Clap-a-Sound
Congratulations on your purchase of Really Good Literacy
Center-in-a-Bag™ Clap-a-Sound, a kinesthetic activity for
practicing phoneme segmentation.
Objective
The student will identify and count the number of sounds in
picture cues.
This Really Good Stuff® product includes:
• 52 Really Good Learning Deck Cards™
• Game Board
• 4 Game Markers
• Center Task Card
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Phoneme segmentation is a vital part of developing early literacy
skills. Children become automatic at hearing the individual
sounds in words when they play Clap-a-Sound. Isolating the
individual sounds in words strengthens phonological awareness, a
necessary component in early reading skills. You’ll be amazed at
how naturally students transfer their segmentation skills from
Clap-a-Sound to reading and writing!
Managing the Center-in-a-Bag
Ways To Use Clap-a-Sound
• Display the Center Task Card.
• Copy and laminate the answer key and store it in the bag.
• Demonstrate how to tidy the center when the activity is
complete.
• Store the center materials in the bag and hang it
alongside other Centers-in-a-Bag.
• Differentiate Clap-a-Sound by using three-, four- and fivephoneme Cards for more fluent students, and use two- and
three-phoneme Cards for students who need more support
and practice segmenting words.
• Sort the pictures by the number of phonemes. Create
column header cards for Categories 2 through 5.
Introducing Clap-a-Sound
Follow-up
Clap-a-Sound is an engaging activity for children to segment
sounds they hear in words with two to five phonemes. Taking
turns, students say a pictured word and segment the sounds,
clapping for each sound they hear and moving their Game
Marker that number of spaces along the trail. The first player
to reach the Finish is the winner. Refer to the answer key for a
quick check on the number of phonemes.
Use every opportunity to practice segmenting words with
your students. In transition, lining up, and waiting for buses,
students can practice phonological awareness.
• Students with three (or any number) sounds in their
names line up.
• Say a word and have students hold up the correct number
of fingers for the sounds.
• Robot Teacher Talk: Speak in phonemes to capture
students’ attention on word parts. For example, “/T/ /i/ /m/
/t/ /o/ /p/ /a/ /ck/ /y/ /o/ /r/ /b/ /a/ /g/.” (“Time to pack
your bag.”) Or, segment a word and call on students to
translate it, blending the phonemes into a word.
Model the Activity
Begin by modeling the activity, discussing every step with
students. Explain that this is a busy game, with lots for each
player to do. Model drawing a Card and saying the pictured
word. Next, segment the word into its parts, exaggerating the
sounds with big claps. Example: “Dog: /d/ /o/ /g/.” Simultaneously
clap for each of the three sounds. “I will move my Game Marker
three spaces because dog has three sounds. That’s the end of
my turn. Now it’s your turn.”
Center Task Card
Post this at the literacy center in a visible position. The student
or helper can refer to the Center Task Card for instructions.
Refer to the shaded section at the top of the Card for center
preparation, including needed materials.
Summarize your demonstration: “Clapping helps me to segment
the sounds in my word, so I can easily count them. I know that
noticing the sounds will help me when I read and write words.
Now it’s your turn to play Clap-a-Sound.”
Meeting State Standards
This type of practice in phoneme segmentation helps
|students meet grade-level expectations and builds a strong
phonological-awareness foundation.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2010 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304200
Clap-a-Sound
Clap-a-Sound Game
Two to four students
Object: Count the sounds in pictured words
Materials: Learning Deck Cards, Game Board, Game Markers
1. Place picture Cards face down in a stack next to the
Game Board.
2. Players place their Game Markers at the Start.
3. Player 1 draws a Card, says the word, and claps the
number of sounds he or she hears in the word.
4. The player moves his or her Game Marker one space for
each sound in the word.
5. Players take turns. The first player to reach the Finish wins.
Variations:
• Robot: Taking turns, without showing the Cards, Player 1
looks at a Card and segments the pictured word for Player
2 to hear. Player 2 blends the sounds, saying the whole
word. Player 1 shows the Card. If Player 2 is correct, he or
she moves that number of spaces on the Board. If
incorrect, Player 1 moves that many spaces on the Board.
• Sort the picture Cards into columns according to the
number of phonemes. Clap the sounds.
Related Really Good Stuff® Products:
Sound Sort (#304201)
Really Good Learning Deck Cards™
2
3
4
5
ape
ax
band
curtain
cow
apple
braid
garden
egg
ball
bump
mitten
ice
bat
crab
plant
key
beak
dress
racoon
knee
bib
drip
skunk
oar
boat
elbow
stamp
pie
cap
fence
wagon
shoe
chair
flag
toy
dog
flake
house
hand
hug
lamp
jug
mask
leaf
rest
map
stop
phone
swing
thumb
turtle
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2010 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in Guangzhou, China #304200