Overview
The children will follow a map to find a treasure box as they will practice saying the /ks/ sound in words with the letter X such as ox, ax, and six.

Literacy Activities
Find X in a pirate letter

• Tell the children that a pirate has left them a letter that leads to a secret treasure. Read the pirate letter to the children.
• Have the children find and circle the letter X throughout the pirate letter.
• Help the children write the letter X on a piece of paper and explain that the letter X makes the /ks/ sound.
• Read the pirate letter again and have the children hold up their X each time they hear the /ks/ sound.

Find the X that marks the treasure

• Place a treat or some type of treasure in a box and label the box with an X sign.
• Set up a treasure hunt path that takes the children to the treasure box.
  • Place the picture cards in the order the children will encounter them on the map.
• Show the children the treasure map and help the children read the words on the map.
• Have the children circle the letter X in each word on the map.
• Explain that once the children reach the treasure box, X will mark the spot.
• Instruct the children to follow the map to the treasure and gather the picture cards as they go.
• When the children reach the box, have them say all six X words in order to receive the treasure.
• Open the treasure box and share the treasure or treat inside (optional).

More Practice
Identify the target letter

• Make a list of words with the letter X (e.g., six, fox, ox, ax, box, t-rex, x-ray).
• Read the list together as a class and ask the children to underline the letter X in each word as it is read.