State and Model the Objective
Tell the children that they will play with shadows and shapes as they listen for words that start with the /sh/ sound, such as shell, ship, shower, and shampoo.

Literacy Activities
Shine a light to make shadow shapes 

• Cut out each set of /sh/ shapes, spread one set on a table, and help the children identify the shapes while you emphasize the /sh/ sound.
• Explain to the children that they will be looking for shadows of shapes that start with the /sh/ sound, as in shark.
• Show the shadows of the other set of shapes on a wall or screen by:
  • Holding cutout shapes in front of a flashlight
  • Placing them on an overhead projector
  • Holding them in front of a computer camera lens for online teaching
• Have the children look at the shape and guess which shape on the table is making the shadow.
• When they find the correct shape, have them shout out the name of the shape.
• Invite the children to take turns displaying a /sh/ shape as the rest of the children guess.
• Review the /sh/ shapes with the children, emphasizing the /sh/ sound (e.g., sh sh sh shoe). 

Shine a "/sh/ finder"

• Make “/sh/ finders” for or with the children: 
  • Trace around a toilet paper tube on the plastic wrap, then write “sh” with a permanent marker in the circle you made.
  • Center the toilet paper tube over the letters, then gently lift the plastic wrap edges up around the tube.
  • Rubber band or tape the plastic wrap to the tube and check that you can see the “sh” through the tube.
• Mix all of the shapes (see below) together and display them on a wall, table, or one by one on a computer screen.
• Help the children identify all of the shapes, pointing out which ones start with /sh/.
• Show each of the shapes again, letting the children aim their /sh/ finders at the shapes that start with /sh/ as they shout the /sh/ shape names.

More Practice

Blend sounds into words 

• Have the children blend word parts into whole words by tapping their heads when they say the beginning /sh/ sound, then touching their toes when they say the ending, and finally clapping once when they say the whole word together. 
  • For example: sh (tap head) + ip (tap toes) = ship (clap hands) 
    • sh + eep = sheep 
    • sh + op = shop 
    • sh + ell = shell