State and Model the Objective
Tell the children that they will make a necklace with noodles as they listen for words that start with the /n/ sound, such as nose, nine, nickel, and neck.

Literacy Activities
String neat noodles on a necklace

• Wrap tape around the ends of the string for ease in threading, and punch a hole in the circle at the top of each picture card.
• Show the children the noodle necklace you made, and have them name the picture cards on the necklace by saying phrases like “nose on the noodle necklace" and "net on the noodle necklace.”
• Give each child a string, some noodles, and some /n/ picture cards.
• Tape one end of the string to the table so that the noodles and picture cards don’t fall off as the children thread them.
• As the children string their noodles and picture cards, help them say alliterative phrases like, “noodle on the necklace," and "nose on the necklace."
• When the children have finished, help them tie their necklaces around their necks as they say, “My noodle necklace looks neat!” 

More Practice
Tongue twister time

• Have the children help you count how many neat noodle necklaces there are at their table or in a group by saying “One neat noodle necklace, two neat noodle necklaces, . . .” etc.
• Optional: Have several children take turns placing their necklaces around a stuffed animal named Nick’s neck as they count, “There is one neat noodle necklace on Nick’s neck” and so forth.

Tap out sounds in words

• Have the children blend word parts into whole words by tapping their head when they say the /n/ sound, then touching their toes when they say the ending, and finally clapping once when they say the whole word together. For example: n (tap head) + eck (touch toes) = neck (clap hands).
  • neck = n + eck
  • not = n + ot
  • nap = n + ap
  • net = n + et