State the Objective
Tell the children that they will race along a road as they recognize and name the uppercase and lowercase letters R and r.

Literacy Activities
Race with Rs

• Make a "road" with long strips of masking tape placed on the floor.

   

• Write and name the uppercase and lowercase letters R and r.
• Have the children write the letter R on pieces of paper while saying the letter name and sound: "R, /r/." (Note: model /r/ as "ruh," without stressing the vowel, rather than as "er.")
• Place the Rs along the "road."

• Let the children take turns racing along the road and say /r/ whenever they step on an R or r.

   

Race in reverse

• When the children reach the end of the road, reverse the Rs along the road.
• Have the children race on the road in reverse.
• Make comments such as:
  • "Ready to race?"
  • "Run the race in reverse!"
  • "Race, race, race!"
  • "Race along the road with Rs."

Race in a relay

• Say, "Let's have a relay race!"
• Have the children line up on each end of the road.
• Give a child an R, and have him or her race to the end of the road.
• Have the runner give the R to a child waiting at the end of the road.
• Repeat until all the children have raced in the relay.
• During the relay, encourage the children to chant:
  • "/r/, /r/, run!"
  • "Run the relay race!"
  • "/r/, /r/, rah! Rah rah!"

Identify the target letter in a text

• Read the Ready to Run target text (see below) to the children.

• Show the children the text, and have them point to each R.

   

• Reread the text, having the children raise their hands each time they hear the /r/ sound.