State and Model the Objective

Tell the children that they will choose foods for Charlie to chew and chomp while they listen for words that begin with the /ch/ sound, such as chocolate, chips, Cheerios, cherries, and cheese.

Literacy Activities

Charlie likes to chomp and chew

• Introduce Charlie the puppet to the children and explain that Charlie only likes to chew foods that start with the /ch/ sound like chocolate, chips, Cheerios, and cheese.
• Help the children identify all of the picture cards, emphasizing the /ch/ sound as you read words with ch at the beginning.
• Let the children take turns choosing a picture card and deciding together whether it begins with the /ch/ sound and if Charlie would like to chew it or not (support as needed):
  • If a card is chosen that starts with /ch/, have the child give it to Charlie to chomp and chew.
  • If a card is chosen that does not start with /ch/, have the child set the card in a discard pile.
• As the children take turns feeding Charlie, have them say phrases like, “Chomp and chew the chips, Charlie!”

Chomp and chew foods that begin with /ch/ (optional)

• Let each child choose a real food (or picture card) that starts with /ch/ by saying, “I choose to chomp and chew ___” (e.g., chips, Cheerios, cherries, cheese, etc.).

More Practice

Read an alliterative text to highlight words that begin with the same first sound

• Display the Chomp and Chew target text  large enough for children to easily see.
• Read the text to the children, pointing to each word in left to right sequence. 
• Show the children the ch blend and ask them to find other words that begin with the /ch/ sound such as chip, emphasizing the sound as you say the words and the children repeat them.

Practice alliteration with the /ch/ sound

• Make a list of /ch/ words Charlie got to chomp and chew (e.g., chocolate, cheese).
• Tell the children you can think of other words that start with /ch/ (e.g., chin, chair, cheetah).
• Ask each child to think of and share a word that starts with /ch/ (support as needed).