Overview
The children will get D letter cards dirty as they recognize and name the letter D.

Literacy Activities
Dig in the dirt with the letter D

• Laminate the letter cards or write D on waterproof materials such as Styrofoam.
• Write the letter D on a whiteboard, name the letter, and have the children write the D in the air with their fingers.
• Deal out the letter cards or arrange for someone to deliver them to every child.
• Bring out the dish of dirt and the dish of water on a tray or cookie sheet.
• Say, “D loves to dive and dig in dirt” (drop the D in the dish of dirt).
• Say, “D was digging deep in the dirt and got very dirty” (demonstrate digging down).
• Let the children drop dirt on the D.
• Show the children how to dip and dunk the D in the water to clean it.
• Let the D drip and then dab and dry the D with a paper towel.

More Practice
Write the target letter

• Have the children create their own letter cards by writing the letter D (support as needed) on small pieces of paper.
• Put the letter cards in plastic sealable baggies to make them waterproof.
• Have the children dip the letters in dirt, dunk them in water to clean them, and dab to dry them.

Find the target letter mixed in with other letters

• Display the page of mixed-up letters and have the children find the letter D.
• Have the children color the letters D to get them dirty.
  • If a child misidentifies a distractor letter as the letter D, refer the child to letter written on the board and ask, “Does the letter you found look like my letter?”