Buh! and Duh!

Rationale: Listening for the first sounds in words is an important step in learning to connect language and reading. Many students struggle with recognizing the difference between b and d. The purpose of this lesson is to reinforce these consonant sounds and to allow children to practice recognizing and their writing skills.

Materials: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, primary writing paper, pencil, dry erase board, dry erase markers, and sticky notes- 2 per student.

1. Today we are going to go over two look alike letters. B and D can sometimes be confusing. I am going to write b and d on the board, can anyone describe the sound that B makes? What about D? Can anyone tell me some examples of words that start with B? What are some words that start with D?

2. The letter B SAYS buh, B=/b/. Can everyone say "Buh"? Letter D says Duh, D=/d/. Everyone say “Duh”. Do you hear B in bad or dad? Do you hear D in brown or down? Here are some tongue twisters that we can memorize. Everyone look at the board where I have written the tongue twister and watch as I point to each word. For B, “Bill and Betty baked brown bread for Barbara's baby” and our tongue twister for D is” David's daddy's dog didn't dig dirt in the dark.” Now repeat after me. Good Job!

3. Everyone take your sticky notes. On one sticky note write B and on the other one write D. Now get up out of your seats, walk around the room and place one sticky note on something in the room that starts with B and place your other sticky note on something else in the room that starts with D. Great job! Now that everyone is done, look around the room and see what everyone has put their sticky notes on.

4. Get out your primary writing paper and pencil and see if you can write what you put your sticky notes on. There should be two things to write. Your B word and your D word. I will be glad to help you but do the best that you can!

5. Good Job! Now everyone come and sit in a circle. I am going to read this book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and while I read I want you to listen very carefully. Whenever you hear a word that starts with the letter B, say, “B, B, B, B”. Whenever you hear a word that starts with the letter D, say, “D,D,D,D”.

Assessment: Children will be evaluated on the quality of their participation, and how well the followed directions. Evaluate if students were able to correctly identify and spell the objects that they labeled with their sticky notes. The will be assessed on their responses to the book and by who said “B,B,B,B” and “D,D,D,D” at the correct times.

Martin, Bill Jr. and Archambault, John. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. New York, Aladdin Paperbacks. 40 pages.