Babble and Dabble With B's
and D's
Rationale:
It is important for beginning readers to learn how to identify letters and
listen for the sounds the letters make. This lesson is designed to help students
learn to recognize the difference between b=/b/ and d=/d/. These
two letters look similar and sometimes the same to children. Therefore, they are
often confused because b and d are the same shape in a different
order. During the lesson, students will have the chance to practice seeing and
hearing the letters and sounds for better recognitions. Also, it is very
important that children learn the proper motions of how letters are formed to
comprehend their meaning. Through practice and direct instruction, students will
be able to see and understand the difference between b and d.
Materials:
- Cards with the letters b
and d written on them
- Pictures of things beginning
with the letter b (banana, barn, boat, bowl)
- Pictures of things beginning
with the letter d (dress, dock, dime, donkey)
- Pictures of things that
contain the letters b and d (bed, bead, bread)
- Primary Paper for each student
- Pencils for each student
- Index cards with the letters
the letter b written on one side and the letter d on the other
side for each student
- Book Berenstain Bears Go up
and Down
Explain and model the day's
lesson to the students.
1. Introduce the lesson by
explaining that we are going to learn about two letters that are at times very
tricky. These letters are b (hold up b card) and d (hold up d card). Can someone
raise his or her hand and tell me what sound b makes? Good, let's say it
together /b/, /b/. Now, do you know what sound d makes? Let's say it all
together now /d/, /d/.
2. Tell students: Now we
are going to play a little game to see if we hear the /b/ or /d/ sound in the
following words. If you hear a /b/ sound, hold up your card with the b
on it and if you hear a /d/ sound, hold up the card with the d on it.
Ask students:
"Do you hear the /b/ sound in
big or dig?"
"Do you hear the /d/ sound in
did or big?"
"Do you hear the /b/ sound in
ball or doll?"
"Do you hear the /d/ sound in
dug or bug?"
"Do you hear the /b/ sound in
dock or block?"
3. Now, let's try two tongue
twisters. In the first one, we are going to listen for the /b/ sound.
"Betty baked banana bread for baby's birthday." Ok now lets try that all
together. Great job, now lets do it one more time, but this time, when you
hear a /b/ sound, hold up the index card with the letter b on it.
Boys and girls, you did a great job of identifying the /b/ sounds! Now,
let's try a tongue twister and listen for the /d/ sound. "Daisy Duck dug
dirt out of the ditch." Good job, now lets go over the tongue twister again but
this time, when you hear a /d/ sound, hold up the index card with the letter
d on it. Good job identifying the /d/ sounds!
4. Practice and model
letter formation
Now, we are going to practice writing the letter b and the letter d.
I need for everyone to get out their primary paper and a pencil. First, I am
going to show you how to write the letter b and I want everyone to pay
very close attention. As I write the letter b I am going to say
"start up at the roof, go down and bbbounce up to the fence and around."
Ok I want everyone to practice writing a letter b by moving your pencil
as you say "start up at the roof, go down and bound up to the fence and around."
Now, on your own paper practice writing five more b's. Next, we are
going to practice writing a lower case d. We all know how to make a
little c right? Ok well for little d we start off just like
we start for little c. I am going to show you how to write the
letter d so pay close attention. As I write the letter d I
am going to say "first little c, then little d." Now, on your own paper
practice writing five more d's.
5. Connect the lesson on
/b/ and /d/ with the book, The Berenstain Bears Go Up and Down.
You all did such a great job
with the letters b and d today, and I am very proud! Now, we
are going to read a story about The Bernstain Bears going up and down on an
escalator. As one bear goes down the up escalator, chaos breaks out! To
find out what happens to the bear who went the wrong way up the moving stairs,
you will have to finish reading The Berenstain Bears Go Up and Down.
Also in the story, there are a lot of words that begin with the letters b
and d. I want you all to pay very close attention to the story,
because when you hear me read a word that begins with a letter b you
should hold up the index card with the letter b on it. If you hear me read
a word with the letter d on it, you need to hold up the index card with
the letter d on it. Begin by reading the title "The Berenstain
Bears go Up and Down " to make sure that the students understand the directions.
6. Assessment
The students will be assessed
based on their primary paper to see how well they wrote the letters b and
d. I will also pay very close attention to the student's active
performance during the reading activity. I.e.: the majority of the students
correctly identify the /b/ and /d/ sounds during the reading. The final
assessment will be given by providing each student with a worksheet with several
pictures on it. The pictures will represent things that either begin with
a b or d. For example, bug, duck, dog and bench.
Underneath each picture will be a blank line for the child to either write b
or d on it.
References:
- Berenstain, Stan and Jan.
The Bernstain Bears Go Up and Down. New York: Random House, 1982. 32 pp.
- Tate, Natalie. Emergent
Literacy. Big Bad b and d.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/persp/tateel.html
- Wallach, M.A. & Wallach, L.
(1976). Teaching All Children to Read. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Wallach and Wallach's Tongue Twisters: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/twisters.html
- Mazza, Michelle. Bouncing and
Dancing with B and D.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/odysseys/mazzael.html