zigzag z

Zigzag Z
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Target text

Objective

Recognize and name the uppercase letter Z and the lowercase letter z.

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Lesson Plan

Target Words:

  • Zigzag
  • Zap
  • Zip

Materials:

  • Shaving cream, dish soap, or body wash
  • Cloud graphic
  • Letter cards
  • Small pieces of paper

Overview
The children will make a zigzag lightning bolt as they recognize and name the uppercase letter Z and the lowercase letter z.

Literacy Activities
Zigzag Z

  • Write the uppercase letter Z and the lowercase letter z on a whiteboard, name the letters, and have the children say the letter name as they write the Z and z in the air with their fingers.
  • Explain to the children that the letter Z kind of looks like lightning and that lightning zips and zaps.
  • Have the children gather around desks or tables.
  • Squirt a blob of shaving cream, dish soap, or body wash on the table in the space in front of each child.
  • Allow the children to rub the shaving cream, dish soap, or body wash around on top of the desk to make it look like fluffy clouds.
  • Let the children use their fingers to make zigzag lightning bolts in the shape of the letter Z in the shaving cream.
  • Tell the children to say, “Zigzag Z!” or "Zip! Zap! Z!" each time they make a Z lightning bolt.
  • Help the children clean up the shaving cream and have them wash their hands.

More Practice
Identify and write the target letter

  • Show the children the cloud graphic and tell them they will need to search the room to find zigzag Z lightning bolts to put on the cloud.
  • Scatter the letter cards around the room, then let the children gather the cards.
  • Help the children decide whether or not each letter is an uppercase letter Z or a lowercase letter z.
    • If the letter is a Z, have the children glue or tape it on the cloud graphic.
    • If the letter is not a Z, place it in the discard pile.
    • If a child misidentifies a distractor letter as a Z or a z, have him or her look at the Z and z on the whiteboard and compare them to the letter he or she picked.

Write the target letter

  • Help the children write the letter Z on small pieces of paper.
  • Allow the children to attach their Z papers to the cloud graphic.
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Printouts

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Objective 

Recognize and name the uppercase letter Z and the lowercase letter z.

Materials

  • Cloud picture
  • Letter cards
  • Shaving cream, dish soap, or body wash
  • Small pieces of paper

Activity: Zigzag Z

  • Write the letter Z on a piece of paper, then have your child name the letter and practice writing in the air with his or her finger.
  • Squirt a blob of shaving cream, dish soap, or body wash on the counter or table in front of your child.
  • Tell your child to swirl the blob of shaving cream, dish soap, or body wash around to make it fluffy like clouds then help him or her make zigzag lightning bolts in the shape of the letter Z in the shaving cream.
  • Tell your child to say "Zigzag Z!" each time he or she makes a Z lightning bolt.
  • Mix up the letter cards, then let your child choose a card one at a time.
  • Help your child decide whether or not each letter is an uppercase Z or a lowercase z.
    • If the letter is a Z, have your child glue or tape it on the cloud graphic.
    • If the letter is not a Z, discard it.
  • Help your child write the letter Z on small pieces of paper, then have him or her attach the Z papers to the cloud graphic.
  • The activity can be repeated several times.

Cloud-and-Letters

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Standards

SEEL lessons align with Common Core Standards. Please see the standards page for the code(s) associated with this lesson.

http://education.byu.edu/seel/library/