Systematic & Engaging Early Literacy
Flick the Stick
Goal: Students will stretch out vowels in short /i/ words (e.g., stick).
Target Words: kick, lick, pick, brick, chick, click, flick, stick, trick
Materials and Preparation:
 Popsicle sticks (if possible, use a variety of colors)—3 to 10 for the class
 Masking tape (make a large 3x3 grid and a starting line on the floor)
 Word cards (cut out and put one card in each box in the 3x3 masking tape grid)
 Whiteboard or chart paper and marker
Introduce:
Say, “Did you know that there are different things you can do with a stick? We can pick a stick or flick a stick.
Today we’ll play a game called Flick the Stick. As we play, be ready to do a quick trick!”
Playful Practice:
 Teach students the Flick a Stick song (see below).
 Offer students a turn to pick a stick to flick.
 Have students, one at a time, stand at a designated starting line to flick their stick on to the –ick grid.
 Have everyone sing the Flick a Stick song. At the end of the song the person with the stick will flick it onto
the grid.
 Students will read the word their stick lands on (support as necessary). If it is an –ick word, have them do a
quick trick (e.g., hop on one foot, tap their head and rub their stomach, wink each eye) while those who can,
click (snap) their fingers and chant the –ick word five times.
 If a student lands on a word that does not end with –ick, they do not do a trick.
Flick a Stick song: to the tune of Hot Cross Buns
Flick a stick.
Flick a stick.
If the stick lands on –ick,
Do a quick trick!
Review (Read and/or Write About) the Playful Experience:
 Write a few sentences on the board, using some of the –ick words (e.g.; I can flick a stick. I can do a trick
and be a chick!)
 Read the –ick sentences on the board together emphasizing the iiiii-ck part of each of the –ick words.
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BYU David O. McKay School of Education
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
Systematic & Engaging Early Literacy
Flick the Stick
Word Cards: Class Activity
pick
kick
lick
2
BYU David O. McKay School of Education
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
Systematic & Engaging Early Literacy
Flick the Stick
brick
chick
click
3
BYU David O. McKay School of Education
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
Systematic & Engaging Early Literacy
Flick the Stick
stick
bag
sack
4
BYU David O. McKay School of Education
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
Systematic & Engaging Early Literacy
Flick the Stick
SEEL AT HOME
Playing to Learn
Goal: Students will stretch out vowels in short /i/ words (e.g. stick).
You will need:
Items in the folder: popsicle stick, Flick the Stick song,
From home: pencil, 3 pieces of paper (Cut each piece in fourths. Write one word (chick,
lick, brick, kick, pick, click, trick, sack, and bag )on each piece and place on the floor like
a 3x3 grid)
Activity: Flick the Stick
1. Have your child teach you the Flick the Stick song and practice singing it together (Use words provided if needed).
2. Take turns flicking the stick onto the –ick grid.
3. If the stick lands on one of the –ick words, have the person who flicked the stick do a quick trick, (e.g., a summersault
or hop on one foot) while the other person click s (snaps) his or her fingers and chants the –ick word. If the stick does
not land on one of the –ick words, do not do a trick.
4. Repeat as many times as desired.
5. Help your child write a sentence about the game, using at least 2 –ick words. He or she may choose to illustrate the
sentence.
6. Read the sentence with your child, stretching out the short /i/ vowel (e.g., l-iiii-ck) when you read the two –ick words.
7. Send the sentence to school with your child to share with a teacher and a friend.
Remember to be playful and have fun!
The activity can be repeated several times.
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
SEEL AT HOME
Playing to Learn
Goal: Students will stretch out vowels in short /i/ words (e.g., stick).
You will need:
Items in the folder: popsicle stick, Flick the Stick song,
From home: pencil, 3 pieces of paper (Cut each piece in fourths. Write one word (chick,
lick, brick, kick, pick, click, trick, sack, and bag) on each piece and place on the floor like
a 3x3 grid)
Activity: Flick the Stick
1. Have your child teach you the Flick the Stick song and practice singing it together (Use words provided if needed).
2. Take turns flicking the stick onto the –ick grid.
3. If the stick lands on one of the –ick words, have the person who flicked the stick do a quick trick, (e.g., a summersault
or hop on one foot) while the other person clicks (snaps) his or her fingers and chants the –ick word.
4. Repeat as many times as desired.
5. Help your child write a sentence about the game, using at least 2 –ick words. He or she may choose to illustrate the
sentence.
6. Read the sentence with your child, stretching out the short /i/ vowel (e.g., l-iiii-ck) when you read the two –ick words.
7. Send the sentence to school with your child to share with a teacher and a friend.
Remember to be playful and have fun!
The activity can be repeated several times.
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
5
BYU David O. McKay School of Education
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University
Systematic & Engaging Early Literacy
Flick the Stick
Flick the Stick song: Home Activity
Flick the Stick song
(sing to the tune of Hot Cross Buns)
Flick the stick.
Flick the stick.
If the stick lands on –ick,
Do a quick trick!
-------------------------Flick the Stick song
(sing to the tune of Hot Cross Buns)
Flick the stick.
Flick the stick.
If the stick lands on –ick,
Do a quick trick!
6
BYU David O. McKay School of Education
© 2012 Project SEEL, McKay School of Education, Brigham Young University