State and Model the Objective
Tell the children they will pretend to be men and hens as they add sounds to the -en ending to make words such as hen, pen, den, ten, and men. 
Literacy Activities
Click here to view a video demonstration similar to this lesson.
Let men get hens in a pen

• Write and read men, hen, and pen. Point out that each word ends with -en.
• Invite the children to read the -en names on the headbands and name cards. Assign some children to be hens and others to be men. Give them headbands or name cards and have them read the names aloud.
• Have the hens stand in one corner of the room, and have the men stand near the Hen Pen sign.
• Call one of the hens by name, and name one of the men to take that hen to the hen pen.
• Let the men take hens to the pen while the children chant,  "Jen, go to the hen pen,” “Gwen, go to the hen pen,” etc.

Play the game What Can You Find in the Hen Pen?  

• Put the -en eggs in a pile.
• Have each child take an egg and write one of the following letters before the -en: h, m, p, d, t.
• Have the children blend the sounds together to make an -en word (e.g., p + en = pen).
• Choose an area of the room and mark it as the hen pen using the sign.
• Let the children take turns taking their eggs to the hen pen while all the children quietly chant, "Go to the hen pen!” What's in the hen pen?"
• Have the children chant “What’s in the hen pen?” as they take turns reading a word on an egg.

Identify, blend, and manipulate sounds

• Have the children blend individual sounds into words by clapping  once for the beginning sound, once for the -en sound and once to say the whole word (e.g., h + en = hen).
  • p + en = pen
  • m + en = men
  • t + en = ten