Mail a Package

Onset and Rime Awareness Procedure 1. Distribute picture cards . Have each child show their card to a peer and then name the object pictured . (Make sure that each child knows the name of the object they hold .) 2. Tell the children how the activity works . You will name a package (i .e ., picture card) to be mailed, and the child holding that package will deposit it in the box . The trick is that you are going to say the name in a funny way—by breaking the name of the object into two parts—and their job is to determine which package you are naming by putting the parts together . For example, if the package contains a vase, you ask for a /v/—/ās/ . Provide several examples and model blending . 3. Teach children the “Mail a Package” chant (see the next page) . 4. Ask children for their packages, saying the names of the objects in segmented parts . Chant the rhyme, and then ask for one of the picture cards by saying the object’s onset and rime units . Then, have the child holding the appropriate card slip it into the mailbox . 5. Continue to ask children for their cards by segmenting the names of the objects . Repeat until all children have mailed their packages . Empty the mailbox, redistribute the cards, and play again! Leave the mailbox and the picture cards in a centre so children can play Mail a Package independently . Differentiate or Extend ▲ If children find this too challenging after ample support, try the activity for blending syllables . ▲ Support children’s phoneme awareness by segmenting the words into phonemes . Ask children to blend the phonemes to determine which package you are naming . ▲ Some children may want to try segmenting the words themselves . Allow anyone who wishes to do so to provide the onset-rime clues for the item to be mailed . Provide support as necessary . Mail a Package Objective Students will blend onsets and rimes into words and segment words into onsets and rimes . Overview Children pretend to mail picture cards by slipping them into a cardboard mailbox . However, they may not slip their cards into the box until the teacher asks for it . The teacher asks for their cards by segmenting the name of the object into onset and rime units . Children chant a rhyme between each mailed card . Materials picture cards of objects with one-syllable names (see table on the next page or the Digital Resources for examples); box that has a slot cut in it School-Home Connection Children can make their own mailboxes and take home picture cards . Encourage them to teach their families the chant and to play sample sampleMail a Package at home .

Onset and Rime Awareness

Sample Picture Cards and Onset-rime Units Picture Onset-rime Units

ball blocks cup flag hat ring ship train

/b/—/ôl/ /bl/—/ŏks/ /k/—/ŭp/ /fl/—/ăg/ /h/—/ăt/ /r/—/ĭng/ /sh/—/ĭp/ /tr/—/ān/ Additional words are provided in Lists E–J in the Word Lists section of the Appendix. You may wish to create picture cards of some of them for use in this activity. Mail a Package (cont.) Mail a Package A package! A package! What can it be? A package! A package! I hope it’s for me! sample