Overview
The children will inspect icky insects for words that start with the letter I and the short /i/ sound such as in igloo, inch, and inspect.

Literacy Activities
Inspect icky insects

• Tape the picture cards of words that begin with I to the back of the insect graphics.
• Tell the children that the icky insects are hiding pictures of words that begin with the /i/ sound.
• Have the children inspect (explain that inspect means to look at something closely) the icky insects with a magnifying glass (or a picture of a magnifying glass) to find what the insects are hiding.
• Have the children underline the letter I in each word while saying the /i/ sound.
• Repeat the activity using word cards (support as needed).
• Let the children use an insect picture to write the letter I in the air while saying the /i/ sound.

Inspect an inchworm

• Give the children a picture of an inchworm.
• Show the children how to measure an inch with a ruler, then have them inspect the inchworm with a ruler to find out if the inchworm is, in fact, an inch long.
• Write a sentence stating, “The inchworm is an inch long,” or “The inchworm is not an inch long.”
• Have the children write the letter I and lowercase letter i on the inchworm while saying the /i/ sound.

More Practice
Identify, blend, and manipulate sounds

• Have children identify the beginning, middle, and ending sounds of words by tapping their head (beginning), their shoulders (middle) and their toes (end).
  • For example: sit = s (tap head) + I (tap stomach) + t (tap knees).
• Point out that all of the words have the /i/ sound in the middle of the word.
• dig = d + i + g
• hit = h + i + t
• pin = p + i + n