Modified/Extended Activities for Kit 1 - Book 06 Bubbles, Tumbles, and Giggles

As parents and educators, we are always searching for ways to differentiate instruction for our children.  I like to compare it to children learning to play a sport, like baseball.  The child begins by hitting the ball off of a tee, then progresses to coach pitch, and then to regular pitching.  The child builds on each skill.  Reading is the same.  We must always start with the foundations necessary to understand sounds and how words work.  If a child is struggling, often they may have missed an integral part of the steps of learning to read.  Our Ned & Patrick Series has books and activities that are prepared for a teacher or parent to use, but that doesn’t mean that everyone should do exactly the same thing with our Literacy Kits.  A child may not be ready to group words by syllables if they have not been taught what a syllable is.  In this blog, we give suggestions as to how to modify or scaffold the activities to meet your child wherever they are in this exciting journey of learning to read.  We must build their confidence as we go!

Note:  The activities in each book can be modified for a reader who may need extra support.  Below are ideas to use with the activity cards for readers who may not be ready to attack the word cards independently.  The activities will build skills necessary for successful reading.  The extension activities are for readers who may need supplemental work.  These consist of a list of words to enhance vocabulary.  The words can be discussed orally in kid-friendly language.  A child can use the words in spoken sentences or written sentences.  There is also a list of comprehension questions to encourage deeper thinking about the stories.  Again, these can be discussed to promote oral language or written responses can be created.

Modified Activity One: Phonemic Awareness:  Counting Syllables

• Using the words on the back cover, have the child count the syllables in each word.
• When counting syllables, have the child make a flat left and a fist with the right hand. They can tap their right fist into their left hand to count they syllables.

Modified Activity Two: Phonics

• Give the child the activity cards with the consonant –le part.
• Have the child practice reading those parts of the word. Repetition is important. (A child may read these syllables as if they have a long /e/ at the end.  For instance, they may read –ble as “blee.”  Their reading and writing will improve when they are able to decode this syllable type automatically.
• Remind the child that the syllable comes at the end of the word.

Extension Activity One: Words Worth Knowing (As they are used in the story.)

giggle - another word for laugh (using the word synonym is a good practice-eve if the child has never heard it)

stifle - to hold back

waddle - walking in short steps and swaying side to side, like a penguin

chuckle - another word (synonym) for laugh

rifle - to look through something quickly

Extension Activity Two: Questions Worth Asking:

• What kinds of things did Patrick find in the box?
• Can you describe what kind a friend you think Patrick might be? Why do you think that?