a high-impact, engaging, and multisensory manner. The phonemic awareness activities are purely auditory; students concentrate on speech sounds without linking them to letters or spellings.

Initially, students focus on developing phonemic awareness skills without focusing on naming specific sounds. Later, in the second half of the program, there is a strong focus on naming and categorizing vowel phonemes which promotes reading success since vowel phoneme knowledge is essential to understanding word structure.

most complex

simplest

Phonemic Awareness Skills, in order of difficulty

Countdown focuses on helping students develop four essential phonemic awareness skills: phoneme isolation (through beginning sound isolation), phoneme blending, phoneme segmentation, and phoneme manipulation (addition, deletion, and substitution). Each of these is discussed in more detail in the sections that follow. (Note that this graphic does not include the phonological awareness skills of blending compound words and blending onset and rime. Although these are taught in Countdown, they are not the instructional focus of the phonemic awareness activities.)

WYNTK: Beginning Sound Isolation (BSI)

Countdown ’s initial goal is to help children understand that words are made up of a sequence of sounds (phonemes) that can be differentiated from one another. To do this, Countdown activities teach students how to isolate the beginning sounds of words. Beginning sound isolation (BSI) is a technique where the children are taught to pronounce the first phoneme in a word, and then say the whole word (e.g., /b/, bear; /ă/, apple; /ch/, chin). The target of these beginning sound isolation exercises is to build up a child’s awareness that words are comprised of individual phonemes. Teachers can begin to use BSI activities very early in the school year, with environmental talk (e.g., “The /b/, bell is about to ring. Let’s all line up at the /d/, door.”).

Countdown uses BSI in five structured, sequenced activities, as well as the fun and engaging alliterative stories (Sound Stories). Each Sound Story features an individual phoneme which is repeated frequently to help children focus on that phoneme (e.g., Penny is a penguin from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Plenty of penguins live at the South Pole, but Penny prefers the pond at Point State Park…).

Countdown ’s five structured BSI activities are detailed later in the introduction. These activities use images to teach and practice this skill. It’s important to note that Countdown instruction is not meant to help children memorize the beginning sound for each image; instead, the BSI activities help students develop a skill, the ability to isolate the first sound in words. A child must be able to tell you that the word table starts with the sound /t/—not because he has memorized it, but because he himself is aware of the beginning sound and can isolate and say it.

WYNTK: Blending

Blending involves listening to and pulling together isolated phonemes to create words. Phoneme blending is basically combining sounds. This process requires a student to hold the individual elements in his/her mind as the word is created, thus challenging a student’s active working memory. Blending individual sounds can be difficult when students first begin, but is a skill that can be enhanced through instruction and practice.

Once students have built up their consciousness of individual phonemes, Countdown instruction has students begin blending these phonemes into words. This is a very important step in the development of skilled decoding. When beginning readers sound out a word, they use letter-sound knowledge to say each sound in a word (/b/ /ă/ /t/), and then “blend” the sounds quickly together to “read” the word (bat). Even if a child has refined knowledge of letter-sound correspondences, he cannot read a word unless he is able to blend those sounds together. Practicing phoneme blending while thinking about the sounds only, without having to derive the sounds from letters, strengthens students’ phonemic awareness and, ultimately, their decoding skills.

WYNTK: Segmenting

Segmenting sounds, or phoneme segmentation, refers to the ability to divide a spoken word into its component sounds (phonemes). In Countdown, segmenting is referred to as “finger-stretching” (i.e., stretching a word out into its component sounds), where students use their hands and fingers to make it multisensory. Students are given a word like mad, and then they segment it, or “stretch” the phonemes, /m/ /ă/ /d/. As they are saying the sounds, they extend a single finger for every phoneme that they hear, starting with the thumb: /m/ (extend thumb), /ă/ (extend index finger), /d/ (extend middle finger). Lastly, they blend the phonemes together as they bring their hand back to their chest and say the word, mad. Just like blending, segmenting is a skill that can be enhanced through instruction and practice.

Segmentation is a critical skill in both reading and spelling development. That’s because encoding (or spelling) a word is the best way to understand its structure, and encoding a word is largely dependent on a student’s ability to segment the sounds in that word. If a student can accurately identify the word stop as having four phonemes, which they can do by segmenting the phonemes in the word, and if they know the letter-sound relationships of those four phonemes, then spelling the word stop is rather straightforward—each sound maps onto one letter.

Phoneme segmentation is one of the most important beginning reading readiness skills. The inability to segment words and syllables into individual sounds is a strong predictor of a student’s reading difficulty in kindergarten or first grade.

WYNTK: Phoneme Manipulation: Addition, Deletion, and Substitution

Truly refined phonemic awareness includes even more advanced skills, like phoneme addition, deletion, and substitution, all three of which are considered phoneme manipulation. Phoneme

manipulation is generally more challenging than segmenting and blending phonemes. Manipulation requires students to hold phonemes in their working memories long enough to isolate specific phonemes, add, delete, or change specific phonemes, and then blend the phonemes back together to form a new word.

These types of activities are an excellent way to build refined phonemic awareness, particularly for students who may have already mastered phoneme segmentation and blending.

Phoneme addition and deletion involve adding or removing phonemes to or from a given word to produce a new word. For instance, starting with the word guide and deleting the final phoneme creates the new word, guy. Conversely, starting with the word spy and adding the phoneme /k/ to the end of the word turns the word into spike. These are skills that can be modeled, practiced, and established through oral word play.

Phoneme substitution, the most advanced of all the manipulation skills, requires that a student knows how to both delete and add phonemes. In a phoneme substitution exercise, a student might be given a word like kit, and they are asked to drop the short i sound and replace it with the long i sound. When they do, kit becomes kite. This is done through a few intricate steps that are performed automatically and without conscious thought for strong, fluent readers. These steps include the ability to recognize the component parts of the known word, isolate a specific phoneme, delete that phoneme, and add the new phoneme.

Phoneme substitution is the critical breakthrough skill a child needs to teach themselves how to read new words. If a student encounters a new unfamiliar word, like moth, they can use their knowl edge of a word that they already know (like math) to teach themselves how to read this novel word.

Manipulation activities require students to hold phonemes in their working memory long enough to isolate specific phonemes, add, delete, or change specific phonemes, and then blend the phonemes back together to form a new word.

Skills like phoneme addition, deletion, and substitution can be modeled and practiced to build proficiency. The first half of Countdown includes only a few phoneme addition and substitution exercises through which you can model these important skills for students as they participate chorally. The second half of Countdown builds on this foundation of phoneme manipulation knowledge with guided and independent practice of phoneme addition, deletion, and substitution.

WYNTK: Alphabetic Principle

The alphabetic principle is the understanding that spoken words are composed of individual sounds, and that letters represent those sounds. Some students pick up on these relationships on their own as they are exposed to text as a young child, but others do not and must be explicitly taught about the relationship between speech sounds and print to learn to decode accurately and without conscious effort. There are three sub-strands included in the alphabetic principle strand: lettersound identification, encoding, and decoding.

WYNTK: Letter-Sound Identification

Once students understand that phonemes can be isolated and distinguished from one another, Countdown instruction begins to link those phonemes to symbols (letters) by showing and naming the letters. Students are initially exposed to the uppercase and lowercase letters simultaneously, as demonstrated below.

Example from Countdown Online’s Name That Sound Activity

After this initial exposure, most Countdown activities use the lowercase letters exclusively. This is because the vast majority of the letters that kindergarteners see in environmental and printed text are lowercase, so it is beneficial to focus on the lowercase letters to have the most transfer of knowledge to their authentic reading experiences.

Understanding letter-sound relationships gives children the ability to recognize familiar words quickly and to discover the pronunciation of words they haven’t seen before. It is important for children to learn both the sound and the name of each letter; however, contrary to common practice, mastery of the letter sounds associated with each letter (symbol) should come before mastery of the letter names. This is because focusing on the most common sounds associated with each letter will help children learn to decode much more efficiently than will learning the letter names.

Of the 26 letters in the English alphabet, 21 have the sound of the letter contained somewhere within the letter’s name. For instance, the name of the letter b is /bē/ (the first sound in the letter name is the sound /b/), and the name of the letter m is /ĕm/ (the last sound in the letter name is the sound /m/). However, using the letter name as a method for learning the letter sounds is confusing and inefficient because not all letter names follow the same pattern. As just demonstrated, the sound /b/ is the first sound in the name of the letter b, while the sound /m/ is the final sound in the letter m. Some letter names begin with the sound for that letter, like b, p, d, and k; others end with the sound for that letter, like m, n, f, and l. Several letters (like h, w, and y) do not contain the letter sound within the letter’s name at all. Mastering the letter sounds first, before the letter names, is a far more reliable method that facilitates a child’s learning to decode and encode (spell).

Children can efficiently learn the sounds of the English language by associating each sound with a guideword and an image of that guideword. Countdown presents a guideword and corresponding image for all consonant, short and long vowel, and digraph sounds. Certain guidewords are used because they clearly start with a targeted English phoneme. When using this method, children can eventually easily and automatically recall the sound associated with the guideword/picture without saying the guideword itself. When this is the case, children can look at the picture, automatically think of the sound, and then learn the symbol (letter) associated with that sound. For instance, they will see the letter h next to a picture of a hammer. They initially do not need to know that this letter is called h; rather, they should first be automatic and efficient at saying, “/h/, hammer,” which leads

them to identify the symbol h with the sound /h/. Although Countdown lessons do touch on letter names while teaching the letter clusters, the focus is on the letter sounds.

WYNTK: Decoding

Strong decoding is the ultimate goal of Countdown. Also known as word attack skills, decoding skills are used to recognize and analyze a printed word to connect it to the spoken word it represents. Countdown instruction centers on foundational literacy skills, a group of teachable skills that promote strong decoding and fluent reading.

Many skills, such as the phonemic awareness and letter-recognition skills discussed above, are considered pre-decoding skills; these pre-decoding skills are the focus of Books 1 and 2 of Countdown (Units 1-16). By the time students move into Countdown ’s Book 3 units, their predecoding skills should be largely solidified and they should be increasingly comfortable decoding very simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. This sets them up to be able to decode words with more complex features (such as digraphs and two-sound consonant blends) beginning in Countdown ’s Book 3 (Units 17-28).

Decoding has two major components, accuracy and automaticity. Both play an important role in reading fluency. Accuracy refers to the ability to look at a word on the page or on the screen and pronounce it correctly. Automaticity refers to the amount of effort that is utilized to read a word with accuracy.

The ultimate goal of decoding instruction is to give students the ability to read unfamiliar words accurately (as they first encounter them), and then build up automaticity with these words until they are read without much cognitive effort. When students are decoding with automaticity, their cognitive resources can be used to comprehend the text. For many skilled readers, tens of thousands of words are decoded automatically without much conscious effort. Skilled readers are still decoding most words, but because it happens in milliseconds and without effort, the process of decoding is imperceptible.

Consider these two words: encyclopedia and disambiguate. They both have 12 letters and some complex letter-sound patterning. Most adults can read the word encyclopedia without perceptible effort because it occurs with some regularity and thus they’ve encountered it many times. It has become part of their sight word memory. Conversely, disambiguate is a low-frequency word. Even individuals who are widely read probably have not encountered it many times; thus, is not yet part of their sight word memory. With words like disambiguate, most readers still employ decoding skills. If a skilled reader (without dyslexia or a visual processing disorder) sees this word three or four days in a row, and develops an understanding of its meaning, by the fourth day he or she will likely read it with the same level of automaticity as they read encyclopedia.

Although children may sometimes figure out some of these letter-sound relationships on their own, most children benefit from explicit instruction in this area. Phonics is one approach to reading instruction that teaches students the principles of letter-sound relationships, how to sound out words, and exceptions to the principles.

WYNTK: Encoding

Building (encoding) three-letter short vowel words is the best way for a beginning reader to learn how to decode three-letter short vowel words. This same process is also an effective intervention for students who are struggling with basic decoding.

Building (encoding) a word by first segmenting the phonemes, then placing a color tile down to represent each phoneme, and then adding the letter tiles in sequence is a demonstration of the alphabetic principle at the word level. Learning to segment a word correctly is critical to being able to encode it. Students should move slowly until they have sharpened their phoneme segmentation skills.

A student’s difficulty with segmentation may become obvious if you move the child too quickly to four-letter words. He or she may leave out one of the letter tiles because of his or her difficulty with segmenting a word with four phonemes . This may result in an error in mapping all the letters required to spell the word. (For example, the word stop may be built s-o-p, without the letter t

WYNTK: Sight (High-Frequency) Words

Countdown teaches a body of words that should eventually be known “by sight,” without analysis, either because they occur so frequently (high-frequency words) or because of their phonemegrapheme (sound-letter) irregularities. These are called “Heart Words” because students should know them “by heart.”

There are several common lists of high-frequency words, including the Dolch 220 word list and the Fry Lists. The Heart Words taught and practiced in Countdown are taken from the Dolch 220 list, developed by Edward William Dolch, Ph.D., and published in his 1948 book, Problems in Reading The Dolch 220 list contains conjunctions, prepositions, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, and verbs that are frequently used in writing across all subject areas. Starting in Unit 8 of Countdown, students are explicitly taught to read three Heart Words in every unit (in Units 8-16 and 18-28), and they continue to practice those Heart Words in subsequent units. This intentional Heart Word instruction and exposure throughout the Countdown lessons helps students become more automatic and fluent readers.

While it is possible to gain some phonemic (sound) information from the letters in these words when they are first encountered (e.g., come starts with /k/; said starts with /s/ and ends with /d/), the ultimate goal is to read such irregular words automatically, without conscious effort. There are several activities in Countdown designed to promote students’ internalization of the Heart Words taught. Students are taught to stop and look at new Heart Words they encounter, spending a moment focusing on the word as a whole before saying the word aloud. They also encounter Heart Words in multiple ways, popping up individually on the screen, appearing in groups of three words, and in short phrases along with some decodable words. These repeated and varied encounters with Heart Words enable students to develop automaticity in reading them, which is the ultimate goal of high-frequency word instruction.

How Much Time Will It Take to Complete Countdown?

For the typically developing kindergarten student, one who arrives knowing very few letter names or sounds and recognizing only a few high-frequency words, each of the 28 units should take approximately one week to complete; thus, it will take approximately 28 weeks to complete the Countdown program. This is based on the expectation that about 15-25 minutes a day can be devoted to Countdown instruction.

Instruction doesn’t have to start at the very beginning of the year; some teachers do not initiate Countdown until after they and their students have become acclimated. This allows teachers to learn about their students, understand their present level of performance and individual learning capabilities, and use data and observations to facilitate some ability grouping within their kindergarten classes (see below for more on Teaching in Whole or Small Groups).

As previously mentioned, some students will need more instruction than the standard 28 units. They may need to work through an alternate Scope & Sequence (see p. 187), which includes additional direct, explicit work on foundational, functional vocabulary and concepts. This Alternative Scope and Sequence is recommended if a student doesn’t understand and cannot utilize vocabulary like beginning , middle, and end, or same and different. Students must be proficient with this vocabulary before they can be fully receptive to Countdown instruction. For instance, trying to teach students about rhyming using language like, “Words rhyme when they end with the same sounds,” is only possible if students understand the ideas of same and different and beginning and end. Other students may not be proficient with rhyming; these students may benefit from additional rhyming activities (see p. 200 for a description of the additional activities available through Countdown Online). Using a kindergarten screening assessment to determine students’ general familiarity with key foundational literacy skills will help you determine how fast you can move with your students. Really Great Reading provides a complimentary kindergarten screening tool (discussed in the next section). This Kindergarten Screener will also help you understand what additional assessments you might need to administer to establish some refined ability groups within your classroom and ensure that all students are receiving the appropriate levels of support and/or challenge with various literacy skills.

Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys

Really Great Reading offers a complimentary Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys packet that is quick and easy to administer. This individually administered assessment takes about five to seven minutes per student and will give you a glimpse into a student’s basic literacy knowledge in several key areas. The complimentary Kindergarten assessment packet can be downloaded from www.ReallyGreatReading.com. The packet contains everything you need to administer the surveys to an unlimited number of students and to interpret the results.

There are five primary sections in the surveys: Functional Vocabulary, Phonological/Phonemic Awareness, Letter Knowledge, Decoding, and High-Frequency Word Reading.

What is Assessed by Section

• The Functional Vocabulary section measures a child’s receptive vocabulary of words like first, next, last, before, after, same, different, beginning, middle, and end.

• The Phonological/Phonemic Awareness section measures the students’ ability to hear, identify, and manipulate word parts and sounds. The beginning of year survey assesses rhyming, blending compound words and onset-rime, beginning sound identification, and blending phonemes.

• The Letter Knowledge section measures the students’ knowledge of letter names and letter sounds for a sample of letters.

• The Decoding section on the beginning of year survey measures the students’ ability to read a sample of five Closed Syllable words.

• The High-Frequency Words section measures the students’ automaticity with five highfrequency words.

Using the Results

The surveys are designed to help you determine what literacy-related concepts students may already know and what concepts students are prepared to learn in their kindergarten-level instruction. The criterion-referenced benchmarks will place students into one of three performance levels (Low, Emerging, or On Track) for each section.

• Low = very little base knowledge; may require significant support through direct, explicit instruction to build a foundational level of proficiency in early reading skills in this area

• Emerging = some base knowledge; may require frequent monitoring and additional practice with that skill

• On Track = strong base knowledge and are ready to launch into typical early literacy instruction on that skill at the Kindergarten level with little or no support

This information may be helpful as you group children based on their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, the results may also be used to determine if a student would benefit from an additional diagnostic assessment, if they might require additional support in the concepts taught in Countdown, or if an alternate path through Countdown may be appropriate.

For specific guidance linking results to Countdown instruction, download the “Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys and Countdown ” PDF from Countdown Online ’s bank of Supplemental Resources (see p. xlv for more on Countdown Online ’s Supplemental Resources).

Teaching in Whole or Small Groups

Countdown is designed to be taught as whole class instruction; it is meant to be students’ first systematic literacy instruction. However, not all students arrive in kindergarten with similar skills.

It’s hard to say what is typical because students’ skill levels in kindergarten vary so much based on the students’ literacy exposure from birth to age five, the number of hours (if any) that they spent in preschool, and the nature of what was taught in their preschool. Because students have such a variety of background knowledge and skills, many teachers find that grouping their students based on data and observations (and teaching them in small targeted groups) is very effective. The following sections will give you strategies and tips for teaching Countdown in either a full class setting or a small group setting.

Whole Class Instruction

Countdown is designed to be delivered in whole group settings. There are many clear benefits to teaching all students at once. It is time efficient to teach Countdown just once a day. If everyone receives the same instruction at the same time, but not all students are at the same level, it is common to observe peer-to-peer learning across ability levels. Lower achieving students can observe and learn from higher achieving students. Additionally, only one teacher is required to deliver Countdown instruction, making it possible for schools with limited additional instructional resources (such as paraprofessionals, aides, or tutors) to implement the program.

Tips

The Countdown activities are written to be delivered to large groups or full classes of students. Countdown Online should be displayed on a whiteboard or screen, large enough for a whole class to see clearly. The animations that are a part of several Countdown lessons have audio, so it is beneficial and less disruptive for all students to watch simultaneously. Be sure you have speakers available so that all students can hear these animations. Despite its benefits, whole group instruction can be challenging for some students. While teaching in whole group settings, it can be difficult for teachers to observe skill acquisition and mastery at the individual level. Lower achieving students may just mimic their higher achieving peers, which may mask students’ confusion. For guidance on how to observe individual students’ proficiency in a whole group environment, see the Observing Skill Mastery section on p. xxxv.

If you observe that some students need more support than what they are receiving in the whole group setting, you might consider implementing small-group instruction in lieu of, or in addition to, the full class Countdown instruction. See below for more details.

Small Group Instruction

You may wish to augment your full class Countdown instruction with small group instruction for students who are struggling. Grouping students into skills-based homogenous groups for additional Countdown time allows you to provide targeted instruction for specific students to help them resolve weaknesses and build specific skills. Students who lack specific skills can get the targeted instruction that they need, while students who are performing well are not bored with repetitions from which they may not benefit. The Supplemental Resources section of Countdown Online contains additional practice activities that can be used during extra small group sessions.

You may wish to group students by ability within the classroom and teach Countdown twice or three a day to small groups of homogenous students, rather than teaching in a whole class setting. Teaching Countdown three times a day (to three different homogenous groups), while beneficial in many ways, triples the daily time required for Countdown instruction to 45 minutes, rather than 15.

Alternatively, you may prefer a “walk to read” model, where students move to various instructional settings based on their needs. This can be more time efficient than one teacher instructing multiple groups throughout the day. It is common to have two or three kindergarten classes in very close proximity to each other and to have a designated time for teaching Countdown. Teachers in this situation can initiate a “walk to read” model where one teacher works with the students who have well-established skills, another teacher works with the students who have emerging skills, and a third teacher works with the students who are low in certain areas.

Observing Skill Mastery in Countdown

Countdown is designed to build specific skills; first, pre-decoding skills (e.g., phoneme isolation), and then actual decoding skills (e.g., reading CVC words). Some of these skills are dependent upon each other; that is, a student must have certain foundational skills in place before he or she can build upon them. Understanding when a student is ready to move beyond a skill is dependent on the ability to observe mastery in individual students. Accurately observing individual performance lets you know which students are ready to learn a more complex skill and which students may need more instruction and practice before they are ready to move on.

As discussed above, Countdown is designed to be delivered in group settings, and in many instances the whole class is participating in choral responses (oral and/or physical). This can make observing individual students’ skill mastery challenging, as some of the lower achieving students may just be mimicking the more advanced students rather than providing responses based on their own knowledge.

The following techniques may help you observe skill mastery at the individual level while delivering whole group Countdown instruction.

“Look, Think, Point”

The “Look, Think, Point” strategy can be used with Countdown ’s online/onscreen sorts. In this process, as an item appears on the screen, tell the students to “Look” (at the item on screen), “Think” about where it should be sorted, and then “Point” to the right side or left side of the room to show their answers. Encourage students not to point until they hear “point.” This will allow you to observe which students are recognizing the correct answer without assistance from their peers. You might even consider having students close their eyes as they think and then point with their eyes closed. This ensures that they are not relying on their peers for the answer.

“Just the Girls”

When doing whole group activities, students’ responses are usually choral (either oral, as in saying the response aloud, or physical, as in pointing). When students respond chorally, your observations of skill mastery can be muddled, and it can be difficult to hear individual responses. One quick way to limit the number of responders is a process called “Just the Girls.” Using this process is simple; ask for responses from a specific group of students only. You may say, “Now I only want to hear answers from the girls.” All the girls in the class would then respond, while the boys would remain silent. This narrows down the number of students responding and allows you to hear individual responses more easily. It is also possible for you to narrow in on only the specific student(s) you want to hear responses from. For instance, if you are concerned that a particular student is not responding correctly, and that student happens to be a six-year-old boy, you can say, “Just the sixyear-old boys,” or “Just the six-year-old boys from the red table.” By narrowing the responders to this extent, you can hear individuals more clearly and see if they are able to respond correctly. This process can be used with choral responses or physical responses (like Look, Think, Point).

What Are the Qualifications for Teaching Countdown?

There are no specific qualifications necessary to teach Countdown; however, since Countdown leverages a speech-to-print approach, it is important that you have strong phonemic awareness skills. If you have trouble articulating individual phonemes accurately, it can cause confusion for students. In the Appendix (p. 188), there is a table that offers articulation tips. This table is designed to help teachers confirm that they are articulating phonemes correctly, which in turn, will help them ensure that their students are articulating phonemes correctly.

There is no specific background knowledge required to teach Countdown. The Teacher Guides are scripted and easy to follow. However, you should read the What You Need to Know section of the Introduction (beginning on p. xxiii) to clarify why Countdown teaches specific skills, and how these skills build upon one another.

The Role of Images and Icons in Countdown

Children can efficiently learn the sounds of the English language by associating each sound with a guideword and an image of that guideword. Countdown uses a guideword and corresponding image for all consonant, short and long vowel, and digraph sounds. Certain guidewords are used because they clearly start with a targeted English phoneme. When using this method, children can eventually easily and automatically recall the sound associated with the guideword/picture without saying the guideword itself. When this is the case, children can look at the picture, automatically think of the sound, and then learn the symbol (letter) associated with that sound. For instance, they will see the letter h next to a picture of a hammer. They initially do not need to know that this letter is called h; rather, they should first be automatic and efficient at saying, “/h/, hammer,” which leads them to identify the symbol h with the sound /h/.

Furthermore, Countdown uses iconography to help students learn pre-decoding and decoding skills. Traditional beginning reading books use pictures to help students predict the words that are on the page, but Countdown uses images in a very different way. It uses images (icons) to trigger a spoken word that can be analyzed. The icon allows you and your students to talk about specific phonemic elements of the word (i.e., segment the sounds, discuss its beginning sound, etc.).

Countdown uses iconography in a host of activities. For instance, in an encoding activity called Guess

My Word, students hear you segment the individual phonemes in whole words while seeing the corresponding scrambled letters move into the correct position. Students then blend the phonemes together. Once they have successfully blended those phonemes into a real word, Countdown Online displays an image to confirm the students’ answer.

Teach to Students’ Understanding Rather than Their Memory

Many phonics programs require children to memorize rules and patterns, which can be cumbersome and boring. Countdown ’s multisensory, explicit instruction teaches students to a deeper place – their understanding. When children understand concepts rather than memorize them, they retain them better and can move faster through a rigorous Scope and Sequence.

Giving students an understanding of how our alphabetic language works allows them to independently figure out new or unfamiliar letter combinations and words. This is especially true when we first lay a strong foundation of phonemic awareness and decoding skills to support mastery of early literacy skills.

For example, most of Countdown’s activities include pictures and graphic images. Following Countdown ’s pattern of moving from speech to print, we can first show students how to use their beginning sound isolation skills to identify the first sound of the word displayed as an on-screen image. Then, we teach them to match that sound to one of several letter symbols that have been introduced. This becomes a multiple choice activity, which allows the child to easily choose the correct letter symbol. Repetition of this kind of activity is far different and more productive than trying to get children to memorize symbols.

The same approach is highly productive when introducing encoding activities. Again, having an image as part of an encoding task prompts the child to move from speech to print by first segmenting into phonemes the spoken word represented by the picture, and then matching each of those sounds to printed letters. Then, using the speech sounds to decode those words once they are spelled reinforces in a profound and immediate way the sound of each letter.

This speech to print approach simultaneously strengthens a student’s phonemic awareness and guides him or her to the repeated application of the alphabetic principle. It also relieves the teacher and students from the tedium of daily drilling of letter recognition and spelling rules.

Introduction Optional Supplemental Instruction

Countdown provides optional material for helping your students learn about the process of learning. Essentially, these optional activities teach students what it means to be a good listener and how to learn with all of their senses. These lessons are called “Whole Body Listening” and “Whole Brain Learning.” Although these activities are optional, they are strongly recommended, particularly for students who may have had limited or no schooling experience prior to kindergarten. The Whole Body Listening lesson even provides an optional classroom management strategy that you may find useful. These lessons, along with some information about where to access the online tools that facilitate the teaching of them, can be found in the Appendix beginning on p. 202.

Environmental Activities

The Countdown program includes a set of “environmental” literacy activities that are supplemental to the core instruction. These environmental activities, described in detail in the Appendix on p. 195, are simple activities meant to model and encourage word play, rhyming, and playing with sounds. Some of the activities can be utilized as you transition students from one classroom activity to another, requiring no additional time commitment. Other activities are presented as games that can be played with a whole class of students. These “games” require a short amount of additional time to play. All environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your school day. While teaching Units 1 and 2, we recommend selecting three environmental activities to complete each day in order to support beginning instruction in a playful and more informal manner. Feel free to continue to add these to your daily or weekly routine in the units beyond as well.

Positive Error Correction

Positive Error Correction is when you tell students who have provided an incorrect response what they did correctly before focusing on their errors. For instance, when asked to say the sound associated with the symbol m, some students might say the name of the letter m (“em”), rather than the sound /m/. While these students have not answered the question correctly, they did demonstrate some knowledge – knowledge of the name of the letter. Using Positive Error Correction, you might respond, “That is the name of the letter; can you tell me its sound?” rather than, “No, that is not correct. The sound is /m/, not ‘em.’” This approach encourages you to build on students’ strengths and successes and then move to positive correction of errors. Students have more confidence in participating in literacy instruction when they know the feedback they receive is going to be positive. This strategy boosts the confidence of your emerging readers and creates a positive reading environment.

Teaching Motions for the Consonant Phonemes

Countdown provides optional motions for consonant and digraph phonemes in the Guidewords, Movements, and Proper Articulation of Sounds table on p. 188 in the Appendix. We suggest that these motions be reserved for the students who need them. We have made them optional because motions are one more thing for students and teachers to memorize. If the goal is to have students see a letter and automatically generate a sound in their mind (without conscious effort), motions are supplementary. We do recommend the use of the motions for the vowel phonemes with all students. We use these to communicate with students, and to help them understand that vowel letters commonly generate several sounds. For some students, this is an additional load on their limited ability to memorize in order to make the motion and produce the sound. For others, the motion cements the sound in their memory.

Countdown Activities: Units 1-16

The first two books of Countdown (Units 1-16) contain a series of activities that develop students’ pre-decoding and decoding skills in fun and playful ways. Each activity is described in the Teacher Guide with step-by-step instructions and correlates to the action taking place on screen through Countdown Online. There are 44 unique activities in Units 1-16. Some of these appear only once, and others are “standard activities” that are repeated multiple times throughout the first 16 units. The table below lists the numbered activities by strand, as well as where you can find the first instance of each activity. Detailed descriptions of the activities follow.

Numbered Activities in Units 1-16, by Strand and First Instance

First Instance

Concept Sorting 1.3.1

Before/After 1.4.1

Whole/Part 1.4.2

Beginning/Middle/End 1.5.1

Above/Below 1.5.2

Table continues on next page.

PA: BSI

15 Peel That Sound 2.1.1 16 Sound Stories 2.1.2 17 Peel and Sort 2.2.1 18 Peel and Say 2.5.1 19 Peel and Match 3.4.1 20 This or That? 3.5.1

PA: Blending

21 Mystery Bag: Blending Compound Words 2.1.3 22 Mystery Bag: Blending Onset-Rime 2.5.3 23 What’s That Word? 3.1.3 24 Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds 4.1.3

PA: Segmenting 25 Stretch Those Sounds 6.2.3 26 Count the Sounds 9.4.1

PA: Addition & Substitution

AP: Letter ID

27 Add That Sound 13.2.1 28 Sound Swap 16.2.1

29 Letter-Sound Intro 6.1.1 30 Name That Sound 6.1.2 31 This Letter or That? 6.2.2 32 Find That Letter 6.4.2 33 Connect the Letter 6.5.1 34 Which Letter? 7.1.3 35 Letter-Sound Review 15.2.1

AP: Encoding

36 Guess My Word 7.2.3 37 Unscramble This 7.5.3 38 Build a Word 9.4.3

39 Letters Make Words 6.4.1 40 Touch & Say 6.5.2 41 Phrase Reading 10.5.3 Sight Words 42 Look, Think, Say; Pop-Up; 3-Up 8.1.3

43

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Introductory

lesson, students are presented with the same two dogs again and are asked to contrast them. They are then given two new images to compare and contrast.

3. Introduction to Category/Exclusion from a Category: Students learn the term “category.” They then play the game Welcome to the Club by describing similar characteristics between items that all belong to the same category, the “plant club.” In the second lesson, images appear on screen, and students are directed to observe whether or not all items can be a part of the same club, the “plant club.” Once they realize that the items cannot all be a part of the same club, they come up with a new club for the excluded items.

4. Concept Sort: Things We Eat vs. Things We Wear: Students are introduced to the concept of sorting items into categories. The screen is split into two vertical columns with an image representing either “things we eat” or “things we wear” at the top of each column. A new image appears at the bottom of the screen. You and your students work together to sort images that are items we eat or items we wear. Each new object will be placed in the correct column. This activity helps students practice categorizing items and exposes them to the format of online image sorts.

5. Left to Right & One to One: Directionality & Order: Students are introduced to the concepts of left-to-right directionality and number order. They will see a series of items in three rows on the screen. As you point to each item, left to right, students will name the item. In this way, students practice 1:1 correspondence and learn to move across a screen or page from top to bottom, left to right.

6. First/Next/Last, Before/After: Directionality & Spatial Sequence: Students are introduced to the concept of spatial sequences. They will see a series of three objects in a row and use the words before and after and then first, next, and last to describe the position of each object within the row.

7. Before/After: Two images will appear on the screen. Students will use the terms before and after to describe the proper order of these two actions/items. The items will then be displayed on the screen in the temporal sequence of the earlier event (before) on the left and the later event (after) on the right. A click will place the items in the correct order.

8. Whole/Part: Two images will appear on the screen. Students will use the terms part and whole to label the two items. You will verbally affirm which is the part and which is the whole.

9. Beginning/Middle/End: Three images will appear on the screen. Students will use the terms beginning, middle, and end to describe the order of these three images.

10. Above/Below: Three images will appear on the board. You will model the use of the terms above and below and ask questions about the location of images on the board.

11. First/Next/Last: Temporal Sequencing: Students are introduced to the concept of sequences showing order across time, as well as space. Three images will appear on the screen. Students will use the terms first, next, and last to describe the proper sequence of these three actions/items. A click will place each item in the correct order.

Standard Rhyming Activities:

12. Hear That Rhyme: Two images representing a pair of rhyming words appear on the screen. At first, you will name each image and tell the students that the two words rhyme. In later rounds, students will recall and say the second word in the rhyming pair.

13. Which Words Rhyme?: Three images appear on the screen. Students must determine which two imaged words rhyme.

14. Creating Rhymes: This phonological awareness activity asks students to generate rhyming words on their own. An individual image appears and students are asked to produce rhyming words.

Standard Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Activities:

15. Mystery Bag: Blending Compound Words: You will say the two separate syllables in a compound word, have students repeat, and then ask the students to blend the syllables to produce the compound word. An image representing the compound word is revealed. This activity is a precursor to blending onsets and rimes, and later, to the individual phonemes in words.

16. Mystery Bag: Blending Onset-Rime: You will segment the onset and rime of a word, have students repeat, and then ask the students to blend the word parts and say the blended word. An image representing the whole word appears. This activity is a precursor to blending the individual phonemes in words.

17. What’s That Word?: Two images appear on the screen. You will say the onset and rime of one of the image words, holding up a fist for each part. Students then repeat, and you will ask the students to blend the onset and rime, while bringing their fists together, to choose the image of the word that was blended together. This activity is a precursor to blending the individual phonemes in words.

18. Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds: A mystery bag will appear on the screen. You will say each phoneme in a two- or three-phoneme word and then ask the students to blend the phonemes and say the blended word. An image representing the word appears.

19. Peel That Sound: This activity consists of three rounds. During the first round, you will pronounce the imaged word, starting with the isolated beginning sound, and the students repeat. During the second round, you will pronounce just the isolated beginning sound of each word, and the students give the name of the image. During the third round, you will name the image, and students say the isolated beginning sound. This activity helps students understand that words are made of individual sounds and that we can isolate those sounds. The main goal is to model and give students practice with beginning sound isolation.

20. Sound Stories: Students will listen to an alliterative story. After listening to the story, they will participate by choosing words that start with the targeted sound.

21. Peel and Sort: The screen is split into two columns with a guideword image at the top of each. A new (non-guideword) image appears at the bottom of the screen. With your

assistance, students determine which guideword image has the same beginning sound as the new image below. The new image is then sorted into the correct column. This activity reinforces the idea that words are made from individual sounds and that we can isolate individual sounds in words.

22. Peel and Say: Three images are added to the screen. You will name each image. The students are then asked to give you the shared beginning sound of the three words.

23. Peel and Match: One guideword image appears on the left side of the screen. You will name the image, starting with the isolated beginning sound. Two other images appear in a column on the right side of the screen, and you will name them, also starting with the beginning sounds in isolation. You will direct the students to determine which of the two images on the right starts with the same beginning sound as the guideword on the left. More objects appear on the right, with the guideword image on the left remaining for several turns. A new guideword image appears on the left side at the start of the next round. There are three rounds total. This activity reinforces the idea that words are made of sounds and that we can isolate individual sounds in words.

24. This or That?: Two images appear on the board. The student is asked to identify which object begins with a certain phoneme. This activity reinforces the idea that words are made out of sounds and that we can isolate individual sounds in words.

25. Stretch Those Sounds: You will say a word aloud and model how to segment the sounds using finger-stretching, having students repeat. Eventually, you will withdraw some support and students will segment the words on their own.

26. Count the Sounds: Two columns appear on the screen with two and three color tiles (representing two and three phonemes) as headings. An image appears at the bottom of the screen. Your students stretch the phonemes (sounds) in the word. Students must determine how many phonemes are in each word. Each image is then sorted into the correct column.

27. Add That Sound: You will say a word aloud. You and students finger-stretch the phonemes. You will then model how to add a phoneme to the end of the word, stretching the sounds of the new word. Students then repeat the stretching process for the new word.

28. Sound Swap: An image appears. You will ask students to identify the beginning sound and then the rest of the word. You will then ask students to swap the beginning sound with a different beginning sound to create a new word. An image of the new word appears as confirmation.

Standard Alphabetic Principle Activities:

29. Letter-Sound Intro: You will introduce the idea that letters are sounds that are written down and then show an animation that brings this concept to life. This prepares students to learn the letters in clusters of three to four per unit, beginning in Unit 6.

30. Name That Sound: A guideword image (representing one sound) that students are already familiar with appears. Students say the guideword and the initial sound of that guideword.

Then the corresponding uppercase and lowercase letter tiles appear. You will explain that the letters are symbols that spell the initial sound associated with the guideword. Students learn that they can figure out the sounds that letter symbols spell through beginning sound isolation.

31. This Letter or That?: Two letter symbols, alongside the corresponding guideword images, appear at the top of the screen as headings and a new image appears at the bottom. Students must isolate the initial sound of that new image and then determine which letter symbol produces the initial sound. The image is then sorted into one of the two columns.

32. Find That Letter: This phonics activity gives students practice with isolating initial sounds while associating them with their letter symbols. Three images with the same initial sound appear and students are asked to find the corresponding letter tile. This activity promotes letter-sound correspondence with lowercase letters.

33. Connect the Letter: One letter tile will appear at the top of the screen with three images below. Students will determine which image’s beginning sound is spelled by the letter on the tile.

34. Which Letter?: An individual image appears along with the medial vowel and final consonant of the represented word. You will pronounce the whole word associated with the image and then ask students to isolate its beginning sound. On the next click, three letter tiles will appear, and you will ask students which letter tile matches the beginning sound. This activity promotes letter-sound correspondence with lowercase letters.

35. Letter-Sound Review: Four rows of letter tiles appear. You will point to a tile, saying the name of the letter. The students, with your help if needed, say the sound spelled by that letter. Upon a click, you will reveal the guideword image associated with that letter and say its beginning sound and its name. Students repeat the sound and the guideword. You will repeat this pattern until all 26 guideword images are revealed.

36. Guess My Word: Three letter tiles appear scrambled on the board. You will segment the individual phonemes of a word in the correct order, moving the letter tiles into the correct position. Students then blend the phonemes together to create a whole word, which is the “mystery word.” The image for that word then appears as confirmation. This activity serves to model the process of encoding for students.

