State and Model the Objective
Tell the children that they will make a man out of marshmallows as they listen for words that begin with the /m/ sound, such as messy, man, munch, and make.

Literacy Activities
Make and munch on a marshmallow man

• Pass out paper plates, toothpicks, and marshmallows to the children and ask them to listen for words with the /m/ sound as they make marshmallow men.
• As the children make men by putting together marshmallows with toothpicks, invite them to say, “Making my marshmallow man!” and point out the /m/ words.
• Ask the children if they want to make their marshmallow men messy.
  • If they say yes, pour a little chocolate sauce on their marshmallow man and have the children repeat together, “My marshmallow man is messy!”
  • If they say no, they can say, "My marshmallow man isn't messy."
• Have the children mop up (or pretend to mop up) the mess of chocolate sauce on their plates using their marshmallow men while they say, “My marshmallow man mops up his mess!”
• Allow the children to munch on their marshmallow men saying, “Mmm, mmm, munching on my marshmallow man.”

More Practice
Repeat words with the target sound

• With the children, think of foods that start with the /m/ sound (e.g., macaroni, mushroom, muffin).
• Have the children say, “Munch on the ____ (e.g., macaroni),” as they take turns adding a marshmallow to a mound for each /m/ word.

Recognize words with the target sound

• Tell the children to march like a marshmallow man when you say a word that starts with the /m/ sound (e.g., melt, mix, make, mold), but pretend to melt if you say a word that doesn't start with the /m/ sound (e.g., pat, roll, toss, stir), supporting as needed.

Blend sounds to make words

• Have children blend word parts into whole words by tapping their head when they say the beginning of the word, then touching their toes when they say the ending, and finally clapping once when they say the whole word together. For example, m (tap head) + at (touch toes) = mat (clap hands).
  • m + ud  = mud
  • m + et = met
  • m + ap = map
  • m + op = mop