Overview

The children will play a version of bingo called "Spello" as they add sounds to the -um ending to make words such as hum, drum, and yum.

Literacy Activities

Play the Spello game

• Assemble the game boards:
  • Print each of the five game board versions and six sets of picture cards.
  • Cut out the picture cards and glue the top of each game board picture to the corresponding game board square so that each card becomes a flap.
• Place the remaining set of -um picture cards in a container.
• Have the children take turns acting as a speller.
  • Instruct the speller to draw an -um picture card and show the picture to the class without looking at it.
  • Help the other children find the -um picture on their game boards and lift the flap to see the corresponding -um word.
  • Once the children have discovered the -um word, have them give hints to help the speller spell the word (e.g., there are ___ sounds: the first sound is ___, and the second sound is ___.).
• Once the speller has spelled the word correctly, the children may place a marker on the picture (the SPELLO square is a free space).
• Repeat until one child (or multiple children) have marked a full row or column and have them shout, "Spello!"
  • The game can also continue until all the squares have markers.

More Practice 

• Give each child a piece of paper and have them write short sentences using -um words (e.g., I am not glum when I hum. Do not hum with gum.).