37. Unscramble This: An image appears on the board along with the three scrambled letter tiles needed to spell the imaged word. As the students help you segment the word, you move the letter tiles into the correct positions to spell the word. You and students then use Touch & Say to blend the phonemes back into a whole word.

38. Build a Word: This encoding (spelling) activity begins with you and your students segmenting the phonemes in a word in order to spell it. First, they stretch the phonemes with their fingers, then they count the phonemes and put down a color tile for each sound they heard. Then they match each sound they heard with the corresponding letter tile, spelling the word in order. Lastly, you and your students Touch & Say to check their spelling.

39. Letters Make Words: This activity will introduce students to some key concepts about letters and words as they examine several letters and words with you.

40. Touch & Say: This decoding (reading) activity begins with you and your students pronouncing the individual phonemes in a word as you underline each grapheme (letter tile sound spelling). Then, they blend the sounds together to read the whole word.

41. Phrase Reading: Three-word phrases will appear on the board, one word at a time. Students will read each word as it appears and will then read the phrase as a whole a few times to gain fluency. Heart Words are displayed in red with a heart symbol above them.

Standard Sight Word (High-Frequency Word) Automaticity Activities:

42. Look, Think, Say; Pop-Up; 3-Up: In Look, Think, Say, a Heart Word will appear on the board with three dots below it. As you click, the dots will fill with red, yellow, and green, and you will instruct students to look at, think about, and say the word aloud. During the “look” time, you will say the word. During the “think” time, the students will think about the word and try to remember it, or you will stretch the sounds in the word for students if the word is decodable (although the goal will be to remember it as a whole word). During the “say” time, students will repeat the word. In Pop-Up, individual Heart Words will appear on the screen at random, one at a time, and students will be instructed to read each word as it pops up onto the screen. In 3-Up, sets of three Heart Words will appear, with three dots below each set. As you click three times, the dots will fill with red, yellow, and green and you will instruct students to look, think, and say the three words in succession. The Heart Words will include words learned during this cur-rent unit and, in subsequent units, words from previous units.

43. Where’s That Heart Word?: Three Heart Words appear on the screen in a row. Students will read the three words from left to right. You will then have students read specific words that are at the “beginning, middle, end” of a row, “before, after” other words in the row, or “first, next, last” in the row.

44. Pop-Up and 3-Up: In Pop-Up, individual Heart Words will appear on the screen at random, one at a time, and students will be instructed to read each word as it pops up onto the screen. In 3-Up, sets of three Heart Words will appear, with three dots below each set. As you click three times, the dots will fill with red, yellow, and green and you will instruct students to look, think, and say the three words in succession. The Heart Words will include words learned during this current unit and, in subsequent units, words from previous units.

Items in Supplemental Resources of Countdown Online

Countdown Online has a growing body of supplemental resources to enhance and extend your instruction. The Supplemental Resources section, which can be accessed through the home screen in Countdown Online, has several sections, each with a variety of items and tools. These include:

Interactive Resources

1. Letter Tile Free Play: online color and letter tiles that can be used for letter-sound practice, reading and spelling words, and more.

2. Letter-Sound Generator: this tool allows you to select up to six letter sounds to practice through a variety of activities (Look, Think, Say; Pop-Up; 3-Up; and Read a Row). The specific letters you select will populate in these activities, allowing you to provide targeted practice for your students with only the letter sounds of your choosing.

3. Heart Word Generator: this tool allows you to select three Heart Words to practice through a variety of activities (Look, Think, Say; Pop-Up; 3-Up; and Read a Row). Three Heart Words will be locked for each unit. The specific words you select will populate in these activities, allowing you to provide targeted practice for your students with only the high-frequency words of your choosing.

Videos & Animations

1. Countdown Getting Started Webinar: a webinar that provides information and tips as you get started with Countdown.

2. Short Vowel Animations: a series of five animations, each focused on reviewing the articulation of and guideword and motion for one short vowel phoneme.

3. Long Vowel Animations: a series of five animations, each focused on reviewing the articulation of and guideword and motion for one long vowel phoneme.

4. Whole Body Listening Animation: a short video that uses two characters to teach students how to be good listeners.

5. Classroom Demonstration Videos: real-life classroom demonstrations of Countdown’s standard activities.

6. Activity Overview Snippets: short detailed video walk-throughs of each standard Countdown activity.

PDF Resources

1. Really Great Reading’s Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys and the “Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys and Countdown” information packet: Really Great Reading’s kindergarten assessment tool that provides information on students’ knowledge in a variety of areas related to kindergarten literacy, as well as the information packet that guides you through using this assessment in conjunction with your Countdown instruction. Also available are several other assessment tools for phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and sight (high-frequency) word automaticity.

2. Optional Extension Units: three units that extend the content taught in Countdown for students who have completed all 28 standard units and need a challenge. These units teach spelling two-syllable words, Open Syllables, and Vowel-Consonant-e.

3. Alternative Introductory Activities: an alternative Scope & Sequence (see p. 187) offers three introductory units (rather than just one, as in the standard Scope & Sequence) focused on functional vocabulary and basic concepts to prepare students to succeed with Countdown instruction. The activities to be taught in these three alternative units are available as a PDF download.

4. Additional Practice Activities: additional, downloadable activities with corresponding online components to provide more practice for students who need it. There are additional activities available for rhyming, letter-sound identification, decoding, and encoding. The download will direct you to the corresponding online components required to complete the activities.

5. Short and Long Vowels Posters: posters with the guideword images for all short and long vowel sounds.

6. Countdown Decodable Passages: a set of highly controlled passages that allow students to put their decoding skills to work in longer, connected text. A differentiated version of these passages with additional support is also available. Both versions contain literal and inferential comprehension questions.

7. Sound-Letter Linking Charts: color and black and white versions of charts that provide visual links between the Countdown guideword icons for the short vowel, consonant, and digraph sounds and the capital and lowercase letters that spell those sounds.

8. Uppercase-Lowercase Letter Correspondence Activities: a series of downloadable activities to help students practice uppercase-lowercase letter correspondence.

9. Additional Resources: additional resources are also available, including: ideas for how to use the Countdown Wall Cards; the User’s Guide for the Countdown Practice Cards deck; and a downloadable activity that helps students learn and practice the difference between Closed Syllables and Open Syllables (intended for use with the optional unit on Open Syllables).

We are continually adding to our body of Supplemental Resources, so check back often to see what is new.

Items in the Appendix

1. Components of Countdown, p. 186

2. Alternative Scope and Sequence, p. 187

3. Guidewords, Movements, and Proper Articulation of Sounds, p. 188

4. All Instances of Countdown Activities, by Strand, p. 193

5. Environmental Activities, p. 195

6. Additional Activities for Practice, p. 200

7. Whole Body Listening and Whole Brain Learning Lessons, p. 202

8. Items in Supplemental Resources of Countdown Online, p. 211

9. Glossary of Terms, p. 213

Unit 1 | Lesson 1 | Part 1

Activity 1: Introduction to Countdown Functional Vocabulary

Objective

Students will learn what they will do in the Countdown program.

What Students See

Description

Teacher explains that students will participate in a set of games and activities called Countdown. Teacher refers to learning through a sequence of activities (or “games”) and to the concept of counting with numbers (forward and backward).

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. The environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 1, Part 1 (1.1.1).

Launch!

Click to display the Countdown rocket ship logo.

Say:

•

“For a little while each day, we are going to participate in some fun games and activities. We will call these games and activities our Countdown lessons. These lessons will help us learn some important things, and we will have lots of fun while we are learning!

• I wonder why our activities are called Countdown. Who has ever seen a picture or a video of a rocket ship getting ready to blast off into space?” (Students respond.)

•

“Let’s watch this short video. Pay attention to what you see and hear.”

Click to play the Countdown introductory animation.

Ask “Do you remember hearing someone counting with numbers in the video? ” (Students respond.) “Did you notice the numbers were counting down, or getting smaller, instead of counting up, and getting bigger? Then something really big happened at the end of the Countdown. What was it?” (Students may respond, “The fire and smoke began; The rocket ship blasted off.”)

Say “Let’s try to count down together: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 … Blast off! ”

Click to display the astronaut.

Say “I’ll bet the astronauts in that rocket had to do a lot of things to get ready for that big blastoff into space. What do you think they did to get ready?” (Have students suggest some ideas; e.g., put fuel in the rocket, put on spacesuits, etc.; fill in your own ideas as desired.)

Say “When we play during Countdown, we’ll do lots of things to get ready to blast off into learning. We will be using this board (point to the screen) to look at pictures and videos and to think about words, letters, and sounds. We will talk about all the things we see and hear, and we will think about how these things go together. It will be a fun and exciting chance for us to learn!”

Unit 1 | Lesson 1 | Part 2

Objective

Description

Students use descriptive vocabulary to tell about their visual observations and identify similarities between two items.

What Students See

Students are introduced to the terms same, different, and compare. They will learn how to describe objects using multiple senses. They will then describe their observations of a dog while playing See It, Say It. After “saying” what they observe about the dog, an image of a different dog is presented, and students are asked to compare by making observations about the similarities between the two dogs. 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 1, Part 2 (1.1.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “Now, we are going to learn about using good describing words. When you describe something, you tell all about the way something looks, sounds, tastes, smells, or feels.

• Let’s start by thinking about seeing. Other words that we might use instead of seeing are looking, watching, or spying. Sometimes you might hear words like your sense of sight or vision when we talk about seeing

•

Our brain takes information about things we see, and it thinks of specific words to describe, or tell all about, those things.

•

We are going to play a game called See It, Say It.

•

First, let’s think about the kinds of things you might ‘see and say’ about some pictures.”

Click to display the colored pencils and say “We can describe an item’s color.

This is a blue pencil. This is a red pencil.” (Continue descriptions.)

Click to display the shapes and say “We can describe an item’s shape. This is a circle. This is a square.” (Continue descriptions.)

Click to display the three cupcakes and say “We can describe how many items there are. There are three cupcakes.”

Click to display the big and small leaves and say “We can describe an item’s size. This is a big leaf. This is a small leaf. We can even compare items. This leaf is bigger than that leaf.”

Click to display the puzzle pieces and say “We can describe if we see a whole item or just part of an item. This (point to one puzzle piece) is just one part of a puzzle. It is not the whole puzzle.”

Say “Now, get ready to be a good detective.”

Click to display the first dog

Say:

•

“Tell me what you see.” A: dog •

“That’s right, you said the name ‘dog.’ Now think of words that describe the dog. Say what you notice while you look at the dog.”

(Possible student responses include: two eyes, two ears, a nose, a tail, four legs, fur/hair, etc.)

Prompt for more specific descriptions: •

“What color is the fur?” A: black •

“Is the fur long or short?” A: short •

“Does the dog look big or little?” A: big •

“Are the ears sticking up or flopping down?” A: flopping down •

“Can you see what the dog is doing? Is it sitting or standing?” A: sitting •

“What do I see on its neck?” A: collar

Say: •

“Great seeing and saying! We found many words to describe this picture. I see a big dog with black fur and floppy ears sitting down. It is wearing a collar.

•

Let’s play again. Here is another picture.”

Click to display the second dog.

Say:

• “What is it?” A: dog

• “Is that the same dog we just described? Do they look just like each other? No? Some parts look the same, or just like, the first dog, but other parts are different. When things do not look like each other, we say they are different.

• Let’s add a new part to our game. This time, when we talk about the second dog, we will see and say how it’s the same as the first dog; then we’ll see and say how it’s different. We call that comparing. Let’s call our new game Compare and Share.”

Ask “What do we see that makes these two dogs the same?”

Say “I’ll start. This is a dog (point to first dog) and that is a dog (point to second dog). They are both dogs—that’s the same Both is a great word to use when you compare two things and find two parts that are the same. Now it’s your turn to compare and share. The dogs both have …” (Possible student responses include: two eyes, two ears, a nose, a tail, four legs, fur/hair, etc.)

Prompt for more responses with the starter phrases: “The dogs both …” or “Both dogs have …” Continue until all similar visible features have been named. Say “Nice job on your first round of Compare and Share. Next time, we will compare the two dogs and share how they are different.”

Objective

Students

What Students See

Description

Students are presented with the same two dogs again and are asked to contrast them. They are then given two new images to compare and contrast.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 1, Part 3 (1.1.3).

Launch!

Click to display the two dogs.

Say:

•

“Earlier we learned how to play Compare and Share. We looked for ways that two dogs were the same. We described things that were true about both dogs. Now we will look at the same two dogs and see how they are different. We will describe things that are not the same for both dogs.

•

Now that we have two dogs, we’ll need to say which one we are talking about. If you just say ‘the dog,’ or ‘one dog,’ I don’t know which one you mean! Let’s make sure we say ‘the first dog’ when we talk about the one on the left side (point to left dog), the one we saw first. Then we can say ‘the second dog’ when we talk about the one on the right (point to right dog). We saw the second dog after the first dog.

•

I’ll start. I see that the first dog (point) is black, but the second dog (point) is gray and brown. Those two colors are not the same. That makes the dogs different. Now it’s your turn. What else do you see about the dogs that makes them look different?”

Prompt for more responses with the starter phrases:

•

“The first dog (is/has) , but the second dog (is/has) .”

•

“The first dog has , but the second dog does not have .” (Continue until all differing visible features have been named. Possible student responses include: collar/no collar, short hair/long hair, big/little, floppy ears/perky ears, sitting/standing.)

Say:

•

“Nice work on your second round of Compare and Share. You compared the two dogs and shared how they were different. Now let’s look at one more set of pictures. We’ll use everything we learned about being detectives who make good observations, and then we'll use specific words to share them.

• This time we will find things that are the same and things that are different. Ready?”

Click to display the duck feet and human feet.

Say:

• “Take a minute to look carefully at these two pictures.” (Pause to give students time to observe.)

• “I’ll start: This picture, the first one, shows feet (point to duck’s feet), and that picture, the second one, shows feet (point to person’s feet). Both pictures show feet. That part is the same. What else do you see that is the same about both pairs of feet?” (Give time to Compare and Share.)

Students share observations.

Support with sentence starters such as, “They both have …” as needed until all visible similarities have been named (e.g., have toes, are attached to ankles/legs, can stand on them, do not have shoes on them, have toenails)

Say:

• “Great. Now let’s Compare and Share how these two sets of feet are different, or not the same.

• I’ll start by saying that these feet do not belong to the same thing! I think the first feet belong to a duck, but the second feet belong to a person! I guess from now on, when we compare and share, we can call them ‘duck feet’ or ‘people feet’ to be clear which ones we are talking about. Okay, who can tell me what else is different?”

Students share observations.

Support with sentence starters such as, “The duck feet (are/have) , but the people feet (are/have) ” (or, “but the people feet don’t have ”) as needed until all visible differences (e.g., orange vs. beige; three toes vs. five toes; scaly vs. smooth skin; pointy vs. rounded toenails) have been named. Continue to Compare and Share with the remaining pictures as time permits if you would like your students to practice further: four berries, two flowers

Unit 1 | Lesson 2 | Part 1

Activity 3: Introduction to Category Functional Vocabulary

Objective

Students will make comparisons to determine same/ different visual traits and group items that are similar.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Students learn the term “category.” They then play the game Welcome to the Club by describing similar characteristics between items that all belong to the same category, the“plant club.”

Environmental Activities Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 2, Part 1 (1.2.1).

Launch!

Say:

•

“Earlier we learned how to play Compare and Share. We looked for ways that two dogs were the same, and then we figured out how they were different. Today, we are going to look at more than two things and make some observations. We can decide if a few of the things we see are the same in some way. Have you ever heard the word category?” (Students respond.)

•

“A category is the name of a group. In the group, there is something related, or kind of the same, about each of the group’s members.

• A category is like a group that has or does a lot of the same things. Think about cats. Do all cats look exactly the same? Probably not, but there are a lot of things that are the same about most cats. Cats usually have fur and whiskers. They have a tail. They also usually sound the same—they purr when they are happy, and they meow instead of barking like dogs.” (Students may want to share other examples.)

• “Here’s another way to think about a category. Do you know anyone who belongs to a club? A club is a group of people who get together because they like to do the same things. Some people really like to ride bikes, so they join a bicycle club. Guess what all the members of the bicycle club

do? That’s right, they all ride bikes. Some schools have clubs, too. What do students in the puzzle club do? Yes, they all do puzzles. If you really like puzzles, you might join the puzzle club.” (Students may want to share examples of other clubs.)

• “Okay, now we are going to play a game we’ll call Welcome to the Club. All the members of a club need to have something that makes them the same. Look at these pictures and let’s make some observations … let’s play Welcome to the Club.”

Click to display the six types of plants: tree, rose, flower, leaf, clover, sunflower Say:

• “Look at these pictures.” (Pause to give students time to observe.)

• “These things all belong to a category. Let’s share what you observe about them.” (Students respond. Fill in missing observations that are key to membership in the category “plants.”)

• “Great job saying what you saw! We will use the word all if we observed the same thing about each and every one:

o They all have some green on them.

o They all have a stem or trunk.

o They all have leaves.

• We named things we could see, such as colors or parts. I also know that each of these things can do something: they can all grow!

• Can you think of a name for the club, or category, these things belong to? That’s right, they are all plants! Plants are things that grow in the dirt. They have stems or trunks, they have leaves or needles, and they are often green. They can all join the club called ‘plants’! Welcome to the Plant Club!”

Unit 1 | Lesson 2 | Part 2

Activity 3: Introduction to Category: Exclusion from a Category Functional Vocabulary

Objective

Students are introduced to the concept of inclusion into, or exclusion from, a given category. They will use comparisons of same/different visual traits to make a determination (e.g., common parts), but will also use background knowledge to consider common actions or functions of given items.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Images appear on screen, and students are directed to observe whether or not all items can be a part of the same club, the “plant club.” Once they realize that the items cannot all be a part of the same club, they come up with a new club for the excluded items.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 2, Part 2 (1.2.2).

Launch!

Say:

•

“We just learned about a name for a group that contains things that go together because something about them was related, or kind of the same. Remember the pictures of all the different kinds of plants? What was the name we learned for that kind of group?” A: category

•

“Yes, we call it a category!

• We also said that a category is kind of like a club. Now, we will play our game Welcome to the Club with some new pictures, but this time something will be different. This time some of the pictures you see cannot be included in the club! This means they don’t belong.”

Click to display seven pictures: frog, tree, zebra, flower, pig, leaf, and dog

Ask:

• “Do these all belong to the ‘Plant’ club?” A: no

•

“No? Why not? The frog is green and plants are green. Can't the frog be in this club?” A: no, the frog doesn’t have all of the same parts as plants

•

“What do we know about plants?” A: they grow in the dirt, have stems or trunks, have leaves or needles, are often green, etc.

• “Yes, they all have the same parts: leaves, a stem or trunk, and usually some green. So I guess being green isn’t enough. Sorry, frog, you can’t be in the club.”

Click to cross out the frog

Ask “What about the zebra (the pig, the dog)?” (Continue to eliminate each animal in the same way as the frog.)

Say “Now the frog, zebra, pig, and dog are sad. They want to be in a club, too!”

Ask “Could they start their own club? Yes? What could we call it?” A: the animal club

Click to display two groups of images: the tree, flower, and leaf on the left, and the frog, zebra, pig, and dog on the right.

Say:

• “Fabulous thinking! You are doing a great job noticing things about our pictures and coming up with the perfect words to describe them. What do you know about animals that makes them related to each other, or the same?” (Students respond; fill in missing features as needed.)

• “Animals have some of the same parts: eyes, ears, mouth, nose, sometimes four legs and a tail. They also do some of the same things: eat, drink, and move around.

• Plants are living, and they can grow, but they can’t move around. Maybe we can sort things into groups because of the parts they have and the actions they do! So, plants can’t be in the animal club, just like animals can’t be in the plant club. It’s okay. I think there might be so many categories, or clubs, out there that everyone and everything must belong to one … or maybe even more than one!”

Unit 1 | Lesson 2 | Part 3

Activity 12: Hear That Rhyme Rhyming

Objective

Students will hear the teacher model rhyming pairs, and then students will say the rhyming word for each pair.

What Students See

Description

Two images representing a pair of rhyming words appear on the screen. At first, the teacher will name each image and tell the students that the two words rhyme. In later rounds, students will recall and say the second word in the rhyming pair.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 2, Part 3 (1.2.3).

Launch!

Say:

• “Now, we are going to listen to some rhyming words.

• When two words rhyme, the middles and ends of the words sound the same. Only the first sound changes.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the pig and the wig.

Point to each image and say “Pig, wig. These words rhyme!”

Click to display the pan and the man.

Point to each image and say “Pan, man.”

Click to display the house and the mouse.

Point to each image and say “House, mouse.”

Continue with the remaining pairs:

1. bear – chair

2. jar – car

3. box – fox

ROUND 2:

4. bug – mug 5. key – bee 6. goat – boat

Say “Let’s listen to our rhyming words again.”

Click to display the pig.

7. hose – nose 8. six – mix 9. jet – net

Point to the image and say “Pig …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, wig, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the wig.

Point to the image and say “ Wig.”

Click to display the pan

Point to the image and say “Pan …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, man, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the man

Point to the image and say “Man.”

Continue with the remaining pairs, pausing after the first word in each pair for

students who remember the rhyming word before you display it:

1. house – mouse

2. bear – chair 3. jar – car

4. box – fox

ROUND 3:

5. bug – mug 6. key – bee 7. goat – boat 8. hose – nose

9. six – mix

10. jet – net

Say “Let’s listen to our rhyming words one more time. If you remember the second rhyming word, say it out loud.”

Click to display the pig

Point to the image and say “Pig …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, wig, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the wig

Point to the image and say “ Wig.”

Click to display the pan

Point to the image and say “Pan …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, man, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the man.

Point to the image and say “Man.”

Continue with the remaining pairs, pausing after the first word in each pair for students who remember the rhyming word before you display it:

1. house – mouse

2. bear – chair 3. jar – car 4. box – fox

5. bug – mug 6. key – bee 7. goat – boat 8. hose – nose

9. six – mix 10. jet – net

Unit 1 | Lesson 3 | Part 1

Activity 4: Concept Sort: Things We Eat vs. Things We Wear Functional Vocabulary

Objective

Students choose which of two categories best fits each item presented.

What Students See

Description

Students are introduced to the concept of sorting items into categories. The screen is split into two vertical columns with an image representing either “things we eat” or “things we wear” at the top of each column. A new image appears at the bottom of the screen. Teacher and students work together to sort images that are items we eat or items we wear. Each new object will be placed in the correct column. This activity helps students practice categorizing items and exposes them to the format of online image sorts.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 3, Part 1 (1.3.1).

Launch!

Say:

• “Now, we learned that some things can be included in, or belong to, a category (or club) because the members are related, or the same, in some important ways. Remember when we played Welcome to the Club and we had one category for plants, but a different one for animals?

• Now, we are going to play Welcome to the Club again, but this time we will start with two categories. Then we will sort pictures of things into one group or the other. Sorting means to take one big group and split it into two or more smaller groups of things that are related, or alike.

• Some of these things are for eating, and others are for wearing. We’re going to look at some pictures, and it’s our job to figure out if the picture is something we eat, like an apple (point to the apple in the left column) or something we wear, like gloves (point to the gloves in the right column). Let’s look at the first picture.”

Click to display the watermelon.

Environmental

Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

You should segment and pronounce the beginning sound of each word before saying the whole word, as in /w/, watermelon

Ask:

• “What is this a picture of?” A: a watermelon

• “Is a /w/, watermelon something that we eat or something we wear?” A: something we eat

Say “You’re right, so I am going to move the watermelon to the side with the group of things we eat.” (Point to the column on the left.)

Click to move the watermelon to the things we eat column. Say “Welcome to the things we eat club, watermelon! Let’s try another picture.”

Continue with the remaining examples (as each item moves into its column, repeat the item’s name and say, “ , welcome to the club for things we (eat/ wear),” or “Welcome to the (things we eat/wear) club, ”):

1. /sh/, shirt (A: wear)

12. /s/, sock (A: wear)

Even though the purpose of this activity is to practice sorting, you should segment the first sound of each word as a model of beginning sound isolation for the students.

2. /t/, tie (A: wear)

3. /j/, jellybeans (A: eat)

4. /g/, glasses (A: wear)

5. /ch/, cheese (A: eat)

6. /t/, toast (A: eat)

7. /m/, mittens (A: wear)

8. /g/, gumballs (A: eat)

9. /sh/, shoe (A: wear)

10. /ā/, apron (A: wear)

11. /p/, peas (A: eat)

13. /ō/, oatmeal (A: eat)

14. /h/, hat (A: wear)

15. /l/, lemon (A: eat)

16. /b/, backpack (A: wear)

17. /m/, mask (A: wear)

18. /k/, carrot (A: eat)

19. /d/, doughnut (A: eat)

20. /r/, ring (A: wear)

21. /j/, jacket (A: wear)

22. /ī/, ice cream (A: eat)

23. /v/, vegetables (A: eat)

Unit 1 | Lesson 3 | Part 2

Activity 5: Left to Right & One to One: Directionality and Order Functional Vocabulary

Objective

Students will identify the “starting place” for printed images and text and practice naming items with oneto-one correspondence.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Students are introduced to the concepts of left-to-right directionality and number order. They will see a series of items in three rows on the screen. As the teacher points to each item, left to right, students will name the item. In this way, students practice 1:1 correspondence and learn to move across a screen or page from top to bottom, left to right.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 3, Part 2 (1.3.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have been observing and describing and sorting things into categories. Our brains have been working really hard!

• Whether we are looking at pictures, charts, or books, we always start at the top of the board, or page, and start looking or reading on the left side. We call this our ‘starting point.’” (Point to the top left corner of the screen.)

• “Then our eyes keep looking at all the pictures, or words, or letters in order, starting on the left side (point to upper left) and moving this direction (sweep hand to the right) to the right side.

• When I say we look at things in order, I mean we look at them one at a time, without skipping over or leaving anything out.

•

Let’s practice. I’ll point to things in order from left to right while you say each one’s name. Don’t say its name until I touch it!”

Click to display the sequence of seven images: school, clock, book, backpack, pencil, table, chalk

Point to each image in order from left to right, and have students say its name.

Some students may not know the names of each number or letter yet. You can say the names along with the students and have students repeat if necessary.

Click to display the sequence of numerals 1 through 7.

Point to each numeral in order from left to right, and have students say its name. Click to display the sequence of capital letters A through G

Point to each letter in order from left to right, and have students say its name. Say “Great job naming each item as I touched it! You said one name for one picture, one name for one number, and one name for one letter as I moved from left to right.”

Unit 1 | Lesson 3 | Part 3

Activity 6: First/Next/Last, Before/After: Directionality and Spatial Sequences Functional Vocabulary

Objective

Students will identify items given their order, or place, within a sequence using the terms first, next, and last, and before and after

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Students are introduced to the concept of spatial sequences. They will see a series of three objects in a row and use the words before and after and then first, next, and last to describe the position of each object within the row.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 3, Part 3 (1.3.3).

Launch!

Say “We are going to learn some words that will help us describe where things are when we see them.”

Ask:

• “Remember when we looked at the pictures, numbers, and letters on the board? Can you point to the place on the board that I called the starting point?” (Students point to the upper left corner of the board. Turn to face the board and extend your arm to the upper left corner.)

• “Is your hand pointing to the same place as mine?” (Turn back to face students.)

Say:

•

“You’ve got it! Our starting point is at the top left. We always start at the top on the left side.

• Point your finger up here again, and move your hand to show me in which direction your eyes will move.” (Along with students, move hand left to right.)

• “Great, we moved our hands from left to right!”

Click to display the sequence of seven images: acorn, cloud, guitar, carrot, bell, hammer, tree.

Say:

• “Let’s look at a row of pictures. A row is a group of items that are lined up across a space.

• Now let’s go to the starting point of this row.”

Ask “What is the first picture you see? First is the same as being the leader, just like when the class lines up, and you get to be the line leader! You are number one in line, and no one is in front of you, or before you. So, what is the first picture you see?” A: acorn

Say:

• “Yes, the acorn is first!

•

Let’s name the pictures in order, one after the other.”

Ask “What is next, right after the acorn?” A: cloud

Say “If we move our hands to the right, we see that the cloud is next, right after the acorn.”

Ask: • “What is next, after the cloud? (Continue moving to the right until you reach the tree, which is “after the hammer.”)

•

Say:

Now, tell me, what is after the tree?” (Students likely respond, “Nothing!”)

• “Oh, I see, there is no picture after the tree because the tree is last

•

Last is the same as being at the end, like the caboose car at the end of a train.

• Last means that no one is in back of you, or behind you.

• Let’s play a game using these special words that tell us about order. I call it All-in-a-Row. Ready?

• We will see some rows of pictures.

• First, we will use the words before and after to describe where these things are in the row.”

Click to display three images: egg, popcorn, doughnut

Say:

• “The egg (point to the egg) is before the popcorn (point to the popcorn), and the popcorn is before the doughnut (point to the doughnut).

• The popcorn (point) is after the egg, and the doughnut (point) is after the popcorn (point)

• Let’s look at a few different pictures.”

Click to display, point to, and name three images: girl, boy, baby

Ask:

• “What is before the baby?” A: the boy

• “What is after the girl?” A: the boy

• “Is the baby before or after the boy?” A: after

• “Is the girl before or after the boy?” A: before

Continue with the following images as time permits, using the terms before and after, varying the questioning for each set (be sure to leave time for the first/ next/last activity below):

1. ear/nose/knee 2. feet/sock /shoe 3. lemon/apple/blueberries

4. ladybug /bee/butterfly 5. fish/octopus/dolphin

Say “Now we are going to use the words first, next, and last to talk about some more pictures.”

Click to display three images: banana, watermelon, apple

Say:

• “The banana (point to banana) comes first in this row.

• Next in the row is the watermelon (point to watermelon).

• And the last picture is the apple (point to apple)

• First, next, last (sliding finger from left to right, pausing at each image as you say the correct term).”

Click to display, point to, and name three images: feather, nest, bird.

Ask: •

“Which picture is last in this row?” A: bird •

“Which picture is first in this row?” A: feather • “Which picture is next after the feather?” A: nest • “Which picture is next after the nest?” A: bird

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Unit 1 | Lesson 4 | Part 1

Activity 7: Before/After Functional Vocabulary Objective

Students will determine the correct temporal (time) sequence of two actions/items using the terms before and after (i.e., which event happened before or after the other).

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Two images will appear on the screen. Students will use the terms before and after to describe the proper order of these two actions/items. The items will then be displayed on the screen in the temporal sequence of the earlier event (before) on the left and the later event (after) on the right. A click will place the items in the correct order.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 4, Part 1 (1.4.1).

Launch!

Click to display two images, eggs in a carton and an egg cooking in a pan Say:

• “We’ve already talked about the words before and after to tell where something is in a row. Today, we will talk about how we can use these words to tell when something happened. Let’s look at these two pictures.

• Here is a picture of eggs in a carton, and here is a picture of an egg cooking in a pan. One of these things has to happen before the other can happen.

• I know that before you can cook an egg, you get it out of the carton. That means that after you take eggs out of a carton, you can cook them.

• This image (point to eggs in carton) happens before, and this one (point to egg in pan) happens after

• Let’s move the before picture here (point to the left) and the after picture here (point to the right).”

Click to move the images to the correct positions.

Point to each image and say, “This is before (eggs in carton), and this is after (egg in pan).”

Say “Let’s look at some more pictures.”

Click to display two more images, a cupcake with a bite out of it and a whole cupcake.

Say “This cupcake has a bite taken out of it (point to the first picture), and this is a whole cupcake (point to the second picture).”

Ask:

• “Which one of these pictures shows what comes before? What comes first?” A: the whole cupcake, with no bite taken

• “And what comes after the picture of the whole cupcake?” A: the cupcake with a bite taken

Say “That’s right. When you eat a cupcake, the cupcake has no bites taken out of it before you start to eat it (point to whole cupcake). Then after you take a bite, the cupcake looks like this (point to cupcake with bite).”

Click to move the before image (whole cupcake) to the left and the after image (cupcake with a bite out of it) to the right.

Point to each image and say, “This is before (whole cupcake), and this is after (cupcake with bite).

Although the items on this list appear in correct sequential order, some of the images will appear on the screen in the incorrect sequential order at first.

Unit 1 | Lesson 4 | Part 2

Activity 8: Whole/Part Functional Vocabulary Objective

Students will identify items that are part of a whole, using the terms part and whole

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Two images will appear on the screen. Students will use the terms part and whole to label the two items. The teacher will verbally affirm which is the part and which is the whole.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 4, Part 2 (1.4.2).

Launch!

Click to display two images, the whole pizza and the slice of pizza.

Say:

• “Let’s look at these two pictures and think about two new words: whole and part

• Here is a picture of a pizza, and here is a picture of just one slice of the pizza. One of these is the whole pizza, and the other one is just one small part of the pizza.

• I know that the whole pizza includes all of the pizza, and a part of the pizza is just one slice.

• This image (point to whole pizza) is the whole, and this one (point to slice of pizza) is the part.

• Let’s look at another set together.”

Click to display two more images, the baby’s foot and the baby

Say “This is a baby’s foot (point to the first picture), and this is a baby (point to the second picture).”

Ask:

• “Which one of these pictures shows the whole baby? Which shows all of the baby?” A: the second one, the baby boy

• “And which picture shows just a part of the baby?” A: the first one, the baby’s foot

Say “That’s right. This picture (point to the whole baby) shows the whole baby. You can see all of the baby’s body parts in this picture, his head, arms, hands, legs, and feet. The other picture (point to baby’s foot) shows just the baby’s foot, which is only one part of the baby. You can’t see the rest of the baby’s body in this picture.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. airplane (whole)/airplane wing (part)

2. slice of cake (part)/cake (whole)

3. rose petals (part)/rose (whole)

4. deck of playing cards (whole)/one playing card (part)

5. horse’s nose (part)/horse (whole)

6. watermelon slice (part)/watermelon (whole)

7. piano keys (part)/piano (whole)

8. orange peel (part)/orange (whole)

9. car (whole)/wheel (part)

10. board game (whole)/game pieces (part)

11. colored pencil (part)/box of colored pencils (whole)

12. pencil eraser (part)/pencil (whole)

13. tree (whole)/branch (part)

14. toy parts (part)/house made of toy parts (whole)

15. whale’s fin (part)/whale (whole)

16. puzzle (whole)/puzzle piece (part)

17. crescent moon (part)/full moon (whole)

18. banana (whole)/banana peel (part)

Unit 1 | Lesson 4 | Part 3

Activity 12: Hear That Rhyme Rhyming

Objective

Students will hear the teacher model rhyming pairs, and then students will say the rhyming word for each pair.

See p. 10 for a full description of Hear That Rhyme.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 4, Part 3 (1.4.3).

Launch!

Say:

• “Now, we are going to listen to some rhyming words.

• When two words rhyme, the middles and ends of the words sound the same. Only the first sound changes.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the jet and the net

Point to each image and say “Jet, net. These words rhyme!”

Click to display the box and the fox

Point to each image and say “Box, fox.”

Click to display the key and the bee

Point to each image and say “Key, bee.”

Continue with the remaining pairs:

1. hose – nose 2. six – mix 3. pan – man 4. bug – mug 5. house – mouse

ROUND 2:

Say “Let’s look at our rhyming words again.”

Click to display the jet.

6. goat – boat 7. bear – chair 8. jar – car 9. pig – wig

Point to the image and say “Jet …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, net, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the net.

Point to the image and say “Net.”

Click to display the box.

Point to the image and say “Box …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, fox, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the fox

Point to the image and say “Fox.”

Continue with the remaining pairs, pausing after the first word in each pair in case students can remember and say the rhyming word before you display it:

1. key – bee

2. hose – nose

3. six – mix

4. pan – man

5. bug – mug

ROUND 3:

6. house – mouse 7. goat – boat 8. bear – chair 9. jar – car 10. pig – wig

Say “Let’s look at our rhyming words one more time.”

Click to display the jet

Point to the image and say “Jet …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, net, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the net.

Point to the image and say “Net.”

Click to display the box.

Point to the image and say “Box …” (Students may remember the rhyming word, fox, and say it before you display the image.)

Click to display the fox.

Point to the image and say “Fox.”

Continue with the remaining pairs, pausing after the first word in each pair in case students can remember and say the rhyming word before you display it:

1. key – bee

2. hose – nose

3. six – mix

4. pan – man

5. bug – mug

6. house – mouse 7. goat – boat 8. bear – chair 9. jar – car 10. pig – wig

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Unit 1 | Lesson 5 | Part 1

Activity 9: Beginning/Middle/End Functional Vocabulary Objective

Students will use the terms beginning, middle, and end to describe the position of images on the screen.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Three images will appear on the screen.

Students will use the terms beginning, middle, and end to describe the order of these three images.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 5, Part 1 (1.5.1).

Launch!

Say:

• “We’ve learned some special words that can tell us where, or the place, in a row that something can be found. We have used the words before and after and first, next, and last

• Today, we are going to practice using the words beginning, middle, and end to talk about some pictures.”

Click to display three images: pan, oven, knife.

Say:

• “Pan, oven, and knife (while pointing to each image).

• The pan (point to pan) comes at the beginning of this row.

• The oven (point to oven) is in the middle of the row.

•

And the knife (point to knife) is at the end of the row.

• Beginning, middle, end (sliding finger from left to right, pausing at each image as you say the correct term).”

Click to display three images: sheep, cow, horse.

Say “Sheep, cow, and horse (while pointing to each image).”

Ask:

“Which picture is at the end of this row?” A: horse

“Which picture is at the beginning of this row?” A: sheep

Objective

Students will use the terms above and below to describe the placement of items.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Three images will appear on the board. The teacher will model the use of the terms above and below and ask questions about the location of images on the board.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 5, Part 2 (1.5.2).

Launch!

Say “Now, we are going to talk about the words above and below.” Click to display the stoplight.

Say:

• “This is a stoplight. A stoplight tells us when to stop, when to slow down, and when to go.

• The red light is always here (point to the top), the yellow light is here (point to the middle), and the green light is here (point to the bottom).

• The red light is above the yellow light.” (Point to the red light.)

• “The yellow light is above the green light.” (Point to the yellow light.)

•

“The yellow light is also below the red light. That means it is under the red light.

• The green light is below the yellow light. That means it is under the yellow light.

• Let’s look at some pictures now and try to figure out if each picture is above or below the others.”

Click to display three images in a vertical line: dog, pig, cat

Say:

• “Dog (point), pig (point), and cat (point)

• The pig (point to the pig) is above the cat (point to the cat).”

Ask “What is above the pig?” A: the dog

Say “The pig (point to the pig) is below the dog (point to the dog). That means that it is under the dog.”

Ask “What is below, or under, the pig?” A: the cat

Say “Let’s look at some more pictures.”

Click to display three images in a vertical line: airplane, car, boat.

Say “Airplane (point), car (point), and boat (point).

Ask:

• “What is above the car?” A: the airplane

• “What is below, or under, the car?” A: the boat

• “Is the car above or below the airplane?” A: below

• “Is the car above or below the boat?” A: above

Continue with the following image sets, adjusting the questioning for the following images:

Feel free to adjust the questions in any way that fits the needs of your students. Ask as many questions as you’d like about each set.

