Sound Detectives: Blending and Segmenting Fun!

English Language Arts Grades Pre-K 3:17 Video
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Lesson Description

Let's become sound detectives! We'll learn how to put sounds together to make words (blending) and take words apart into sounds (segmenting).

Video Resource

What is Segmenting and Blending? | Phonics Series

A Million Teachers

Duration: 3:17
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Blending: Combining individual sounds to form a word.
  • Segmenting: Separating a word into its individual sounds.
  • Phonological Awareness: Understanding and manipulating the sounds of language.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to define blending and segmenting.
  • Students will be able to blend simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words.
  • Students will be able to segment simple CVC words into individual sounds.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students if they've ever played with sounds or listened carefully to how words are made up. Introduce the video 'What is Segmenting and Blending? | Phonics Series' from A Million Teachers. Explain that the video will teach them about blending (putting sounds together) and segmenting (taking sounds apart).
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the video from A Million Teachers. Encourage students to pay close attention to how Tara and Tama demonstrate blending and segmenting.
  • Discussion (5 mins)
    After the video, review the definitions of blending and segmenting. Use simple language and examples. Ask students to share what they remember from the video.
  • Blending Activity (10 mins)
    Model blending CVC words. Say each sound slowly (e.g., /c/ /a/ /t/) and then blend them together (cat). Have students repeat after you. Use picture cards to represent CVC words (e.g., cat, dog, sun). Say the sounds and have students blend them to identify the picture.
  • Segmenting Activity (10 mins)
    Model segmenting CVC words. Say a word (e.g., dog) and then break it down into individual sounds (e.g., /d/ /o/ /g/). Have students repeat after you. Use the same picture cards. Say a word and have students clap or tap for each sound they hear.
  • Wrap-Up (5 mins)
    Review the concepts of blending and segmenting. Play a quick game where you say either "Blend!" or "Segment!" and then give a word or sounds for students to practice.

Interactive Exercises

  • Sound Clap
    Teacher says a word. Children clap once for each sound they hear. For example, for 'cat', they would clap three times ( /c/ - /a/ - /t/ ).
  • Mystery Word
    Teacher says the individual sounds of a word, and children blend the sounds together to guess the 'mystery word'. For example: /s/ - /u/ - /n/ . What's the mystery word? (sun)

Discussion Questions

  • What is blending? Can you give me an example?
  • What is segmenting? Can you give me an example?
  • Why is it important to learn about blending and segmenting?

Skills Developed

  • Phonological Awareness
  • Auditory Discrimination
  • Listening Comprehension
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Blending means...

Correct Answer: Putting sounds together

Question 2:

Segmenting means...

Correct Answer: Taking sounds apart

Question 3:

If I say /c/ /a/ /t/, what word am I blending?

Correct Answer: Cat

Question 4:

How many sounds are in the word 'sun'?

Correct Answer: Three

Question 5:

Which word has three sounds?

Correct Answer: Dog

Question 6:

What does Tara teach us in the video?

Correct Answer: Blending and Segmenting

Question 7:

What does blending help us do?

Correct Answer: Make new words

Question 8:

If we take the word 'hat' apart, what do we call that?

Correct Answer: Segmenting

Question 9:

If I say /d/ /o/ /g/, what am I doing?

Correct Answer: Blending

Question 10:

What can you use with segmenting and blending?

Correct Answer: Picture Cards

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

Putting sounds together is called _________.

Correct Answer: blending

Question 2:

Taking sounds apart is called _________.

Correct Answer: segmenting

Question 3:

The word 'cat' has ____ sounds.

Correct Answer: three

Question 4:

/h/ /a/ /t/ makes the word _________.

Correct Answer: hat

Question 5:

If you want to know how to spell, you need to ________ sounds.

Correct Answer: segment

Question 6:

Tama helps teach us about ________ and ________.

Correct Answer: blending

Question 7:

A _____________ is a good way to demostrate blending.

Correct Answer: demo

Question 8:

Segmenting is like ________ words

Correct Answer: spelling

Question 9:

Blending is _________ sounds.

Correct Answer: combining

Question 10:

We should leave ________ after watching the video.

Correct Answer: comments

Educational Standards

PK.2.PA.4:Students will isolate the common initial sound when given a set of alliterative spoken words (e.g., the puppy pounces). PK.2.PWS.3:Students will produce some sounds represented by letters. PK.1.L.1:Students will actively listen using agreed-upon rules with prompting. PK.1.S.2:Students will engage in collaborative discussions about various topics and texts, including their own writing, with peers and adults in small and large groups with prompting.

Teaching Materials

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