57 Lost Beginnings
Brooklynn Hill
Strategy Overview
- This activity is a way for students to understand how words can be similar but have different spellings. This activity is for students to work on identifying new words that have similar endings. During the Lost Beginnings activity, students will be given an ending of a word. Students will have to find different letters or sounds that they can change to make a new word to practice manipulating sounds. For example: game, or fame, or tame, or shame.
- In the literacy online website “Reading Rockets” it states, “When students understand that spoken words can be broken up into individual sounds (phonemes) and that letters can be used to represent those sounds, they have the insight necessary to read and write in an alphabetic language. Blending and segmenting games and activities can help students to develop phonemic awareness, a strong predictor of reading achievement” (Reading Rockets). In another online literacy resource “SAVVAS Learning Company” it states, “Phonological awareness is an essential skill, without which students cannot become strong, independent readers. The Science of Reading identifies phonological awareness as one of the critical elements of reading, along with phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension” (SAVVAS Learning Company).
Strategy in Action
In the classroom, teachers can set up this activity by creating the Lost Beginnings word puzzles. Here’s what to do:
- Create little chunks of paper (index cards work well) that have the same endings of words.
- Then, teachers will also create the different beginnings of the words on small chunks of paper that can fit into those same endings.
- Students will be split into small groups to work on the Lost Beginning puzzles. Students will start with easier words and as they complete more words they will gradually get more difficult.
- Once students finish a section of words with the same ending, they will have to explain the differences in each word, their meaning and what they sound like.
- Students can then move on to the next grouping of words.
- Repeat as desired and time allows
Related Resources
Eastman, P. D., Silverstein, S., Hopkins, L. B., & Shulman, M. (n.d.). Elkonin boxes. Reading Rockets.
Perkins, L. R., Silverstein, S., McCall, F., & Rosen, M. (n.d.). Blending and segmenting games. Reading Rockets.
SAVVAS Literacy Company. (n.d.). 50 fun phonics activities.