Unit 1 | Lesson 5 | Part 3

Activity 11: First/Next/Last: Temporal Sequencing Functional Vocabulary

Objective

Description

Students will determine the correct sequence of three actions/items/events, using the terms first, next, and last What

Students See

Students are introduced to the concept of sequences showing order across time, as well as space. Three images will appear on the screen. Students will use the terms first, next, and last to describe the proper sequence of these three actions/items. A click will place each item in the correct order. 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 1, Lesson 5, Part 3 (1.5.3).

Launch! Say:

• “We have learned that there are special words like first and last and before and after that tell us where, or the place, in a row that something can be found.

• Did you know that we can use some of the same words to tell us when something happens? When is a word that tells us about time. Let me tell you about something that happened to me. It was a time that I was hungry and decided to buy an apple to eat.

• First, I realized I was hungry. I really wanted to eat an apple, so I went to the grocery store to buy one. I found a shiny, red apple at the store, so I bought it. Next, I walked outside the store and started to eat my apple. I took a few big bites. It was so juicy and delicious! At last, when I was finished eating the apple, all I had left was the core, or the inside of the apple. I looked for a trash can so I could throw the apple out.”

Although the items in each example appear in correct temporal order, some of the images will appear on the screen in the incorrect temporal order at first.

Click to display three images: an apple core, a whole apple, and an apple with a few bites taken

Say:

• “Let’s look at these three pictures. Here is a picture of an apple core (point to first picture), here is a picture of a whole apple (point to second picture), and here is a picture of an apple with just a few bites out of it (point to third picture).

• We have to figure out which of these pictures came first in my story. When I got my apple from the grocery store, it was a whole apple with no bites out of it, so that picture must go first.”

Click to move the picture of the whole apple into the first position at the bottom of the screen.

Say “Now we have to figure out which picture came next. This picture (point to third picture) looks like I had taken only a few bites, but this one (point to first picture) is almost all gone and looks like it is almost ready to throw away. I think the one with only a few bites must come next.”

Click to move the picture of the apple with a few bites taken into the next position at the bottom of the screen.

Say “That means that this picture of the apple core must come last. An apple core is all I was left with after I had eaten the whole apple. Remember, I had to find the trash can to throw the apple core away.”

Click to move the picture of the apple core into the last position at the bottom of the screen.

Say “These pictures show the story from when I was hungry and ate an apple, in the order they happened over time. Help me tell the story again.” (Ask the students to finish your sentences, prompting as needed, to complete the entire sequence: First Next Last …)

Continue with the remaining examples, clicking to move each picture to the correct position, telling stories to go along with each sequence, if you prefer:

1. Eggs in a nest, eggs with cracks, baby bird broken out of shell

2. Mixing dough, baking cookies in an oven, fully baked cookies

3. Full dinner plate, half-eaten dinner plate, empty dinner plate

4. Dry bowl of cereal, milk being poured over cereal, being eaten with a spoon

5. Whole pumpkin, seeds of pumpkin being scraped out, carved jack-o’-lantern

6. Whole banana, half-eaten banana, empty banana peel

7. Baby, young girl, grown woman

8. Planting seeds, watering dirt and seeds, growing plant

9. Child on the ladder of a slide, child at the top of the slide, child at the bottom of the slide

Say “Great job learning so many new ideas and using lots of new words to describe the world around you. Your brain has been very busy making great decisions. I can’t wait to see what Countdown activities we will do next!”

Unit 2 | Lesson 1 | Part 1

Activity 15: Peel That Sound PA: BSI Objective

Students will practice isolating the beginning sounds of words.

What Students See

Description

This activity consists of three rounds. During the first round, the teacher pronounces the imaged word, starting with the isolated beginning sound, and the students repeat. During the second round, the teacher pronounces just the isolated beginning sound of each word, and the students give the name of the image. During the third round, the teacher names the image, and students say the isolated beginning sound. This activity helps students understand that words are made of individual sounds and that we can isolate those sounds. The main goal is to model and give students practice with beginning sound isolation.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 1, Part 1 (2.1.1).

Launch! Say:

• “Words are made out of sounds. When we say words, we are really saying a bunch of sounds in a certain order. Today, we are going learn that we can peel the beginning sound off words.

• When we peel a piece of fruit, like an orange or a banana, we take a layer off. We are going to be doing the same thing with words, peeling off the first sound.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the goat

Point to the goat and say “/g/, goat . Your turn.”

A: (students repeat) /g/, goat

Click to display the violin.

Point to the violin and say “/v/, violin. Your turn.” A: /v/, violin

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Once students understand the process, feel free to cut down on language. Rather than saying, “Your turn,” simply pointing to the students when it’s their turn should be sufficient.

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /b/, bear 2. /k/, cat 3. /d/, duck 4. /l/, lion 5. /ŏ/, octopus 6. /p/, popcorn

ROUND 2:

You do not have to prompt students with “What is it?” for every example. You may choose to just say “/v/…” and then point to the students for their turn.

7. /s/, soap 8. /r/, rabbit 9. /kw/, queen 10. /f/, fish 11. /ē/, eagle 12. /t/, toothbrush

13. /w/, wave 14. /sh/, sheep 15. /ī/, ice 16. /m/, monkey

Say “Let’s practice again. This time, I will peel the sounds, and you will say the words.”

Click to display the goat.

Point to the goat and say “/g/…. What is it?” A: goat

Click to display the violin.

Point to the violin and say “/v/…. What is it?” A: violin

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /b/, bear 2. /k/, cat 3. /d/, duck 4. /l/, lion 5. /ŏ/, octopus 6. /p/, popcorn

ROUND 3:

7. /s/, soap 8. /r/, rabbit 9. /kw/, queen 10. /f/, fish 11. /ē/, eagle 12. /t/, toothbrush

13. /w/, wave 14. /sh/, sheep 15. /ī/, ice 16. /m/, monkey

Say “Let’s practice one more time. This time, I will say the words, and you will peel the sounds.”

Click to display the goat.

Point to the goat and say “Goat. What’s the first sound?” A: /g/

Click to display the violin.

Point to the violin and say “ Violin. What’s the first sound?” A: /v/

Continue with the remaining examples: 1. /b/, bear 2. /k/, cat

/d/, duck 4. /l/, lion 5. /ŏ/, octopus 6. /p/, popcorn

7. /s/, soap 8. /r/, rabbit 9. /kw/, queen 10. /f/, fish 11. /ē/, eagle 12. /t/, toothbrush

Unit 2 | Lesson 1 | Part 2

13. /w/, wave 14. /sh/, sheep 15. /ī/, ice 16. /m/, monkey

You do not have to prompt students with “What’s the first sound?” for every example. You may choose to just say “violin…” and then point to the students for their turn.

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Description

Students will listen to an alliterative story. After listening to the story, they will participate by choosing words that start with the targeted sound. 3, 2, 1… Open

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /m/. What Students See

The alliterative sound stories feature the repeated use of words that begin with the same sound, as in Michael is a monkey from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

• “Now, we are going to learn about a sound. A sound is something we hear when we say words or sentences out loud. We need to use our ears to listen carefully to this sound.

• First, listen while I make the sound: /mmmm/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/mmmm/.”)

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /muh/. If students call out the letter m, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

•

Whenever the letter m is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /m/ in the word, as in /mmmm/ake for make and

/mmmm/outh for mouth

“Wow, you sure stretched that out for a long time! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

™ “I could feel my lips press together, but I couldn’t feel anything moving when the sound started.

™ I couldn’t feel air come out of my mouth either because my lips stayed closed. How did that sound get out?” (Students respond.)

™ “Wait, is it coming through my nose? Let’s try an experiment: Pinch your nose, and try to make the sound /mmmm/. That’s it! The sound got stuck in my nose!

™ Now let go of your noses, and make the sound again: /mmmm/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a friend who is hiding in our M ystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /m/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /m/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /m/.”

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /m/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• He is a mammal with a long tail.

• He likes to swing from trees in the jungle.

• He likes to munch on bananas.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the monkey

Say:

• “He’s a monkey! Do you hear and feel /mmmm/ when you start to say /m/, monkey?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /m/, Michael the Monkey.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. While I'm reading, make sure that you listen carefully for his favorite sound… /mmmm/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

•

“Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /mmmm/ each time you say it:

Michael is a monkey from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was born on a Monday in the middle of May. Every morning

Michael makes breakfast with his mom. For lunch, they make macaroni and cheese. Then, in the middle of the afternoon, Michael and his mom mix cookie dough so they can munch on yummy treats. Mmm-mmm!

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Michael the Monkey’s story started with his favorite sound, /m/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Michael the Monkey. All of the answers will start with Michael’s favorite sound, /m/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Michael’s favorite sound, /m/.

1. “Is Michael a gorilla or a monkey?” A: monkey

2. “Was Michael born on a Monday or Friday?” A: Monday

3. “Does Michael make breakfast with his dad or mom?” A: mom

4. “Does Michael make macaroni or spaghetti for lunch?” A: macaroni

5. “Do Michael and his mom mix cookie dough or bake a cake?”

A: mix cookie dough

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Michael picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Michael might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /m/. Let’s all say Michael’s sound again: /mmmm/.”

Ask questions about Michael the Monkey’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Michael’s favorite color is a dark shade of red. Do you think it might be black or maroon?” A: maroon

2. “Michael might like one day of the week more than the others. Is it Monday or Friday?” A: Monday

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /m/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student's guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /m/.”

3. “Michael has two favorite months every year. Is one of them April or May?” A: May

4. “Can you guess the other one? Is it September or March?” A: March

5. “Michael shakes an instrument to make music. What does he shake, a tambourine or maracas?” A: maracas

6. “Michael meets his mother at the market to get some food for meals. Can you think of some food that Michael likes to munch?

™

Which fruit would he like, melon or pear?” A: melon

™ “Which vegetable, onion or mushroom?” A: mushroom

™ “Which pasta, macaroni or spaghetti?” A: macaroni

™

“Which snack, cookies or marshmallows?” A: marshmallows

™ “Which drink, milk or juice?” A: milk

7. “Michael plays with other monkeys, but he also likes to meet up with other animals that start with the sound /m/. How many can we think of?” A: mouse, moose, mole, mallard duck, mustang, moth, mockingbird, muskrat, mosquito, meerkat, mongoose, mountain lion, musk ox, etc.

8. “Michael likes to move around. Let’s see if we can pick out which actions Michael likes most.

™

When he makes a mess, will he sweep or mop the floor?” A: mop

™

“Michael helps his mom make mittens. Will he measure or cut the fabric?” A: measure

™

“Will he rake or mow the lawn?” A: mow

™

™

“Will he match or separate his socks?” A: match

“Mix or pour a milkshake?” A: mix

™

“Would he want to march or skip in a parade?” A: march

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /m/, and our friend, Michael the Monkey!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

On the next page is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /m/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Michael is a monkey from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Most of his monkey mates liked to go to the mall and munch on mangos and macadamia nuts after watching a movie. Michael, a more mature monkey, thought, ‘There must be something more.’ Then one day in March, Michael got a magazine in the mail called Modern Science. He thought all of the mysterious machines, magnets, microscopes, magnifying glasses, and measuring tools were marvelous. Maybe he could make something magical happen if he put his mind to it! Michael met with some mates and started a science club. Now they meet every Monday to do messy experiments and make magnificent discoveries.

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Objective

Students will blend the syllables in compound words to produce the whole word.

What Students See

Description

The teacher says the two separate syllables in a compound word, has students repeat, and then asks the students to blend the syllables to produce the compound word. An image representing the compound word is revealed. This activity is a precursor to blending onsets and rimes, and later, to the individual phonemes in words.

• I will hold up my fists when I say each word part, and then I will push my fists together when I say the whole word.

• Listen carefully to my two words and repeat after me – book (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) – shelf (hold up a second fist in front of your body).”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these together, book – (PAUSE) – shelf ?” A: bookshelf (Push your fists together as you blend the two syllables to say the word.)

Click to display the bookshelf.

Say “Let’s try another one. Repeat after me.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “ Rain – (PAUSE) – bow.” (Hold up one fist for each syllable, making sure students are repeating this action too.)

Ask “What word does it make when we put these together, rain – (PAUSE) – bow?” A: rainbow (Teacher and students push fists together as the two syllables are blended together.)

Click to display the rainbow.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Continue

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to simplify:

• Decrease the length of the pauses between the word parts. The closer together word parts are, the easier it will be to blend them into a word: book – (PAUSE) – shelf rather than book – (PAUSE) – shelf.

Ways to challenge:

• Increase the length of the pauses between the word parts: book – (PAUSE) – shelf rather than book – (PAUSE) – shelf

• Extension activity to be done after the initial activity has been completed: Turn away from the screen, click through the sequence of the compound word images, and ask the students to “segment” the compound word by saying the two syllables without saying the whole compound word. Using the syllables the students give you, blend the parts together to “guess” the students’ compound word.

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Unit 2 | Lesson 2 | Part 1

Activity 17: Peel and Sort PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify matching beginning sounds.

What Students See

Description

The screen is split into two columns with a guideword image at the top of each. A new (non-guideword) image appears at the bottom of the screen. With the teacher’s assistance, students determine which guideword image has the same beginning sound as the new image below. The new image is then sorted into the correct column. This activity reinforces the idea that words are made from individual sounds and that we can isolate individual sounds in words.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 2, Part 1 (2.2.1).

Launch!

SORT 1:

Say “Today, we are going to sort words by their beginning sounds.”

Click to display the monkey and the hammer as the column headings.

Point to the monkey and the hammer and say “Our words will begin like /m/, monkey or /h/, hammer.”

Click to display and point to the house.

Say:

• “/h/, house. Does /h/, house begin like monkey or hammer?” A: hammer

• “Right! /h/, house, /h/, hammer. I’ll move the house to the /h/, hammer side.”

Click to place the house in the hammer column.

Click to display and point to the mittens.

Say:

• “/m/, mittens. Does /m/, mittens begin like monkey or hammer?”

A: monkey

• “Point to the side where the mittens should go.” (left side)

• “Good job! /m/, mittens, /m/, monkey. I’ll move the mittens to the /m/, monkey side.”

Click to place the mittens in the monkey column.

Continue with the remaining examples: /m/, monster; /h/, horse; /m/, milk; /h/, hair; /h/, hamburger; /m/, mug; /h/, hospital; /h/, hat; /m/, mountain; /m/, mask.

Say:

• “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

™ /m/, monkey; /m/, mittens; /m/, monster; /m/, milk; /m/, mug; /m/, mountain; /m/, mask

™ /h/, hammer; /h/, house; /h/, horse; /h/, hair; /h/, hamburger; /h/, hospital; /h/, hat.

• Let’s try that with two new sounds.”

SORT 2:

Click to display the chin and the rabbit as the column headings.

Point to the chin and the rabbit and say “Our words will begin like /ch/, chin or /r/, rabbit.”

Click to display and point to the rattle.

Say:

• “/r/, rattle. Does /r/, rattle begin like chin or rabbit?” A: rabbit (right side)

• “/r/, rattle, /r/, rabbit. I’ll move the rattle to the /r/, rabbit side.”

Click to place the rattle in the rabbit column.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples: /ch/, chimney; /r/, raccoon; /ch/, chocolate; /r/, rollercoaster; /r/, rooster; /ch/, chair; /ch/, cheese; /r/, robe; /ch/, check; /r/, rose; /ch/, chalk

Say:

• “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

™ /ch/, chin; /ch/, chimney; /ch/, chocolate; /ch/, chair; /ch/, cheese; /ch/, check; /ch/, chalk.

™ /r/, rabbit; /r/, rattle; /r/, raccoon; /r/, rollercoaster; /r/, rooster; /r/, robe; /r/, rose.”

Once students understand how to sort the images, feel free to cut down on language. Example: “/m/, monster, which side?” A: “/m/, monkey,” with left arms held out to the side. (Be sure that students say “/m/, monkey ” aloud to serve as a model for students who may still be struggling to isolate the beginning sounds. You may also wish to reinforce the match in beginning sounds by repeating, “/m/, monster, /m/, monkey ” after students give the correct answer.)

The alliterative sound stories feature the repeated use of words that begin with the same sound, as in Sofia is a Seal from Seabrook Island, South Carolina. Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /suh/. If students call out the letter s, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Ways to simplify:

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

• Add more information to the question: “/h/, house. Does /h/, house begin with the same sound as /m/, monkey or /h/, hammer?” A: /h/, hammer

Ways to challenge:

• Do not isolate the beginning sound for students at all; just name the objects on the screen, and then ask a harder question: “House. Does house begin like monkey or hammer?”

Unit 2 | Lesson 2 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /s/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 2, Part 2 (2.2.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /ssss/.”

• “Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/ssss/.”)

• “Wow, you sure stretched that out for a long time! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

™ “I could feel some air leaking out past my teeth.

™ My lips were pulled back in a smile, /ssss/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal s tarts with the s ound /s/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /s/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She swims in the ocean, but she likes to slide on the ice, too.

• She has short gray or brown fur, a tail, and flipper s.

• She loves to eat fish.

Say “Let’s check to s ee if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the seal Say:

• “She’s a seal! Do you hear and feel /ssss/ when you start to say /s/, seal?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /s/, Sofia the Seal. Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about her. While I'm reading, make sure that you listen carefully for her favorite sound … /ssss/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /ssss/ each time you say it: S ofia is a seal from Seabrook Island, S outh Carolina. S ofia just loves to swim and slide! In the summer, S ofia swims to the sand dunes at the edge of the sea. She slides down the slopes of slick sand on a silver sled. S ofia is so happy, she sings all the way home.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Sofia the Seal’s story started with her favorite sound, /s/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Sofia the Seal. All of the answers will start with Sofia’s favorite sound, /s/.”

Whenever the letter s is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /s/ in the word, as in /sssss/ame for same and /ssss/ound for sound

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /s/, say, “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name].

Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /s/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /s/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student's guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /s/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Sofia’s favorite sound, /s/.

1. “Is Sofia a fish or a seal?” A: seal

2. “Where does Sofia swim, in the sea or in a lake?” A: sea

3. “How does Sofia slide down the slope, on a wagon or on a sled?” A: on a sled

4. “What color is Sofia’s sled, silver or blue?” A: silver

5. “Does Sofia whistle or sing on the way home from sledding?” A: sing

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Sofia picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Sofia might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /s/. Let’s all say Sofia’s sound again: /ssss/.”

Ask questions about Sofia the Seal’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “In our story, Sofia has fun during her favorite season. A season is a time of year, and there are four seasons each year.

™ Does Sofia prefer summer or winter?” A: summer

™

“Can you choose her second favorite season, spring or fall?” A: spring

2. “Sofia also has a favorite day of the week.

™ Is it Friday or Saturday?” A: Saturday

™ “Can you guess her second favorite day?” A: Sunday

3. “Sofia and her sister went shopping for sandals. What color did she select: blue or silver?” A: silver

4. “At school, Sofia was sorting blocks by their shapes.

™ Is Sofia’s favorite shape a square or triangle?” A: square

™ “She also likes a round shape. What is it?” A: circle

5. “Can you think of Sofia’s favorite numbers? Let’s start to count until we hear numbers that start with /s/. Ready? One, two, three, four, five, six … and seven. Which ones are her favorites?” A: six and seven

6. “Sofia sees a store and stops to buy some snacks. Can you think of some food that Sofia would snack on?

™ Which fruit does she like better, strawberries or cherries?”

A: strawberries

“Which vegetable, celery or carrot?” A: celery ™

“Which meat, ham or steak?” A: steak ™

“Which sauce, ketchup or salsa?” A: salsa ™

“Which seasoning, salt or pepper” A: salt

7. “Sofia plays with other seals, but she also likes to slide and swing and skip rope with other animals that start with the sound, /s/. How many can we think of?” A: snake, spider, skunk, squirrel, snail, swan, starfish, etc.

8. “Sofia has a hard time staying still. She likes to do so many things. Let’s see if we can choose actions that Sofia likes best. ™

Does she like to dance or sing?” A: sing ™

“Does she like to swim or dive?” A: swim ™

“Would she rather stand up or lie down?” A: stand ™

“Does she like to glide or soar?” A: soar ™

“Does she sip or gulp her drink?” A: sip ™

“Would she rather jump or spin?” A: spin

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /s/, and our friend, Sofia the Seal!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /s/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary. Sofia is a seal from Seabrook Island, South Carolina. Like so many seals, Sofia just loves to slide! In the summer, Sofia swims in the sea to see her schoolmate Samuel. Since there is no snow in the summer, Sofia and Samuel sneak off to the sand dunes at the edge of the sea. Samuel has a sleek silver sled that’s just right for slipping down the slopes of slick sand. Sofia and Samuel skip back up the slope and slide down again at least sixteen times before they are satisfied. Such fun! Sofia sings all the way home, where her sister is just serving supper. Suddenly, it seems summer has slipped away, and it is September. Sofia is sad to stop sliding with Samuel, but she is excited to start school.

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Unit 2 | Lesson 2 | Part 3

Activity 13: Which Words Rhyme? Rhyming

Objective

Students will identify rhyming pairs from groups of three images.

What Students See

Description

Three images appear on the screen. Students must determine which two imaged words rhyme.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 2, Part 3 (2.2.3).

Launch!

Say:

• “Now, we are going to listen for rhyming words.

• Remember, when two words rhyme, the middles and ends of the words sound the same. Only the first sound changes.”

Click to display the ham, jam, and rug.

Point to each image and say:

• “Ham, jam, rug. Which two words rhyme?” A: ham and jam

• “Ham and jam rhyme! They both end with /ăm/.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the bat, sun, and cat.

Point to each image and say:

• “Bat, sun, cat. Which two words rhyme?” A: bat and cat

• “Bat and cat rhyme! They both end with /ăt/.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. six/toes/nose

2. knee/bee/phone

3. man/jet/pan

4. pig /wig /jam

5. neck/hair/bear

6. peas/cheese/seal

7. boat/pig/goat

8. sad/rug /mug 9. nail/thorn/whale 10. mug /cake/bug 11. tape/wing /ring 12. drum/thumb/hat

13. egg /fox/leg

14. dog/two/shoe

15. ox /box /foot

16. sad/cup/add 17. gate/car/jar 18. win/chin/bird

The rhyming pairs in each example appear in boldface text.

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to challenge:

• Once students have identified the two rhyming imaged words, ask students to supply the rime.

• Example: Cat – hat, they both end with? A: /ăt/

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Unit 2 | Lesson 3 | Part 1

Activity 15: Peel That Sound PA: BSI

Objective

Students will practice isolating the beginning sounds of words.

What Students See

Once students understand the process, feel free to cut down on language. Rather than saying, “Your turn,” simply pointing to the students when it’s their turn should be sufficient.

See p. 33 for a full description of Peel That Sound.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 3, Part 1 (2.3.1).

Launch!

Say “Remember, earlier this week, we peeled the first sound off words just like you would peel an orange or a banana. We are going to be doing the same thing now.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the apple.

Point to the apple and say “/ă/, apple. Your turn.” A: (students repeat) /ă/, apple

Click to display the sheep.

Point to the sheep and say “/sh/, sheep. Your turn.” A: /sh/, sheep

Continue with the remaining examples: 1. /h/, hammer

/k/, key

/m/, monkey

/b/, bear

/y�/, unicorn

/ch/, chin

ROUND 2:

/s/, soap

/r/, rabbit

/d/, duck

/y/, yes

/th/, thumb

/ā/, acorn

13. /z/, zipper 14. /p/, popcorn 15. /n/, nest 16. /ō/, open

Say “Let’s practice again. This time, I will peel the sounds, and you will say the words.”

Click to display the apple.

Point to the apple and say “/ă/…. What is it?” A: apple

Click to display the sheep.

Point to the sheep and say “/sh/…. What it is?” A: sheep

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /h/, hammer

2. /k/, key 3. /m/, monkey 4. /b/, bear 5. /y�/, unicorn

6. /ch/, chin

ROUND 3:

7. /s/, soap 8. /r/, rabbit 9. /d/, duck 10. /y/, yes 11. /th/, thumb 12. /ā/, acorn

13. /z/, zipper 14. /p/, popcorn 15. /n/, nest 16. /ō/, open

You do not have to prompt students with “What is it?” for every example. You may choose to just say “/sh/…” and then point to the students for their turn.

Say “Let’s practice one more time. This time, I will say the words, and you will peel the sounds.”

Click to display the apple.

Point to the apple and say “Apple. What’s the first sound?” A: /ă/ Click to display the sheep.

Point to the sheep and say “ Sheep. What’s the first sound?” A: /sh/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /h/, hammer 2. /k/, key 3. /m/, monkey 4. /b/, bear 5. /y�/, unicorn 6. /ch/, chin

7. /s/, soap 8. /r/, rabbit 9. /d/, duck 10. /y/, yes 11. /th/, thumb 12. /ā/, acorn

13. /z/, zipper 14. /p/, popcorn 15. /n/, nest 16. /ō/, open

You do not have to prompt students with “What’s the first sound?” for every example. You may choose to just say “Sheep…” and then point to the students for their turn.

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /l/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

What Students See

The alliterative sound stories feature the repeated use of words that begin with the same sound, as in Lola is a lizard from Lafayette, Louisiana.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant, e.g., /luh/. If students call out the letter l, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 3, Part 2 (2.3.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /llll/.”

• “Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? L aunch!” (Students say, “/llll/.”)

• “Wow, you sure stretched that out a long time! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

™ “I could feel the tip of my tongue lift up and push behind my top teeth, /llll/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Say “Our new friend is hiding in the Mystery Bag. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /l/.”

Whenever the letter l is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /l/ in the word, as in /llll/ick for lick

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /l/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /l/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /l/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She is a reptile with a long tail and scaly skin.

• She likes to catch bugs with her long tongue.

• She likes to lurk under a log or lie across a warm rock.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the lizard.

Say:

• “She’s a lizard! Do you hear and feel /llll/ when you start to say /l/, lizard?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /l/, Lola the Lizard.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read a little story about our new friend so we can learn more about her. While I'm reading, make sure that you listen carefully for

her favorite sound, /llll/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /llll/ each time you say it: Lola is a lizard from Lafayette, Louisiana. She is a lively lizard who likes to lick everything she lays her eyes on. One day Lola saw a large lemon lollipop lying on the lawn. Of course, she licked it. Later, Lola licked a lion. Uh-oh! It took Lola a long time to loosen the lion’s hairs from her sticky tongue. This was not Lola’s lucky day!

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Lola the Lizard’s story started with her favorite sound, /l/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Lola the Lizard. All of the answers will start with Lola’s favorite sound, /l/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Lola’s favorite sound, /l/.

1. “Is Lola a frog or a lizard?” A: lizard

2. “What does Lola like to do best, lick or bite?” A: lick

3. “What did Lola see on the lawn, bubblegum or a lollipop?” A: lollipop

4. “What flavor was Lola’s lollipop, lemon or cherry?” A: lemon

5. “What is the last thing Lola licked, a dog or a lion?” A: lion

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Lola picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Lola might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /l/. Let’s all say Lola’s sound again: /llll/.”

Ask questions about Lola the Lizard’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Lola’s favorite color is a light shade of purple. Do you think it’s lavender or pink?” A: lavender

2. “Lola is meeting her friends at the playground. Will she be early or late?”

A: late

3. “Lola loves learning about the alphabet. Does she love letters or numbers?”

A: letters

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

4. “Lola helps her mom wash and dry their clothes. Is she helping with dishes or laundry?” A: laundry

5. “Lola lives by a little store that sells lots of delicious food. Can you think of some food that Lola likes to lick?

™

Which fruit would she like to lick: an orange or lemon?” A: lemon

™

“Which vegetable does she lick: beans or lettuce?” A: lettuce

™

“Which pasta: linguini or macaroni?” A: linguini

™

“Will Lola lick crab or lobster? A: lobster

™ “Will she lick chocolate or licorice?” A: licorice

™

“Which drink: milk or lemonade?” A: lemonade

6. “Lola likes to lounge around with other lizards, but she also likes to laugh and play with other animals that start with the sound /l/. Let’s list as many as we can think of!” A: leopard, lion, lamb, ladybug, Labrador retriever, lobster, llama, lynx, lemur, locust, loon, etc.

7. “Lola is lively and likes to do lots of things. Let’s see if we can pick out which actions Lola likes a lot.

™

At eleven o’clock, Lola’s class lines up to go to the library. If Lola is first in line, does she lead or follow?” A: lead

™ “In the library, Lola looks at the book as the librarian reads loudly. What else can she do to learn: touch or listen?” A: listen

™

“As Lola leaves school, she looks forward to leisure time to relax and play. When she goes to the lake, does she leap or jump in the water?”

A: leap

“When it’s time to leave, does she drag or lift her beach bag?” A: lift Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /l/, and our friend, Lola the Lizard!”

™

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /l/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Lola is a lizard from Lafayette, Louisiana. Lots of lizards like to laze about on logs, flicking out their tongues with lightning speed to catch little bugs for lunch. Lola is not like the other lazy lizards. She is a lively lizard who likes to lick everything she lays her eyes

on. Licking is a lovely way to learn about all the luscious flavors in the world. One day Lola looked down and saw a large lemon lollipop lying on the lawn. Of course, she licked it. Lola loved it! She licked and licked until the lollipop was little. The next thing Lola licked was a lion. Uh-oh! It took Lola a long time to loosen the lion's hairs from her sticky tongue. Lola learned a lesson about licking that day!

Unit 2 | Lesson 3 | Part 3

Activity 21: Mystery Bag: Blending Compound Words PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend the syllables in compound words to produce the whole word.

See p. 36 for a full description of Mystery Bag: Blending Compound Words.

What

Students

See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 3, Part 3 (2.3.3).

Launch!

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say:

• “Let’s see what words are in our Mystery Bag! We will put two small words together to make a new, bigger word.

• I will hold up my fists when I say each word part, and then I will push my fists together when I say the whole word.

• Listen carefully to my two words and repeat after me –basket (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) – ball (hold up a second fist in front of your body).”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these together, basket – (PAUSE) – ball?” A: basketball (Teacher and students push fists together as the two word parts are blended together.)

Click to display the basketball.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “Cup – (PAUSE) – cake.” (Hold up one fist for each syllable, making sure students are repeating this action too.)

Say “What word does it make when we put these together, cup – (PAUSE) – cake?” A: cupcake (Teacher and students push fists together as the two syllables are blended together.)

Click to display the cupcake.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Continue with the remaining examples, holding up a fist as you say each word part and then bringing fists together while blending the word parts into the compound word: 1. cave-man 2. foot-ball 3. fire-man 4. sun-flower

head-phones 27. lady-bug 28. dough-nut

See p. 41 for differentiation options for Mystery Bag: Blending Compound Words.

Unit 2 | Lesson 4 | Part 1

Activity 17: Peel and Sort PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify matching beginning sounds.

See p. 42 for a full description of Peel and Sort.

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 4, Part 1 (2.4.1).

Launch!

SORT 1:

Say “Today, we are going to sort words by their beginning sounds.”

Click to display the toothbrush and the zipper as the column headings.

Point to the toothbrush and the zipper and say “Our words will begin like /t/, toothbrush or /z/, zipper.”

Click to display and point to the zebra.

Say:

• “/z/, zebra. Does /z/, zebra begin like toothbrush or zipper?” A: zipper

• “Right! /z/, zebra, /z/, zipper. I’ll move the zebra to the /z/, zipper side.”

Click to place the zebra in the zipper column.

Click to display and point to the tiger.

Say:

• “/t/, tiger. Does /t/, tiger begin like toothbrush or zipper?” A: toothbrush

• “Point to the side where the tiger should go.” (left side)

• “Good Job! /t/, tiger, /t/, toothbrush. I’ll move the tiger to the /t/, toothbrush side.”

Click to place the tiger in the toothbrush column.

Continue with the remaining examples: /t/, towel; /z/, zigzag; /z/, zero; /t/, table; /z/, zoo; /t/, teeth; /t/, turtle; /z/, zucchini; /t/, tape; /z/, zoom.

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Once students understand how to sort the images, feel free to cut down on language. Example: “/t/, tiger, which side?” A: “/t/, toothbrush,” with left arms held out to the side. (Be sure that students say “/t/, toothbrush” aloud to serve as a model for students who may still be struggling to isolate the beginning sounds. You may also wish to reinforce the match in beginning sounds by repeating, “/t/, tiger, /t/, toothbrush” after students give the correct answer.)

Say:

• “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

™ /t/, toothbrush; /t/, tiger; /t/, towel; /t/, table; /t/, teeth; /t/, turtle; /t/, tape

™ /z/, zipper; /z/, zebra; /z/, zigzag; /z/, zero; /z/, zoo; /z/, zucchini; /z/, zoom.

• Let’s try that with two new sounds.”

SORT 2:

Click to display the acorn and the open door as the column headings.

Point to the acorn and the open door and say “Our words will begin like /ā/, acorn or /ō/, open.”

Click to display and point to the apron.

Say:

• “/ā/, apron. Does /ā/, apron begin like acorn or open?” A: acorn (left side)

• “/ā/, apron, /ā/, acorn. I’ll move the apron to the /ā/, acorn side.”

Click to place the apron in the acorn column.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples: /ō/, overalls; /ā/, airplane; /ā/, angel; /ō/, ocean; /ō/, old; /ā/, ape; /ō/, oval; /ā/, ace; /ō/, oatmeal; /ā/, eight; /ō/, oboe.

Say:

• “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

™ /ā/, acorn; /ā/, apron; /ā/, airplane; /ā/, angel; /ā/, ape; /ā/, ace; /ā/, eight ™ /ō/, open; /ō/, overalls; /ō/, ocean; /ō/, old; /ō/, oval; /ō/, oatmeal; /ō/, oboe.”

See p. 44 for differentiation options for Peel and Sort.

Unit 2 | Lesson 4 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

The alliterative sound stories feature the repeated use of words that begin with the same sound, as in Nina is a nuthatch from Norfolk, Nebraska.

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /n/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 4, Part 2 (2.4.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /nnnn/.”

• “Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/nnnn/.”)

• “Wow, you sure stretched that out a long time! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

™ “I could feel the tip of my tongue push behind my top teeth.

™ I couldn’t feel air come out of my mouth, even though my lips were open. How did that sound get out?” (Students respond.) “Wait, is it coming through my nose? Let’s try an experiment: Pinch your nose together and try to make the sound /nnnn/. That’s it! The sound got stuck in my nose! Now, let go of your noses, and make the new sound again: /nnnn/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “A new friend is hiding in the Mystery Bag. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /n/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /n/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She is a bird with a white belly, black cap, and gray back feathers.

• Her long sharp beak is great for cracking nuts.

• She likes to nosh on sunflower seeds and peanuts.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the nuthatch.

Say:

• “She’s a nuthatch! Do you hear and feel /nnnn/ when you start to say /n/, nuthatch?

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /nuh/. If students call out the letter n, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter n is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /n/ in the word, as in /nnnn/ew for new.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /n/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /n/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /n/, Nina the Nuthatch.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend, so we can learn more about her. While I'm reading, make sure that you listen carefully to notice her favorite sound … /nnnn/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /nnnn/ each time you say it: Nina is a nuthatch from Norfolk, Nebraska. You may not know this, but a nuthatch is a bird that climbs down a tree nose-first! One day, while nibbling nuts in her nest, Nina heard the noisy neighbor nagging her nephew, ‘Never go down a tree nose-first!

It’s not natural!’ Nina was not happy! She told her neighbor, ‘A new point of view can be nice. When I go nose-down, I notice bugs and nuts that you never see with your nose up in the air.’

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Nina the Nuthatch’s story started with her favorite sound, /n/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Nina the Nuthatch. All of the answers will start with Nina’s favorite sound, /n/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Nina’s favorite sound, /n/:

1. “Is Nina a robin or a nuthatch?” A: nuthatch

2. “Where does Nina live, in a nest or a birdhouse?” A: nest

3. “Who did Nina hear nagging nearby, a neighbor or a visitor?” A: neighbor

4. “What does Nina point downward, her tail or her nose?” A: nose

5. “What does Nina notice with her nose down, nuts or leaves?” A: nuts

Say:

• “Nina picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Nina might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /n/. Let’s all say Nina’s sound again: /nnnn/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Nina’s favorite sound, /n/:

1. “Nina’s favorite color is a dark shade of blue. Do you know if it’s royal or navy?" A: navy

2. “Nina has a favorite month of the year. Do you know if it’s November or May?” A: November

3. “Nina wants to know more about counting and adding. Does she need letters or numbers?” A: numbers

4. “Nina’s favorite number has her /n/ sound in the beginning and at the end. Let’s count and listen for it. Ready? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine!” A: nine

5. “Nina needs some jewelry to match her new dress. Does she want a bracelet or necklace?” A: necklace

6. “Nina needs to shop for food now. Can you think of foods that Nina likes to nosh and nibble on?

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /n/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student's guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /n/.”

™

Which fruit will she nibble, nectarine or peach?” A: nectarine ™

“Which bread will she nosh, pita or naan?” A: naan ™

“Which pasta, noodles or spaghetti?” A: noodles ™

“Which snacks, raisins or nuts?” A: nuts ™ “Nachos or pretzels?” A: nachos ™

“Which spice, nutmeg or cinnamon?” A: nutmeg

7. “Nina plays with other nuthatches, but she also makes new friends with other animals that start with the sound /n/. How many can we think of?”

A: nightingale, newt, narwhal, nurse shark, needlefish, night crawler, nene, nutria, etc.

8. “Nina likes to try new moves. Let’s see if we can pick out the new actions Nina likes most.

™

While her Nana is knitting, Nina knocks the yarn basket on the floor! How does she get down to pick it up, by sitting or kneeling?” A: kneeling ™

“When Nina wants you to know her answer is ‘yes,’ does she shake or nod her head?” A: nod ™

“Nina feels tired after reading the newspaper. Will she snore or nap?”

A: nap ™ “Nina needs to wake up her niece. Will she nudge her or tickle her?”

A: nudge

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /n/, and our friend, Nina the Nuthatch!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /n/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary. Nina is a nuthatch from Norfolk, Nebraska. If you’ve never seen a nuthatch, you may not know these birds have a nutty habit of climbing down trees … nose-first! Nina never knew any different, and thought nothing of it until one day her neighbor, a noisy nightingale, was nagging her nephew in the nest nearby. ‘Never go down a tree nose-first! It’s not natural!’ The nephew nodded nervously. Nina nibbled on some nuts in her nest until she found the nerve to speak. ‘No need to be so negative, nightingale. When I go nose-down, I notice bugs and nuts and seeds that you never see with your nose up in the air. Take note: a new point of view can be nice … and nutritious, too.

• Remember, when two words rhyme, the middles and ends of the words sound the same. Only the first sound changes.”

Click to display the bug, goat, and rug.

Point to each image and say:

• “

• “

Bug, goat, rug. Which two words rhyme?” A: bug and rug

Bug and rug rhyme! They both end with /ŭg/.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the bed, sled, and girl.

Point to each image and say:

• “Bed, sled, girl. Which two words rhyme?” A: bed and sled

• “

Bed and sled rhyme! They both end with /ĕd/.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples: 1. log/nail/quail 2. toy/boy/hug 3. glass/fish/grass 4. fox /box /jam 5. neck/hair/bear 6. king /wing /fly

7. house/pig/mouse 8. fire/sad/add 9. can/lime/man 10. jar/mitt/car 11. feet/jam/ham 12. drum/thumb/ox

13. quick /toes/sick 14. pie/run/sun 15. pot/hot/zoo 16. sock /bell/clock 17. pig/sat/hat 18. boat/goat/duck

See p. 49 for differentiation options for Which Words Rhyme?

