State and Model the Objective
Tell the children that they will try to catch a key as they listen for words that start with the /k/ sound, such as key, car, and kite.

Literacy Activities
Play Catch the Key game

• Have the children sit in a circle and show them the picture cards, helping them identify the pictures, and pointing out that they all start with the /k/ sound.
• Put a small rolled up piece of tape on the back of each picture card and lay them out on the floor with the picture-side down.
• Bring out the ball and have the children chant, "Catch the key" as they roll it back and forth across the circle to try to catch the picture card with a key on it.
• When the ball picks up a picture card, have the child who rolled the ball pick it up and show the other children the card.
• Have the children identify the picture on the ball together and say, "We caught the /k/ /k/ ___ (e.g., key, car)!"
  • If the card is a picture of a key, then have the children clap their hands as they say “We caught the /k/ /k/ key!” 
  • If the card isn’t a picture of a key, have the children continue the game.
• Repeat the game as many times as desired.
• When the children have caught all of the picture cards, go through the cards and have the children identify them one more time, emphasizing the /k/ sound (e.g., /k/ /k/ /k/ car).

More Practice
Repeat words with the target sound

• Have the children sit in a circle with you in the middle.
• Roll the ball to one of the children and ask them to listen to the word you say to see if it starts with the /k/ sound.
  • If the word starts with the /k/ sound, have the child say, “___ (e.g., Cow) begins with /k/.” as they roll the ball back to you.
  • If the word doesn’t start with the /k/ sound, have the child hold onto the ball and say, “___ (e.g., Bat) doesn’t begin with /k/.”
• If the child misidentifies the letter sound, ask, “Does ___ (the incorrect word) start with the /k/ sound like /k/ /k/ car? What about castle? Does castle start with /k/?" nodding as needed for support.