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- Tell students that today you are going fishing for letters.
- Hold up a few letters, one at a time, as you pretend to "catch" them. Have students identify the letters as you place them on a magnet board or cookie sheet.
- Tell students that to fish for letters they will need the right bait.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling(10 minutes)
- As you are "catching" letters point out physical features of each by tracing and labeling the shape verbally. For example: Look at the uppercase C. It curves from top to bottom.
- You can put a letter on the magnet board and then draw the letter next to it as you draw students' attention to the features of the print.
- Draw or place alphabet letter magnets on the board and say that you're trying to find a letter with a certain shape. Have your students identify the letter you described.
- Invite students to find, name, or identify letters in their name or relevant letters you have already studied.
Guided practise(10 minutes)
- Show students how they can form their "bait" into letter shapes with pipe cleaners.
- Have students practise forming letters with pipe cleaners.
- Show students how to "bait their hook" by hanging their pipe cleaner letter on the paper clip hook.
- Show students how to fish for their letter.
- If a students catches a letter that does not match their "letter worm", tell them to "throw it back" and try again.
- Show students how they can place their letter on a matching letter sheet, basket, or alphabet board.
Independent working time(10 minutes)
- Have your students work independently to complete the task, having them lower their hooks into the container of blue filler and magnetic letters.
- Enrichment:Give students a "sound" to fish for to work on phonemic awareness. For example, "James, you are going to catch a letter that makes the "L" sound." Have student say and then form the letter with the pipe cleaner to use as bait.
- Support:Have students use a big paper clip or a pipe cleaner hook on a string to catch a letter. Then have them match it to the same letter on a name sample for example.
- Check student's alphabet boards for correctness.
- Wander as your students are working to watch as they match their bait and fish. Note students who are unable to complete the task.
Review and closing(5 minutes)
- Tell the students that they did a great job at noting the features of print letters today.
- Have students share their favorite part of today's activity.