The rhyming pairs in each example appear in boldface text.

Environmental Activities

Select at least three environmental activities from the list on page 195 to complete today. Remember, the environmental activities can be incorporated at any time during your day.

Unit 2 | Lesson 5 | Part 1

Activity 18: Peel and Say PA: BSI

Objective

Students will isolate, identify, and produce the shared beginning sound of three words.

What Students See

Description

Three images are added to the screen. The teacher names each image. The students are then asked to give the teacher the shared beginning sound of the three words.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 5, Part 1 (2.5.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to peel the first sound off of some words. Listen and repeat after me.”

Click to display the mouse, match, and map and name them as you point to each one. (Students repeat the three words.)

Ask “What’s the first sound in mouse, match, map?” A: /m/

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the bear, bone, and bat and name them as you point to each one. (Students repeat.)

Ask “What’s the first sound in bear, bone, bat?” A: /b/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. six, seal, soap - /s/ 2. tongue, tape, toothbrush - /t/

itch, igloo, iguana - /ĭ/

lion, lick, ladybug - /l/

ring, rabbit, rainbow - /r/ 6. popcorn, pie, pig - /p/

edge, elf, elephant - /ĕ/

chimney, cheese, chocolate - /ch/

unicorn, unicycle, uniform - /y /

thorn, thermometer, thumb - /th/

zucchini, zipper, zero - /z/ 12. question, queen, quilt - /kw/

13. yes, yawn, yoyo - /y/

14. ant, apple, alligator - /ă/

15. octopus, omelet, olives - /ŏ/

16. headphones, hug, hamburger - /h/

17. up, umbrella, upside down - /ŭ/

18. shirt, shadow, shark - /sh/

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to simplify:

• Isolate the beginning sounds of each word as you name them (/m/, mouse; /m/, match; /m/, map), and then ask an easier question: “What’s the first sound in /m/, mouse; /m/, match; /m/, map?”

Unit 2 | Lesson 5 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /f/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What

Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 5, Part 2 (2.5.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /ffff/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch”! (Students say, “/ffff/.”)

• “Wow, you sure stretched that out a long time! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize key points.)

™

“My top teeth touched my bottom lip, and I could feel some air leaking out over my lip, /ffff/.”

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /fuh/. If students call out the letter f, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter f is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /f/ in the word, as in /ffff/eel for feel

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “A new f riend is hiding in the Mystery Bag. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /f/.”

Students guess what the animal could be. Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /f/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She swims really fast through the ocean.

• She can fly in the air, too.

• She has big fins and a floppy tail. Say “Let’s check to see if we f igured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the fish

Say:

• “She is a f ish! Fish don’t fly, do they? This is a special f ish with extra big f ins: she is a flying f ish! Do you hear and feel /ffff/ when you say /f/, flying /f/, f ish? I hear and feel it two times!

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /f/, Flo the Flying Fish.

Say:

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /f/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /f/.”

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about her. While I'm reading, make sure that you listen carefully for her favorite sound… /ffff/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /ffff/ each time you say it: Flo is a flying fish from Fort Myers, Florida. She was already five, but she still had a fierce fear of flying! Then one day a fish picked a fight with Flo’s best friend, Fernando, by flipping his favorite stuffed frog out of the sea. Without thinking, Flo flipped her tail and fins, flew into the air, fetched the frog, and returned it to her friend. ‘Flo, that was fabulous!’ cried Fernando. From that day on, Flo never feared flying again.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Flo the Flying Fish’s story started with her favorite sound, /f/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Flo the Flying Fish. All of the answers will start with Flo’s favorite sound, /f/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Flo’s favorite sound, /f/.

1. “Is Flo a bird or a f ish?” A: fish

2. “How old is Flo, f ive or six?” A: five

3. “What is Flo afraid of, flying or diving?” A: flying

4. “Who is Flo’s best friend, Maria or Fernando?” A: Fernando

5. “What does Flo flip to help her fly, wings or f ins?” A: fins

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Flo picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Flo might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /f/. Let’s all say Flo’s sound again: /ffff/.”

Ask questions about Flo the Flying Fish’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Flo has fun during her favorite season. Which of the four seasons does Flo favor, summer or fall?” A: fall

2. “Flo has a favorite day of the week. Is it Friday or Saturday?” A: Friday ™

“What’s her favorite month, January or February?” A: February

3. “Flo has two favorite numbers. Let’s count until we f ind numbers that start with her sound, /f/. Ready? One, two, three, four… and f ive.” A: four, five

4. “Flo plays folk music on an instrument with strings. Is it a f iddle or a guitar?” A: fiddle

5. “She also plays a flashy wind instrument. Is it a horn or a flute?” A: flute

6. “Flo f inds a store to buy food for the big f iesta on Friday. Can you f igure out some food that Flo and her friends might feast on?

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

™

Which fruit, dates or f igs?” A: figs ™

“Which vegetable, fennel or broccoli?” A: fennel ™

“Will they feast on tacos or flautas?” A: flautas ™

“Which dessert, fudge or ice cream?” A: fudge ™

“What is Flo’s favorite fast food, burgers or French fries?” A: French fries

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /f/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student's guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /f/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

7. “Flo frolics with f ish, but she also has fun with other f inned, feathered, or furry animals that start with the sound /f/. How many can we think of?”

A: flamingo, fox, frog, fly, fawn, falcon, ferret, flea, firefly, flounder, French poodle, etc.

8. “Flo frequently f inds herself busy. Let’s see if we can choose Flo’s favorite actions.

™ Does she like to float or sink?” A: float

™ “Does Flo like to hide from her friends or f ind them?” A: find

™

™

“Flo f ixes food for the feast. Does she fry or bake it?” A: fry

“Flo frames her favorite pictures. Are they paintings or photos?”

A: photos

“

™

Flo can’t f it the paper in her folder. Should she cut it or fold it?” A: fold

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /f/, and our friend, Flo the Fish!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /f/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Flo is a flying fish from Fort Myers, Florida. Her full name is Florencia, but her best friend Fernando calls her Flo. He says Flo is his favorite. He finds other fish their age to be foolish, all flipping and flapping their fins frantically, trying to fly by the age of four. “What’s all the fuss?” said Fernando. “We will find out about flying soon enough.” Flo felt faint… she feared flying more fiercely than Fernando could ever know. She was five, and no closer to flying than a fiddler crab. Then one day a ferocious fish picked a fight with Fernando, flipping his favorite stuffed frog above the surface of the sea. Without thinking, a furious Flo flipped her tail and fins so fast she flew into the air, fetched the frog, and returned it to her friend. ‘Flo, that was fabulous!’ cried Fernando. After that, he was forevermore Flo’s biggest fan, and Flo never feared flying again.

Unit 2 | Lesson 5 | Part 3

Activity 22: Mystery Bag: Blending Onset-Rime PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend the onsets and rimes in one-syllable words and say the whole word.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

The teacher segments the onset and rime of a word, has students repeat, and then asks the students to blend the word parts and say the blended word. An image representing the whole word appears. This activity is a precursor to blending the individual phonemes in words.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 2, Lesson 5, Part 3 (2.5.3).

Launch!

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say:

• “Let’s see what words are in our Mystery Bag! Now, we are going to put two parts of a word together to make a whole word.

• I will hold up my fists when I say each word part, and then I will push my fists together when I say the whole word.

• Listen carefully to my two word parts and repeat after me – /m/ (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) – /ŭg/ (hold up a second fist in front of your body).”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these together, /m/ – (PAUSE) – /ŭg/?” A: mug (Push your fists together as you blend the onset and rime to say the word.)

Click to display the mug to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Let’s try another one. Repeat after me.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Say “/r/ – (PAUSE) – /ăt/.” (Hold up one fist for each word part, making sure students are repeating this action too.)

Do not attach the phoneme /uh/ to the end of the onset, as in /kuh/ rather than /k/ for the first phoneme in cat. Pronouncing the initial phonemes (onsets) cleanly and with proper articulation is an important aspect of teaching students to blend word parts.

Ask “What new word does it make when we put these together, /r/ – (PAUSE) – /ăt/?” A: rat (Teacher and students push fists together as the two word parts are blended together.)

Click to display the rat to confirm students’ answer. Say “Let’s keep going.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /m/ /ăp/, map

2. /b/ /ŭg/, bug 3. /l/ /ĭk/, lick 4. /th/ /ŭm/, thumb 5. /n/ /āl/, nail 6. /l/ /ĕg/, leg 7. /j/ /ar/, jar 8. /h/ /ōz/, hose 9. /p/ /ĭg/, pig 10. /w/ /āl/, whale

11. /ch/ /ĕk/, check 12. /sh/ /ēp/, sheep 13. /b/ /ŏks/, box 14. /s/ /ŭn/, sun 15. /t/ /ōz/, toes 16. /r/ /ŭg/, rug 17. /n/ /ĕk/, neck 18. /t/ /āp/, tape 19. /h/ /ār/, hair 20. /f/ /ŏks/, fox

21. /g/ /erl/, girl

22. /s/ /ōp/, soap 23. /l/ /īm/, lime 24. /w/ /erm/, worm

25. /sh/ /ert/, shirt

26. /l/ /ēf/, leaf

27. /f/ /ĭsh/, fish

28. /ch/ /ĭn/, chin

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to simplify:

• Decrease the length of the pauses between the word parts. The closer together word parts are, the easier it will be to blend them into a word: /m/ – (PAUSE) – /ŭg/ rather than /m/ – (PAUSE) – /ŭg/.

Ways to challenge:

• Increase the length of the pauses between the word parts: /m/ – (PAUSE) – /ŭg/ rather than /m/ – (PAUSE) – /ŭg/.

Unit 3 | Lesson 1 | Part 1

Activity 15: Peel That Sound PA: BSI

Objective

Students will practice isolating the beginning sounds of words.

What Students See

See p. 33 for a full description of Peel That Sound.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 1, Part 1 (3.1.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to peel off the first sound of some words.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the duck.

Point to the duck and say “Duck. /d/, duck. Your turn.”

A: (students repeat) /d/, duck

Click to display the fish

Point to the fish and say “Fish. /f/, fish. Your turn.” A: /f/, fish

Continue with the remaining examples: 1. /k/, key 2. /ō/, ocean 3. /ch/, chair 4. /sh/, shirt 5. /d/, dolphin 6. /s/, sock

7. /ŭ/, up 8. /ĕ/, edge 9. /b/, bell 10. /g/, goat 11. /m/, monkey 12. /j/, jump

13. /y�/, unicorn 14. /h/, hat 15. /f/, finger 16. /ā/, acorn

Once students understand the process, feel free to cut down on language. Rather than saying, “Your turn,” simply pointing to the students when it’s their turn should be sufficient.

ROUND 2:

Say “Let’s practice again. This time, I will peel the sounds, and you will say the words.”

Click to display the duck

Point to the duck and say “/d/…. What is it?” A: duck

You do not have to prompt students with “What is it?” for every example. You may choose to just say “/f/…” and then point to the students for their turn.

Click to display the fish.

Point to the fish and say “/f/…. What is it?” A: fish

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /k/, key 2. /ō/, ocean 3. /ch/, chair 4. /sh/, shirt 5. /d/, dolphin 6. /s/, sock

ROUND 3:

7. /ŭ/, up 8. /ĕ/, edge 9. /b/, bell 10. /g/, goat 11. /m/, monkey 12. /j/, jump

13. /y /, unicorn 14. /h/, hat 15. /f/, finger 16. /ā/, acorn

You do not have to prompt students with “What’s the first sound?” for every example. You may choose to just say “fish…” and then point to the students for their turn.

Say “Let’s practice one more time. This time, I will say the words, and you will peel the sounds.”

Click to display the duck.

Point to the duck and say “Duck. What’s the first sound?” A: /d/

Click to display the fish.

Point to the fish and say “Fish. What’s the first sound?” A: /f/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /k/, key 2. /ō/, ocean 3. /ch/, chair 4. /sh/, shirt 5. /d/, dolphin 6. /s/, sock

7. /ŭ/, up 8. /ĕ/, edge 9. /b/, bell 10. /g/, goat 11. /m/, monkey 12. /j/, jump

13. /y /, unicorn 14. /h/, hat 15. /f/, finger 16. /ā/, acorn

Unit 3 | Lesson 1 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /r/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 1, Part 2 (3.1.2).

Launch! Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /rrrr/.

•

Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/rrrr/.”)

• “Wow, you sure stretched that out for a long time! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the back of my tongue crunch up and back, and press on my top back teeth, /rrrr/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /r/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /r/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

•

He is a mammal with gray, black, and white fur.

• He really likes to roam around at night.

• He has a black mask and rings around his tail.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /ruh/. If students call out the letter r, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter r is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /r/ in the word, as in /rrrr/eally for really or /rrrr/oams for roams

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /r/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name].

Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /r/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the raccoon.

Say:

• “He’s a raccoon! Do you hear and feel /rrrr/ when you start to say /r/, raccoon?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /r/, Ricardo the Raccoon.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend, so we can learn more about him. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen carefully for his favorite sound … /rrrr/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /rrrr/ each time you say it:

Ricardo is a raccoon from Richmond, Rhode Island. Ricardo was always rushing, but this routine led to mistakes. ‘Ricardo, you missed the red leaves. Go rake that lawn again,’ called his dad. ‘Ricardo, you spilled raspberries on the rug. Get a rag and clean it,’ repeated his mom. ‘Ricardo, you read the wrong story! After recess you will read the right one,’ reminded his teacher. Rushing can lead to regrets. Now, Ricardo is responsible for doing things right… the first time!

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Ricardo the Raccoon’s story started with his favorite sound, /r/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Ricardo the Raccoon. All of the answers will start with Ricardo’s favorite sound, /r/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Ricardo’s favorite sound, /r/.

1. “Is Ricardo a cat or a raccoon?” A: raccoon

2. “Does Ricardo rush or move too slowly?” A: rush

3. “What did Ricardo spill, apples or raspberries?” A: raspberries

4. “What story did Ricardo read first, the correct one or the wrong one?”

A: wrong one

5. “How did Ricardo behave at the end of the story; was he responsible or careless?” A: responsible Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Ricardo picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Ricardo might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /r/. Let’s all say Ricardo’s sound again: /rrrr/.”

Ask questions about Ricardo the Raccoon’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Ricardo paints his room in his favorite color. Do you think it’s red or blue?” A: red

2. “Ricardo rearranged blocks by their shapes. He put his favorite shape on the right side of the rug. Is his shape a circle or rectangle?” A: rectangle

3. “After the rain, Ricardo sees something round and colorful in the sky: is it a rainbow or a cloud?” A: rainbow

4. “Ricardo wants a cold drink. Does he look in the oven or in the refrigerator?” A: refrigerator

5. “Ricardo is really hungry! He runs to the grocery store to restock his pantry. Can you think of some food that Ricardo likes best?

o Which fruit, cherries or raspberries?” A: raspberries

o “Which dried fruit does he prefer, dates or raisins?” A: raisins

o “Which vegetable does Ricardo put in his salad, radishes or carrots?” A: radishes

o “Which pasta does he eat, linguini or rigatoni?” A: rigatoni

o “Will Ricardo roast some chicken or ribs?” A: ribs

o “At a restaurant, will he order rice or potatoes?” A: rice

6. “Ricardo really likes to run around with raccoons, but he also likes to relax with other animals that start with the sound /r/. Let’s recall as many as we can! Ready?” A: robin, rabbit, rattlesnake, rat, rhinoceros, rooster, raven, ram, etc.

7. “Ricardo is ready to roll! Let’s see if we can pick out which actions Ricardo really likes.

o Does he shout out or raise his hand?” A: raise his hand

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /r/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [child’s guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /r/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

o “Ricardo makes words sound the same at the end, like ‘rat, cat, sat.’ Does he spell or rhyme the words?” A: rhyme

o “Ricardo relaxes by the river in his boat. Does he paddle or row his boat?” A: row

o “Ricardo is on the race track. He hears, “Ready, set, go!” Does he run or walk?” A: run

o “At recess time, a ball lands by Ricardo. Does he roll it or throw it back?” A: roll

o “Ricardo goes on a road trip with his mom. Does he ride or drive?” A: ride

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /r/, and our friend, Ricardo the Raccoon!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /r/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Ricardo is a raccoon from Richmond, Rhode Island. Ricardo was always rushing, whether he was raking leaves, reaching for raspberries, or reading in school. ‘Relax,’ said the other raccoons. ‘What’s the rush, Ricardo?’ But rushing was Ricardo’s routine. ‘Ricardo, go rake that lawn again. You missed all the red leaves,’ called his dad. ‘Ricardo, you spilled raspberries on the rug. Get a rag and clean it,’ repeated his mom. ‘Ricardo, you read the wrong story! After recess you will read the right one,’ reminded his teacher. Rushing, Ricardo realized, led to regrets. Tired of repeating and redoing everything, Ricardo revised his routine. He takes responsibility for doing things right… the first time! Now he reserves all his rushing for running in races.

Unit 3 | Lesson 1 | Part 3

Activity 23: What’s That Word? PA: Blending Objective

Students will blend the onset and rime of a word and say the whole word.

What Students See

Description

Two images appear on the screen. The teacher says the onset and rime of one of the image words, holding up a fist for each part. Students then repeat, and the teacher asks the students to blend the onset and rime, while bringing their fists together, to choose the image of the word that was blended together. This activity is a precursor to blending the individual phonemes in words.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 1, Part 3 (3.1.3).

Launch!

Say “I am going to say two parts of a word, and then we will blend them together to make a whole word.”

Click to display the sun and the heart.

Say: • “Sun, heart.

•

Listen carefully while I say the parts of one of these words: /h/ (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) – /art/ (hold up a second fist in front of your body).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those two parts together, /h/ /art/ (hold up a fist for each part), what word do we get?”

A: heart (Push your fists together as you blend the word parts.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Correct! Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the nest and the key.

Say: • “Nest, key.

•

Listen carefully: /n/ (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) –/ĕst/ (hold up a second fist in front of your body).

• Look at these two pictures. Which word did we say?”

A: nest (Push your fists together as you blend the word parts.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. rug/man /m/ /ăn/ A: man

2. bear/chin /b/ /ār/ A: bear

3. goat/corn /k/ /orn/ A: corn

4. jar/fish /f/ /ĭsh/ A: fish

5. cat/lime /k/ /ăt/ A: cat

6. hair/mouse /m/ /ous/ A: mouse

7. pig /neck /p/ /ĭg/ A: pig

8. duck /leg /d/ /ŭk/ A: duck 9. tape/bone /b/ /ōn/ A: bone

10. soap/mix /m/ /ĭks/ A: mix

11. hose/jar /h/ /ōz/ A: hose

12. wing /house /w/ /ing/ A: wing

13. knife/nail /n/ /āl/ A: nail 14. hat/jar /j/ /ar/ A: jar 15. mug/gate /g/ /āt/ A: gate

16. girl/rug /r/ /ŭg/ A: rug 17. net/sit /n/ /ĕt/ A: net 18. horse/wave /h/ /ors/ A: horse

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to simplify:

• Shorten the pause between segmented word parts: /k/ /ăn/.

Ways to challenge:

• Lengthen the pause between segmented word parts: /k/ /ăn/.

• Don’t give the names of the objects before segmenting the word parts of the target word.

Unit 3 | Lesson 2 | Part 1

Activity 17: Peel and Sort SPA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify matching beginning sounds.

See p. 42 for a full description of Peel and Sort.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 2, Part 1 (3.2.1).

Launch!

SORT 1: Say “Today, we are going to sort words by their beginning sounds.”

Click to display the soap and the bear as the column headings.

Point to the soap and the bear and say “Our words will begin like /s/, soap or /b/, bear.”

Click to display and point to the seal

Say:

• “/s/, seal. Does /s/, seal begin like soap or bear?” A: soap

• “Point to the side where the seal should go.” (left side)

• “Right! /s/, seal, /s/, soap. I’ll move the seal to the /s/, soap side.”

Click to place the seal in the soap column.

Continue with the remaining examples, having students point to and name the correct column: /b/, bell; /b/, bike; /s/, sidewalk; /b/, banana; /s/, six; /b/, bat; /b/, ball; /s/, sock; /s/, sun; /b/, boy; /s/, sad.

Say:

• “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

o /s/, soap; /s/, seal; /s/, sidewalk; /s/, six; /s/, sock; /s/, sun; /s/, sad

o /b/, bear; /b/, bell; /b/, bike; /b/, banana; /b/, bat; /b/, ball; /b/, boy.

•

Let’s try that with two new sounds.”

Once students understand how to sort the images, feel free to cut down on language. Example: “/b/, bell, which side?” A: “/b/, bear,” with right arms held out to the side. (Be sure that students say “/b/, bear ” aloud to serve as a model for students who may still be struggling to isolate the beginning sounds. You may also wish to reinforce the match in beginning sounds by repeating, “/b/, bell, /b/, bear ” after students give the correct answer.)

SORT 2:

Click to display the queen and the image for wave as the column headings. Point to the queen and the image for wave and say “Our words will begin like /kw/, queen or /w/, wave.”

Click to display and point to the water.

Say:

• “/w/, water. Does /w/, water begin like queen or wave?” A: wave (right side)

• “/w/, water, /w/, wave. I’ll move the water to the /w/, wave side.”

Click to place the water in the wave column.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples, having students point to and name the correct column: /kw/, question; /w/, win; /kw/, quilt; /w/, wig; /w/, whale; /kw/, quail; /kw/, quarter; /w/, waterfall; /kw/, quiet; /w/, worm; /kw/, quick.

Say:

• “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

o /kw/, queen; /kw/, question; /kw/, quilt; /kw/, quail; /kw/, quarter; /kw/, quiet; /kw/, quick

o /w/, wave; /w/, water; /w/, win; /w/, wig; /w/, whale; /w/, waterfall; /w/, worm.”

See p. 44 for differentiation options for Peel and Sort.

See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 2, Part 2 (3.2.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /vvvv/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/vvvv/.”)

• “I felt my lips doing something when I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “My top teeth touched my bottom lip, and I could feel some air leaking out over my lip.

o It tickled my lip and my throat was vibrating… that’s my voice! Can you feel it? /vvvv/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /v/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /v/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• He can fly very high in the sky.

• The color of his feathers can vary, but he doesn’t have feathers on his head!

•

He eats the leftovers of other animals.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the vulture

Say:

•

“He’s a vulture! Do you hear and feel /vvvv/ when you say vulture?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /v/, Vinnie the Vulture.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /vuh/. If students call out the letter v, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter v is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /v/ in the word, as in /vvvv/ibrating for vibrating or /vvvv/oice for voice.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /v/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /v/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online If a child makes a guess that does not start with /v/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [child’s guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /v/.”

learn more about him. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen very carefully for his favorite sound… /vvvv/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /vvvv/ each time you say it:

Vincent is a vulture from Virginia Beach, Virginia. I’d say his friends call him Vinnie, but there’s one problem: Vinnie has no friends. The others thought vultures were dirty, vicious, and ugly birds. It’s true that Vinnie had a velvety head with no feathers, but he was very kind and very clean, vacuuming up messes that others left behind. Vinnie was so very sad and lonely, until he met Vivian, another vulture who valued his friendship. Now, the two vultures go on vacations to see volcanoes in Venezuela.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Vinnie the Vulture’s story started with his favorite sound, /v/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Vinnie the Vulture. All of the answers will start with Vinnie’s favorite sound, /v/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Vinnie’s favorite sound, /v/.

1. “Is Vinnie a hawk or a vulture?” A: vulture

2. “Does Vinnie’s head feel velvety or rough?” A: velvety

3. “Do other birds think Vinnie is friendly or vicious?” A: vicious

4. “How does Vinnie clean up, by mopping or by vacuuming?” A: vacuuming

5. “Where do Vinnie and Vivian go, on vacation or to work?” A: on vacation

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Vinnie picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Vinnie might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /v/. Let’s all say Vinnie’s sound again: /vvvv/.”

Ask questions about Vinnie the Vulture’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

•

“On Vinnie’s favorite holiday in February, he makes cards shaped like

hearts. Which holiday does Vinnie love, Halloween or Valentine’s Day?” A: Valentine’s Day

“

•

Vinnie has a favorite color. It’s also the name of a very sweet flower he gives to Vivian. Is it rose or violet?” A: violet

“

•

Vinnie flies straight up to the top of a volcano! Which direction is his flight, vertical or diagonal?” A: vertical

“

•

Vinnie plays music on an instrument with strings. Is it a fiddle or a violin?” A: violin

“

•

Vinnie wears a jacket that has no sleeves, but it keeps him very warm. Do you think it’s a vest or a coat?” A: vest

“

•

Vinnie sees many vendors selling food at the marketplace. Can you guess which foods Vinnie might like the very best?

o Which meat, pork or veal?” A: veal

o “Which produce, vegetables or fruit?” A: vegetables

o “ Vinnie wants some pasta. Which kind will he get, vermicelli or spaghetti?” A: vermicelli

o “What will Vinnie buy to make a very tangy salad dressing, syrup or vinegar?” A: vinegar

o “He also buys something he takes once a day to stay healthy. Is it candy or vitamins?” A: vitamins

o “After shopping, Vinnie stops for ice cream. What flavor does he choose, chocolate or vanilla?” A: vanilla

•

“ Vinnie ventures out in the world with Vivian. Along the way, he meets other vultures, but also a few other animals that start with the sound /v/. There aren’t many… can you think of one?” A: vole, viper, vixen, vampire bat, etc.

• “ Vinnie is a very active vulture. Let’s see if we can choose Vinnie’s favorite actions. By the way, there is a special name for action words: they are called verbs!

o Does Vinnie like to stay home alone or visit?” A: visit

o “It’s time to clean his nest. Does Vinnie like to dust or vacuum?” A: vacuum

o “ Vinnie wants to help choose a new governor on election day. Does he decide or vote?” A: vote

o “ Vinnie takes a long vacation on a ship. Does he cruise or voyage out to sea?” A: voyage

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

o “ Vinnie offers to clean up at the veterinarian’s office. Does he volunteer or complain?” A: volunteer

o “ Vinnie plucks the strings on his violin. Does he make them sing or vibrate?” A: vibrate

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /v/, and our friend, Vinnie the Vulture!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /v/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Vincent is a vulture from Virginia Beach, Virginia. I’d say his friends call him Vinnie, but there’s one problem: Vinnie has no friends. You see, vultures have a reputation for being vulgar, vicious, and very ugly birds. But Vinnie is not disgusting. In fact, he’s very clean, vacuuming Valentine’s Day candy wrappers that the other birds leave behind. And vicious? Vinnie wouldn’t hurt a vole. Still, Vinnie was very sad. “I have a vibrant view of this valley, but a vacant nest. As soon as others view this bald head, they vanish,” sighed Vinnie, feeling vulnerable. Then Vinnie heard a velvety voice from above. “I’m Vivian, and I’ve been watching you. Those other vain creatures miss out on valuable friendships when they judge us by our looks.” Vivian shook her own bald head and said, “So, my new friend, are you ready to venture forth?” Vinnie, visibly cheered, voiced a victorious, “ Very much so!” Last I heard, the two vultures were on vacation in Venezuela, visiting volcanoes.

Unit 3 | Lesson 2 | Part 3

Activity 14: Creating Rhymes Rhyming

Objective

Students will create real and nonsense words that rhyme with a given imaged word.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

This phonological awareness activity asks students to generate rhyming words on their own. An individual image appears and students are asked to produce rhyming words.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 2, Part 3 (3.2.3).

Launch!

Click to display the wig.

Say:

•

“Let’s see if we can come up with some rhyming words on our own. Let’s look at the first picture.

• Wig. Tell me some words that rhyme with wig, like vig. Wig, vig. Our rhyming words don’t have to be real words. Vig rhymes with wig, but it’s not a real word.

•

Remember, words rhyme when their middles and ends sound the same. Only the first sound changes, so all of the words we come up with have to end with /ĭg/, just like wig.”

Possible answers (* = nonsense word): big, dig, fig, gig, jig, pig, rig, swig, twig, zig, hig*, kig*, lig*, mig*, sig*, tig*, vig*

Click to display the cat

Say:

•

“Let’s see if we can come up with rhyming words for cat

• Remember, all of the words we come up with have to end with /ăt/, just like cat.”

Possible answers (* = nonsense word): bat, chat, fat, flat, gnat, hat,

mat, pat, rat, sat, slat, that, vat, dat*, jat*, lat*, yat*, zat*

Continue with the remaining images: pen, pan.

Possible answers for pen (* = nonsense word): Ben, den, hen, Jen, Ken, men, ten, when, wren, yen, zen, len*, nen*

Possible answers for pan (* = nonsense word): Ann, ban, bran, can, clan, Dan, fan, Jan, man, plan, ran, scan, span, Stan, tan, than, van, gan*, han*, nan*, yan*, zan*

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to simplify:

• Give a beginning sound for students to add to the rime: “Try adding /p/ to /ĭg/. What do you get?”

Unit 3 | Lesson 3 | Part 1

Activity 15: Peel That Sound PA: BSI

Objective

Students will practice isolating the beginning sounds of words.

What Students See

See p. 33 for a full description of Peel That Sound.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 3, Part 1 (3.3.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to peel off the first sound of some words.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the corn.

Point to the corn and say “/k/, corn. Your turn.” A: (students repeat) /k/, corn

Click to display the nail.

Point to the nail and say “/n/, nail. Your turn.” A: /n/, nail

Continue with the remaining examples: 1. /s/, soap

/n/, nurse

/g/, goat

/z/, zipper

/ĕ/, elf 6. /f/, feather

ROUND 2:

/ch/, chimney

/ă/, add

/d/, dinosaur

/r/, rug 11. /sh/, shorts 12. /t/, tie

13. /b/, bus 14. /k/, cactus 15. /l/, leaf 16. /v/, vegetables

Once students understand the process, feel free to cut down on language. Rather than saying, “Your turn,” simply pointing to the students when it’s their turn should be sufficient.

Say “Let’s practice again. This time, I will peel the sounds, and you will say the words.”

Click to display the corn.

Point to the corn and say “/k/…. What is it?” A: corn

Click to display the nail.

Point to the nail and say “/n/…. What is it?” A: nail

You do not have to prompt students with “What is it?” for every example. You may choose to just say “/n/…” and then point to the students for their turn.

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /s/, soap 2. /n/, nurse 3. /g/, goat 4. /z/, zipper 5. /ĕ/, elf 6. /f/, feather

ROUND 3:

You do not have to prompt students with “What’s the first sound?” for every example. You may choose to just say “Nail…” and then point to the students for their turn.

7. /ch/, chimney 8. /ă/, add 9. /d/, dinosaur 10. /r/, rug 11. /sh/, shorts 12. /t/, tie

13. /b/, bus 14. /k/, cactus 15. /l/, leaf 16. /v/, vegetables

Say “Let’s practice one more time. This time, I will say the words, and you will peel the sounds.”

Click to display the corn.

Point to the corn and say “Corn. What’s the first sound?” A: /k/ Click to display the nail. Point to the nail and say “Nail. What’s the first sound?” A: /n/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /s/, soap 2. /n/, nurse 3. /g/, goat 4. /z/, zipper 5. /ĕ/, elf 6. /f/, feather

7. /ch/, chimney 8. /ă/, add 9. /d/, dinosaur 10. /r/, rug 11. /sh/, shorts 12. /t/, tie

13. /b/, bus 14. /k/, cactus 15. /l/, leaf 16. /v/, vegetables

Unit 3 | Lesson 3 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /z/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 3, Part 2 (3.3.2).

Launch! Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /zzzz/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/zzzz/.”)

• “Wow, you sure stretched that out for a long time! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel some air leaking out past my teeth. My lips were pulled back in a smile. /zzzz/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll zip right out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /z/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /z/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

He is a mammal that is related to the horse.

•

•

He eats grass and leaves.

•

He has black and white striped fur.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /zuh/. If students call out the letter z, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter � is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /z/ in the word, as in /zzzz/ebra for zebra.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /z/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /z/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the zebra.

Say:

• “He’s a zebra! Do you hear and feel /zzzz/ when you say zebra?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /z/, Zach the Zebra.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen very carefully for his favorite sound… /zzzz/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /zzzz/ each time you say it:

Zach is a zebra who lives near the Zuni River in Arizona. You don’t meet many zebras in Arizona unless you go to the zoo. Zach, however, left the zoo and started a zucchini farm. ‘ Zany looking horse,’ teased the neighbors when Zach moved in. They were all puzzled by his zig-zag rows of plants and the zip line he built over the fields. The zip line let him zoom across the fields to fertilize and water his plants with zero waste. Even though this looked crazy, the buzz died down after Zach won first prize in the annual zucchini contest.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Z ach the Zebra’s story started with his favorite sound, /z/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Z ach the Zebra. All of the answers will start with Z ach’s favorite sound, /z/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Zach’s favorite sound, /z/.

1. “Is Z ach a horse or a zebra?” A: zebra

2. “Where did Z ach live before he got his farm, a zoo or a jungle?” A: zoo

3. “What did Z ach grow in the fields, corn or zucchini?” A: zucchini

4. “Were the rows of zucchini zig-zag or straight?” A: zig-zag

5. “How did Zach zoom over his fields, on a zip line or in an airplane?” A: zip line

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Zach picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Z ach might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /z/. Let’s all say Z ach’s sound again: /zzzz/.”

Ask questions about Zach the Zebra’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “ Z ach has a favorite number. It’s really nothing, but he knows it’s very important! Does Z ach like 100 or zero?” A: zero

2. “When Z ach puts on his jacket, he knows he can’t manage buttons. How does he keep his jacket closed, with zippers or snaps?” A: zippers

3. “It’s time for art class and Z ach can’t even draw a straight line. Luckily, Z ach is drawing a lightning bolt! Are his lines curvy or zig-zag?” A: zig-zag

4. “ Z ach loves to play music on an instrument with strings.

o Do you think he plays a zither or a violin?” A: zither

o “What kind of music does he like to play, rap or z ydeco?” A: zydeco

5. “ Z ach has a garden full of flowers. Can you guess his favorite? Is it a carnation or a zinnia?” A: zinnia

6. “ Z ach has a zesty appetite, but he only grazes on a few different foods. Can you think of some food that Z ach would graze?

o Which pasta does Z ach like, ziti or ravioli?” A: ziti

o “Which vegetable is irresistible to Zach? Is it celery or zucchini?” A: zucchini

o “ Z ach only grazes on one kind of biscuit. Is it buttermilk or zwieback?” A: zwieback

7. “ Z ach zips around with other zebras, but he was surprised to meet two other animals with names that start with /zzzz/. One of them looks like a skunk, with striped black and white fur.

o Do you think it’s a zorilla or a panda?” A: zorilla

o “The other mammal looks like a fox with small round ears. Is it a wolf or a zorro?” A: zorro

8. “ Z ach has zeal for zipping around! Let’s see if we can choose actions that Z ach likes best.

o When he is on the racetrack, does he jog or zoom?” A: zoom

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /z/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [child’s guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /z/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

o “When Z ach runs up a hill, does he go straight or zig-zag?” A: zig-zag

o “What does Z ach do after a long day of zipping, zooming, and zigzagging around? Does he zonk out or nod off?” A: zonk out

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /z/, and our friend, Zach the Zebra!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /z/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Zach is a zebra who lives near the Zuni River in Arizona. While zillions of zebras may roam the plains of Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Zaire in Africa, you don’t meet many zebras in Arizona. That is, of course, unless you go to the zoo. Zach, however, had a zest for wide open spaces, so he got a farm. ‘ Zany looking horse,’ teased the neighbor when Zach moved in. ‘What’s with the zig-zag rows of plants?’ puzzled a zebra shark as it swam by Zach’s fields. ‘Why did you install a zip line over your farm?’ quizzed a zorilla from the local gazette. Zach answered with one word: ‘ Zucchini.’

Zach was a zealous zucchini grower. The zip line allowed him to zoom across the fields to fertilize and water his crops with zero waste. While this looked crazy to the neighbors, the buzz died down after Zach won first prize in the annual zucchini contest. ‘Look at the size of that zucchini,’ said Zach’s amazed neighbor. ‘I think I’ll get one of those zip lines for myself!’

Unit 3 | Lesson 3 | Part 3

Activity 23: What's That Word? PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend the onset and rime of a word and say the whole word.

See p. 77 for a full description of What’s That Word?

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 3, Part 3 (3.3.3).

Launch!

Say “I am going to say two parts of a word, and then we will blend them together to make a whole word.”

Click to display the cat and the bed.

Say: • “Cat, bed.

•

Listen carefully while I say the parts of one of these words: /k/ (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) – /ăt/ (hold up a second fist in front of your body).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those two parts together, /k/ /ăt/ (hold up a fist for each part), what word do we get?”

A: cat (Push your fists together as you blend the word parts.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the boat and the bell

Say: • “Boat, bell •

Listen carefully: /b/ (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) –/ĕl/ (hold up a second fist in front of your body). •

Look at these two pictures. Which word did we say?”

A: bell (Push your fists together as you blend the word parts.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. run/ham /r/ /ŭn/ A: run

2. sun/nail /n/ /āl/ A: nail

3. chain/teeth /ch/ /ān/ A: chain

4. soap/thumb /th/ /ŭm/ A: thumb

5. wave/pig /w/ /āv/ A: wave

6. map/pot /m/ /ăp/ A: map

7. bug /fox /b/ /ŭg/ A: bug

8. ham/bird /b/ /erd/ A: bird

9. match/six /m/ /ăch/ A: match

10. corn/bag /b/ /ăg/ A: bag

11. hat/rug /h/ /ăt/ A: hat

12. fish/mitt /m/ /ĭt/ A: mitt

13. rose/tape /r/ /ōz/ A: rose

14. man/mouth /m/ /outh/ A: mouth

15. yawn/sad /s/ /ăd/ A: sad

16. chop/win /ch/ /ŏp/ A: chop

17. leaf/neck /l/ /ēf/ A: leaf

18. book/worm /w/ /erm/ A: worm

See p. 78 for differentiation options for What’s That Word?

Unit 3 | Lesson 4 | Part 1

Activity 19: Peel and Match PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify two words that have the same beginning sound.

What Students See

Description

One guideword image appears on the left side of the screen. The teacher names the image, starting with the isolated beginning sound. Two other images appear in a column on the right side of the screen, and the teacher names them, also starting with the beginning sounds in isolation. The teacher directs the students to determine which of the two images on the right starts with the same beginning sound as the guideword on the left. More objects appear on the right, with the guideword image on the left remaining for several turns. A new guideword image appears on the left side at the start of the next round. There are three rounds total. This activity reinforces the idea that words are made of sounds and that we can isolate individual sounds in words.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 4, Part 1 (3.4.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we’re going to listen for the words that have the same beginning sound.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the monkey on the left.

Point to the monkey and say “/m/, monkey. Your turn.” A: /m/, monkey

Click to display the match and the goat on the right.

Point to each image and say “match, goat.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as monkey?” A: match

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the dog and the man on the right.

