Zip YOUR ZIPPER
WITH Z
By: Ashley Troha
Emergent
Literacy
Rationale:
This
lesson will help students recognize the phoneme represented by Z
which makes the /z/ sound. By
using hand gestures and visual representation students will have more
help in recognizing the phoneme /z/.
The tongue ticklers will not only aid in the student being able
to think about the movement of mouth, but will also help as well in
recognizing the letter Z and its phoneme /z/.
Materials:
Primary
paper and pencil
Picture
of a zipper with phoneme /z/ and tongue tickler "Zack the zebra zipped
to the zoo."
Drawing
paper and crayons
Dr.
Seuss's ABC (Random
House, 1963). Bright and Early Board Book (short version)
Word
card with take, zap, zero, fun, zig, ramp, hate, fuzz, cozy, sing,
Word
card with be, hazy, zoo, gum, fly, dog, zoom, the, pink, zebras
Word
cards with ZOOM, ZAG, ZAP ZERO, ZOO
Assessment
worksheet identifying pictures with /f/ (URL below)
Procedures:
1.
Say: "Our written language is a secret code. The tricky
part is
learning
what letters stand for the mouth moves we make as we say words. Today we're
going to work on spotting the mouth move /z/. We spell /z/ with letter Z
and demonstrate it with the sound of a zipper."
2.
Say: "Let's pretend to zip up our zipper. /z/ /z/ /z/.
[Pantomime zipping up zipper]. Did you notice that
when we make the /z/ sound our teeth touch? Let's
try one more time to make sure our teeth our touching. /z/
/z/ /z/. Good job!"
3.
Say: "Let me show you how to find the /z/ sound in the word buzz.
Bb-uu-uzz. Hmm, if I say it slower like b-b-b-u-u-u-z-z-z-z-z,
I feel my teeth touch at the end of the word. So the z
must be at the end. Now you try it. Do you hear /z/ in jazz?"
4.
Say: "Do you know what this is a picture of? Yes,
you're right! It's a zipper! Remember the /z/ sound
in zipper. Now let's try a fun tongue tickler.
[Listed on picture sheet] Zack the zebra zipped to
the zoo. If you hear the /z/ sound, I want
you to pretend that you're zipping your zipper.
Now let's say it together slowly stretching the /z/
sound at the beginning of the words. Zzzack the
zzzebra zzzipped to the zzzoo. Remember
the /z/ sound makes us touch our teeth together like we're zipping our
zipper. This time let's break off the words as we
say them. Here is an example of how to say the
words: /z/ ipper. Now
let's go. /z/ ack the /z/ ebra /z/ ipped to
the /z/ oo."
5.
[Have students take out paper and pencil]. Say: "We
use the letter Z to spell /z/. Let's
write the lowercase letter z. Zig across the rooftop, zag down
to the sidewalk, and zig back to the right. I want to see
everybody's z. After I put a smile on it, I
want you to make nine more just like it."
6.
[Call on students to answer and tell how they knew] Say:
"Do you hear /z/ in take or zap? zero
or fun? zig or ramp? hate
or fuzz? cozy or sing? Say:
Let's see if you can spot the
mouth move /z/ in some words. Zip your zipper if you hear /z/: be,
hazy, zoo,
gum, fly, dog, zoom, the, pink, zebras."
7.
Say: "Let's look at an alphabet book. Dr. Seuss tells us about a
funny creature whose
name starts with Z. Can you guess?" Read last page, drawing out
/z/. Ask children
if they can think of other words with /z/. Ask them to make up a silly creature
name like Zizzer-zazzer-zuzz, or Zipper-Zooper-zim. Then have each
student write
their silly name with invented spelling and draw a picture of their
silly creature.
Display their work.
8.
Show ZIP and model how to decide if it is zip or dip:
Say: "The Z tells me to zip my zipper,
/z/, so this word is zzz-ip, zip. You try some: ZOOM:
zoom or doom? ZAG: zag or
wag? ZAP: zap or map? ZERO: Zero or hero? ZOO: zoo
or too?"
9.
For assessment, distribute the worksheet. Students are to
complete the partial spellings
and color the pictures that begin with Z. Call students
individually to read the
phonetic cue words from step #8.
References:
Ashley
James, Always Zip your Zipper
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/projects/jamesel.html
Assessment
worksheet: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/books/abc/little/z/
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