State and Model the Objective
The children will play with shadows and shapes and will recognize the initial /sh/ sound in words, such as shark, ship, shirt, and shorts.

Literacy Activities
Make shadow shapes

• Choose a child to pick a picture of a shadow of an object that begins with /sh/ (see below).
• Have the child identify the /sh/ shadow (i.e., “This shadow is in the shape of a ship. This is a shadow of a shoe.”).
• Hold the /sh/ objects in front of a flashlight to make a shadow.
• Say “This is a shadow of a ___(e.g., ship, shoe).”

Identify shadows that begin with /sh/ and ones that do not

• Make shadows using /sh/ and non-/sh/ pictures (see below).
• Make a T-chart with two columns labeled sh and no sh.
• Ask the children if each shadow starts with sh. 
• Invite a child to place the shadow under the correct column.
• Write additional words that begin with /sh/ sound in the sh column. 
• Comment on the pictures on the T-chart (i.e., “That is a ship. Ship starts with the /sh/ sound.”).

More Practice
Make shadows of shapes

• Show the cut out shapes (found below) to the children (e.g., circle, square, triangle).
• Shine a light on the shapes to make shadows of the shapes.
• Shine a light through a toilet paper roll that has plastic wrap with a cut out shape attached to it on the other end (see example photo below).  
• Have the children chant:

  • “A shadow of a shape. A shadow of a shape.
    Shine light on a shape to make a shadow of a shape.
    A shadow of a shape. A shadow of a shape.
    Shine light on a shape to make a shadow of a shape.”

• Read the Shadows of Shapes target text to the children.
• Read the target text again, but this time have the children take turns shining the flashlight everytime they hear a word that starts with the /sh/ sound.   

Read target words 

• Read sentences to the children and have them raise their hands or circle the words that begin with the /sh/ sound.
  • She shopped for shorts, shirts, and shoes.
  • The shepherd sheared shaggy sheep.
  • The shed was in shambles.
  • The ship shook as it shoved away from shore.
  • The shoddy shack shook.
  • She shook at the shrill shriek.
  • Shoo the sheep away from the shed.
  • The shark shook the ship.
  • Shovel the shells off the shore.
  • Shift the shelf from the shack to the shed.
  • Share the shampoo with the sheep.     
  • You should shampoo the shaggy sheepdog.
  • She should share her sheet with the shivering sheepdog.
  • Shush—don’t shout when you shuffle and shift into the shade.
  • Shove the sharp shovel into the shack.
  • Show the shopper that the shop is in shambles. 
  • Shine the shoes and shift them on the shelf.
  • She shut the shop when the shoes shipped off. 

Write sh to go with words that start with the /sh/ sound 

• Display the shadows of objects that begin with /sh/.
• Label the pictures.
• Have the children write the words that go with the pictures. Accept invented spelling but ensure that the sh is used.

Identify sh in a target text

• Display the A Shadow of a Shoe target text and read it to the children.
• Read the target text again and have the children circle words that start with sh.