LESSON 1

Introducing Bb

• Turn the children's attention to the next letter of the alphabet, Bb.
• Ask the children:
  • Whether the letter Bb is a vowel (no)
  • How they can tell it's not a vowel (it's not red)
• Tell them that letters that aren't vowels are called consonants. The letter Bb is a consonant.
• Tell the children that the sound of the letter Bb is /b/.
• Ask the children to repeat the /b/ sound with you: /b/-b/-/b/-/b/-...

Helicopter Game: Bb

• Make sure all objects are large enough to be easily seen by the children.
• As examples, usable objects include a box, a ball, a boot, a bag, a bear, a book, and a bell. (The Helicopter Game Picture Cards are box, ball, bear, and boot.)

NOTE TO TEACHER

• Explain that the words for everything displayed start with the letter Bb.
• Point to each of the objects in turn, and make sure all of the children:
  • Know the object's intended name
  • Notice that the first sound of its name is /b/

HELICOPTER GAME TIPS

This game is similar to the game of airplane when feeding a baby except that instead of flying a spoon into a baby's mouth, you fly your pointer finger or a laser pointer around until it alights on one of the objects displayed. (Note: The term pointer is used in this chapter to describe either your finger or a laser pointer.)

As in playing airplane with a baby, it is important to move the pointer in ways that surprise and engage:

• Let it move through the air slowly or zip by.
• Let it ascend or descend straight up and down like a helicopter.
• Let it circle, zoom, swoop, or hover.
• Let it dither, even changing its mind at the last moment.
• Occasionally, let it get caught shifting back and forth between two of the objects or return to the same object over and over.

When landing on an object, be sure to dwell for a moment so that all of the children have time to think and learn.

Helicopter Game play

• Explain to the students that, in this game, the pointer will move over the objects, like a helicopter. When the pointer lands on one of the objects, they must announce the name of the object.
• When the children announce each word, they will emphasize the initial sound as much as they can: They will make the /b/ sound as loud and strong as they can.
• Give the children practice in naming each of the objects.
• Have them name the objects again while emphasizing the initial /b/ sound.
• As you move the pointer through the air, the students recite the target phoneme to make the helicopter sound: "/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-...."

As an example, if the objects displayed are a box, a ball, a boot, and a bear, then depending on how the pointer behaves, the students might sound like this:

"/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-BOX! /b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-BALL! /b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-BOOT! /b/-/b/-BEAR! /b/-/b/-BOOT! /b/-/b/-BALL! /b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-BOX! /b/-/b/-BOX! /b/-/b/-BOX! /b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/! /b/-/b/-/b/-BOX! /b/-/b/-BALL! /b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-BOOT! /b/-/b/-/b/-/b/-/b/...."

Excerpted from ABC Foundations for Young Children: A Classroom Curriculum by Marilyn Jager Adams CHAPTER 12 LESSON 1, ACTIVITY 3.1: HELICOPTER GAME
ABC Foundations for Young Children Online Materials by Marilyn Jager Adams. Copyright © 2013 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.