Point and say “dog, man.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as monkey?” A: man

You do not have to isolate the beginning sounds before saying each word; however, if you would like to differentiate the activity to make it slightly easier for the students (see Differentiation

Options on the next page), the beginning sounds are isolated for you in the bulleted lists of examples.

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue to compare the next five image sets with the /m/, monkey:

• /m/, muffin & /l/, lemon

• /m/, map & /b/, bone

• /m/, monster & /ă/, apple

• /n/, net & /m/, mountain

• /m/, milk & /kw/, queen

ROUND 2:

Say “Now, let’s see which words begin the same as hammer.”

Click to display the hammer on the left.

Point to the hammer and say “/h/, hammer. Your turn.” A: /h/, hammer

Click to display the feet and the house on the right.

Point to each image and say “ feet, house.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as hammer?” A: house

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue to compare the next six image sets with the /h/, hammer:

• /h/, heart & /j/, giraffe

• /ī/, eyeball & /h/, hose

• /t/, teeth & /h/, hamburger

• /h/, hair & /b/, bug

• /h/, hug & /p/, pan

• /h/, headphones & /d/, deer

ROUND 3:

Say “Now, let’s see which words begin the same as goat.”

Click to display the goat on the left and the girl and zebra on the right.

Continue to compare the next seven image sets with the /g/, goat:

• /g/, girl & /z/, zebra

• /k/, corn & /g/, gift

• /g/, guitar & /f/, fox

• /h/, ham & /g/, gloves

• /sh/, shark & /g/, guinea pig

• /g/, gumballs & /p/, peanut

• /f/, flower & /g/, garden

Ways to simplify:

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

• Isolate the beginning sound of each word on the right side of the screen before asking students to determine the matching beginning sounds: Point to each image and say “/m/, match; /g/, goat.”

Unit 3 | Lesson 4 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /p/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 4, Part 2 (3.4.2).

Launch!

Say:

•

“We have another new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /p/, /p/, /p/, /p/.

•

Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/p/, /p/, /p/, /p/.”)

• “I felt my lips doing something when I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /puh/. If students call out the letter p, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter p is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /p/ in the word, as in /p/opped for popped and /p/op for pop

o “I could feel my lips come together, then they popped open!

o I closed my lips again, let air build up, and let them pop open again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound. /p/, /p/, /p/, /p/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /p/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /p/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

o She is a bird, but she can’t fly.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /p/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /p/.”

o She likes to paddle around and play in the ocean.

o She is black and white and waddles across the ice.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the penguin.

Say:

• “She’s a penguin! Do you hear and feel /p/, /p/, /p/, /p/ when you start to say /p/, penguin?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /p/, Penny the Penguin.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about her. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen carefully for her favorite sound … /p/, /p/, /p/, /p/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /p/ each time you say it: Penny is a penguin from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While her parents pass the days playing piano and painting pictures, Penny prefers to play with her pals at the park. She puts puzzle pieces together with Pig or she paddles in the pond with the

pollywogs. Sometimes she parades around the park with her pretty purple purse. Penny has a very pleasant life.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Penny the Penguin’s story started with her favorite sound, /p/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Penny the Penguin. All of the answers will start with Penny’s favorite sound, /p/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Penny’s favorite sound, /p/.

1. “Is Penny a duck or a penguin?” A: penguin

2. “Do Penny’s parents paint or draw pictures?” A: paint

3. “Where does Penny play with her pals, a park or a zoo?” A: park

4. “What does Penny put together, blocks or puzzles?” A: puzzles

5. “Is Penny’s purse purple or red?” A: purple

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Penny picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Penny might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /p/. Let’s all say Penny’s sound again: /p/, /p/, /p/, /p/.”

Ask questions about Penny the Penguin’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Penny picks a paint color for her parlor.

o Do you think she prefers blue or pink?” A: pink

o “Can you guess her other favorite color?” A: purple

2. “Penny pays for her peanuts with small coins. Are they nickels or pennies?” A: pennies

3. “Penny picks out a vegetable to put on her plate. Does she pick beans or peas? ” A: peas

4. “Penny’s pal Pig is having a birthday party. What present did Penny pick out, a doll or a puzzle? ” A: puzzle

5. “Penny pretends to play music in a performance. What instrument does she pretend to play, a piano or a guitar?” A: piano

6. “Penny pushes the cart at the grocery store. Can you think of which foods Penny will pick?

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /p/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [child’s guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /p/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

o Which fruit, apple or peach?” A: peach

o “Which vegetable, corn or peas?” A: peas

o “Which meat, pork or beef?” A: pork

o “Which snack, chips or popcorn?” A: popcorn

o “Which seasoning, pepper or salt?” A: pepper

7. “Penny plays with other penguins, but she also likes to play with other animals that start with the sound /p/. How many can we think of?”

A: panda, pig, polar bear, puppy, pelican, parrot, peacock, pigeon, porcupine, possum, panther, puffin, etc.

8. “Penny has busy play dates with her pals. Let’s see if we can pick out which actions Penny likes best.

o Does she like to play or work?” A: play

o “Row or paddle a boat?” A: paddle

o “Draw or paint a picture”? A: paint

o “Pitch or catch a ball?” A: pitch

o “Jump or pounce on her pal?” A: pounce

o “Push or pull a wagon?” A: both push and pull

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /p/, and our friend, Penny the Penguin!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /p/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Penny is a penguin from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Plenty of penguins live at the South Pole, but Penny prefers the pond at Point State Park. Penny’s parents pass the days playing piano, planting pansies and petunias, or pasting pictures in a scrapbook. Penny, for her part, plays with her pals at the park. She paddles in the pond with the pollywogs or puts together puzzle pieces with Pig. Sometimes she simply parades around the park with her purple purse and pretty pink parasol. Penny’s life, it appears, is quite pleasant.

Unit 3 | Lesson 4 | Part 3

Activity 14: Creating Rhymes Rhyming

Objective

Students will create real and nonsense words that rhyme with a given imaged word.

See p. 85 for a full description of Creating Rhymes.

What Students See 3,

2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 4, Part 3 (3.4.3).

Launch!

Click to display the map.

Say:

• “Let’s see if we can come up with some rhyming words on our own. Let’s look at the first picture.

• Map. Tell me some words that rhyme with map, like gap. Map, gap. Our rhyming words don’t have to be real words.

• Remember, words rhyme when their middles and ends sound the same, so all of the words we come up with have to end with /ăp/, just like map.”

Possible answers (* = nonsense word): cap, gap, lap, nap, rap/wrap, sap, tap, whap, yap, zap, bap*, dap*, fap*, hap*

Continue with the remaining images: can, mug, goat.

Possible answers for can (* = nonsense word): Ann, ban, bran, clan, Dan, fan, Jan, man, pan, plan, ran, scan, span, Stan, tan, than, van, gan*, han*, nan*, yan*, zan*

Possible answers for mug (* = nonsense word): bug, chug, drug, dug, hug, jug, lug, plug, pug, rug, shrug, slug, smug, snug, thug, tug, kug*, nug*, sug*, wug*, yug*, zug*

Possible answers for goat (* = nonsense word): boat, bloat, coat, dote, float, gloat, moat, note, oat, quote, rote, throat, tote, vote, wrote, foat*, hoat*, joat*, loat*, yoat*, zoat*

See p. 86 for differentiation options for Creating Rhymes.

Unit 3 | Lesson 5 | Part 1

Activity 20: This or That? PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify which word of two has a specific beginning sound..

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

Two images appear on the board. The student is asked to identify which object begins with a certain phoneme. This activity reinforces the idea that words are made out of sounds and that we can isolate individual sounds in words.

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 5, Part 1 (3.5.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to choose which word begins with the sound we hear.”

Click to display the rabbit and the thumb

Point to each image and say “Rabbit. Thumb. Which word starts with /r/?”

A: rabbit

Say “Yes, /r/, rabbit.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the unicorn and the ear

Point to each image and say “Unicorn. Ear. Which word starts with /y�/?”

A: unicorn

Say “Yes, /y�/, unicorn.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

• zipper/violin (“Which one starts with /v/?” A: violin)

• monkey/peas (“Which one starts with /m/?” A: monkey)

• queen/net (“Which one starts with /kw/?” A: queen)

• lamp/key (“Which one starts with /k/?” A: key)

• hamburger/grapes (“Which one starts with /h/?” A: hamburger)

• bee/feet (“Which one starts with /b/?” A: bee)

• eyeball/apple (“Which one starts with /ī/?” A: eyeball)

• flower/hospital (“Which one starts with /h/?” A: hospital)

• juice/edge (“Which one starts with /ĕ/?” A: edge)

• apron/eagle (“Which one starts with /ā/?” A: apron)

• thermometer/shark (“Which one starts with /th/?” A: thermometer)

• watermelon/van (“Which one starts with /w/?” A: watermelon)

• teeth/sunglasses (“Which one starts with /s/?” A: sunglasses)

• shorts/question (Which one starts with /sh/?” A: shorts)

• peanut/yoyo (Which one starts with /y/?” A: yoyo)

• jacket/garden (Which one starts with /g/?” A: garden)

• dog /lemon (Which one starts with /d/?” A: dog)

• rose/cloud (Which one starts with /r/?” A: rose)

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to simplify:

• Isolate the beginning sound of each word: “/r/, rabbit. /th/, thumb. Which word starts with /r/?”

Unit 3 | Lesson 5 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /g/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

What Students See

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /guh/. If students call out the letter g, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 5, Part 2 (3.5.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have another new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /g/, /g/, /g/, /g/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!”

(Students respond, “/g/, /g/, /g/, /g/.”)

• “I felt something moving inside my mouth while I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the back of my tongue tapping up to the roof of my mouth.

o I tapped my tongue again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound, /g/, /g/, /g/, /g/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /g/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [animal name]. Let’s think of an animal that starts with our new sound, /g/.”

Say “Our new friend is hiding in the Mystery Bag. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /g/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /g/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

o He is a mammal with gray or black fur and long arms.

o He grows up in the rainforest.

o He is the biggest of the great apes.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the gorilla

Say:

• “He’s a gorilla! Do you hear and feel /g/, /g/, /g/, /g/ when you start to say /g/, gorilla?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /g/, Gary the Gorilla.

Say:

•

“Now I’m going to tell you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. Make sure you do a good job of listening carefully for his favorite sound… /g/, /g/, /g/, /g/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

•

“Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /g/ each time you say it: Gary is a gorilla from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He got popular because he was so great at getting soccer goals. Over time, though, Gary got greedy, hogging the ball so he could get every goal in every game. The other gorillas got tired of Gary and stopped going to his games. ‘Where did everyone go?’ groaned Gary. ‘Gosh, I guess I haven’t been a good friend.’ Gary began to give the ball to other gorillas so they could get goals, too.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Gary the Gorilla’s story started with his favorite sound, /g/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Gary the Gorilla. All of the answers will start with Gary’s favorite sound, /g/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Gary’s favorite sound, /g/.

1. “Is Gary a chimpanzee or a gorilla?” A: gorilla

2. “Was Gary great at getting goals or touchdowns?” A: goals

3. “What did Gary do when his friends stopped going to his games, laugh or groan?” A: groan

4. “Did the other gorillas think Gary was greedy or generous?” A: greedy

5. “What kind of friend will Gary be from now on, selfish or giving?” A: giving Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Gary picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Gary might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /g/. Let’s all say Gary’s sound again: /g/, /g/, /g/, /g/.”

Whenever the letter g is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /g/ in the word, as in /g/oing for going and /g/ood for good

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /g/, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of the word that starts with our new sound, /g/.”

Ask questions about Gary the Gorilla’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Gary’s favorite color can glimmer and gleam. Is it silver or gold?” A: gold

o “He also likes the color of grass. Does he like blue or green?” A: green

o “Do you think Gary likes gray clouds or white ones?” A: gray

2. “Gary gulps green juice from a clear container. Is it a glass or a mug?”

A: glass

3. “Gary grows gardenia and gladiolus flowers. Are they in the yard or the garden?” A: garden

4. “Gary goes to the store to get some groceries. Can you think of some food that Gary likes to gobble?

o Which fruit, apple or grapes?” A: grapes

o “Which vegetable, green beans or peas?” A: green beans

o “Which dip, guacamole or salsa?” A: guacamole

o “Which cereal, oatmeal or granola?” A: granola

o “Which seasoning, pepper or garlic?” A: garlic

5. “Gary plays games with other gorillas, but he also gets together with other animals that start with the sound /g/. How many can you guess?”

A: goat, groundhog, goldfish, goose, grasshopper, guinea pig, gazelle, goldfinch, gecko, etc.

6. “Gary gets going with some new actions. Let’s see if you can guess what Gary does.

o When Gary waters his garden, do the plants grow or die?” A: grow

o “Gary has a gift for his grandpa’s birthday. Does he take it or give it?”

A: give it

o “When the light turns green, does he stop or go?” A: go

o “Does he giggle or laugh at a joke?” A: giggle

o “Grill or fry his hot dog?” A: grill

o “Sip or gulp his water?” A: gulp

o “Guess or know what’s in the Mystery Bag?” A: guess

o “Hop or glide across the floor?” A: glide

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /g/, and our friend, Gary the Gorilla!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /g/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Gary is a gorilla from Grand Rapids, Michigan. One of the most gifted players ever to grace the soccer fields, Gary grew popular with the gang of gorillas at his grammar school. Yet, as he made goal after goal, Gary got greedier for glory, gloating about his greatness and hogging the ball without giving others a chance. Gradually, the gang got tired of Gary’s gross behavior and stopped going to his games. ‘Where did everyone go?’ groaned Gary. ‘Gosh, I guess I haven’t been a good friend.’ Gary felt guilty, and he began to give the ball to the other gorillas so they could get goals, too. He was glad they forgave him, and Gary never took them for granted again.

Unit 3 | Lesson 5 | Part 3 Activity 23: What’s That Word? PA: Blending Objective

What Students See

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

Students will blend the onset and rime of a word and say the whole word.

See p. 77 for a full description of What’s That Word?

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 3, Lesson 5, Part 3 (3.5.3).

Launch!

Say “I am going to say two parts of a word, and then we will blend them together to make a whole word.”

Click to display the duck and the nut.

Say:

• “Duck, nut.

• Listen carefully while I say the parts of one of these words: /d/ (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) – /ŭk/ (hold up a second fist in front of your body).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those two parts together, /d/ /ŭk/ (hold up a fist for each part), what word do we get?”

A: duck (Push your fists together as you blend the word parts.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Correct! Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the queen and the goat.

Say:

• “Queen, goat.

• Listen carefully: /kw/ (hold up one fist in front of your body) – (PAUSE) –/ēn/ (hold up a second fist in front of your body).

• Look at these two pictures. Which word did we say?”

A: queen (Push your fists together as you blend the word parts.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. fox /pod /f/ /ŏks/ A: fox

2. leaf/sheep /l/ /ēf/ A: leaf 3. six/chain /ch/ /ān/ A: chain

4. sock/fish /f/ /ĭsh/ A: fish 5. cat/yes /y/ /ĕs/ A: yes

6. tape/mouse /t/ /āp/ A: tape

7. wet/van /w/ /ĕt/ A: wet

8. hop/dog /d/ /ŏg/ A: dog

9. book /phone /b/ /�k/ A: book

10. game/juice /g/ /ām/ A: game

11. fish/cake /k/ /āk/ A: cake

12. cut/bag /b/ /ăg/ A: bag 13. lick/nose /n/ /ōz/ A: nose

14. match/nurse /m/ /ăch/ A: match

15. knife/moose /n/ / īf/ A: knife

16. rug/seal /s/ /ēl/ A: seal

17. teeth/yawn /y/ /awn/ A: yawn

18. chin/ship /ch/ / ĭn/ A: chin

See p. 78 for differentiation options for What’s That Word?

Unit 4 | Lesson 1 | Part 1

Activity 15: Peel That Sound PA: BSI

Objective

Students will practice isolating the beginning sounds of words.

What Students See

See p. 33 for a full description of Peel That Sound.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 1, Part 1 (4.1.1).

Launch! Say “Today, we are going to peel off the first sound of some words.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the juice

Point to the juice and say “/j/, juice. Your turn.” A: (students repeat) /j/, juice

Click to display the rose

Point to the rose and say “/r/, rose. Your turn.” A: /r/, rose

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /ŭ/, under 2. /l/, lightning 3. /b/, bone 4. /g/, garbage 5. / ī/, island 6. /k/, corn

ROUND 2:

7. /ă/, alligator 8. /m/, mask 9. /f/, football 10. /v/, volcano 11. /z/, zipper 12. /p/, penny

13. /ā/, ape 14. /d/, doghouse 15. /w/, window 16. /kw/, quilt

Say “Let’s practice again. This time, I will peel the sounds, and you will say the words.”

Click to display the juice.

Point to the juice and say “/j/…. What is it?” A: juice

Click to display the rose.

Point to the rose and say “/r/…. What is it?” A: rose

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /ŭ/, under 2. /l/, lightning 3. /b/, bone 4. /g/, garbage 5. / ī/, island 6. /k/, corn

ROUND 3:

7. /ă/, alligator 8. /m/, mask 9. /f/, football 10. /v/, volcano 11. /z/, zipper 12. /p/, penny

13. /ā/, ape 14. /d/, doghouse 15. /w/, window 16. /kw/, quilt

Say “Let’s practice one more time. This time, I will say the words, and you will peel the sounds.”

Click to display the juice.

Point to the juice and say “Juice. What’s the first sound?” A: /j/ Click to display the rose.

Point to the rose and say “Rose. What’s the first sound?” A: /r/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /ŭ/, under 2. /l/, lightning 3. /b/, bone 4. /g/, garbage 5. / ī/, island 6. /k/, corn

13. /ā/, ape 14. /d/, doghouse 15. /w/, window 16. /kw/, quilt Unit

4 | Lesson 1 | Part 2 Activity 16:

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /d/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 1, Part 2 (4.1.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /d/, /d/, /d/, /d/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/d/, /d/, /d/, /d/.”)

• “I felt something moving inside my mouth while I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the front of my tongue tapping up behind my top teeth.

o I tapped my tongue again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound, /d/, /d/, /d/, /d/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “A new friend is hiding in the Mystery Bag. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /d/.”

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /d/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

•

He is a mammal with four legs and a tail that can be a pet.

• He can dig deep holes to bury a bone.

• He can wag his tail and bark.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the dog.

Say:

• “He’s a dog! Do you hear and feel /d/, /d/, /d/, /d/ when you start to say /d/, dog?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /d/, Daniel the Dog.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /duh/. If students call out the letter d, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.” Whenever the letter d is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /d/ in the word, as in /d/uck for duck or /d/ig for dig.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /d/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /d/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

Say:

•

“Now, I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen carefully for his favorite sound … /d/, /d/, /d/, /d/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /d/ each time you say it: Daniel is a Dalmatian dog from Dover, Delaware. Most Dalmatians dash and dodge about, but Daniel was different. He dreamed of days when he could doze dreamily in the den, devour dozens of doughnuts, and defeat video games. One day, his dad dragged Daniel to the dog park and said, ‘Do something daring today.’ Daniel decided to try diving, and he found it delightful! Daniel dragged his doughnuts and video games to the dump and spent his days diving instead.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Daniel the Dalmatian’s story started with his favorite sound, /d/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend, Daniel the Dalmatian. All of the answers will start with Daniel’s favorite sound, /d/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Daniel’s favorite sound, /d/:

1. “Is Daniel a poodle or a Dalmatian?” A: Dalmatian

2. “Where did Daniel doze during the day, the den or the bedroom?” A: den

3. “How many doughnuts did Daniel devour, hundreds or dozens?” A: dozens

4. “Who dared Daniel to try something new, his mom or his dad?” A: dad

5. “How does Daniel spend his days, diving or swimming?” A: diving

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Daniel picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Daniel might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /d/. Let’s all say Daniel ’s sound again: /d/.”

Ask questions about Daniel the Dalmatian’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script on the next page:

1. “Daniel doesn’t have a favorite day, but he has a favorite month of the year. Can you choose his favorite month, June or December?” A: December

2. “Daniel decided to divide his blocks by shape. Is Daniel’s favorite shape a diamond or rectangle?” A: diamond

3. “Daniel and his dad went shopping for a musical instrument. What did he decide on, a guitar or a drum?” A: drum

4. “Daniel drives to the store with his dad to buy dinner. Can you think of some food that Daniel would like to devour?

o Which fruit, raisins or dates?” A: dates

o “Which part of the chicken, drumstick or wing?” A: drumstick

o “What does he eat with his chips, dip or salsa?” A: dip

o “What kind of pickle, sweet or dill?” A: dill

o “What about breakfast, bagel or doughnut?” A: doughnut

5. “Dinner is done, and it’s time to do the dishes. Does Daniel wash or dry?” A: dry

6. “Daniel plays with other dogs, like Dobermans and Dachshunds, but he also likes to dance and dash and discover with other animals that start with the sound /d/. How many can we think of?” A: deer, duck, dolphin, donkey, dove, dinosaur, etc.

7. “Daniel doesn’t doze all day in his den anymore. Now he likes to do things! Let’s see if we can decide which actions Daniel likes best.

o Does he like to dance or sing?” A: dance

o “Swim or dive?” A: dive

o “Dig a hole or fill it in?” A: dig

o “Draw or paint?” A: draw

o “Push or drag?” A: drag

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /d/, and our friend, Daniel the Dalmatian!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /d/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Daniel is a dog from Dover, Delaware. Like his dad, and his dad’s dad, Daniel was from a long line of dot-covered Dalmatians. Most Dalmatians are known for their drive,

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

always dodging and dashing about, but Daniel was decidedly different. He adored days of dozing dreamily in the den, devouring dozens of doughnuts, and defeating digital dragons in video games. One day, his dad dragged Daniel from the den and dropped him off at the dog park. ‘Do something daring today.’ he said as he drove away. Daniel decided, ‘Why not?’ So, he dipped into the pool and doggy-paddled to the diving board. Daniel dove into the deep, cool water. The drenched Dalmatian was delighted! Daniel went home and disposed of his doughnuts and dragon video games at the dump. From that day on, Daniel was devoted to diving.

A mystery bag will appear on the screen. The teacher says each phoneme in a twoor three-phoneme word and then asks the students to blend the phonemes and say the blended word. An image representing the word appears.

Say “Let’s check in the bag!”

Click to display the leg to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Right! /l/ /ĕ/ /g/, leg. Let’s try another one. Repeat after me.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “/k/ /ou/.”

Ask “What’s my word?” A: cow

Say “Let’s check!”

Click to display the cow to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Let’s keep going.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /g/ /ā/ /t/, gate

2. /n/ /ē/, knee

3. /b/ /oi/, boy

4. /h/ /ŭ/ /g/, hug

5. /f/ /ē/ /t/, feet

6. /sh/ /�/, shoe

7. /t/ /�/, two

8. /f/ /ŏ/ /ks/, fox

9. /ī/ /s/, ice

10. /ă/ /ks/, ax

11. /k/ /ē/, key

12. /j/ /ă/ /m/, jam 13. /t/ /ī/, tie 14. /t/ /oi/, toy 15. /z/ /�/, zoo 16. /r/ /ŭ/ /g/, rug 17. /ĭ/ /ch/, itch 18. /p/ /ē/ /z/, peas 19. /ă/ /n/ /t/, ant 20. /d/ /ŏ/ /g/, dog

21. /ŭ/ /p/, up 22. /b/ /ĕ/ /d/, bed 23. /ĕ/ /j/, edge 24. /ĭ/ /n/ /ch/, inch 25. /ŏ/ /ks/, ox 26. /n/ /ŭ/ /t/, nut 27. /k/ /ar/, car 28. /ā/ /p/, ape

DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS

Ways to simplify:

• Give the phonemes twice before asking for a response, or even three times if necessary.

• Decrease the length of the pauses between the phonemes. When closer together, it will be easier to blend the phonemes into a word: /b/ - (PAUSE) - /ō/ - (PAUSE) - /t/, boat rather than /b/ - (PAUSE) - /ō/ - (PAUSE) - /t/, boat

Unit 4 | Lesson 2 | Part 1

Activity 18: Peel and Say PA: BSI

Objective

Students will isolate, identify, and produce the shared beginning sound of three words.

See p. 64 for a full description of Peel and Say.

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 2, Part 1 (4.2.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to peel the first sound off of some words. Listen and repeat after me.”

Click to display the fire, flower, and finger and name them as you point to each one. (Students repeat the three words.)

Ask “What’s the first sound in fire, flower, and finger?” A: /f/

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the leg, lightbulb, and lemon and name them as you point to each one. (Students repeat.)

Ask “What’s the first sound in leg, lightbulb, and lemon?” A: /l/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. hose, hug, hammer - /h/ 2. apple, alligator, ant - /ă/ 3. banana, boy, bag - /b/ 4. cupcake, carrot, kangaroo - /k/ 5. worm, wave, wagon - /w/ 6. needle, nose, newspaper - /n/ 7. shark, shorts, shadow - /sh/ 8. van, violin, vegetables - /v/ 9. umbrella, up, under - /ŭ/

10. dinosaur, dog, dolphin - /d/ 11. jump, jam, giraffe - /j/ 12. girl, gumballs, goat - /g/ 13. mug, mouse, mountain - /m/ 14. ice cream, iron, island - / ī/ 15. unicorn, uniform, unicycle - /y�/ 16. thumb, three, thread - /th/ 17. cow, cookie, cactus - /k/ 18. queen, quick, question - /kw/

See p. 65 for differentiation options for Peel and Say.

Unit 4 | Lesson 2 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /t/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 2, Part 2 (4.2.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /t/, /t/, /t/, /t/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/t/, /t/, /t/, /t/.”)

• “I felt something moving inside my mouth while I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the front of my tongue tapping behind my top teeth.

o I tapped my tongue again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound, /t/, /t/, /t/, /t/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “A new friend is hiding in the Mystery Bag. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /t/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /t/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She is a mammal with striped fur.

• She travels through tall grass and rainforests.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /tuh/. If students call out the letter t, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter t is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /t/ in the word, as in /t/op for top or /t/eeth for teeth

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /t/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /t/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

• She is a very large and tough cat.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the tiger

Say:

• “She’s a tiger! Do you hear and feel /t/, /t/, /t/, /t/ when you start to say /t/, tiger?”

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /t/, Teagan the Tiger.

Say:

• “Now, I’m going to tell you a tale, which means ‘story,’ about our new friend, so we can learn more about her. While I'm talking, make sure that you listen carefully for her favorite sound … /t/, /t/, /t/, /t/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /t/ each time you say it:

Teagan is a tiger from Tullahoma, Tennessee. Most tigers find it easy to twist, tumble, and twirl. Teagan trips over her own tail. Even playing tag is too tiring for her. Teagan nervously tapped her tail on team tryout day. She teared up and cried, ‘I have no talent!’ Teagan’s teacher told her to be true to herself. ‘Your talent is in your tail. I think your tap-tap-tapping is terrific!’ Teagan tried out for the band. Now she tirelessly taps in time with each tune.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Teagan the T iger ’s story started with her favorite sound, /t/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend, Teagan the T iger. All of the answers will start with Teagan’s favorite sound, /t/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Teagan’s favorite sound, /t/:

1. “Is Teagan a lion or a tiger?” A: tiger

2. “What does Teagan trip over, her tail or a rock?” A: tail

3. “How does Teagan feel when she plays tag, excited or tired?” A: tired

4. “Who told Teagan to be true to herself, her mom or her teacher?” A: teacher

5. “What does Teagan do in the band, tap her tail or blow a horn?” A: tap her tail

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Teagan picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you t wo things that Teagan might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /t/. Let’s all say Teagan’s sound again: /t/.”

Ask questions about Teagan the Tiger ’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “ Teagan has t wo favorite colors.

o One is a light brown. Do you think it’s beige or tan?” A: tan

o “She also likes a blue-green color. Is it teal or purple?” A: teal

2. “ Teagan likes this day of the week. Is it Friday or Tuesday?” A: Tuesday

3. “ Teagan has t wo favorite numbers.

o The first one tells me the number of hands we each have. Is it three or t wo?” A: two

o “The other number can be used to count all of your fingers: is it ten or five?” A: ten

4. “ Teagan shakes and taps on this instrument to make music. What does she shake and tap, a tambourine or maracas?” A: tambourine

5. “ Teagan takes a taxi to the store to get some treats. Can you think of some food that Teagan likes to taste?

o Which fruit, tangerine or banana?” A: tangerine

o “Which vegetable, potato or tomato?” A: tomato

o “Which pasta, tortellini or spaghetti?” A: tortellini

o “Which fish, cod or tuna?” A: tuna

o “Which drink, milk or tea?” A: tea

6. “Teagan plays with other tigers, but she also spends time with other animals that start with the sound /t/. How many can you tell me?” A: turtle, turkey, toucan, terrier, tortoise, tarantula, toad, tadpole, triceratops, pterodactyl, etc.

7. “ Teagan tries out some new actions. Let’s see if you can tell me what Teagan tries.

o When she tries to move quietly, does she stomp or tip-toe?” A: tip-toe

o “She wants to make ten triangles the same size. Should she draw or trace them?” A: trace

o “ Toss or throw a ball?” A: toss

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

o “Blow or toot a horn?” A: toot

o “Staple or tape her paper?” A: tape

o “Would she trim or chop a tree?” A: trim

o “ T ie or strap her sneakers?” A: tie

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /t/, and our friend, Teagan the Tiger!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /t/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Teagan is a tiger from Tullahoma, Tennessee. Tuesday is team tryout day, but Teagan has never been good at activities that help her triumph at sports. Typical tigers tear around the track, tackle teammates, toss balls, and easily twist, tumble, tag, tuck, and twirl. Teagan trips over her own tail. Even playing tag is too tiring. Teagan tensely tapped her tail in time with the ticking clock. ‘What’s the trouble?’ asked her teacher. Teagan teared up and cried, ‘I have no talent. I will be teased and tossed off of any team!’ Teagan’s teacher told her to be true to herself. ‘Your talent is in your tail. I think your tap-taptapping is terrific!’ Tuesday came, and Teagan tried out for the band. Now she tirelessly taps the timpani drums in perfect tempo with each tune.

See p. 116 for a full description

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 2, Part 3 (4.2.3).

Launch!

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say:

• “Let’s see what words are in our Mystery Bag! Listen to my sounds.

• /sh/ /ē/ /p/.”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these sounds together, /sh/ /ē/ /p/?” A: sheep

Say “Let’s check in the bag!”

Click to display the sheep to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Let’s keep going.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /h/ /or/ /s/, horse 2. /n/ /ĕ/ /t/, net 3. /th/ /or/ /n/, thorn 4. /ă/ /ks/, ax 5. /j/ /�/ /s/, juice 6. /s/ /ŏ/ /k/, sock 7. /k/ /ă/ /t/, cat 8. /m/ /ĭ/ /ks/, mix 9. /b/ /oi/, boy 10. /f/ /ē/ /t/, feet

11. /b/ /ō/ /n/, bone 12. /ĕ/ /g/, egg 13. /ch/ /ĭ/ /n/, chin 14. /d/ /ŏ/ /g/, dog 15. /sh/ /ar/ /k/, shark 16. /ī/ /s/, ice 17. /p/ /ŏ/ /t/, pot

18. /ĕ/ /l/ /f/, elf 19. /s/ /ă/ /d/, sad 20. /y/ /aw/ /n/, yawn

21. /ĭ/ /n/ /ch/, inch

22. /s/ /ĭ/ /t/, sit 23. /j/ /ar/, jar 24. /k/ /ē/, key 25. /b/ /�/ /k/, book 26. /ĭ/ /ch/, itch 27. /j/ /ĕ/ /t/, jet 28. /n/ /er/ /s/, nurse 29. /r/ /ō/ /z/, rose

See p. 117 for differentiation options for Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

Unit 4 | Lesson 3 | Part 1

Activity 20: This or That? PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify which word of two has a specific beginning sound.

See p. 102 for a full description of This or That?

What Students

See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 3, Part 1 (4.3.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to listen for the word that begins with the sound I say.”

Click to display the window and the toaster.

Point to each image and say “ Window, toaster. Which word starts with /w/?” A: window

Say “Yes, /w/, window.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the sunglasses and the muffin.

Point to each image and say “Sunglasses, muffin. Which word starts with /m/?” A: muffin

Say “Yes, /m/, muffin.”

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. needle/thorn (“Which one starts with /n/?” A: needle)

2. zoo/ladybug (“Which one starts with /z/?” A: zoo)

3. guitar/dolphin (“Which one starts with /d/?” A: dolphin)

4. cactus/bone (“Which one starts with /k/?” A: cactus)

5. caveman/angel (“Which one starts with /ā/?” A: angel)

6. baseball/octopus (“Which one starts with /b/?” A: baseball)

7. queen/lion (“Which one starts with /l/?” A: lion)

8. boat/house (“Which one starts with /h/?” A: house)

9. pan/banana (“Which one starts with /p/?” A: pan)

10. chalk/elephant (“Which one starts with /ĕ/?” A: elephant)

11. doughnut/rug (“Which one starts with /d/?” A: doughnut)

12. net/sun (“Which one starts with /n/?” A: net)

13. footprints/toy (“Which one starts with /f/?” A: footprints)

14. bus/corn (“Which one starts with /b/?” A: bus)

15. eyeball/astronaut (“Which one starts with /ī/?” A: eyeball)

16. shoe/thread (“Which one starts with /sh/?” A: shoe)

17. easel/apple (“Which one starts with /ē/?” A: easel)

18. jacket/ring (“Which one starts with /j/?” A: jacket)

See p. 103 for differentiation options for This or That?

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 3, Part 2 (4.3.2).

Launch! Say: • “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /k/, /k/, /k/, /k/.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /kuh/. If students call out the letter k, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter k or c is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /k/ in the word, as in /k/ind for kind or /k/arefully for carefully

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/k/, /k/, /k/, /k/.”)

• “I felt something moving inside my mouth while I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the back of my tongue tapping the roof of my mouth.

o I tapped my tongue again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound, /k/, /k/, /k/, /k/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /k/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /k/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /k/.”

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /k/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She is a mammal with soft fur, whiskers, and a long tail.

• She can purr, but she can hiss, too.

• Her babies are called kittens.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the cat and kitten

Say:

• “She’s a cat! Do you hear and feel /k/, /k/, /k/, /k/ when you start to say /k/, cat? Wait… we have two friends for this sound? C an it be? Yes, we have a cat and a kitten!

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friends and see if we can guess what their favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /k/, Carla the Cat and Kayla the Kitten.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friends, so we can learn more about them. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen carefully for their favorite sound … /k/, /k/, /k/, /k/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friends. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /k/ each time you say it:

Carla is a cat from Catalina Island, California. Kayla, a kitten from Kansas City, Kansas, came to Carla’s camp last summer. All the kids had a cool time counting clouds, flying kites, and cooking over a campfire. When the canoe contest came around, Kayla took control of the canoe and crashed into a rock. Kayla and her canoe partner cried. Luckily, Carla coached the kittens to coordinate their canoe paddling. By cooperating, the kittens cruised down the curving creek.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in C arla the C at and Kayla the Kitten’s story started with their favorite sound, /k/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friends, C arla the C at and Kayla the Kitten. All of the answers will start with C arla and Kayla’s favorite sound, /k/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Carla and Kayla’s favorite sound, /k/:

1. “Where did C arla and Kayla meet, at school or at camp?” A: camp

2. “What did the kids count, clouds or pennies?” A: clouds

3. “How did the campers cook their food, on a stove or over a campfire?” A: over a campfire

4. “What did Kayla crash into a rock, a bike or a canoe?” A: canoe

5. “What did C arla teach the kittens, to cooperate or to win?” A: cooperate

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, C arla and Kayla picked out some of their favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that C arla and Kayla might pick as their favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of their favorite things start with their favorite sound, /k/. Let’s all say C arla and Kayla’s sound again: /k/.”

Ask questions about Carla the Cat and Kayla the Kitten’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “C arla’s favorite color is like a penny. Is it silver or copper?” A: copper

2. “Kayla likes a sandy brown color; it can also be the name of cloth used for pants. Could it be khaki or denim?” A: khaki

3. “C arla can stack blocks that are square on each side. Are they cylinders or cubes?” A: cubes

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

4. “C arla can say a number for each block she touches. C an she count or read her blocks?” A: count

5. “C arla carries her instrument to the concert.

o Could it be a flute or clarinet?” A: clarinet

o “Kayla blows a silly horn in the concert. Is it a kazoo or a tuba?” A: kazoo

6. “At the store, C arla compares the cost of food as Kayla keeps the cart moving. C an you think of foods that C arla and Kayla can crunch?

o Which fruit does Carla crunch, pineapple or cantaloupe?” A: cantaloupe

o “Does Kayla crunch a kiwi or a banana?” A: kiwi

o “Which vegetable can C arla crunch, broccoli or corn?” A: corn

o “Carla cooks a sea creature with claws. Is it a crab or a lobster?” A: crab

o “What does Kayla cover her burger with, mustard or ketchup?” A: ketchup

o “Does C arla have a cup of tea or a cup of cocoa?” A: cocoa

o “Which dessert do they crave, pie or cake?” A: cake

o “Which seasoning do they cook with, curry or garlic?” A: curry

7. “C arla and Kayla play with other cats and kittens, but they also keep company with other creatures that start with the sound /k/. C an you come up with some?”

A: caterpillar, camel, cow, calf, crab, cobra, cockatoo, cocker spaniel, chameleon, catfish, collie, cougar, coyote, crane, crocodile, kangaroo, killer whale, kiwi bird, koala, kudu, etc.

8. “C arla and Kayla are cats who keep active. C an you guess what they like to do?

o C arla doesn’t care for cold food. How can she heat it, chop or cook?”

A: cook

o “Kayla can’t catch the ball in soccer. How can she control it, by kicking or throwing?” A: kicking

o “C arla keeps her fur neat and clean. Does she comb or brush it?”

A: comb

o “Kayla corresponds with her cousin. Does she write with a pen or a computer keyboard? A: computer keyboard

o “C arla’s claws are too long. Does she snip or clip them?” A: clip Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /k/, and our friends, C arla the C at and Kayla the Kitten!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /k/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary. Carla is a cat from Catalina Island, California. Kayla, a kitten from Kansas City, Kansas, crossed half the country to come to Carla’s camp last summer. All the kids had a cool time collecting caterpillars, counting clouds, flying kites, and cooking over the campfire. Camp week ended with a canoe contest at the creek. Since Kayla had never competed in a canoe with another cat, she tried to control the canoe by herself and crashed into a rock. Kayla and her canoe partner cried. Luckily, Carla was a calm coach who counseled the kittens to coordinate their canoe paddling. It worked! The kittens cruised down the curving creek. While they didn’t win the competition, Kayla learned that you can accomplish a lot by cooperating.

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Click to display the bag and the image for mix.

Say:

• “Bag, mix

• Listen carefully while I say the sounds of one of these words: /m/ (hold up thumb; keep up – (PAUSE) – /ĭ/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) - (PAUSE)/ks/ (hold up middle finger; keep up).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those three sounds together, /m/ /ĭ/ /ks/, what word do we get?” A: mix (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer. Say “Correct! Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the van and the pig.

Say:

• “ Van, pig.

• Listen carefully: /p/ (hold up thumb; keep up) – (PAUSE) – / ĭ/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) - (PAUSE) - /g/ (hold up middle finger; keep up)

• Look at these two pictures. Which word did we say?”

