Downloadable Project!
Alphabet Pattern Block Masters

Downloadable project for use with pattern blocks can be used as an open-ended literacy center, or in a directed lesson.

Featuring a unique song for every letter of the alphabet! Each song includes the sound of the letter, and a reference to what the letter looks like or how it is formed.

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In an attempt to catch children up, some school administrators have totally banned playtime in Kindergarten, and have even taken away the children’s recess break. Unfortunately, these well-meaning individuals lack an understanding of how children learn. Children, young and old, need movement breaks in order to maximize learning. The brain functions more efficiently when a child is happy and is getting some intermittent bouts of physical activity throughout the day. Most children learn well through movement. And, the younger the child, the more he or she probably needs to move in order to activate the brain and really learn. The brain is not a disconnected organ on legs. The brain relies on the body, its senses, and movement in order to learn. Movement and the application of what we have learned should be an ever present part of the learning process.

When writing my alphabet songs, what I needed was a fun way to introduce and/or review the alphabet, without boring the rest of the class that came in already knowing it. I needed an activity that would work for ALL of my students at the same time, with just ONE teacher and NO extra help. And what I came up with in the process was something that also works for toddlers and preschoolers, as well! And here’s why:

* In each song, the child either forms the letter with his or her body, or draws the letter in the air while singing about its shape. (For example, they hold their hands up in a V shape to while singing the V song, etc.) This forces the child to notice the shape of each letter, rather than just passively look at a flash card in a teacher’s hand.

* As the children sing and dance about the shape and sound of each letter, this exercise is sending oxygen to the brain, which enhances learning.

* This exercise also releases endorphins, a hormone in the body associated with feelings of well being.

* When children laugh at a lyric that they find amusing, the brain releases a shot of dopamine that also makes them happy and helps them to remember what they are learning.

* Successful, happy learners are more likely to cooperate with the adults in their lives, and like school. This makes it easier for loving parents to send their children off to school each day.

Why is it important for pre-school aged children to learn the alphabet?

As primary teachers know, most states now require that children in Kindergarten begin to read within a couple of months of the beginning of the school year. Children as young as four and a half years old must internalize the alphabet and sounds quickly so that they can keep up with the prescribed curriculum at the pace that has been set by the school district and state.

In my district, children are expected to know all 52 letters, at least 20 sounds, and be able to read at least ten words by the middle of November. Unfortunately, this means that when many children start school for the very first time, they are already behind.

Research shows us that:
* Complete mastery of the letters and sounds is incredibly important, and foundational to every aspect of a child’s education.

* “The ability of pre-readers to recognize and name letters is the single best predictor of first-year reading achievement, with the ability to discriminate phonemes (sounds) auditorially ranking a close second.” (Quote from Marilyn Jager Adams, Comprehensive Literacy Resource for Preschool Teachers.)

* The achievement gap that we find among high school students is already present on the first day of Kindergarten, and continues to widen as children move through the grades.

Additional concepts covered are:
Sounds To Letters and Alphabet Action, a single song which includes all the letters and motions together.

Singable Songs for Letters & Sounds

Downloadable Project!
Sounds Fun - Phonics Flash Cards

Downloadable project includes: 23 flashcards for 23 different letter combinations, including long vowels, r controlled vowels, and the sounds for digraphs /sh/, /th/, and /ch/.