Stretchy the Word Snake: Learning Sounds and Words!

English Language Arts Grades Pre-K 2:51 Video
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Lesson Description

Join Stretchy the Word Snake to learn how to stretch out sounds in words and blend them together to read! This fun lesson uses a song to teach phonemic awareness and early reading skills.

Video Resource

Stretchy the Word Snake | Phonics Song for Kids | Segmenting and Blending Words | Jack Hartmann

Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel

Duration: 2:51
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Phonemic Awareness
  • Sound Segmentation (Stretching)
  • Sound Blending

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify individual sounds within simple words.
  • Students will be able to blend individual sounds together to form a word.
  • Students will be able to recognize and repeat the sounds in the words sun, red, nap, and log.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking the children if they know what a snake sounds like. Introduce the video by explaining that they will meet 'Stretchy the Word Snake,' who loves to stretch out words. Set expectations for watching and listening quietly.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the 'Stretchy the Word Snake' video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIBjAWkPzNA). Encourage the children to sing along and do the stretching motions with Stretchy.
  • Sound Stretching Practice (10 mins)
    After the video, review the words 'sun,' 'red,' 'nap,' and 'log.' Model stretching out each word, emphasizing each individual sound. Have the children repeat after you. Use hand motions to represent stretching and blending the sounds.
  • Word Game (10 mins)
    Play a simple game where you say a word and have the children stretch it out. For example, say 'cat' and guide them to say '/c/ /a/ /t/'. Then, say the stretched-out sounds of a word and have them blend it together to say the whole word. For example, '/b/ /a/ /t/' - 'bat'.
  • Wrap-up (5 mins)
    Reiterate that Stretchy the Word Snake helps us learn to read by stretching out sounds. Ask children what their favorite word from the video was and why.

Interactive Exercises

  • Sound Sorting
    Prepare picture cards with objects that start with different sounds (e.g., sun, cat, dog, apple). Have the children sort the pictures by the beginning sound.
  • Name Stretching
    Help each child stretch out the sounds in their name. Start with the first name. Clap each sound as you say it. For example, for 'Amy' say '/A/ /m/ /e/'.

Discussion Questions

  • What sound does the letter 'S' make?
  • Can you stretch out the word 'dog'?
  • What other words do you know that start with the same sound as 'sun'?

Skills Developed

  • Phonemic Awareness
  • Auditory Discrimination
  • Early Literacy Skills

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What does Stretchy the Word Snake love to do?

Correct Answer: Stretching words

Question 2:

Which word does Stretchy stretch out in the video?

Correct Answer: Sun

Question 3:

What sound does the letter 'R' make?

Correct Answer: /r/

Question 4:

If we stretch out 'log', what do we say?

Correct Answer: /l/ /o/ /g/

Question 5:

What does 'nap' mean?

Correct Answer: A short sleep

Question 6:

Which of these starts with the /s/ sound?

Correct Answer: Sun

Question 7:

What color is 'red'?

Correct Answer: A color

Question 8:

What does blending sounds mean?

Correct Answer: Putting sounds together

Question 9:

Stretchy the Word Snake helps us learn to ____?

Correct Answer: Read

Question 10:

Which word starts with the letter N?

Correct Answer: Nap

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

Stretchy the Word Snake loves to stretch out _______.

Correct Answer: words

Question 2:

The word 'sun' starts with the letter _______.

Correct Answer: S

Question 3:

'Red' is a __________.

Correct Answer: color

Question 4:

We do a _______ when we are tired and want to sleep.

Correct Answer: nap

Question 5:

A _______ is a piece of wood.

Correct Answer: log

Question 6:

To read, we put the _______ together.

Correct Answer: sounds

Question 7:

Stretchy helps us learn to say the _______ in words.

Correct Answer: sounds

Question 8:

Stretchy the word _______

Correct Answer: snake

Question 9:

Sun, red, nap, and log are all _______.

Correct Answer: words

Question 10:

The /n/ /a/ /p/ makes the word _______

Correct Answer: nap

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.2.F.2:Students will chorally recite familiar texts (e.g., rhymes, songs, poetry, etc.). PK.1.L.1:Students will actively listen using agreed-upon rules with prompting.

Teaching Materials

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