A: pig (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer. Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. peas/win /p/ /ē/ /z/ A: peas

2. man/jet /j/ /ĕ/ /t/ A: jet

3. sit/bat /b/ /ă/ /t/ A: bat

4. dog /fish /d/ /ŏ/ /g/ A: dog

5. lime/bed /l/ / ī/ /m/ A: lime

6. hug /fox /h/ /ŭ/ /g/ A: hug

7. jam/neck /n/ /ĕ/ /k/ A: neck

8. nap/ham /n/ /ă/ /p/ A: nap

9. pen/rose /r/ /ō/ /z/ A: rose

10. six /nail /s/ /ĭ/ /ks/ A: six

11. rat/toes /t/ /ō/ /z/ A: toes

12. tape/house /t/ /ā/ /p/ A: tape

13. ship/sun /s/ /ŭ/ /n/ A: sun 14. wax/check /ck/ /ĕ/ /k/ A: check 15. feet/gate /g/ /ā/ /t/ A: gate 16. gum/cup /g/ /ŭ/ /m/ A: gum 17. net/kid /n/ /ĕ/ /t/ A: net 18. bike/wave /b/ / ī/ /k/ A: bike

See p. 78 for differentiation options for What’s That Word?

Unit 4 | Lesson 4 | Part 1

Activity 17: Peel and Sort PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify matching beginning sounds.

See p. 42 for a full description of Peel and Sort.

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 4, Part 1 (4.4.1).

Launch!

SORT 1: Say “Today, we are going to sort words by their beginning sounds.”

Click to display the duck and the lion as the column headings.

Point to the duck and the lion and say “Our words will begin like /d/, duck or /l/, lion.”

Click to display and point to the dolphin

Say:

• “/d/, dolphin. Does /d/, dolphin begin like duck or lion?” A: duck

• Point to the side where the dolphin should go.” (left side)

• “Right! /d/, dolphin; /d/, duck. I’ll move the dolphin to the/d/, duck side.”

Click to place the dolphin in the duck column.

Continue with the remaining examples, having students point to and name the correct column: /d/, dog; /l/, ladder; /l/, leg; /d/, dinosaur; /l/, lime; /d/, doughnut; /l/, lick; /l/, ladybug; /d/, door; /l/, leaf; /d/, deer.

Say:

• “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

o /d/, duck; /d/, dolphin; /d/, dog; /d/, dinosaur; /d/, doughnut; /d/, door; /d/, deer.

o /l/, lion; /l/, ladder; /l/, leg; /l/, lime; /l/, lick; /l/, ladybug; /l/, leaf.

• Let’s try that with two new sounds.”

SORT 2:

Click to display the fish and the image for jump as the column headings.

Point to the fish and the image for jump and say “Our words will begin like /f/, fish or /j/, jump.”

Click to display and point to the jam.

Say:

• “/j/, jam. Does /j/, jam begin like fish or jump?” A: jump (right side)

• “/j/, jam; /j/, jump. I’ll move the jam to the/j/, jump side.”

Click to place the jam in the jump column.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples, having students point to and name the correct column: /f/, finger; /j/, jacket; /j/, juice; /f/, fly; /j/, jar; /f/, feather; /j/, jellybeans; /f/, flag; /f/, football; /j/, jet; /f/, fireworks

Say “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

o /f/, fish; /f/, finger; /f/, fly; /f/, feather; /f/, flag; /f/, football; /f/, fireworks

o /j/, jump; /j/, jam; /j/, jacket; /j/, juice; /j/, jar; /j/, jellybeans; /j/, jet.”

See p. 44 for differentiation options for Peel and Sort.

Unit 4 | Lesson 4 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /b/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 4, Part 2 (4.4.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /b/, /b/, /b/, /b/.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /buh/. If students call out the letter b, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter b is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /b/ in the word, as in /b/uild for build or /b/ecause for because

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/b/, /b/, /b/, /b/.”)

• “I felt my lips doing something when I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel my lips come together, then they popped open!

o I closed my lips again, let air build up, and let them pop open again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound: /b/, /b/, /b/, /b/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /b/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /b/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /b/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /b/.”

CLUES:

• He is a mammal with thick fur that is black and brown.

• He likes to eat berries from the woods and fish from a brook.

• He hibernates in the winter.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the black bear

Say:

• “He’s a black bear! Do you hear and feel /b/, /b/, /b/, /b/ when you start to say /b/, black bear? I hear and feel it two times!

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /b/, Brandon the Black Bear.

Say:

• Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen carefully for his favorite sound… /b/, /b/, /b/, /b/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /b/ each time you say it:

Brandon is a black bear from Birmingham, Alabama. The neighborhood bears play baseball all day, but Brandon has to babysit his brother. Every morning, when he pushes his brother in his stroller by the ball field, a brown bear bullies Brandon. ‘Boys don’t push baby buggies!’ bawls the bully. ‘You’re so boring!’ But Brandon brushes off his words. Then one morning, Brandon bravely handed the bully a loaf of banana bread he had baked. ‘Eat breakfast. I believe you’ll feel better.’ With a full belly, the bully bowed and said, ‘Thank you.’ He never bothered Brandon again.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Brandon the Black Bear ’s story started with his favorite sound, /b/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend, Brandon the Black Bear. All of the answers will start with Brandon’s favorite sound, /b/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Brandon’s favorite sound, /b/:

1. “Is Brandon a lion or a bear?” A: bear

2. “What do the neighborhood bears play all day, football or baseball?”

A: baseball

3. “Who did Brandon babysit, his brother or his sister?” A: brother

4. “Who bothered Brandon by the baseball field, a friend or a bully?” A: bully

5. “What did Brandon bake for the bully, banana bread or cupcakes?”

A: banana bread

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Brandon picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Brandon might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /b/. Let’s all say Brandon’s sound again: /b/.”

Ask questions about Brandon the Black Bear ’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Brandon buys some boots in the color he likes best. Is it red or blue?” A: blue

o “Can you guess his other favorite colors?” A: black, brown, beige

2. “Brandon plays in the band. His instrument makes big, deep sounds when he blows it.

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

o Does Brandon play a bassoon or a trumpet?” A: bassoon

o “Brandon also plays a musical instrument with strings. Is it a guitar or a banjo?” A: banjo

3. “Brandon’s baby brother wants berry juice. Does Brandon think a bottle or a cup is best?” A: bottle

4. “Brandon’s buddy is having a birthday party.

o What decorations does Brandon like the best: flowers or balloons?” A: balloons

o “What is his favorite party treat, birthday cake or pizza?” A: birthday cake

5. “At breakfast, Brandon gets a bite at the bakery.

o What does he like better, doughnuts or bagels?” A: bagels

o “What does he like best on his bagel, jelly or butter?” A: butter

o “What does he eat with his eggs, bacon or sausage?” A: bacon

6. “Brandon buys the food he likes best at the market. Can you think of some food that Brandon will buy?

o Which fruit, cherries or blueberries?” A: blueberries

o “Which vegetable, beans or corn?” A: beans

o “Which meat, pork or beef?” A: beef

o “Which Mexican food, tacos or burritos?” A: burritos

o “What does he like best for dessert, a brownie or fudge?” A: brownie

o “Which sauce, barbeque or salsa?” A: barbeque

7. “Brandon is buddies with bears, but he also likes to be with other animals that start with the sound /b/. How many can we think of?” A: baboon, badger, bat, beagle, beaver, beetle, bluebird, boa, bobcat, buffalo, bull, bumble bee, butterfly, etc.

8. “Brandon is a busy bear. Let’s see if we can pick out which actions Brandon likes best.

o Does he like to blow bubbles or pop them?” A: blow them

o “What does he like better, skateboarding or biking?” A: biking

o “Does he bounce or roll a ball?” A: bounce

o “When he makes bread, does Brandon toast it or bake it?” A: bake

o “Does he like to bang or to tap on a bongo drum?” A: bang

o “Before bed, does Brandon take a shower or a bubble bath?”

A: bubble bath

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /b/, and our friend, Brandon the Black Bear!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /b/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Brandon is a black bear from Birmingham, Alabama. A bunch of neighborhood bears play baseball all day, but Brandon has to babysit his brother while his mama works. Every morning, Brandon puts his brother in the stroller and walks past the ball field. And every morning, a brown bear bullies Brandon. ‘Boys don’t push baby buggies!’ bawls the bully. ‘You’re so boring!’ But Brandon brushes off his words. Then one day, Brandon went to the market to buy bananas, flour, and eggs. As he headed home, the bully was waiting. ‘Look at the big baboon with his bananas! Oo-oo-ee-ee-ah-ah!’ But Brandon just went to his kitchen, began to bash the bananas, and beat them into some batter to bake. The next morning, the bully was baffled when Brandon bravely handed him a loaf of banana bread. He told the bully, ‘Eat breakfast. I believe you’ll feel better.’ With a full belly, the bully bowed and said, ‘Thank you.’ He never bothered Brandon again.

Unit 4 | Lesson 4 | Part 3 Activity

Students

See p.

What Students See

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 4, Part 3 (4.4.3).

Launch!

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say:

• “Let’s see what words are in our Mystery Bag! Listen to my sounds.

• /m/ /ă/ /n/.”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these sounds together, /m/ /ă/ /n/?” A: man

Say “Let’s check in the bag!”

Click to display the man to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /g/ /er/ /l/, girl 2. /l/ /ē/ /f/, leaf 3. /p/ /ē/ /z/, peas 4. /n/ /ā/ /l/, nail 5. /j/ /ĕ/ /t/, jet 6. /h/ /ă/ /t/, hat 7. /f/ /ŏ/ /ks/, fox 8. /ch/ /ā/ /n/, chain 9. /d/ /ŭ/ /k/, duck 10. /s/ /ĭ/ /ks/, six

11. /f/ /ĭ/ /sh/, fish 12. /h/ /ă/ /m/, ham 13. /b/ /ī/ /k/, bike 14. /p/ /ă/ /n/, pan 15. /b/ /�/ /k/, book 16. /l/ /ĕ/ /g/, leg 17. /s/ /ō/ /p/, soap 18. /r/ /ō/ /z/, rose 19. /s/ /ē/ /l/, seal 20. /w/ /ā/ /v/, wave

21. /ĭ/ /n/ /ch/, inch 22. /k/ /or/ /n/, corn 23. /g/ /ō/ /t/, goat 24. /m/ /�/ /s/, moose 25. /p/ /ĕ/ /n/, pen 26. /h/ /or/ /s/, horse 27. /n/ /ĕ/ /t/, net 28. /ĕ/ /l/ /f/, elf 29. /s/ /ă/ /d/, sad

See p. 117 for differentiation options for Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

Unit 4 | Lesson 5 | Part 1

Activity 19: Peel and Match PA: Blending

Objective

Students will identify two words that have the same beginning sound.

See p. 95 for a full description of Peel and Match.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 5, Part 1 (4.5.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we’re going to listen for the words that have the same beginning sound.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the zipper on the left.

Point to the zipper and say “/z/, zipper. Your turn.” A: /z/, zipper

Click to display the penny and the zoo on the right.

Point to each image and say “penny, zoo.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as zipper?” A: zoo

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the zigzag and the map on the right.

Point to each image and say “zigzag, map.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as zipper?” A: zigzag

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue to compare the next five image sets with the /z/, zipper:

• /z/, zebra & /r/, rattle

• /n/, nose & /z/, zero

• /k/, cookie & /z/, zucchini

You do not have to isolate the beginning sounds before saying each word; however, if you would like to differentiate the activity to make it slightly easier for the students (see Differentiation Options on p. 97), the beginning sounds are isolated for you in the bulleted lists of examples.

• /z/, zap & /p/, pants

• /h/, hamster & /z/, zoom

ROUND 2:

Say “Now, let’s see which words begin the same as popcorn.”

Click to display the popcorn on the left.

Point to the popcorn and say “/p/, popcorn. Your turn.” A: /p/, popcorn

Click to display the pie and the feet on the right.

Point to each image and say “pie, feet.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as popcorn?” A: pie

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue to compare the next six image sets with the /p/, popcorn:

• /p/, pot & /y/, yoyo

• /n/, nose & /p/, peanut

• /p/, pig & /ī/, icicle

• /m/, milk & /p/, pie

• /p/, peppermint & /l/, leg

• /g/, garden & /p/, paintbrush

ROUND 3:

Say “Now, let’s see which words begin the same as cat.”

Click to display the cat on the left and the cow and thumb on the right.

Continue to compare the next seven image sets with the /k/, cat:

• /k/, cow & /th/, thumb

• /b/, baby & /k/, corn

• /k/, cactus & /f/, fire

• /k/, cookie & /g/, garden

• /j/, jellybeans & /k/, kangaroo

• /m/, mouth & /k/, keyboard

• /k/, carrot & /h/, hospital

See p. 97 for differentiation options for Peel and Match.

Unit 4 | Lesson 5 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /w/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 5, Part 2 (4.5.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “ We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /w/, /w/, /w/, /w/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/w/, /w/, /w/, /w/.”)

• “I felt my lips doing something when I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I felt my lips pucker up in a small circle, my voice turned on, and my mouth opened up.

o I could feel warm air leak out, /w/, /w/, /w/, /w/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “ We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /w/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /w/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

•

He is a mammal who swims in very cold water.

• His blubber wiggles when he waddles across the beach.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /wuh/. If students call out the letter w, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter w is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /w/ in the word, as in /w/e for we and /w/ile for while.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /w/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /w/.”

•

He has wrinkled brown skin, long whiskers, and tusks.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the walrus

Say:

• “He’s a walrus! Do you hear and feel /w/, /w/, /w/, /w/ when you start to say /w/, walrus?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /w/, Willie the Walrus.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. While I’m reading, make sure that you listen very carefully for his favorite sound… /w/, /w/, /w/, /w/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /w/ each time you say it:

Willie is a walrus from Walla Walla, Washington. Willie was always wondering. ‘ Why is water wet? Why do we have tusks? Why is snow white? Why, Dad, why?’ whined Willie. Dad was worried. Luckily, Willie’s mom was wise. ‘ Willie just wonders about the world. He doesn’t want reasons; he just wants your attention. Watch me.’ Mom said, ‘ Willie, I don’t know why snow is white, but I know it’s fun to waddle in. Want to go for a walk?’ ‘Yes,’ said Willie, as he looked at his dad, ‘but I was wondering...’ Willie’s dad waited. ‘ Will you come, too?’ Dad winked and said, ‘ Why not!’

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Willie the Walrus’s story started with his favorite sound, /w/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend, Willie the Walrus. All of the answers will start with Willie’s favorite sound, /w/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Willie’s favorite sound, /w/.

1. “Is Willie a seal or a walrus?” A: walrus

2. “ What question does Willie always ask his dad, why or how?” A: why

3. “How does Dad feel about Willie’s constant questions, proud or worried?” A: worried

4. “ Where does Mom ask Willie to go, to bed or for a walk?” A: for a walk

5. “What does Willie do in the snow, waddle or jump?” A: waddle

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Willie picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Willie might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /w/. Let’s all say Willie’s sound again: /w/.”

Ask questions about Willie the Walrus’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “ Willie wants to paint the walls of his room with his favorite color. Do you think it’s white or gray?” A: white

2. “ Walruses love the cold weather. What do you think Willie’s favorite season is, winter or fall?” A: winter

3. “ Willie’s favorite day is in the middle of the week. Is it Tuesday or Wednesday?” A: Wednesday

4. “You won’t have to count very far to get to Willie’s favorite number! Is it one or two?” A: one

5. “ Willie wonders what his mom will buy at the grocery store. Can you think of some food that Willie might want to wolf down?

o Which fruit, cantaloupe or watermelon?” A: watermelon

o “ Which kind of bread would he choose, wheat or rye?” A: wheat

o “Does Willie want his dad to grill wieners or burgers for dinner?”

A: wieners

o “ What does Willie like for breakfast, pancakes or waffles?” A: waffles

o “ Willie wants to snack on some nuts. Will he want walnuts or pecans?”

A: walnuts

o “At a Chinese restaurant, will he order wonton or dumpling soup?”

A: wonton

6. “Willie likes to wade in the water with walruses, but he also welcomes other animals that start with the sound /w/. I wonder how many we can name.” A: worm, whale, wolf, woodpecker, woodchuck, weasel, wasp, warbler, whooping crane, whippoorwill, wombat, wallaby, wolverine, warthog, etc.

7. “ Willie wiggles with excitement! Let’s see if we can pick out which actions Willie likes best.

o Willie waddles in the mud. What will he do to get clean, wash or dry?”

A: wash

o “ Willie wants to say hello without talking. What will he do, clap or wave?” A: wave

o “ When Willie splashed milk on the window, he wondered what to do. Should he wipe it or smear it?” A: wipe

o “ Willies wonders how heavy he is. Does he measure or weigh himself?”

A: weigh

o “Mom gave a wooly sweater to Willie. Does he wear it or sit on it?”

A: wear it

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /w/, and our friend, Willie the Walrus!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /w/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Willie is a walrus from Walla Walla, Washington. When Willie was a wee walrus (if you can imagine a walrus ever being tiny!), he wailed loudly whenever he wanted something. ‘ What does he want? I wish he would use words,’ said Dad. Before long, Dad got his wish. Willie was waddling around and using words. A lot of them. ‘ Why is water wet? Why do we have tusks? Why is snow white? Why, Dad, why?’ whined Willie. No matter what the explanation, Willie always wondered, ‘But why?’ Dad was worried. Luckily, Willie’s mom was wise. ‘ Willie just wonders about the world. He doesn’t want reasons; he just wants your attention. Watch me.’ Mom said, ‘ What a wonderful question, Willie! I don’t know why snow is white, but I know it’s fun to waddle in. Want to go for a walk?’ Willie went still. ‘Yes, but one more question, Dad.’ Willie’s dad waited. ‘ Will you come, too?’ Dad winked and said, ‘ Without question.’

Unit 4 | Lesson 5 | Part 3

Activity 24: Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend three phonemes to produce a word.

See p. 116 for a full description of Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 4, Lesson 5, Part 3 (4.5.3).

Launch!

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Say:

• “Let’s see what words are in our Mystery Bag! Listen to my sounds.

• /b/ /ŭ/ /s/.”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these sounds together, /b/ /ŭ/ /s/?” A: bus

Say “Let’s check in the bag!”

Click to display the bus to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /t/ /ā/ /p/, tape 2. /s/ /ĭ/ /t/, sit 3. /k/ /or/ /n/, corn 4. /l/ /ē/ /f/, leaf 5. /ch/ /ā/ /n/, chain 6. /sh/ /er/ /t/, shirt 7. /b/ /ŭ/ /s/, bus 8. /ĕ/ /l/ /f/, elf

9. /s/ /ŭ/ /n/, sun 10. /f/ /ĭ/ /sh/, fish 11. /m/ /ĭ/ /ks/, mix 12. /s/ /ō/ /p/, soap 13. /p/ /ē/ /z/, peas 14. /h/ /ō/ /z/, hose 15. /l/ /ĕ/ /g/, leg 16. /m/ /ă/ /p/, map

17. /f/ /l/ /ī/, fly 18. /b/ /er/ /d/, bird 19. /v/ /ă/ /n/, van 20. /b/ /ĕ/ /l/, bell 21. /d/ /ē/ /r/, deer 22. /w/ /ĭ/ /g/, wig 23. /y/ /aw/ /n/, yawn 24. /ch/ /ĭ/ /n/, chin

25. /d/ /ŭ/ /k/, duck 26. /f/ /�/ /t/, foot

27. /k/ /ī/ /t/, kite 28. /m/ /�/ /s/, moose 29. /p/ /ĕ/ /n/, pen

See p. 117 for differentiation options for Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

Unit 5 | Lesson 1 | Part 1

Activity 15: Peel That Sound PA: BSI

Objective

Students will practice isolating the beginning sounds of words.

What Students See

See p. 33 for a full description of Peel That Sound.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 1, Part 1 (5.1.1).

Launch! Say “Today, we are going to peel off the first sound of some words.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the towel.

Point to the towel and say “/t/, towel. Your turn.” A: (students repeat) /t/, towel

Click to display the ladybug.

Point to the ladybug and say “/l/, ladybug. Your turn.” A: /l/, ladybug

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /p/, pan 2. /ŭ/, umbrella 3. /m/, mountain 4. /sh/, shorts 5. /r/, rattle 6. / ĭ/, inside

ROUND 2:

7. /j/, jellybeans 8. /ō/, oatmeal 9. /th/, thorn 10. /y/, yarn 11. /t/, tongue 12. /h/, hamburger

13. /f/, fireman 14. /k/, kangaroo 15. /ĕ/, elbow 16. /d/, dinosaur

Say “Let’s practice again. This time, I will peel the sounds, and you will say the words.”

Click to display the towel.

Point to the towel and say “/t/…. What is it?” A: towel

Click to display the ladybug.

Point to the ladybug and say “/l/…. What is it?” A: ladybug

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /p/, pan 2. /ŭ/, umbrella 3. /m/, mountain 4. /sh/, shorts 5. /r/, rattle 6. / ĭ/, inside

ROUND 3:

7. /j/, jellybeans

8. /ō/, oatmeal 9. /th/, thorn 10. /y/, yarn 11. /t/, tongue 12. /h/, hamburger

13. /f/, fireman 14. /k/, kangaroo 15. /ĕ/, elbow 16. /d/, dinosaur

Say “Let’s practice one more time. This time, I will say the words, and you will peel the sounds.”

Click to display the towel.

Point to the towel and say “ Towel. What’s the first sound?” A: /t/ Click to display the ladybug.

Point to the ladybug and say “Ladybug. What’s the first sound?” A: /l/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /p/, pan 2. /ŭ/, umbrella 3. /m/, mountain 4. /sh/, shorts 5. /r/, rattle 6. / ĭ/, inside

7. /j/, jellybeans 8. /ō/, oatmeal 9. /th/, thorn 10. /y/, yarn 11. /t/, tongue 12. /h/, hamburger

13. /f/, fireman 14. /k/, kangaroo 15. /ĕ/, elbow 16. /d/, dinosaur Unit 5 | Lesson 1 | Part 2

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /h/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 1, Part 2 (5.1.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /h/, /h/, /h/, /h/.

• “Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/h/, /h/, /h/, /h/.”)

•

“Wow, that sure is a quiet sound! What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I don’t feel anything move inside my mouth.

o My mouth opens and air comes out. It’s hard to hear, like a whisper, /h/, /h/, /h/, /h/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /h/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /h/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She is a mammal with brown or gray hair.

• She has sharp spines on her sides and back.

• She can curl into a ball to keep herself from getting hurt.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the hedgehog

Say:

• “She is a hedgehog! Do you hear and feel /h/, /h/, /h/, /h/ when you start to say /h/, hedgehog? I hear and feel it two times!

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /h/, Hannah the Hedgehog.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /huh/. If students call out the letter h, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter h is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /h/ in the word, as in /hhhh/ard for hard and /hhhh/ear for hear.

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /h/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /h/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Say:

• “Now I want you to hear a story about our new friend so we can learn more about her. While I'm reading, make sure that you listen carefully for her favorite sound… /h/, /h/, /h/, /h/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /h/ each time you say it: Hannah is a hedgehog from Honolulu, Hawaii. When Hannah took hula lessons, no girl would hula next to her. Instead of soft hair, Hannah had prickly spines. As she swung her hips wildly, one could hear, ‘Hey, that hurt!’ The teacher put a plastic ring on the floor and told Hannah, ‘Here, practice keeping your hips inside the hoop!’ Hannah was humiliated, but on her way home, she held the hoop around her hips, and started to hula. As the hoop went round and round, she thought, ‘Hey! Who needs hula class!’ Now, Hannah sells hula hoops all over Hawaii.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Hannah the Hedgehog ’s story started with her favorite sound, /h/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Hannah the Hedgehog. All of the answers will start with Hannah’s favorite sound, /h/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Hannah’s favorite sound, /h/.

1. “Is Hannah a pig or a hedgehog? ” A: hedgehog

2. “ What kind of dance class did Hannah take, hula or ballet? ” A: hula

3. “ What did Hannah swing wildly, her arms or her hips? ” A: hips

4. “ When Hannah swung her hips, did the other girls get hurt or tickled? ” A: hurt

5. “ What did Hannah invent, a hula hoop or a jump rope? ” A: hula hoop

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Hannah picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

•

Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Hannah might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /h/. Let’s all say Hannah’s sound again: /h/.”

Ask questions about Hannah the Hedgehog ’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Hannah hunted for hidden shapes. She found her favorite number of her favorite shape.

o How many shapes did she find, fifty or a hundred?” A: hundred

o “What’s her favorite shape? It has six sides. Is it an octagon or a hexagon?” A: hexagon

2. “Hannah dresses in a horse costume on her favorite holiday. Is it Halloween or Christmas?” A: Halloween

3. “Hannah plays music by blowing on this instrument.

o Is it a whistle or a horn?” A: horn

o “She also strums and plucks the strings on this large instrument. Is it a harp or a banjo?” A: harp

4. “Hannah is happy to help wash the car. Does she get water from the sink or the hose?” A: hose

5. “Hannah travels all over Hawaii, but this is her favorite place. Is it home or school?” A: home

6. “Hannah is hungry, so she has to shop for food. Can you think of some food that Hannah would hog down when she’s hungry?

o Which kind of melon, honeydew or cantaloupe?” A: honeydew

o “What does she have in her tea to make it sweet, sugar or honey?” A: honey

o “Which meat does Hannah like, ham or steak?” A: ham

o “What does Hannah have with her eggs, bacon or hash browns?”

A: hash browns

o “Which sauce does she have on her hamburger, ketchup or horseradish?” A: horseradish

7. “Hannah hangs out with other hedgehogs, but she hula hoops with many other animals whose names start with the sound /h/. How many can we think of?” A: hamster, horse, hippopotamus, hog, hound, husky, hyena, heron, hawk, hare, honeybee, hornet, hummingbird, humpback whale, etc.

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

8. “It is hard for Hannah to hesitate. She hops right into action! Let’s see if we can choose actions that Hannah likes best.

o When she plays a game with friends, does she like to hide or seek?”

A: hide

o “Hannah helps to build a house. Does she saw or hammer?”

A: hammer

o “Hannah congratulates the winner of the hula contest. How does she do it? Does she shake her hand or give a high-five?” A: high-five

o “Hannah gulped her soda too fast. Does she start to hiccup or cough?”

A: hiccup

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /h/, and our friend, Hannah the Hedgehog!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /h/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Hannah is a hedgehog from Honolulu, Hawaii. Like most Hawaiian girls, Hannah took hula lessons with the hopes of winning a dance contest. However, no girl wanted to hula next to Hannah. And who could blame them? Instead of soft hair, like the hamsters and hounds in her class, Hannah had prickly spines. As Hannah haphazardly swung her hips, one could hear sudden hollers of, ‘Hey, that hurt!’ and ‘Hold on, I got a quill in my hand!’ The hula teacher put a big plastic ring on the floor and told Hannah, ‘Here, take this home to practice. When you can keep your hips inside the hoop, you can come back to class.’ Hannah was humiliated, but on her way home, she held the hoop around her hips, and started to hula. As the hoop went round and round, a huge crowd gathered. ‘Hey, that looks fun! I want a hoop like that!’ Hannah never went back to hula class. She started selling hula hoops all over Hawaii, and the rest, you might say, is history.

Unit 5 | Lesson 1 | Part 3

Activity 23: What’s That Word? PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend the phonemes (sounds) in a threephoneme word and say the whole word.

See p. 77 for a full description of What’s That Word?

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 1, Part 3 (5.1.3).

Launch!

Say “I am going to say three sounds, and then we will blend them together to make a whole word.”

Click to display the goat and the knife

Say: • “Goat, knife

•

Listen carefully while I say the sounds of one of these words: /n/ (hold up thumb; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /ī/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /f/ (hold up middle finger; keep up).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those three sounds together, /n/ /ī/ /f/, what word do we get?” A: knife (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the fire and the six.

Say: • “Fire, six.

•

Listen carefully while I say the sounds of one of these words: /s/ (hold up thumb; keep up) – (PAUSE) – / ĭ/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /ks/ (hold up middle finger; keep up).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those three sounds together, /s/ / ĭ/ /ks/, what word do we get?” A: six (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer. Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. deer/bus /d/ /ē/ /r/ A: deer

2. robe/gate /r/ /ō/ /b/ A: robe

3. hug /neck /h/ /ŭ/ /g/ A: hug

4. fly/wig /w/ /ĭ/ /g/ A: wig

5. nose/van /v/ /ă/ /n/ A: van

6. dog/bus /b/ /ŭ/ /s/ A: bus

7. girl/rose /g/ /er/ /l/ A: girl

8. wave/feet /f/ /ē/ /t/ A: feet

9. phone/hair /f/ /ō/ /n/ A: phone

10. peas/bat /p/ /ē/ /z/ A: peas

11. chin/van /ch/ /ĭ/ /n/ A: chin

12. lime/ant /l/ /ī/ /m/ A: lime

13. seal/tape /t/ /ā/ /p/ A: tape

14. vase/shirt /v/ /ā/ /s/ A: vase

15. chair/shark /sh/ /ar/ /k/ A: shark

16. horse/mouse /h/ /or/ /s/ A: horse

17. sun/rug /s/ /ŭ/ /n/ A: sun

18. bike/check /b/ /ī/ /k/ A: bike

See p. 78 for differentiation options for What’s That Word?

Unit 5 | Lesson 2 | Part 1

Activity 18: Peel and Say PA: BSI

Objective

Students will isolate, identify, and produce the shared beginning sound of three words.

See p. 64 for a full description of Peel and Say.

What Students See 3,

2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 2, Part 1 (5.2.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to peel the first sound off of some words. Listen and repeat after me.”

Click to display the jacket, jellyfish, and jam and name them as you point to each one. (Students repeat the three words.)

Ask “What’s the first sound in jacket, jellyfish, and jam?” A: /j/

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the octopus, ox, and October and name them as you point to each one. (Students repeat.)

Ask “What’s the first sound in octopus, ox, and October?” A: /ŏ/

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. paintbrush, penny, peppermint /p/

2. mix, muffin, mouth /m/ 3. ice, ice cream, icicle / ī/ 4. fence, football, finger /f/ 5. kiwi, kite, keyboard - /k/ 6. alligator, apple, ax - /ă/ 7. gumballs, garden, gift /g/ 8. shirt, shoes, shorts - /sh/ 9. whale, watermelon, worm /w/

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /kwuh/. If students call out the letter q, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

10. tie, towel, turtle - /t/

11. queen, quick, quilt - /kw/ 12. zoo, zucchini, zigzag - /z/

13. raccoon, rooster, rabbit - /r/ 14. oatmeal, oboe, oval - /ō/ 15. sick, sidewalk, sunflower - /s/

16. violin, vegetables, volcano - /v/ 17. unhappy, umbrella, under - /ŭ/

18. thermometer, thorn, thumb - /th/

See p. 65 for differentiation options for Peel and Say.

Unit 5 | Lesson 2 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /kw/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 2, Part 2 (5.2.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /kw/, /kw/, kw/, /kw/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/kw/, /kw/, kw/, /kw/.”)

• “I felt my mouth change shape when I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the back of my tongue tap the roof of my mouth, then quickly my lips rounded and air came out!

o I did it again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound, /kw/, /kw/, kw/, /kw/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /kw/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /kw/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

• She is a small plump bird with brown and blue-gray feathers.

• She spends most of her time on the ground, but can fly short distances.

• She has a black plume on her head.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the quail.

Say:

• “She’s a quail! Do you hear and feel /kw/, /kw/, kw/, /kw/ when you start to say /kw/, quail?

•

Now, let’s watch a quick video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /kw/, Quincy the Quail.

Say:

•

“Now I’m going to read a story about our new friend so we can learn more about her. While I'm reading, make sure that you listen quite carefully for her favorite sound… /kw/, /kw/, kw/, /kw/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /kw/ each time you say it: Quincy is a quail who lives in Queens, New York. Most quails don’t question their quiet lives, but Quincy got bored of her quaint hometown, the boring quilting bees, and quarreling over who quilted most quickly. Quincy’s quest for adventure

Whenever the letters qu are highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /kw/ in the word, as in /kw/ake for quake and /kw/ickly for quickly

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /kw/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /kw/.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Some of the answers in this Pick and Choose game have the target sound /kw/ in the middle of the answer, rather than at the beginning (e.g., square, aqua, squid, squash, squeak, squint). Be sure to emphasize the /kw/ sound in the middle of those words when asking the questions.

led her to Queens and the unequaled excitement of New York City! Quincy needed a job, so she inquired about one at a quirky costume shop. The shop owner asked her a question: ‘What makes you qualified?’ Quincy quickly sewed sequins onto her quilted jacket. The owner squealed, ‘That’s exquisite! You’re hired!’ Now Quincy is the costume queen of the city.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Quincy the Quail ’s story started with her favorite sound, /kw/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Quincy the Quail. Most of the answers will start with Quincy ’s favorite sound, /kw/. Some of the answers may have the sound /kw/ in the middle of the word instead of at the beginning, so listen carefully.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that most of the answers will start with Quincy ’s favorite sound, /kw/, and that some of the answers will have the sound /kw/ in the middle of the word.

1. “Is Quincy a pigeon or a quail?” A: quail

2. “Did Quincy think her life was too quiet or too busy?” A: quiet

3. “Did the quails get together for quilting or sewing?” A: quilting

4. “How did Quincy sew the sequins on her jacket, carefully or quickly?”

A: quickly

5. “What is Quincy’s new nickname, the costume queen or princess?” A: queen

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Quincy picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Quincy might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: most of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /kw/. Some of the answers may have the sound /kw/ in the middle of the word instead of at the beginning, so listen carefully.

• Let’s all say Quincy ’s sound again: /kw/.”

Ask questions about Quincy the Quail ’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Quincy quite likes all shapes with four sides. Are they triangles or quadrilaterals?” A: quadrilaterals

o “Her favorite one has sides that are equal in length. Is it a square or rectangle?” A: square

2. “Quincy’s favorite color reminds her of the ocean. Is it aqua or green?” A: aqua

3. “Quincy buys a quill pen for 25 cents. Does she pay with a dime or a quarter?” A: quarter

4. “Quincy’s class has a paper with just a few questions. Does her teacher call it a test or a quiz?” A: quiz

5. “Quincy goes to the market quickly each day to buy food. Can you think of some things that Quincy might eat?

o Which fruit will she get, an orange or a quince?” A: quince

o “Which seafood does she like, squid or lobster?” A: squid

o “She also requires some vegetables. Does she get beans or squash?” A: squash

6. “Quincy used to quilt quietly with other quails. She was quite surprised to meet two other animals with names that start with /kw/, /kw/, /kw/, /kw/.

o One of them lives in Australia and has spots on its fur. Is it a platypus or a quoll?” A: quoll

o “The other is a quirky mammal that looks like a small kangaroo. Is it a quokka or a wallaby?” A: quokka

7. “Quincy is generally quiet, but sometimes she starts to squirm and just needs to move! Let’s see if we can pick out which actions Quincy likes best.

o When Quincy gets excited, her feathers shake all over! Does she quiver or tremble?” A: quiver

o “Sometimes, Quincy likes to make the sounds of other animals. When she acts like a duck, does she honk or quack?” A: quack

o “If she pretends she’s a mouse, does she squeak or bark?” A: squeak

o “Quincy disagrees with her friends at times. Do they argue or quarrel?” A: quarrel

o “When the sun is too bright, does she shut her eyes or squint?” A: squint

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /kw/, and our friend, Quincy the Quail!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /kw/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Quincy is a quail who lives in Queens, New York. ‘A quail in the big city?’ you might query. True, quails are better equipped for a quiet life, but Quincy got bored of her quaint hometown. She got tired of the dull quilting bees

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

and the quarreling over who was quickest or had the best quality quilts. Quincy quivered with excitement as she planned to quit her dull life. Her quest for adventure led her to Queens and the unequaled excitement of New York City! Once she got acquainted with the city, Quincy inquired about a job at a quirky costume shop near Broadway. ‘What are your qualifications?’ questioned the shop owner. Quincy quickly stitched sequins onto her quilted jacket. The owner was quite impressed and squealed, ‘That’s exquisite! You’re hired!’ Now Quincy is the costume queen of the city.

Unit 5 | Lesson 2 | Part 3

Activity 24: Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend three phonemes to produce a word.

See p. 116 for a full description of Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 2, Part 3 (5.2.3).

Launch!

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Say: • “Let’s see what words are in our Mystery Bag! Listen to my sounds. • /m/ /ă/ /n/.”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these sounds together, /m/ /ă/ /n/?” A: man Say “Let’s check in the bag!”

Click to display the man to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the Mystery bag.

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /f/ /ō/ /n/, phone

2. /kw/ /ā/ /l/, quail

3. /r/ /ă/ /t/, rat

4. /p/ /ŏ/ /t/, pot

5. /s/ /ĭ/ /ks/, six

6. /w/ /ā/ /l/, whale

7. /s/ /ē/ /l/, seal

8. /g/ /ā/ /t/, gate

9. /w/ /ā/ /v/, wave

10. /r/ /ō/ /b/, robe

11. /sh/ /ĭ/ /p/, ship

12. /w/ /ĭ/ /g/, wig

13. /m/ /ă/ /p/, map

14. /j/ /ă/ /m/, jam

15. /w/ /ĭ/ /n/, win

16. /s/ /ă/ /d/, sad

17. /kw/ /ĭ/ /k/, quick

18. /f/ /ē/ /t/, feet 19. /m/ /ă/ /ch/, match 20. /n/ /er/ /s/, nurse 21. /r/ /ō/ /z/, rose 22. /j/ /�/ /s/, juice 23. /s/ /ŏ/ /k/, sock 24. /k/ /ă/ /t/, cat 25. /m/ /ĭ/ /ks/, mix 26. /t/ /ē/ /th/, teeth 27. /h/ /ŭ/ /g/, hug 28. /ĕ/ /l/ /f/, elf 29. /y/ /ĕ/ /s/, yes

See p. 117 for differentiation options for Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

Unit 5 | Lesson 3 | Part 1

Activity 17: Peel and Sort PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify matching beginning sounds.

See p. 42 for a full description of Peel and Sort.

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 3, Part 1 (5.3.1).

Launch!

SORT 1:

Say “Today, we are going to sort words by their beginning sounds.”

Click to display the monkey and the popcorn as the column headings.

Point to the monkey and the popcorn and say “Our words will begin like /m/, monkey or /p/, popcorn.”

Click to display and point to the muffin.

Say:

• “/m/, muffin. Does /m/, muffin begin like monkey or popcorn?” A: monkey

• “Right! /m/, muffin, /m/, monkey. I’ll move the muffin to the /m/, monkey side.”

Click to place the muffin in the monkey column.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples, having students point to and name the correct column: /p/, peppermint; /m/, mouth; /m/, milk; /p/, paintbrush; /p/, piano; /m/, mask; /p/, pot; /m/, mountain; /p/, pants; /p/, penny; /m/, mittens.

Say: • “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students): o /m/, monkey; /m/, muffin; /m/, mouth; /m/, milk; /m/, mask; /m/, mountain; /m/, mittens

o /p/, popcorn; /p/, peppermint; /p/, paintbrush; /p/, piano; /p/, pot; /p/, pants; /p/, penny

• Let’s try that with two new sounds.”

