- marker
- sentence chart
- sentence strips (cut into word cards)
MA Standards:
Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.2.b: With guidance and support, segment words in a simple sentence by clapping and naming the number of words in the sentence
Head Start Outcomes:
Literacy Knowledge/Phonological Awareness: Identifies and discriminates between words in language.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 8: Listen to, identify, and manipulate language sounds to develop auditory discrimination and phonemic awareness.
Word Play: Segment Sentences #7
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Math (Counting, Ordinal Numbers), Phonological Awareness (Segmenting), Word Recognition
Help children practice segmenting words in a sentence. On small word strips, write the words to the sentence below and insert them in a sentence chart.
A river can flow fast or slow.
- Remind children that a sentence is made up of words. Ask, How many words are in my sentence? Listen, I will read the sentence again and clap each word. Say each word slowly and clap.
- Ask, How many times did I clap? Yes, 7 times. There are 7 words in my sentence. Say the sentence with me and clap the words. Repeat the sentence, saying each word slowly as children clap.
- Write a number, in order, under each word: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. Say each number as you write it, then go back to the beginning and count in ordinals: first, second, etc. Say, Who can tell me the sixth word in the sentence? What is the fourth word in the sentence? Who can find the second word?
- Encourage children to dictate other sentences. Follow the same segmenting routine with those sentences.
English Language Learners: Say each ordinal number while pointing to the numeral. Have children point to the numeral and repeat the ordinal after you.
Educator Tip: Guided and independent letter, sound, and word practice continues to take place in center activities. It is helpful to set up the literacy center immediately after the direct instruction and repeat instruction before children work in the literacy center identifying letters.