Overview
The children will zip and zoom like bumblebees as they practice saying the /z/ sound in words such as zoo, zip, and zoom.

Literacy Activities
Zoe zips through the zoo

• Assemble bumblebee headbands by attaching the bee graphic to strips of paper, or make puppets by attaching the graphics to craft sticks.
• Place zoo animal graphics around the room.
• Give each child a headband or puppet and tell them that Zoe the bumblebee will take them to visit some animals at the zoo.
• Read the Zip and Zoom target text.
• As you read, allow the children to act out the story using the headbands or puppets and the zoo animal graphics.
  • Have the children zoom or zigzag past each animal as it is mentioned in the text.
  • Encourage the children to make the /z/ sound along with you as they act out the text. 

Writing practice page

• Write the word zip and point out that the letter Z makes the /z/ sound.
• Have the children circle the letter Z throughout the Zip and Zoom target text.
• Read the text again and have the children trace the letter Z in the air each time they hear the /z/ sound.
• Tell the children that one of the zoo animals also starts with the /z/ sound.
  • Have them guess which animal begins with the /z/ sound, supporting as needed.
  • Emphasize that zebra starts with the letter /z/. 

More Practice
Identify the target letter

• Make a list of words that start with the letter z (e.g., zip, zoom, zigzag, zing, zebra, Zoe).
• Have the children circle the letter Z in each word and have them say the /z/ sound each time they circle a letter.

Write the target letter

• Help the children write the letter Z on a writing practice page.
• Allow the children to draw something that starts with the /z/ sound in the space below the letters (e.g., zigzag, zebra, zipper).