SORT 2:

Click to display the cat and the goat as the column headings. Point to the cat and the goat and say “Our words will begin like /k/, cat or /g/, goat.”

Click to display and point to the girl

Say:

• “/g/, girl. Does /g/, girl begin with the same sound as cat or goat?”

A: goat

• “/g/, girl, /g/, goat. I’ll move the girl to the /g/, goat side.”

Click to place the girl in the goat column.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples, having students point to and name the correct column: /k/, crab; /g/, gloves; /g/, guitar; /k/, cactus; /g/, gumballs; /k/, cow; /g/, grapes; /k/, car; /k/, cloud; /g/, gate; /k/, corn.

Say “Let’s go over our work (point to each image as you label it with students):

o /k/, cat; /k/, crab; /k/, cactus; /k/, cow; /k/, car; /k/, cloud; /k/, corn

o /g/, goat; /g/, girl; /g/, gloves; /g/, guitar; /g/, gumballs; /g/, grapes; /g/, gate.”

See p. 44 for differentiation options for Peel and Sort.

Unit 5 | Lesson 3 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /j/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

What Students See

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /juh/. If students call out the letter j, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.” Whenever the letter j is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /j/ in the word, as in /j/ust for just and /j/ump for jump.

3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 3, Part 2 (5.3.2).

Launch!

Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /j/, /j/, /j/, /j/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/j/, /j/, /j/, /j/.”)

• “I felt something moving inside my mouth while I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the front of my tongue push up behind my top teeth. Then my voice turned on and air pushed out over my tongue.

o I did it again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound, /j/, /j/, /j/, /j/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /j/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /j/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /j/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /j/.”

•

He is a mammal that hunts in the jungle.

• He is a giant cat, but he wouldn’t live in your house.

• He has black spots on orange or tan fur.

Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the jaguar.

Say:

• “He’s a jaguar! Do you hear and feel /j/, /j/, /j/, /j/ when you start to say /j/, jaguar?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /j/, Jamal the Jaguar. Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. Make sure while I’m reading that you listen carefully for his favorite sound… /j/, /j/, /j/, /j/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /j/ each time you say it: Jamal is a jaguar from Jacksonville, Georgia. Jaguars are generally athletic cats, able to jump, climb, and swim joyfully. Jamal was a bit jealous of those jaguars. Just playing on the jungle gym was hard for him, as he got jammed in the tunnel slide and got jumbled up in nets. His friends jeered at him, but Jamal joked right back, ‘I may not be a gymnast, but have you seen me juggle?’ In fact, they had not. Jamal jiggled three juice boxes out of his jacket pocket and juggled them as he jigged and jogged around. Jaws dropped. Now Jamal’s friends were jealous!

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Jamal the Jaguar ’s story started with his favorite sound, /j/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Jamal the Jaguar. All of the answers will start with Jamal ’s favorite sound, /j/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Jamal ’s favorite sound, /j/.

1. “Is Jamal a leopard or a jaguar?” A: jaguar

2. “Are most jaguars good at jumping or skipping?” A: jumping

3. “Where did Jamal get stuck on the playground, on the swings or on the jungle g ym?” A: jungle gym

4. “What did Jamal pull out of his jacket pocket, juice boxes or candy?” A: juice boxes

5. “What did Jamal do really well to make his friends jealous, play ball or juggle?” A: juggle

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Jamal picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Jamal might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of his favorite things start with his favorite sound, /j/. Let’s all say Jamal ’s sound again: /j/.”

Ask questions about Jamal the Jaguar ’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Jamal has three favorite months of the year! He celebrates a new year on the first day of this month, is it January or December?” A: January

o “His birthday is in the middle of the year. Was he born in November or June?” A: June

o “Finally, he loves to watch fireworks on the 4th of… July or August?” A: July

2. “Jamal wakes up and jumps into his favorite blue pants. Are they jeans or khakis?” A: jeans

o “When it gets cold in January, he needs to keep warm. Does Jamal put on a sweater or jacket?” A: jacket

3. “Jamal will take a journey to Jamaica. Will he jump on a ship or a jet?”

A: jet

o “He wants to travel through the jungles there. Will he ride in a jeep or in a bus?” A: jeep

4. “Jamal will jot down stories of his adventures in a little book. Does he call that book his journal or his diary?” A: journal

5. “Jamal jogs to stay healthy, but it’s hard to give up junk food! Can you help Jamal make better choices?

o Should he drink juice or soda pop?” A: juice

o “Jamal looks at the jars on the store shelf. What should he put on his sandwich, marshmallow fluff or jelly?” A: jelly

o “It’s the holidays and Jamal can justify eating a special baked treat. What will he make, gingerbread or cupcakes?” A: gingerbread

o “Usually, Jamal eats a fruity dessert that jiggles! Is it pudding or jello?”

A: jello

6. “Jamal jokes around with other jaguars, but he also likes to join other animals that start with the sound /j/. How many can we think of?”

A: jellyfish, jackrabbit, giraffe, gerbil, jackal, jaybird, joey, jerboa, junco, etc.

7. “Jamal may not be a g ymnast, but he likes to do more than juggle. Let’s see if we can judge which actions Jamal likes best.

o When Jamal comes to a puddle, does he splash in it or jump over it?”

A: jump over it

o “When Jamal is feeling jolly, he can be very talkative. Does he jabber or gab?” A: jabber

o “The door is jammed, but Jamal needs to get inside. Does he jerk or tug on the door?” A: jerk

o “Jamal just learned of a new jogging club. Does he sign up or join?”

A: join Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /j/, and our friend, Jamal the Jaguar!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /j/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Jamal is a jaguar from Jacksonville, Georgia. Jaguars are generally considered athletic cats, able to jump great distances, climb trees, and unlike most cats, they are judged to be great swimmers. Jamal was a bit jealous of those jaguars. He had trouble just playing on the jungle g ym, as he got jammed in the tunnel slide and got jumbled up in nets. His friends jeered at him, jabbing his ribs and teasing, ‘Gee, you call yourself a jaguar?’ Jamal, however, joked right back, ‘I may be no g ymnast, but have you seen me juggle?’ In fact, they had not. Jamal jiggled three juice boxes out of his jacket pocket and began to juggle them as he jigged and jogged around the playground. Jaws dropped. Now Jamal’s friends were jealous! Jamal may well have been the best juggler in all of Georgia… but who are we to judge?

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Unit 5 | Lesson 3 | Part 3

Activity 23: What’s That Word? PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend the phonemes (sounds) in a threephoneme word and say the whole word.

See p. 77 for a full description of What’s That Word?

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 3, Part 3 (5.3.3).

Launch!

Say “I am going to say three sounds, and then we will blend them together to make a whole word.”

Click to display the bird and the book.

Say:

• “Bird, book.

• Listen carefully while I say the sounds of one of these words: /b/ (hold up thumb; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /er/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /d/ (hold up middle finger; keep up).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those three sounds together, /b/ /er/ /d/, what word do we get?” A: bird (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the ant and the bell

Say:

• “Ant, bell.

• Listen carefully while I say the sounds of one of these words: /b/ (hold up thumb; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /ĕ/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /l/ (hold up middle finger; keep up).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those three sounds together, /b/ /ĕ/ /l/, what word do we get?” A: bell (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. bag /wave /b/ /ă/ /g/ A: bag

2. juice/dog /j/ /�/ /s/ A: juice

3. corn/yawn /y/ /aw/ /n/ A: yawn

4. feet/sun /f/ /ē/ /t/ A: feet

5. lick /hug /l/ /ĭ/ /k/ A: lick

6. check/pen /p/ /ĕ/ /n/ A: pen

7. jet/wig /j/ /ĕ/ /t/ A: jet

8. robe/gate /g/ /ā/ /t/ A: gate

9. egg/feet /f/ /ē/ /t/ A: feet

10. rip/leg /l/ /ĕ/ /g/ A: leg

11. seal/tape /s/ /ē/ /l/ A: seal

12. pan/net /p/ /ă/ /n/ A: pan

13. fish/ant /f/ /ĭ/ /sh/ A: fish

14. box/worm /w/ /er/ /m/ A: worm

15. quick /pig /kw/ /ĭ/ /k/ A: quick

16. rug/sun /s/ /ŭ/ /n/ A: sun

17. sit/hug /h/ /ŭ/ /g/ A: hug

18. bird/shirt /sh/ /er/ /t/ A: shirt

See p. 78 for differentiation options for What’s That Word?

Unit 5 | Lesson 4 | Part 1

Activity 20: This or That? PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify which word of two has a specific beginning sound.

See p. 102 for a full description of This or That?

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 4, Part 1 (5.4.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we are going to listen for the word that begins with the sound I say.”

Click to display the headphones and the skateboard.

Point to each image and say “Headphones, skateboard. Which word starts with /h/?” A: headphones

Say “Yes, /h/, headphones.”

Click to show the correct answer. Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. jellybeans/oval (“Which one starts with /ō/?” A: oval)

2. eyeball/chimney (“Which one starts with /ch/?” A: chimney)

3. garden/tiger (“Which one starts with /g/?” A: garden)

4. peanut/vegetables (“Which one starts with /p/?” A: peanut)

5. window/bookshelf (“Which one starts with /b/?” A: bookshelf)

6. bike/fox (“Which one starts with /f/?” A: fox)

7. giraffe/pie (“Which one starts with /j/?” A: giraffe)

8. lemon/hamburger (“Which one starts with /l/?” A: lemon)

9. overalls/quilt (“Which one starts with /kw/?” A: quilt)

10. zero/toaster (“Which one starts with /z/?” A: zero)

11. umbrella/apple (“Which one starts with /ŭ/?” A: umbrella)

12. nest/mouth (“Which one starts with /n/?” A: nest)

13. seal/towel (“Which one starts with /s/?” A: seal)

14. angel/iron (“Which one starts with /ā/?” A: angel)

15. win/popcorn (“Which one starts with /w/?” A: win)

16. octopus/igloo (“Which one starts with /ĭ/?” A: igloo)

17. house/penny (“Which one starts with /p/?” A: penny)

18. fire/net (“Which one starts with /f/?” A: fire)

19. ball/dog (“Which one starts with /b/?” A: ball)

See p. 103 for differentiation options for This or That?

Unit 5 | Lesson 4 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to an alliterative story and participate in identifying words beginning with the target sound /y/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

What

Students

See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 4, Part 2 (5.4.2).

Launch!

Say:

•

“We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /y/, /y/, /y/, /y/.”

• “Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say “/y/, /y/, /y/, /y/.”)

• “I felt my mouth change shape while I made this sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize key points.)

Be careful not to add a vowel sound after the consonant; e.g., /yuh/. If students call out the letter y, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

Whenever the letter y is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /y/ in the word, as in /y/ou for you and /y/our for your

o “I started to smile, my voice turned on, then my mouth opened.

o I did it again and again because I could not stretch it out. /y/, /y/, /y/, /y/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal she is, she’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal starts with the sound /y/.”

Students guess what the animal

could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /y/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

CLUES:

If a child makes a guess that does not start with /y/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that starts with our new sound, /y/.”

• She is a mammal with long shaggy hair and a long tail.

• She yearns to be in the mountains and likes cold.

• She uses her horns to break through snow and ice. Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the yak

Say:

• “She’s a yak! Do you hear and feel /y/, /y/, /y/, /y/ when you start to say /y/, yak?

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what her favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /y/, Yolanda the Yak. Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about her. Make sure while I’m reading that you listen carefully for her favorite sound… /y/, /y/, /y/, /y/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /y/ each time you say it:

Yolanda is a yak from Yakima, Washington. For a youngster with years ahead of her, she thought too much about yesterday.

Yolanda yawned at the yellow sun in her yard and yearned for winter snow. This year, her garden yielded yellow squash, but Yolanda yammered, ‘I wish I’d planted yams again!’ Hearing the

young yak’s regrets, a neighbor yelled out to her, ‘ Yolanda, when you yearn for yesterday, you miss out on today! Come, let’s do yoga, play with yoyos, eat frozen yogurt, and yodel from the hilltops! What do you say?’ Yolanda said, ‘ You are so right! Yes, I say yes!’ The yaks headed for the hills, yelping, ‘ Yahoo!’

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Yolanda the Yak’s story started with her favorite sound, /y/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about our new friend Yolanda the Yak. All of the answers will start with Yolanda’s favorite sound, /y/.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that the answers should start with Yolanda’s favorite sound, /y/.

1. “Is Yolanda a goat or a yak?” A: yak

2. “Did Yolanda think too much about yesterday or tomorrow?” A: yesterday

3. “What kind of squash did Yolanda plant in her garden this year, green or yellow?” A: yellow

4. “How did the neighbor yak get Yolanda’s attention, by yelling or waving?” A: yelling

5. “What did the yaks plan to do on the hilltops, yodel or dance?” A: yodel

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Yolanda picked out some of her favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Yolanda might pick as her favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: all of her favorite things start with her favorite sound, /y/. Let’s all say Yolanda’s sound again: /y/.”

Ask questions about Yolanda the Yak’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “ Yolanda’s favorite color is bright and sunny. Do you think it’s orange or yellow?” A: yellow

2. “ Yolanda enjoys all of the months. When twelve months have passed, is it a new season or a new year?” A: year

3. “ Yolanda’s brother was born two years before her. Is Yolanda younger or older than her brother?” A: younger

4. “ Yolanda plays with her favorite toy by yanking on its string. Is it a kite or a yoyo?” A: yoyo

5. “ Yolanda can be a picky eater. She thinks a lot of food is yucky! Can you choose the foods that she thinks are yummy?

o Which part of an egg does Yolanda think is yummy, the white or the yolk?” A: yolk

o “Which dairy food does Yolanda eat, yogurt or cheese?” A: yogurt

o “Which vegetable does she think is yummy, a potato or a yam?” A: yam

o “Will Yolanda eat yellow squash or zucchini?” A: yellow squash

6. “ Yolanda invites other yaks to play in her back yard. She has yet to meet many animals that also start with the sound /y/.

o One new friend is a racehorse who just had his first birthday. Is he called a colt or a yearling?” A: yearling

o “ Yolanda once met a giant tuna when she was sailing on a yacht. Was the fish called an albacore or yellowfin tuna?” A: yellowfin

o “She also knows an insect who looks like a bee, but he is actually a wasp. Is he a bumblebee or a yellow jacket?” A: yellow jacket

7. “ Yolanda is still young and always on the move. See if you can pick out which actions Yolanda likes.

o Yolanda enjoys singing from the mountaintops. Does she rap or yodel?” A: yodel

o “ Yolanda’s voice can be heard across the yard when she does this. Does she whisper or yell?” A: yell

o “How can you tell that Yolanda is sleepy? Does she yawn or cough?” A: yawn

o “ Yolanda feels a tug on her fishing line. Does she pull or yank on the pole?” A: yank

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /y/, and our friend, Yolanda the Yak!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /y/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary.

Yolanda is a yak from Yakima, Washington. For a youngster with years ahead of her, she thought far too much about yesterday. Yolanda yawned at the brilliant yellow sun shining in her yard and yearned for winter snow. She yanked the yarn from a scarf she just knitted, yelling, ‘I made a better one yesterday!’ This year, her

garden yielded beautiful yellow squash, but Yolanda yammered, ‘I wish I’d planted yams again!’ Hearing the young yak’s regrets, a neighbor yelled across the yard, ‘ Yolanda, when you yearn for yesterday, you miss out on today! Come, let’s do yoga, play with yoyos, eat frozen yogurt, and yodel from the hilltops! What do you say?’ Yolanda said, ‘ You are so right! What a silly yak I’ve been. Yes, I say yes!’ The yaks headed for yonder hills, yelping, ‘ Yahoo!’

Unit 5 | Lesson 4 | Part 3

Activity 24: Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend three phonemes to produce a word.

See p. 116 for a full description of Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

What Students See 3, 2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 4, Part 3 (5.4.3).

Launch!

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say:

•

“Let’s see what words are in our Mystery Bag! Listen to my sounds.

• /n/ /er/ /s/.”

Ask “What word does it make when we put these sounds together, /n/ /er/ /s/?” A: nurse

Say “Let’s check in the bag!”

Click to display the nurse to confirm students’ answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. /w/ /ĭ/ /g/, wig 2. /m/ /ĭ/ /t/, mitt 3. /b/ /er/ /d/, bird 4. /y/ /aw/ /n/, yawn 5. /b/ /ŭ/ /s/, bus 6. /k/ /or/ /n/, corn 7. /sh/ /er/ /t/, shirt 8. /s/ /ŏ/ /k/, sock 9. /f/ /ē/ /t/, feet 10. /ĕ/ /l/ /f/, elf 11. /g/ /er/ /l/, girl 12. /ă/ /n/ /t/, ant 13. /g/ /ā/ /t/, gate 14. /l/ /ĕ/ /g/, leg 15. /kw/ /ĭ/ /k/, quick

See p.

16. /t/ /ō/ /z/, toes 17. /n/ /ĕ/ /t/, net 18. /d/ /ŏ/ /g/, dog 19. /ch/ /ĕ/ /k/, check 20. /b/ /ō/ /n/, bone 21. /f/ /�/ /t/, foot 22. /k/ /ī/ /t/, kite 23. /m/ /�/ /s/, moose 24. /b/ /ā/ /r/, bear 25. /s/ /ĭ/ /t/, sit 26. /ĭ/ /n/ /ch/, inch 27. /j/ /�/ /s/, juice 28. /sh/ /ar/ /k/, shark 29. /th/ /or/ /n/, thorn

117 for differentiation options for Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds.

Unit 5 | Lesson 5 | Part 1

Activity 19: Peel and Match PA: BSI

Objective

Students will identify two words that have the same beginning sound.

See p. 95 for a full description of Peel and Match.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 5, Part 1 (5.5.1).

Launch!

Say “Today, we’re going to decide which words have the same beginning sound.”

ROUND 1:

Click to display the chin on the left.

Point to the chin and say “/ch/, chin. Your turn.” A: /ch/, chin

Click to display the chair and the peanut on the right.

Point to each image and say “chair, peanut.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as chin?” A: chair

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the dog and the chimney on the right.

Point to each image and say “dog, chimney.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as chin?” A: chimney

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue to compare the next five image sets with the /ch/, chin:

• /ch/, check & /h/, hat

• /s/, sled & /ch/, cheese

• /l/, lion & /ch/, chocolate

• /ī/, eyeball & /ch/, chalk

You do not have to isolate the beginning sounds before saying each word; however, if you would like to differentiate the activity to make it slightly easier for the students (see Differentiation Options on p. 97), the beginning sounds are isolated for you in the bulleted lists of examples.

• /ch/, church & /f/, football

ROUND 2:

Say “Now, let’s see which words begin the same as soap.”

Click to display the soap on the left.

Point to the soap and say “/s/, soap. What is it?” A: /s/, soap

Click to display the six and the duck on the right.

Point to each image and say “six, duck.”

Ask “Which word begins the same as soap?” A: six

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue to compare the next six image sets with the /s/, six:

• /s/, sunglasses & /ĕ/, elbow

• /r/, rabbit & /s/, skunk

• /h/, horse & /s/, seal

• /s/, sunflower & /b/, banana

• /s/, sidewalk & /j/, jam

• /l/, lemon & /s/, sun

ROUND 3:

Say “Now, let’s see which words begin the same as wave.”

Click to display the wave on the left and the van and wing on the right.

Continue to compare the next seven image sets with the /w/, wave:

• /v/, van & /w/, wing

• /w/, wig & /t/, towel

• /ī/, iron & /w/, wagon

• /w/, window & /n/, nose

• /w/, worm & /v/, volcano

• /o/, oval & /w/, watermelon

• /w/, water & /kw/, quilt

See p. 97 for differentiation options for Peel and Match.

Unit 5 | Lesson 5 | Part 2

Activity 16: Sound Stories Sound Stories

Objective

Students will listen to a story featuring the sound /ks/ and participate in identifying words ending with the target sound /ks/.

See p. 35 for a full description of Sound Stories.

3, 2, 1…

What Students See

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 5, Part 2 (5.5.2).

Launch! Say:

• “We have a new sound to learn today. First, listen while I make the sound: /ks/, /ks/, /ks/, /ks/.

• Now I want all of you to make the same sound. While you do, think about what your mouth is doing and what you feel. Ready? Launch!” (Students say, “/ks/, /ks/, /ks/, /ks/.”)

• “I felt two things happen while I made that sound. What did you notice?” (Students respond; then summarize the key points.)

o “I could feel the back of my tongue tap the roof of my mouth, then air quickly started leaking out past my front teeth.

o I did it again and again because I couldn’t stretch out the sound, /ks/, /ks/, /ks/, /ks/.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We have a new friend who is hiding in our Mystery Bag today. If we can guess what kind of animal he is, he’ll come out! I’ll give you a clue: the name of this animal ends with the sound /ks/.”

Students guess what the animal could be.

Continue to give clues as needed, emphasizing /ks/ when it occurs. If no correct guess is made by the end of three clues, reveal the animal.

Be careful not to add a vowel sound before the consonant; e.g., /ĕks/. If students call out the letter x, say, “That could be a letter we see that shows this sound. Right now, let’s talk about the sound we hear and feel.”

If a child makes a guess that does not end with /ks/ while guessing the animal or in the activities that follow, say: “I hear [/sound/] when I say [student’s guess]. Let’s think of an answer that ends with our new sound, /ks/.”

Whenever the letter x is highlighted in boldface text, try to emphasize the sound /ks/ in the word, as in e/ks/perienced for experienced and e/ks/pects for expects

CLUES:

• He is a mammal in the dog family with red, brown, or silver fur.

• He is experienced at hunting in the night.

• He expects that you will admire his bushy tail. Say “Let’s check to see if we figured out what kind of animal our friend is.”

Click to reveal the fox.

Say:

• “He’s a fox! Do you hear and feel /ks/, /ks/, /ks/, /ks/ at the end of fox?

This is different from the other friends we met. Let me explain: we can hear the /ks/ sound at the end or in the middle of words, but never at the beginning. You will have to be ex tra careful listeners to find this sound!

• Now, let’s watch a short video about our new friend and see if we can guess what his favorite sound might be.”

Click to play the animation for /ks/, Max the Fox.

Say:

• “Now I’m going to read you a story about our new friend so we can learn more about him. Make sure while I’m reading that you listen ex tra carefully for his favorite sound… /ks/, /ks/, /ks/, /ks/.” (Wait for students to say the sound, or prompt them to say it.)

• “Remember, it won’t be at the beginning of a word.

• Pay attention because later I will ask you some questions about our friend. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Read the sound story aloud, emphasizing the sound /ks/ each time you say it:

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online

Max is a fox from Texarkana, Texas. Max was sure that Tyrannosaurus rex could not be ex tinct, so he set out to explore an excavation site in New Mexico. Max did not know what to expect, but he was excited to hear saxophone music beyond a hill of rocks. Peeking over the top, the excited Max exclaimed, ‘T. rex, you exist!’ The dinosaurs, relaxing over dinner, explained, ‘Yes, but we are ex tremely rare. Please don’t expose our hiding place. If you promise not to put us on exhibit, you may join us for a Tex-Mex feast.’ Max spent an excellent evening with his ex traordinary new friends.

Say “Did you notice that a lot of the words in Max the Fox ’s story ended with his favorite sound, /ks/? Let’s try to remember some of the things we heard about

our new friend Max the Fox. Most of the answers will end with Max ’s favorite sound, /ks/. Some of the answers may have the sound /ks/ in the middle of the word instead of at the end, so listen carefully.”

Ask the following questions, reminding students as necessary that most of the answers should end with Max’s favorite sound, /ks/, and that some of the answers will have the sound /ks/ in the middle of the word.

1. “Is Max a coyote or a fox?” A: fox

2. “Did Max go exploring to find a T. rex or a stegosaurus?” A: T. rex

3. “Where were the dinosaurs hiding, behind trees or rocks?” A: rocks

4. “What kind of music did Max hear at the excavation site, guitar or saxophone?” A: saxophone

5. “What kind of food did Max eat with the T. rex, Chinese or Tex-Mex?” A: Tex-Mex

Say:

• “Nice job! Now, Max picked out some of his favorite things to tell you about.

• Let’s play a game called Pick and Choose. I will tell you two things that Max might pick as his favorite. Let’s see if you can choose the right one. Here’s a clue: most of his favorite things end with his favorite sound, /ks/, but some of the answers will have the sound /ks/ in the middle of the word. Let’s all say Max ’s sound again: /ks/.”

Ask questions about Max the Fox’s favorite things, and elicit student responses according to the script below:

1. “Max thinks one number is ex tra special because it ends with his favorite sound. Let’s count until we hear his number. Ready? One, two, three, four, five, and six.” A: six

2. “Max got the blocks all mixed up! He wants to find his favorite shape with six sides. Is it a hexagon or square?” A: hexagon

3. “Max decided to expand his experiences and join the band. He was excited about one musical instrument. Was it a trumpet or a saxophone?” A: saxophone

4. “Max needs a container for the rocks he found on his fossil hunting expedition. Will he put them in a box or a bag?” A: box

5. “Max is exhausted and hungry after exploring all day. Can you think of some food Max would like to eat?

o Which pizza will he order, plain cheese or deluxe?” A: deluxe

o “Which kind of restaurant has exactly what Max wants? Is it Mexican or Chinese?” A: Mexican

Some of the answers in this Pick and Choose game have the target sound /ks/ in the middle of the answer, rather than at the end (e.g., hexagon, saxophone, Mexican, boxer). Be sure to emphasize the /ks/ sound in the middle of those words when asking the questions.

You can read the Sound Story aloud yourself; however, you have the option to play a recorded version of the Sound Story in Countdown Online.

o “Max wants to take snacks on his nex t excursion. Does he take granola bars or trail mix?” A: trail mix

6. “Max likes to relax with other foxes, but he was also excited to meet a few other animals with names that have the sound /ks/.

o The first one is a strong mammal that can pull ex tremely heavy loads. Is it an ox or a horse?” A: ox

o “Max met a wild cat with long fur on its ears. Was it a tiger or a lynx?” A: lynx

o “Finally, Max met a brown dog with short fur. Was it a beagle or a boxer?” A: boxer

7. “Max gets plenty of exercise on his hikes. We would expect that he likes many different actions. Let’s see if we can find the ones Max likes best.

o Max bakes a cake with his mom. Does he like to measure or mix the ingredients?” A: mix

o “Max has good reflexes and strong muscles from his exercise. How does he show off his muscles? Does he flex or shake them?” A: flex

o “Max needs help moving a heavy box of fossils. How can he convince ox to help him? Does he coax him or order him to help?” A: coax

o “Max broke the handle of his tool box. Does he throw it away or fix it?” A: fix it

Say “Great job thinking about our new sound, /ks/, and our friend, Max the Fox!”

OPTIONAL Advanced Sound Story

Below is an optional, more complex version of the sound story for /ks/. It includes more difficult vocabulary and sentence structure. You may choose to read this story if you wish to challenge your students or expose them to higher level vocabulary. Max is a fox from Texarkana, Texas. Many young foxes like dinosaurs, but Max ’s interest was exceptional. Insisting that Tyrannosaurus rex could not possibly be ex tinct, Max set out to explore an old excavation site in New Mexico. Max did not know what to expect, but he was excited to hear saxophone music drifting over a hill of rocks. Peeking over the top, the excited Max exclaimed, ‘T. rex, you exist!’ The dinosaurs, relaxing over dinner, looked up and explained, ‘Yes, but we are

ex tremely rare. Please don’t expose our hiding place. Promise not to put us on exhibit, and you may join us for a delicious Tex-Mex feast.’ Max expressed his thanks and spent an excellent evening with his ex traordinary new friends. Max never broke his promise. He is now a leading expert on the T. rex and enjoys a yearly excursion to the secret gathering in New Mexico.

Unit 5 | Lesson 5 | Part 3

Activity 23: What’s That Word? PA: Blending

Objective

Students will blend the phonemes (sounds) in a threephoneme word and say the whole word.

See p. 77 for a full description of What’s That Word?

What Students See 3,

2, 1…

Open Countdown Online to Unit 5, Lesson 5, Part 3 (5.5.3).

Launch!

Say “I am going to say three sounds, and then we will blend them together to make a whole word.”

Click to display the images for soap and yes

Say:

• “Soap, yes.

• Listen carefully while I say the sounds of one of these words: /y/ (hold up thumb; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /ĕ/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) –(PAUSE) – /s/ (hold up middle finger; keep up).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those three sounds together, /y/ /ĕ/ /s/, what word do we get?” A: yes (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Click to display the robe and the pen.

Say:

• “Robe, pen.

• Listen carefully while I say the sounds of one of these words: /r/ (hold up thumb; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /ō/ (hold up pointer finger; keep up) – (PAUSE) – /b/ (hold up middle finger; keep up).”

Ask “Look at these two pictures. If we blend those three sounds together, /r/ /ō/ /b/, what word do we get?” A: robe (Point to the correct picture and say the word.)

Click to show the correct answer.

Say “Let’s try another one.”

Continue with the remaining examples:

1. sad/whale /w/ /ā/ /l/ A: whale

2. boat/wax /b/ /ō/ /t/ A: boat

3. gate/tape /g/ /ā/ /t/ A: gate

4. old/vase /ō/ /l/ /d/ A: old

5. juice/inch / ĭ/ /n/ /ch/ A: inch

6. gum/hog /g/ /ŭ/ /m/ A: gum

7. leaf/mug /l/ /ē/ /f/ A: leaf

8. rat/nail /n/ /ā/ /l/ A: nail

9. seal/hose /h/ /ō/ /z/ A: hose

10. bird/can /b/ /er/ /d/ A: bird

11. bike/van /b/ / ī/ /k/ A: bike

12. fly/lime /l/ /ī/ /m/ A: lime

13. goat/ant /ă/ /n/ /t/ A: ant

14. ship/elf /sh/ / ĭ/ /p/ A: ship

15. wave/cube /k/ /y�/ /b/ A: cube

16. jam/lip /l/ / ĭ/ /p/ A: lip

17. kite/rug /k/ / ī/ /t/ A: kite

18. net/quick /n/ /ĕ/ /t/ A: net

See p. 78 for differentiation options for What’s That Word?

Table of Contents

Components of Countdown 186

Alternative Scope and Sequence 187

Guidewords, Movements, and Proper Articulation of Sounds 188

All Instances of Countdown Activities, by Strand 193

Environmental Activities 195

Additional Activities for Practice 200

Whole Body Listening and Whole Brain Learning Lessons 202

Items in Supplemental Resources of Countdown Online 211

Glossary of Terms 213

Components of Countdown

Teacher Materials

1. Countdown Teacher Guides:

o Teacher Guide 1 (Units 1-5)

o Teacher Guide 2 (Units 6-16)

o Teacher Guide 3 (Units 17-28)

2. Vowels Posters (for Units 17-28)

o Short Vowels Poster o Long Vowels Poster

Student Materials

1. Student Workbook (for Units 17-28)

2. Countdown Student Kit, which contains:

o Holding board with letter tiles and color tiles o Syllaboards™, dry erase marker, and eraser o Working board

Online Resource

1. Countdown Online, which contains:

o Online components correlating to each activity in the Teacher Guides (for Units 1-16)

o Interactive activities for learning and practicing letter sounds, Heart Words, phonemic awareness concepts, and phonics concepts (for Units 17-28) o Online letter and color tiles o Online Syllaboards™ o Online Vowels Posters o Additional Supplemental Resources (see p. 210)

Guidewords, Movements, and Proper Articulation of Sounds

SHORT VOWEL SOUNDS

Letter

Sound Guideword Movement

a /ă/

First sound in apple Pretend to hold an apple in your palm, face up, and move it across the front of your body while elongating the sound “/ăăăă/.”

Teaching/Articulation Tips

Your mouth is open wide, lips pulled back. Your tongue tip is low, and your tongue body is slightly raised toward your palate, but relaxed. Your voice is continuous.

e /ĕ/

First sound in edge Pretend to run your finger along the edge of a table or desk from left to right in front of you while elongating the sound “/ĕĕĕĕ/.”

Your mouth is moderately open, lips are wide. The body of your tongue is slightly raised toward your palate, but relaxed. Tongue sides lightly contact your upper teeth. Your voice is continuous.

i /ĭ/

First sound in itch Pretend to have an itch on your inner forearm and scratch it with your other hand while elongating the sound “/ ĭĭĭĭ/.”

Your mouth is slightly open and lips are wide. Your tongue is raised toward your palate, but relaxed. Tongue sides lightly contact your upper teeth. Your voice is continuous.

o /ŏ/

First sound in octopus Pretend your hand is an octopus with tentacles (fingers) hanging down, swimming above your head while elongating the sound “/ŏŏŏŏ/.”

u /ŭ/

First sound in up With pointer finger pointing up, move your hand from your waist to over your head while elongating the sound “/ŭŭŭŭ/.”

Your mouth is moderately open, lips are somewhat rounded. Your tongue is relaxed, lying on the mouth floor. Your voice is continuous.

Your mouth is open, lips relaxed. Your tongue tip is low, the back is slightly raised toward your palate, but relaxed. Your voice is continuous.

CONSONANT SOUNDS

Letter Sound Guideword Movement Teaching/Articulation Tips

b /b/

First sound in bear Cross your arms over your chest and pretend to scratch your “fur” by moving your hands up and down while saying “/b/, /b/, /b/, /b/.”

Close your lips to seal off your breath, turn on your voice, and let your lips pop open with a quick, noisy burst of air.

c /k/

First sound in cat Hold your thumb and pointer fingers together at the corners of your mouth, and then draw them out to the sides, away from your face (like cat whiskers) while saying “/k/, /k/, /k/, /k/.”

With your tongue tip down, press the back of your tongue up toward your throat to seal off your breath. Then, let air push past your tongue in a quick, quiet burst.

CONSONANT SOUNDS, continued

Letter Sound Guideword Movement Teaching/Articulation Tips

d /d/

First sound in duck Pretend your thumb and first two fingers are a duck bill in front of your mouth, opening and closing while saying “/d/, /d/, /d/, /d/.”

Press your tongue up behind your top teeth to seal off your breath, turn on your voice, and let air push over your tongue tip in a quick, noisy burst.

f /f/

First sound in fish Pretend your hand is a fish, thumb pointing up, and wave hand as if swimming through the water while elongating the sound “/ffff/.”

Rest your top teeth on your bottom lip and quietly blow air through them.

g /g/

First sound in goat Pretend your two pointer fingers are goat horns, and place them on the top of your head while saying “/g/, /g/, /g/, /g/.”

With your tongue tip down, press the back of your tongue up toward your throat to seal off your breath. Turn on your voice, then let air push past your tongue in a quick, noisy burst.

h /h/

First sound in hammer Pretend to hold a hammer and repeatedly hit a nail while saying “/h/, /h/, /h/, /h/.”

Open your mouth, and with your tongue down, force quiet air out of your lungs.

j /j/

First sound in jump Make a small jumping motion (or small bounce if sitting) while saying the sound “/j/, /j/, /j/, /j/.”

Press the tip and sides of your tongue up against your top teeth to seal off your breath. Turn on your voice, and quickly push noisy air over your tongue tip.

k /k/

First sound in key Pretend you are holding a key and turning it to unlock a door, saying “/k/, /k/, /k/, /k/” as you turn your wrist back and forth.

With your tongue tip down, press the back of your tongue up toward your throat to seal off your breath. Then, let air push past your tongue in a quick, quiet burst.

l /l/

First sound in lion Hold hands on either side of your head with fingers curled. Pretend to comb fingers through your lion’s mane, repeatedly moving up and out from your face while elongating the sound “/llll/.”

Press the tip of your tongue to the back of your top teeth, turn on your voice, and let noisy air come over the sides of your tongue.

m /m/

First sound in monkey Hold out arms at sides, elbows out, hands cupped down, moving arms up and down like a monkey while saying “/mmmm/.”

Hold your lips together, turn on your voice, and let noisy air vibrate from your nose.

CONSONANT SOUNDS, continued

Letter Sound Guideword Movement Teaching/Articulation Tips

n /n/

First sound in nest Cup your hands into a nest, as if you are holding eggs, while elongating the sound “/nnnn/.”

Press the tip of your tongue up behind your front teeth, turn on your voice, and let noisy air vibrate from your nose.

p /p/

First sound in popcorn Hold your hands in front of your body, pretending they are kernels of popcorn. Open and close your fingers back and forth on each hand quickly while saying “/p/, /p/, /p/, /p/.”

Close your lips to seal off your breath. Then, let your lips pop open with a quick, quiet burst of air.

qu /kw/

r /r/

First sounds in queen Make a circle with the thumbs and index fingers of both hands, and then place the small “crown” on your head while saying the sounds “/kw/, /kw/, /kw/, /kw/.”

First sound in rabbit Hold one hand with two extended fingers on top of your head (like rabbit ears). Make a small hopping motion (or small bounce if sitting) while elongating the sound “/rrrr/.”

With lips rounded, press the back of your tongue up toward your throat to seal off your breath (as in /k/). As you let air push past your tongue in a quiet stream, your lips open (as in /w/) and your voice turns on.

Crunch your tongue up and back, spreading its sides to contact your upper teeth. Turn on your voice and let noisy air come over your tongue.

s /s/

First sound in soap Rub your hands together as if washing them with soap while elongating the sound “/ssss/.”

Lift and spread your tongue so the sides touch your upper teeth. Pull your lips back into a smile, and slowly push a stream of quiet air over your tongue tip.

t /t/

First sound in toothbrush Pretend your finger is a toothbrush and use it to “brush” your teeth while saying “/t/, /t/, /t/, /t/.”

Press your tongue up behind your top teeth to seal off your breath. Then, let air push over your tongue tip in a quick, quiet burst.

v /v/

First sound in violin Pretend to hold a violin between your shoulder and chin, and use your hand to draw the bow across the strings while elongating the sound “/vvvv/.”

Rest your top teeth on your bottom lip, turn on your voice, and blow noisy air through your teeth.

w /w/

First sound in wave Wave hello with your hand, saying “/w/, /w/, /w/, /w/” as you wave it back and forth.

Round your lips into a small circle, turn on your voice, and let noisy air leak out as you open your mouth wider.

CONSONANT SOUNDS, continued

Letter Sound Guideword Movement

x /ks/

Last sounds in mix Pretend you are holding a big spoon and mix something with your hand, moving it in a circular pattern in front of you, while saying “/ks/, /ks/, /ks/, /ks/.”

Teaching/Articulation Tips

With your tongue tip down, press the back of your tongue up toward your throat to seal off your breath (as in /k/). As air bursts out, lift your tongue tip and quickly smile as quiet air leaks out (as in /s/).

y /y/

First sound in yes Raise your fists above your head and then pull them down, saying “/y/, /y/, /y/, /y/.”

Pull your lips back into a smile, teeth slightly apart, turn on your voice, and then slowly open your mouth as noisy air streams out.

z /z/

First sound in zipper Pretend to zip and unzip a zipper on a coat, elongating the sound “/zzzz/” as you “pull the zipper” up and down.

Lift and spread your tongue so the sides touch your upper teeth. Pull your lips back into a smile, and slowly push a stream of noisy air over your tongue tip.

LONG VOWEL SOUNDS

Letter Sound Guideword Movement

a /ā/

First sound in acorn Pretend your pointer and middle fingers are a paintbrush and write the lowercase letter a in the air while saying “/ā/.”

