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Buzz Like a Bee With Z

Emergent Literacy Design

Rationale:
This lesson will help students identify /z/, the phoneme represented by Z. Students will learn to recognize /z/ in spoken words by learning a sound analogy, practice finding /z/ in words, and identify phoneme awareness /z/ in phonetic cues. 

 

Materials:

  • Primary paper and pencils

  • Drawing paper and crayons

  • Picture of a bee for children to see

  • Chart with A Zebra Zapped the Zipper a Zillion Times, 

  • Assessment worksheet identifying pictures with /z/, 

  • Cover-up critters

  • Word cards with: ZAP, ZOO, CAPE, ZEBRA, BUZZ, PAINT, ZIPPER, 

  • Decodable book, The Zim-Zam Man.
     

Procedures:

1. Say: Our written language is a secret code. The tricky part of the code is being able to find out what each letter stands for. Today, we will learn what /z/ sounds like.  The letter Z makes the /z/ sound. It makes the same sound as a bee makes and it looks like a zigzag.

 

2. Say: Let's pretend we are buzzing bees /z/ /z/ z/z (Act like a bee zigzagging and buzzing.) Notice how your tongue touched above the top teeth and how you felt the vibrations. Turn your voice box on and feel it vibrate. 
 

3. Say: Let me show you how to find /z/ in the word fuzz. I am going to stretch fuzz out in slow motion and listen for when the bee is buzzing. Fuzzzzzzz. Now slower, fuzzzzzzzzz. There we go!  I feel my tongue touch above the top teeth, and I feel the vibrations. Your turn, so make sure you try to feel the vibrations. I can feel the bee buzzing /z/ in buzz. 
 

4. Say: Now, let's try a tongue tickler (on chart). A Zebra Zipped the Zookeepers Zipper a Zillion Times. A zebra was outside one day in the zoo. The zookeeper had on a pair of pants and the zipper kept falling down. The zebra used his hands to zip up the zookeepers zipper. The zipper kept falling down so the zebra continued to do it over and over. Here's our tickler: A zebra zipped the zookeepers zipper a zillion times. Everyone say it together three times. Now, let's say it again and stretch it out so we can hear the /z/. "A zzzebra zzzipped the zzzookeepers zzzipper a zzzillion times." Now, we are going to take the /z/ off of the word. A /z/ebra /z/ipped the /z/ookeepers /z/ipper a /z/illion times.
 

5. (Have students get out primary paper and pencil.) We use the letter Z to spell /z/. Capital Z looks like a zigzag that we draw. Let's write our lowercase z. Start at the fence, make a straight line to the right and then a right sideways line down to the sidewalk. Connect another straight line and go to the right. Now, you try! After I check, I want you to try 5 more times. 
 

6. Call on students: Do you hear /z/ in freeze or cold? Zero or two? Cold or cozy? Say: I am going to hold up some words on cards, and make a buzzing bee sound when you hear /z/ sound. (Holds cards): zap, cape, zoo, zebra, paint, buzz, zipper
 

7. Say: Now, let's read a story together, the title is The Zim-Zam Man. The Zim-Zam Man is such a fun guy, he gets to do so many cool things. He goes on so many trips, but eventually he stops. Where do you think he will stop? What all do you think he gets to do? While I read this, I challenge you to buzz like a bee everytime you hear the /z/ sound. 
 

8. Show ZAP and model how to tell if it is zap or cap: The z tells me to buzz like a bee, /z/. That is how we know this word is zzz-ap. Now, your turn! ZERO: Zero or hero? SIP: Sip or hip? ZIPPER: Zipper or chipper? HIT: Hit or sit?

 

9. For assessment, have children complete the worksheet. Students will color each picture that begins with the      letter Z. Call students individually to read the phonetic cue words from step #8.

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References:

Ellison Brewster, Six Silly Snakes

https://ellisonbrewster.wixsite.com/lessondesigns/emergent-literacy

 

Assessment Worksheet: 

https://www.kidzone.ws/kindergarten/z-begins1.htm

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Decodable Book:

Raz-Kids, The Zim-Zam Man

https://www.raz-kids.com/main/BookDetail/id/2161
 

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