a band that blends

Literacy Activities
Make a band that blends sounds

• Print one set of the envelope activity cards (see below) and divide them into six envelopes with one word in each envelope.
• Tell the children that musical sounds blend together to create a song.
• Illustrate how initial l blends (e.g., cl, pl) can combine with word endings (e.g., -ap, -ang, -uck, -ing, -unk) to make musical words.
• Divide the children into six groups and give each group an envelope.
• Switch envelopes and allow the children to create a different musical word.

Write a L blend rhythm

• Write a rhythm on the board and have the children clap out the rhythm as they read the words. For example, 
  • Clang, clang — clap, clap — plink, plink — plunk
  • Clank, clank, clank — pluck — pling, pling — clank
  • Pling, pling, pling — clang, clang, clang — pling — plunk
  • Plunk, plunk — pling, pling — plunk, plunk
• Display a word wall with words that represent musical sounds: plunk, pling, clang, clink, clunk, clank, clap, plink, click, and clack.
• Let the children rely on the word wall to write their own musical rhythms and then chant a few together.

More Practice
Blend and build words

• Show the children more initial L blends (e.g., cl, pl, sl, fl, gl) and word endings (e.g., -an, -ad, -ack, -ing) by using the word-building cards (see below).
• Display L blend cards on the left and word endings on the right side of a whiteboard or table.
• Let the children put a beginning blend card with a word ending card, read the separate sounds, then blend them into a word (support as needed).
• Repeat until all of the word-building cards have been used.
• Have the children write the words they made and then read them to each other.