Teaching/Articulation Tips

Your mouth is somewhat open, lips are spread. The body of your tongue is slightly raised toward your palate and tensed. Tongue sides lightly contact upper back teeth. Your voice is continuous.

e /ē/

First sound in eagle Pretend your pointer and middle fingers are a paintbrush and write the lowercase letter e in the air while saying “/ē/.”

Your mouth is slightly open, lips are wide. Your tongue is raised toward your palate and tensed. Tongue sides lightly contact your upper teeth. Your voice is continuous.

i /ī/

First sound in ice Pretend your pointer and middle fingers are a paintbrush and write the lowercase letter i in the air while saying “/ī/.”

Start with your mouth open wide, your tongue low. Your voice is continuous as your lips spread, your jaw lifts, and your tongue is tensed and raised toward your palate.

o /ō/

First sound in open Pretend your pointer and middle fingers are a paintbrush and write the lowercase letter o in the air while saying “/ō/.”

Your mouth is slightly open, lips are rounded. The back of your tongue is raised toward your palate and tensed. Your voice is continuous.

u /y�/

First sound in unicorn Pretend your pointer and middle fingers are a paintbrush and write the lowercase letter u in the air while saying “/y�/.”

Your mouth is slightly open, lips are wide. Your tongue is raised toward your palate and tensed. Your voice is continuous as your lips round and scoop forward.

DIGRAPH SOUNDS

Letter Sound Guideword Movement

ch /ch/

First sound in chin Tap your chin with your pointer finger repeatedly while saying “/ch/, /ch/, /ch/, /ch/.”

Teaching/Articulation Tips

Press the tip and sides of your tongue up against your top teeth to seal off your breath. Then, quickly push a stream of quiet air over your tongue tip.

ck /k/

Last sound in sick Hold the back of your hand against your forehead while saying “/k/, /k/, /k/, /k/.”

With your tongue tip down, press the back of your tongue up toward your throat to seal off your breath. Then, let air push past your tongue in a quick, quiet burst.

sh /sh/

First sound in sheep Pretend one hand is a sheep and the other hand is scissors, trimming the sheep’s wool, while elongating the sound “/sh/, /sh/, /sh/, /sh/.”

Lift and spread your tongue so the sides touch your upper teeth. Scoop your lips forward and push a stream of quiet air over the middle of your tongue.

th /th/

First sound in thumb Give the “thumbs up” sign while elongating the sound “/th/, /th/, /th/, /th/.”

With your lips spread and teeth slightly open, press your tongue tip against the bottom edge of your front teeth and force a stream of air through the closure. This sound can be produced with no voice (as in “thing”) or with a voice (as in “that”).

wh /w/

First sound in whale Make a fist with thumb and pinky finger out straight to the sides. This is the whale of the tail. Make it swim back and forth while saying the sound “/w/, /w/, /w/, /w/.”

Round your lips into a small circle, turn on your voice, and let noisy air leak out as you open your mouth wider.

Appendix

Instances

19

Sound Stories

Countdown Activities,

Strand Activity # ACTIVITY STRAND ALL INSTANCES

21 Mystery Bag: Blending Compound Words

2.1.1, 2.3.1, 3.1.1, 3.3.1, 4.1.1, 5.1.1

22 Mystery Bag: Blending Onset-Rime 2.5.3 23 What’s That Word?

25 Stretch Those Sounds

PA: Segmenting

6.2.3, 6.3.3, 6.4.3, 7.1.1, 7.5.1, 8.2.1, 8.4.1, 9.2.1, 10.4.2, 11.3.1, 12.2.1, 13.4.2 26 Count the Sounds 9.4.1, 10.5.1, 11.5.1, 12.4.1 27 Add That Sound

PA: Manipulation

13.2.1, 13.5.1, 14.3.1, 15.4.1 28 Sound Swap 16.2.1, 16.3.1, 16.4.1 29 Letter-Sound Intro

6.1.1 30 Name That Sound

6.1.2, 7.1.2, 8.1.2, 10.1.2, 11.1.2, 13.1.2, 14.1.2 31 This Letter or That?

6.2.2, 6.3.2, 7.2.2, 7.3.2, 8.2.2, 8.3.2, 9.1.1, 9.5.1, 10.2.2, 10.3.2, 11.2.2, 11.3.2, 12.1.1, 12.5.1, 13.2.2, 13.3.2, 14.2.2, 14.3.2 32 Find That Letter

AP: Letter ID

6.4.2, 7.3.3, 8.4.2, 9.2.2, 10.4.1, 11.4.1, 12.2.2, 13.3.1, 15.2.2, 16.4.2 33 Connect the Letter

6.5.1, 7.4.2, 8.5.1, 9.4.2, 10.3.1, 12.4.2, 14.4.1, 15.4.2, 16.2.2

7.1.3, 7.4.3, 8.3.3, 9.1.3, 11.2.3, 13.2.3, 14.2.3, 15.3.1, 16.1.3

Letter-Sound Review 15.2.1, 16.5.3

7.2.3, 8.2.3, 9.3.3, 11.2.1, 12.3.3, 14.2.1

7.5.3, 8.4.3, 9.2.3, 10.4.3, 12.2.3, 14.4.2, 15.2.3, 16.2.3

9.4.3, 10.2.3, 11.4.3, 12.4.3, 13.4.3, 14.4.3, 15.4.3, 16.4.3

6.5.2, 7.5.2, 8.5.3, 9.5.3, 10.2.1, 11.4.2, 12.1.3, 13.4.1, 14.5.1, 15.1.3, 15.5.1, 16.1.1, 16.5.1

10.5.3, 11.5.3, 12.5.3, 13.5.3, 14.5.3, 15.3.3, 15.5.3, 16.3.3

8.1.3, 9.1.2, 10.1.3, 11.1.3, 12.1.2, 13.1.3, 14.1.3, 15.1.2, 16.1.2

Sight Words

8.3.1, 9.3.2, 10.3.3, 11.3.3, 12.3.2, 13.3.3, 14.3.3, 15.3.2, 16.3.2

8.5.2, 9.5.2, 10.5.2, 11.5.2, 12.5.2, 13.5.2, 14.5.2, 15.5.2, 16.5.2

Environmental Activities

The following listening-speaking-moving activities reinforce the phonological awareness skills addressed during Countdown’s structured lessons. As they require no visual supports or manipulatives, these activities can be incorporated into many environments, at almost any time. Our spoken language is made up of components, both large and small, that can be taken apart, manipulated, and put back together in a variety of ways. Children can learn this “whole-to-part-towhole” nature of speech more effectively by experiencing it through engagement in multisensory, game-like activities.

Alliteration and Rhyme Activities

1. Read Aloud

Provide children with early sound and word play by reading aloud from books that contain rhyming patterns (as in “Stop, stop, don’t hop on top!”) and alliteration (words with the same beginning sound, as in “big, bad, brown bear”). There is no need to explicitly point out these sound patterns although you may consider emphasizing these words and sounds while reading.

For example:

Alliteration:

o K is for Kissing a Cool Kangaroo (Giles Andreae)

o Princess Prunella and the Purple Peanut (Margaret Atwood)

o Pigs in Pajamas (Maggie Smith)

Rhyme:

o Green Eggs and Ham (Dr. Seuss)

o Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault)

o Llama Llama, Red Pajama (Anna Dewdney)

2. I’m Your Rhyme

Choose two, three, or four students to stand in different parts of the room. Ask each of these students to remember a given word and to say it aloud when asked or pointed to. Give each remaining student a word and ask them to find a student with a word that rhymes with his or hers. As two students say their words aloud, the standing student must respond, “Not this time” if the words do not rhyme, or, “I’m your rhyme” if they do.

For example:

o “tin” (point to first student: “bag”); “tin - bag: Are you my rhyme?” (“Not this time.”)

o “tin” (point to second student: “bed”); “tin - bed: Are you my rhyme?” (“Not this time.”)

o “tin” (point to third student: “pin”); “tin - pin: Are you my rhyme?” (“I’m your rhyme. Will you be mine?”)

o “tin - pin, they both end with ‘in.’ That makes a good rhyme!”

3. Name Games

During times when the class must line up or transition to a new space, use the children’s names to engage them in rhyme play. Tell the students that when they hear a word that rhymes with their name, they may line up.

For example:

o “rake” – Jake lines up

o “silly ” – Millie lines up

o “okay ” – José lines up

o “banana” – Hannah lines up

You can also use student names to engage them in alliterative word play, asking students to think of nouns, descriptive words, or action words that have the same beginning sound as their own names.

For example:

o Amy’s apron; able Amy; Amy aches

o Janeen’s jelly; joyful Janeen; Janeen jumps

Beginning Sound Isolation Activities

4. First Sound Fun

Have students isolate the beginning sounds in:

o Student names (/j/, John; /ā/, Asia; /d/, Devon; /s/, Sebastian)

o Activities (/k/, calendar time; /s/, circle time; /r/, recess; /l/, lunch)

o Places (/p/, playground; /t/, table; /k/, carpet; /d/, desks; /k/, cafeteria)

5. Show and Tell

If you plan on having Show and Tell in your classroom, here are a couple of ways to incorporate practice with beginning sound isolation or rhyme.

o Option 1: Have students bring in any object, or an object according to your theme. When they introduce it, they can isolate the beginning sound, with help if necessary.

o Option 2: Students bring in something in a bag that begins with the same sound as their name. The student must give clues as to what is in the bag. For example: “My object begins with the sound /(insert sound)/, or “My object rhymes with .” This gives students the opportunity to speak in front of others and to practice beginning sound isolation or rhyming, while allowing other students the opportunity to practice being good listeners.

6. I Spy!

Play a game of I Spy! with the clue being a beginning sound of the object you spy. Other options include “spying” an object based on its onset and rime or based on its individual phonemes (sounds). These options offer students the opportunity to blend parts of words or individual phonemes together to guess the “spied” object.

o Option 1 (Beginning Sound Isolation): “I spy something (an object in the classroom) that begins with /p/. What do I spy?” (pencils, paper, posters, etc.)

o Option 2 (Blending Onset and Rime): “I spy something (an object in the classroom) that begins with /r/ and ends with /ŭg /. What do I spy?” (If needed, say the onset and rime closer together.)

o Option 3 (Blending Individual Phonemes): “I spy (an object in the classroom) /g/ /ŭ/ /m/. What do I spy?” (If needed, say the phonemes closer together.) (Note that this should be done only with single-syllable words, beginning with words that have only two or three phonemes, like gum, key, or map.)

Segmenting Activities

These activities build awareness that our continuous stream of speech can be broken down into smaller units.

7. Stomp It Out!

Say a complete sentence, phrase, or word, and then demonstrate how to say it in segmented parts while taking a step (or “stomp”) forward with each verbal chunk produced. Ask the students to join in, reminding them to repeat the “whole” sentence, phrase, or word aloud before stomping out its “parts” (words, syllables, or sounds), and then say “the whole” sentence, phrase, or word again.

For example:

o Sentence Stomp: We – are – great – listeners – in – kindergarten

o Syllable Stomp: kin – der – gar – ten  kindergarten

o Sound Stomp: /f/ – /ŭ/ – /n/  fun

8. All Aboard!

Choose several students to line up, one for each spoken segment, along with one extra child to say the “whole” unit at the end. Act as “conductor,” saying a complete sentence, phrase, or word, and then demonstrate how each segment of the “whole” can be said by different individuals (the train cars), one after another, and then put back together again at the end (by the caboose). For example:

o Word Train: I - color - a - picture.  I color a picture.

o Syllable Train: wa - ter - mel - on  watermelon

o Sound Train: /k/ – /ŭ/ – /p/  cup

Blending Activities

9. One + One = One?

Tell students that when you add one object to another object, you get two objects. However, when you add one word to another word, sometimes you still have one word! Then choose two students to stand side-by-side and whisper one part of a word (compound word, syllable, or sound) to each. Direct the students to say their words (or word parts) aloud, in the order given, and then to say the new word made by putting them together. For example:

o Word Math: snow + flake = snowflake

o Syllable Math: car + toon = cartoon, or ta + ble = table

o Sound Math: /sh/ + /�/ = shoe

10. Snail and Frog Race

Choose two students for a “race,” placing one at the “starting line” and one at the “finish line.” Give the “starter” a single sound (onset). Tell him or her to either stretch out the sound while taking sliding steps (like a snail), for sounds that are continuants and can be held out in one breath, or to repeat it while hopping (like a frog), for sounds that are stops and cannot be held out in one breath, as the child moves across the track. Give the student at the finish line a (rime) and tell him or her to say it aloud when the racer reaches the finish line. The “fans” (rest of the class) call out the new word made by blending the two.

For example:

o “/ssss/… / ĭt/”  sit

o “/p/, /p/, /p/, /p/… / ĭt/”  pit

11. Sound Slide

Demonstrate how stretching out the beginning consonant and vowel sounds of a word (or non-word) and then adding a new sound to the end can create a new word. The goal is to smoothly blend the initial consonant(s) with the vowel sound rather than separating the first sound into an onset-rime split. Students use hand motions to imitate going down a slide, stretching the body of the word, then saying the new word as they reach the bottom. The ending sound (coda) at the bottom changes each time while the beginning sounds (body) stay the same.

For example:

o “/tăăăă/…/p/”  tap

o “/tăăăă/…/g/”  tag

o “/tăăăă/…/k/”  tack

o “/tăăăă/…/b/”  tab

12. Guess What?

Ask students to guess the word that is missing at the end of a spoken phrase or sentence. Given the individual sounds of the word, students blend them together to determine the “mystery” word and complete the message.

For example:

o “Has anyone seen my /p/ /ĕ/ /n/?”  pen

o “It’s time to pack your bags and get ready for the /b/ /ŭ/ /s/.”  bus

o “I’m hungry! It must be time for /l/ /ŭ/ /n/ /ch/.”  lunch

Manipulation Activities (Addition, Deletion, Substitution)

13. Now You Hear It, Now You Don’t!

Say a complete word and then demonstrate how to say it without one of its parts. Discuss meanings of the original word and the “little word” that gets left behind. Repeat the two words (first with, and then without the omitted part) and challenge students to name the word part that “got away.” They may also determine if it “escaped” from the beginning or the end of a word. Then, invite students to try this task on their own.

For example:

o Word Escape: “Say ladybug, but don’t say bug ”  lady; ladybug vs. lady

o Syllable Escape: “Say banana, but don’t say ba” nana; banana vs. nana

o Sound Escape: “Say cup, but don’t say /k/”  up; cup vs. up

14. Presto Change-o!

The teacher says a word and then demonstrates how to say it with a new sound. The old word and new word are then said in succession, with the teacher drawing attention to which sound was substituted and how this changed word meaning. Once students understand that one sound replaces another, they are invited to try this task on their own.

For example:

o “Listen carefully while I say a word: cat. Now listen again. I’m going to change the first sound /k/ to a new sound, /r/. (Wave your arm and say…) Presto Chango, cat turns into… rat!

o Now say both words with me: cat – rat

o Cat and rat are different animals! See what happens when you change one little sound? Just like magic, you get a whole new word!”

Additional Activities for Practice

The scripts for the following activities are available as a PDF download in the Supplemental Resources section of Countdown Online. This PDF will direct you to the online tools that you will use to teach these activities.

Activity Concept

Rhyme Time Rhyming

Rhyme or No Rhyme Rhyming

Rhyming Sentences Rhyming

This or That?

Peel and Say

Peel That Sound

Peel and Sort

Phonemic Awareness: Beginning Sound Isolation

Phonemic Awareness: Beginning Sound Isolation

Phonemic Awareness: Beginning Sound Isolation

Phonemic Awareness: Beginning Sound Isolation

Mystery Bag: Blending Sounds Phonemic Awareness: Blending

What’s That Word? Phonemic Awareness: Blending

New Activity Number Appropriate Unit for Practice

SRA1 1.1 SRA 1.2 SRA 1.3

Any Any Any

SRA 2.1 SRA 2.2 Any Any

SRA 3.1 SRA 3.2 Any Any

SRA 4.1 SRA 4.2 SRA 4.3

SRA 5.1 SRA 5.2 SRA 5.3

SRA 6.1 SRA 6.2 SRA 6.3

SRA 7.1 SRA 7.2 SRA 7.3

SRA 8.1 SRA 8.2 SRA 8.3

SRA 9.1 SRA 9.2 SRA 9.3

Any Any Any

Any Any Any

Any Any Any

Any Any Any

Any Any Any

Any Any Any

Mystery Words: Countdown Practice Cards Phonemic Awareness: Blending SRA 10.1 Any

Count, Touch & Say Phonemic Awareness: Segmenting

Stretch Those Sounds Phonemic Awareness: Segmenting

SRA 11.1 SRA 11.2 SRA 11.3 After Unit 6

SRA 12.1 SRA 12.2 SRA 12.3 After Unit 6

Activity

Concept

New Activity Number Appropriate Unit for Practice

Find That Letter

Alphabetic Principle: Letter Identification

SRA 13.1 SRA 13.2 SRA 13.3 SRA 13.4 SRA 13.5 SRA 13.6 SRA 13.7

Unit 6 Unit 7 Units 8 & 9 Units 11 & 12 Units 14, 15, 16 Units 14, 15, 16 Units 14, 15, 16

Which One?

Alphabetic Principle: Letter Identification

SRA 14.1 SRA 14.2 SRA 14.3 SRA 14.4 SRA 14.5

Guess My Word

Alphabetic Principle: Letter Identification

This Letter or That?

Unscramble This

Alphabetic Principle: Letter Identification

Alphabetic Principle: Encoding

Which Letter? Alphabetic Principle: Encoding

Build a Word

Alphabetic Principle: Encoding

SRA 15.1 SRA 15.2 SRA 15.3 SRA 15.4

SRA 16.1 SRA 16.2 SRA 16.3

Unit 7 Unit 7 Units 8 & 9 Unit 10 Unit 13

Unit 7 Units 8 & 9 Unit 10

Units 14, 15, 16 Units 14, 15, 16 Units 14, 15, 16

SRA 17.1 SRA 17.2 SRA 17.3 Unit 10 Unit 10

SRA 18.1 SRA 18.2 SRA 18.3 Units 11 & 12 After Unit 14

SRA 19.1 SRA 19.2 SRA 19.3 After Unit 14

Build a Word: Countdown Practice Cards Alphabetic Principle: Encoding SRA 20.1 After Unit 14

1 SRA stands for Supplemental Resource Activity.

Whole Body Listening & Whole Brain Learning Lessons

The following lessons are optional. They provide material for helping your students learn what it means to be a good listener and how to learn with all of their senses. Although these activities are optional, they are strongly recommended, particularly for students who may have had limited or no schooling experience prior to kindergarten. You can access the online components that correlate with these lessons in the Supplemental Resources section of Countdown Online.

Whole Body Listening

Whole Body Listening, Part 1

Objective

Students will think about how to tell if someone is a good listener.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

The teacher introduces two rabbit characters who will help students learn that listening is more than just hearing.

Open Countdown Online to WBL, Whole Body Listening, Part 1, which can be accessed below Unit 28 in the Countdown Online drop-down menu.

Launch! Say:

• “Let’s learn some more about how we will learn as we play our Countdown games.

• When we learn, sometimes we need to get pretty good at one thing before we are ready do another thing.

• Today, we will learn about being a good listener. We need to be good listeners before we can be good learners.

• I want you to meet two friends of mine. My friends are hiding in this bag.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say:

• “My first friend has soft fur, a puffy tail, whiskers, and long floppy ears. What kind of animal do you think my friend is?” (Students respond.)

•

“That’s right, it ’s a rabbit. Let’s call this rabbit Floppy.”

Click to display the first rabbit on the left.

Say:

• “Okay, my second friend is a little bit the same as Floppy. This friend also has soft fur, whiskers, and a puffy tail. But it is a little different, too. Its ears are shorter and they are perked straight up!

•

What kind of animal do you think my friend is?” (Students respond.)

•

“That’s right. It is also a rabbit!”

Click to display the second rabbit on the right.

Say:

• “Let’s call this rabbit Perky.

• These two rabbits are a little bit the same, and a little bit different. Today is their first day of school and they are excited for story time. After they sit on the rug, the teacher says, ‘Please be good listeners.’ I wonder which one of my friends will be a better listener. What do you think?” (Students respond. Ask why they chose one rabbit over the other.)

•

“Do you think Floppy will be a better listener because Floppy has such big ears?” (Students respond.)

• “So, if you have a friend with bigger ears, is that friend always a better listener than you are?” (Students respond.)

•

“I’m not sure we can tell if rabbits are good listeners by looking at their ears. Let’s check back with our friends later.”

Whole Body Listening, Part 2

Objective

Students observe and describe the behaviors that interfere with good listening, as well as those associated with good “whole body listening.” Students will demonstrate the traits of a good listener.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

The teacher shows an animation where two rabbit characters help students understand that listening is more than just hearing. Students discuss the key features of being a good listener, as observed in the animation, and they learn a special chant to help them remember how to be good “whole body listeners.”

Open Countdown Online to WBL, Whole Body Listening, Part 2, which can be accessed below Unit 28 in the Countdown Online drop-down menu.

Launch!

Say:

• “Welcome back to Countdown. I’ve been thinking about our new rabbit friends, Floppy and Perky, and I still can’t decide who might be a better listener.

• I have an idea! Let’s watch while the rabbits listen to their teacher read a story to the class.

• We are going to observe, which means to look at something carefully, and then think about the things we see and hear. This is what good detectives and scientists do. A detective is someone who looks for clues to try to solve a problem or a puzzle. A detective must look very carefully to find the clues. A scientist is someone who also has to look very carefully for clues to try to figure out why something happens or how something works.

• Are you ready to observe our new friends, the rabbits, at school? Let’s observe them, just like a detective or a scientist would do, and see if we can discover what helps someone to be a good listener.”

Click to play the Who Is a Better Listener? animation.

Ask:

• “Now who do you think is a better listener, Floppy or Perky?

• How could you tell?” (Acknowledge and discuss ideas shared by students, and then provide a summary of key points, including: Perky had a still body [hands, feet, bottom], was looking at materials, had zipped lips, was paying attention to the teacher, etc.)

Say:

• “You made some great observations! You told me what you noticed about our two friends, and together we thought about what that could mean. Let’s check our observations again.

• You are a good listener if:

o You look at the person who is talking (or at the things the person is showing you)

o You keep your hands and feet to yourself

o Your voice is turned off (no talking or making noise)

o Your body is still.”

Say:

• “Knowing how to be a good listener is the first step of learning in Countdown

• We just learned that you can hear with your ears, but you need to use your whole body to help you listen! I like the way Perky the rabbit used its whole body to help it listen by keeping its body still and quiet.

•

Let’s learn a chant to help us all remember. I will say each line first, then you will be my ‘echo’ and say the same words:

•

Whole Body Listeners have …

Still hands and feet (Students repeat, ‘Still hands and feet.’)

Bottom in your seat (Students repeat.)

Zipped up lips (Students repeat.)

And perked up ears (Students repeat.)

Eyes on the speaker (Students repeat.)

So you can hear!” (Students repeat.)

Say “Great, you all said it! Now show me how you do it. Whole Body Listener Check in 5-4-3-21.” (Look around the room, and give feedback, e.g., “I love the way you all have your eyes on me,” or “I see hands touching the books; we need still hands and feet!”)

Whole Brain Learning

Whole Brain Learning, Part 1

Objective

Students participate in a discussion of the five senses and the parts of the body that use those senses to help them learn.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Description

The teacher leads a discussion of the special jobs that different parts of the body do and how those body parts help give the brain information. Then, through a series of images and leading questions, students begin to understand how using all of their senses helps them learn.

Open Countdown Online to WBL, Whole Brain Learning, Part 1, which can be accessed below Unit 28 in the Countdown Online drop-down menu.

Launch!

Say:

•

“We have learned about using your whole body to help you listen. Now, we’re going to learn about using your whole brain to help you learn!

• Your brain is a very special part of your body. Your body has so many different parts that do important jobs.”

Click four times to display the legs, mouth, hands, and arms, one at a time, while saying the descriptions below for each:

•

“Your legs let you walk and run.

•

Your mouth lets you eat and talk.

•

Your hands let you pick up and hold things.

•

Your arms let you hug someone!” (Students may want to share other examples.)

Click to display the brain.

Say:

• “Your brain is most important, though, because it’s in charge of all those other parts doing all those other jobs. Your brain is like the captain of a ship, telling all the people in the crew what to do and when to do it.

• How does your brain do this? Well, it has some very special helpers that collect information about your body and about everything around you. They are kind of like

Ask:

‘spies’ that go out looking for clues and information and then send all their information to your brain! Then your brain can think about all that information and decide what you should do.”

• “Have you ever heard of your five senses?” (Students respond; you can augment their responses as necessary, but you will go into more detail about the five senses below.)

•

“What senses do you think a detective needs to use?” (Students respond.)

• “How about a scientist?” (Students respond.)

Say “Your five senses are seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling. Let’s see if we can name the parts of our bodies that do each of these special jobs. Watch while I pretend to use each of my five senses.”

Click to display the eyes and say:

• “I see a big red balloon in the sky.” (Look up and point.) “What helped my brain know this?” A: eyes

•

“You’re right, we see with our eyes!”

Click to display the ears and say:

• “I hear a bell ringing.” (Cup your hand behind your ear.) “What helped my brain know this?” A: ears

•

“You’re right, we hear with our ears!”

Click to display the tongue and say:

• “I taste a very sour fruit … it’s a lemon!” (Pucker your lips, and squint your eyes.) “What helped my brain know this?” A: tongue

•

“You’re right, we taste with our tongues!”

Click to display the nose and say:

• “I smell cookies baking … yum!” (Sniff the air.) “What helped my brain know this?” A: nose

• “You’re right, we smell with our noses!”

Click to display the fingers and say:

• “I feel hot water in the tub.” (Reach out, touch, then pull back, saying “ouch!”) “What helped my brain know this?” A: fingers

•

“You’re right, we feel with our fingertips when we touch things.”

Ask:

• “Can you feel hot water with your toes?” A: Yes!

• “Can you feel hot water with your mouth?” A: Yes!

Say:

• “So we can feel with more than just our fingers. We can feel with our skin on all parts of our bodies, too!

• Later we will play games using some of our senses and find out more about how our brain helps us learn.”

Whole Brain Learning, Part 2

Objective

Students observe and participate in sensory activities while exploring how simultaneous use of multiple senses can help us better learn about the world.

What Students See

3, 2, 1…

Prepare materials:

Description

The teacher presents an object hidden in a bag and asks students to guess what is inside, with and without using their senses, to demonstrate that the use of multiple senses provides our brains with more information.

• Gather two brown paper/shopping bags or other bags that cannot be seen through.

• In each bag, place an object(s) that makes noise when shaken, such as pencils, crayons, paper clips, or small blocks.

Open Countdown Online to WBL, Whole Brain Learning, Part 2, which can be accessed below Unit 28 in the Countdown Online drop-down menu.

Launch!

Say “It’s time to think some more about our five senses!”

Ask “Who remembers what our five senses are?” (Students respond; help them as necessary to recall the senses of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling.)

Click to display the detective.

Ask “Who remembers what detectives do?” (Students respond.)

Say:

• “Detectives make observations and try to find clues to solve a problem or a puzzle. What about scientists? They also try to find clues to discover, or figure out for the first

time, why things happen or how things work. They can also use what they learn to solve problems, or even to invent new things!

• Remember our five senses? What senses do you think a detective needs to use? How about a scientist?” (Students respond.)

• “Great ideas! I heard you talk about more than one of our senses. Do you think detectives can learn enough to solve mysteries just by hearing? Can scientists learn enough to discover and invent just by seeing? Or do you think they might use more than one of their senses to make the best observations and decisions?” (Students respond.)

• “Let’s try some experiments, just like scientists, to find out! An experiment is when you try something out a couple of different ways to find your answer.”

Click to display the Mystery Bag.

Say “We’re going to do an experiment by playing a game called ‘Mystery Bag.’ Who will be my helper?”

Select a student to come up in front of the group. Hold up a bag that can’t be seen through, such as a brown paper bag or shopping bag, that contains a familiar object. It should be something that makes a sound when shaken, like pencils, crayons, paper clips, or loose plastic blocks.

Say:

• “Okay, tell me what’s in my Mystery Bag?” (Student likely says “I don’t know” or guesses.)

• “Why don’t you know? Oh, you can’t see it? Hmmm, let’s try one of your other senses. Can you tell what it is by smelling it?”

Open bag enough for student to sniff inside, but not see the object.

Say “Still don’t know? Well, I can’t let you taste it. Can you tell what it is by hearing it?”

Shake bag and take guesses from student.

Say “It might be , but are you sure? What other sense can help you? I know, reach in and feel it. What does it feel like?” (Child describes, or ask prompting questions; e.g., “Is it hard or soft?” “Is it rounded, or does it have hard edges?” “Is it smooth or rough?” “Is it big or small?” “Is it long or short?” “Is it one thing or many things?” Listen to new guesses.)

Say:

• “Hey, I think you might be getting a better idea of what’s in the bag! Which sense can we use to find out what it is for sure?” (Students respond.)

• “Oh yes, we can’t see it! Should we take a look and see if your guesses are correct?” (Let child reach in, pull out object, and show group. Listen to student response.)

•

“Wow, learning about something new would be really hard if your brain couldn’t get information from your senses! Let’s clap for our helper, (student name). Now let’s try our experiment a different way. Let’s have a new helper.”

Select a student to come up in front of the group. As above, hand the student a bag that can’t be seen through that contains a familiar object, something that makes a sound when shaken, like pencils, crayons, paper clips, or small blocks.

Say:

•

“Okay, can you tell me what’s in my Mystery Bag?” (Student likely says “I don’t know” or guesses.)

• “Oh no, not you, too? Oh wait, how can you solve this mystery and learn about what’s in the bag?” (All students may respond, likely referring to using the senses.)

• “That’s right! It’s easier to learn if your senses send information to your brain. Here, use whatever senses you think will help you learn the fastest.”

Hand the bag to the student and allow him or her to freely explore it and its contents. The student will likely shake it, reach in to feel the object, or pull it out right away. Ask the student to name the object and show it to the group.

Say:

•

“Look at how fast you did that! Did you notice that when you used more than one of your senses, your brain helped you learn more easily?

• Maybe we should use our senses together to learn about lots of things! We will keep using our senses as we play our Countdown games.”

Items in Supplemental Resources of Countdown Online

Countdown Online has a growing body of supplemental resources to enhance and extend your instruction. The Supplemental Resources section, which can be accessed through the home screen in Countdown Online, has several sections, each with a variety of items and tools. These include:

INTERACTIVE RESOURCES

1. Letter Tile Free Play: online color and letter tiles that can be used for letter-sound practice, reading and spelling words, and more.

2. Letter-Sound Generator: this tool allows you to select up to six letter sounds to practice through a variety of activities (Look, Think, Say; Pop-Up; 3-Up; and Read a Row). The specific letters you select will populate in these activities, allowing you to provide targeted practice for your students with only the letter sounds of your choosing.

3. Heart Word Generator: this tool allows you to select three Heart Words to practice through a variety of activities (Look, Think, Say; Pop-Up; 3-Up; and Read a Row). Three Heart Words will be locked for each unit. The specific words you select will populate in these activities, allowing you to provide targeted practice for your students with only the high-frequency words of your choosing.

VIDEOS & ANIMATIONS

1. Countdown Getting Started Webinar: a webinar that provides information and tips as you get started with Countdown

2. Short Vowel Animations: a series of five animations, each focused on reviewing the articulation of and guideword and motion for one short vowel phoneme.

3. Long Vowel Animations: a series of five animations, each focused on reviewing the articulation of and guideword and motion for one long vowel phoneme.

4. Whole Body Listening Animation: a short video that uses two characters to teach students how to be good listeners.

5. Classroom Demonstration Videos: real-life classroom demonstrations of Countdown’s standard activities.

6. Activity Overview Snippets: short detailed video walk-throughs of each standard Countdown activity.

PDF RESOURCES

1. Really Great Reading’s Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys and the “Kindergarten Foundational Skills Surveys and Countdown ” information packet: Really Great Reading’s kindergarten assessment tool that provides information on students’ knowledge in a variety of areas related to kindergarten literacy, as well as the information packet that guides you

through using this assessment in conjunction with your Countdown instruction. Also available are several other assessment tools for phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and sight (high-frequency) word automaticity.

2. Optional Extension Units: three units that extend the content taught in Countdown for students who have completed all 28 standard units and need a challenge. These units teach spelling two-syllable words, Open Syllables, and Vowel-Consonant-e.

3. Alternative Introductory Activities: an alternative Scope & Sequence (see p. 187) offers three introductory units (rather than just one, as in the standard Scope & Sequence) focused on functional vocabulary and basic concepts to prepare students to succeed with Countdown instruction. The activities to be taught in these three alternative units are available as a PDF download.

4. Additional Practice Activities: additional, downloadable activities with corresponding online components to provide more practice for students who need it. There are additional activities available for rhyming, letter-sound identification, decoding, and encoding. The download will direct you to the corresponding online components required to complete the activities.

5. Short and Long Vowels Posters: posters with the guideword images for all short and long vowel sounds.

6. Countdown Decodable Passages: a set of highly controlled passages that allow students to put their decoding skills to work in longer, connected text. A differentiated version of these passages with additional support is also available. Both versions contain literal and inferential comprehension questions.

7. Sound-Letter Linking Charts: color and black and white versions of charts that provide visual links between the Countdown guideword icons for the short vowel, consonant, and digraph sounds and the capital and lowercase letters that spell those sounds.

8. Uppercase-Lowercase Letter Correspondence Activities: a series of downloadable activities to help students practice uppercase-lowercase letter correspondence.

9. Additional Resources: additional resources are also available, including: ideas for how to use the Countdown Wall Cards; the User’s Guide for the Countdown Practice Cards deck; and a downloadable activity that helps students learn and practice the difference between Closed Syllables and Open Syllables (intended for use with the optional unit on Open Syllables).

We are continually adding to our body of Supplemental Resources, so check back often to see what is new.

Glossary of Terms

accuracy (reading accuracy): reading without errors.

alphabetic principle: the understanding that spoken words are composed of individual sounds and that letters represent those sounds; the knowledge that there are predictable relationships between sounds and the letters that spell those sounds.

beginning sound isolation (BSI): a technique where the children are taught to pronounce the first phoneme in a word and then say the whole word (e.g., /b/, bear; /ă/, apple; /ch/, chin). The target of Beginning Sound Isolation exercises is to build up a child’s awareness that words are comprised of individual phonemes.

blend: see consonant blend.

Closed Syllable: a syllable that has one vowel letter followed by one or more consonant letters. The vowel sound in a Closed Syllable is usually short. Examples of Closed Syllables are cat, pick, and robot.

consonant blend (blend): two or more consonant letters next to each other where each letter spells a separate sound.

consonant letter: a letter that, on its own or when combined with other letters in a grapheme, spells a consonant sound. Letters are consonants only when they spell a consonant sound. For example, the letter y is a consonant in the word yes because it spells the consonant sound /y/. The letter y is a vowel in the word by because it spells the vowel sound long i.

consonant sound: a speech sound in which some obstruction of the flow of air makes the sound. The obstruction is made with the lips, the teeth, the tongue, or a combination of these. Consonant sounds can be made with or without using the vocal chords. Most syllables have consonant sounds.

continuant: a sound that the speaker can hold until he or she runs out of breath. Examples of continuants are the sounds /m/, /n/, /s/, or /l/.

decoding: the process of accurately pronouncing a printed word using knowledge of letter-sound relationships, or the translation of print (letters) into speech (sounds).

digraph: two letters that work together to spell one sound. The sound spelled by a digraph can be a vowel sound or a consonant sound. In Countdown, and in many other reading programs, the term “digraph” is used to refer only to consonant digraphs, or two consonant letters that spell one sound.

encoding: the process of translating sounds into symbols (letters); spelling.

fluency: reading with enough speed, accuracy, and expression to allow for comprehension of what is being read.

grapheme: a letter or letter combination that spells a phoneme. Graphemes can have one, two, three, or four letters. For example, in the word chef, the phoneme /sh/ is spelled by the grapheme ch.

long vowel: a vowel sound that is produced with tension in the vocal cords; also called “tense.” The five long vowel sounds in English are long a (/ā/), long e (/ē/), long i (/ī/), long o (/ō/), and long u (/y�/).

onset: the initial phonological unit (consonant or consonant blend) in a word. The onset consists of everything that comes before the vowel. For example, in the word cat, the onset is c. In the word split, the onset is spl. A word can be divided into its onset and rime (see rime), as in c-at or spl it.

Open Syllable: a syllable that ends with a single vowel letter. The vowel sound in an Open Syllable is usually long. Examples of Open Syllables are me, hi, table, open, and unit.

phoneme: the smallest unit of sound in a spoken word. A phoneme is a sound, not a letter.

phonemic awareness: a person’s ability to identify, segment, blend, hold in memory, and manipulate phonemes in words.

phonics: the study of the systematic relationship between sounds and the letters that spell those sounds.

phonological awareness: a person’s ability to understand all levels of the speech-sound system. Phonological awareness includes knowledge of word boundaries, syllables, onset-rime units, and phonemes. Phonemic awareness is a subset of phonological awareness.

rhyme: when two words rhyme, they have different initial sounds, or onsets (see onset), but the same vowel sound and ending, or rime (see rime). For example, pig and wig have the same rime (ig), but different onsets (p in pig and w in wig), so these words rhyme.

rime: the letter or letters that follow the onset (initial phonological unit) in a word. The rime consists of the vowel and everything after the vowel (final consonant or consonants). For example, in the word bug, the rime is ug. In the word smash, the rime is ash. A word can be divided into its onset and rime (see rime), as in b-ug or sm ash.

short vowel: a vowel sound that is produced with little tension in the vocal cords; also called “lax.” The five short vowel sounds in English are short a (/ă/), short e (/ĕ/), short i (/ĭ/), short o (/ŏ/), and short u (/ŭ/).

Glossary of Terms

sound box: the two slashes surrounding a phoneme’s symbol. In Countdown, phonemes are represented by letters inside sound boxes. Examples of phonemes represented inside sound boxes are /r/, /ŭ/, /ī/, /m/, and /sh/. When a letter is shown inside a sound box, say the sound (phoneme), not the letter name.

stop: a consonant sound that cannot be held or elongated; the speaker forms the sound by constricting or “stopping” the air flow, cutting the sound off. Examples are /b/, /d/, /g/, and /p/.

syllable: a unit of spoken language that is larger than a phoneme. Every syllable contains a vowel sound, and almost every syllable contains one or more vowel letters.

Vowel-Consonant-e: a syllable type where a single vowel letter is followed by one consonant letter and the letter e. In Countdown’s optional extension lesson on Vowel-Consonant- e, the e in VowelConsonant- e is not considered silent because it works with the single vowel letter to spell the vowel sound. In Vowel-Consonant- e, the vowel sound is usually long. Examples of Vowel-Consonant- e are make, eve, fine, note, and cute

vowel letter: a letter that, on its own or when combined with other letters in a grapheme, spells a vowel sound.

vowel sound: a speech sound made with the mouth open, produced using the vocal cords, and with no obstruction of the flow of air to make the sound. Every spoken syllable has a vowel sound.