Sound Sprint Teacher Guide
Teacher Protocol 20-Minute Small Group Intervention
Sound Sprint Facilitator Guide
Primary Focus: Group 3 (1-on-1)
Total Class: 19 Students | 5 Tiers
Pacing Breakdown (20 Minutes Total)
Min 00–02
Transition & Launch
Stations deploy; G3 moves to table.
Min 02–16
Group 3 Intensive
14 min high-touch blending drill.
Min 16–18
Station Check
Quick scan & praise of independent hubs.
Min 18–20
Clean & Transition
Caddies stacked, return to whole group.
Group 3 Intensive Coaching Protocol: Blending Sounds (1 Student)
14 Minutes Table Instruction
1
Continuous Blending Warm-Up (3 mins)
Script: "We don't stop between sounds. Stretch them like chewing gum: /sssuuunnn/ → sun." Practice holding continuous consonants (/m/, /s/, /f/, /n/, /r/) into short vowels.
2
Touch & Slide Blending (4 mins)
Action: Use the Sound Slider Mat. Student taps each dot with an index finger saying each phoneme crisp and clean, then sweeps rapidly across the blend arrow to voice the target word.
3
Successive Blending (Body-Coda) (4 mins)
Strategy: If memory fails on 3 phonemes, lock the first two first: /m/ + /a/ = ma. Now add the tail: ma + /p/ = map. High success for struggling decoders.
4
Rapid Fire Word Building Sprint (3 mins)
Decodables: Tap and read 5 quick CVC cards (e.g., cat, pin, mop, bus, red). Student celebrates mastery on their mini-tracker.
Immediate Corrective Feedback (When the Student Pauses or Guesses)
If adding extra 'schwa' sounds:
Don't say "/buh/ /aaa/ /tuh/". Model clipping sounds crisp: "/b/ /a/ /t/. Clip your sounds!"
If dropping the first sound:
Slide back to beginning: "Keep your finger on the arrow. Connect /s/ to /a/ without taking a breath."
Sound Sprint Tiered Intervention • Page 1 of 2 Group 3 Intensive Protocol
Classroom Management
Autonomous Station Blueprints
Autonomous Groups (18 Students)
Zero-Teacher-Interruption Design
Station A • Group 1 7 Students
Early Phonological Awareness
Task: Syllable Clapping & Rhyme Match Cards. Students tap syllable beats with drumsticks/fingers and pair rhyming picture tokens.
Self-Check: Flip card to see matching colored dot backs.
Station B • Group 2 6 Students
Phonemic Awareness (Isolate & Push)
Task: Elkonin Sound Box Chips. Students push colored counters into 3 boxes for each spoken word image, isolating beginning, middle, and end sounds.
Partner Routine: Partner whispers the word; worker pushes chips.
Station C • Group 4 3 Students
Simple Pattern Fluency Sprint
Task: Roll & Read CVC Word Ladders. Students roll a die, read the 5-word strip with expression and speed, and tally consecutive clean readings.
Target: Read 15 words cleanly in 1 minute with peer timer.
Station D • Group 5 2 Students
Complex Pattern Code Breakers
Task: Digraphs & Consonant Blends Detective. Students highlight target phonograms (sh, ch, th, st, bl) in mystery sentences.
Challenge: Decode and draw a quick sketch to confirm meaning.
3 Golden Rules to Protect Group 3's 14-Minute Focus Window
1. Three Before Me Check picture directions, ask two station partners before approaching teacher table.
2. Whisper Level 1 Use 6-inch voices so the blending student at the teacher desk can hear vowel nuances.
3. Fast-Finisher Tub Grab decodable whisper-phones or phonics sensory trays in their station caddy.
Formative Quick-Check Tracker (End of Session)
| Group | Core Benchmark Criterion | Mastery Indicator | Next Step |
|---|
| Group 3 (1) | Continuous blend of 3-sound CVCs | 4 of 5 words blended without pause | Use 2-sound CV blends tomorrow |
| Group 1 (7) | Isolate initial sound & rhyming match | Matches 4 rhyming pairs correctly | Reinforce with onset-rime songs |
| Group 2 (6) | Segment 3 phonemes into boxes | Pushes 3 counters accurately | Focus on medial short vowel isolation |
| Group 4 (3) | Fluently read simple CVC pattern lists | Automaticity (>15 wpm with accuracy) | Phrase scooping decodables |
| Group 5 (2) | Decode blends & digraphs in sentences | Accurate decoding in connected text | Introduce vowel team decodables |
Sound Sprint Tiered Intervention • Page 2 of 2 Station Blueprints & Assessment
Sound Slider Blending Mat
Group 3 Focus • 1-on-1 Table Mat
Sound Slider Blending Mat
Name:
Date:
Teacher Prompt: "Tap each green dot to say the sound. Slide your finger across the arrow to blend the word!"
Continuous Blend
1. Master Sound Track
First Sound
1 Tap
Middle Vowel
2 Tap
Ending Sound
3 Tap
Slide & Blend Together:
Say Whole Word!
2. Sound Lock Pyramid (Body-Coda)
Step 1: First Sound
Step 2: Add Vowel (Lock)
Step 3: Add Tail (Full Word)
3. Write the Blended Word
Write the blended letters clearly on the handwriting lines:
Check: Did it make a real word?
Yes No
5-Star Blending Sprint Tracker Color 1 star for each word successfully blended on the first try!
★
★
★
★
★
Sound Sprint • Group 3 Intervention • Page 1 of 2 Reusable Work Mat
Target Practice Cards
CVC Sound Blending Strip Cards
8 Progressive Cards
Continuous Consonant Openers
Student Directions: Place card on the table. Point to each dot and speak the sound. Slide across the arrow to blend the whole word. Say the word aloud, then check the box!
Card 1 Short u
s
u
n
→ slide & blend
Blended!
Card 2 Short a
m
a
t
→ slide & blend
Blended!
Card 3 Short i
r
i
p
→ slide & blend
Blended!
Card 4 Short o
m
o
p
→ slide & blend
Blended!
Card 5 Short a
f
a
n
→ slide & blend
Blended!
Card 6 Short e
l
e
g
→ slide & blend
Blended!
Card 7 Short i
z
i
p
→ slide & blend
Blended!
Card 8 Short u
b
Rotation Station Worksheets
Stations A & B • Phonological & Phonemic
Sound Detective Stations
Name:
Date:
Station A
Group 1: Syllable Beats & Rhyme Match (7 Students)
Partner or Solo
Part 1: Clap the Syllables. Say the word, clap each beat, and color the matching number of drums:
butterfly
1 2 3
cat
1 2 3
rabbit
1 2 3
Part 2: Rhyme Connection. Draw a straight line from the word on the left to its rhyming mate:
1. hat
2. frog
3. pen
log
bat
hen
Station B
Group 2: Elkonin Sound Box Segmenting (6 Students)
Counters or Marker
Directions: Say the picture name slowly. Push one counter into a box for each sound you hear. Then isolate and write the beginning and ending letter sounds!
Word 1: "SUN" 3 Sounds
First sound: /s/ Middle vowel: /u/ Ending sound: /n/
Word 2: "PIG" 3 Sounds
First sound: /p/ Middle vowel: /i/ Ending sound: /g/
Word 3: "CUP" 3 Sounds
First sound: /k/ Middle vowel: /u/ Ending sound: /p/
Word 4: "WEB" 3 Sounds
First sound: /w/ Middle vowel: /e/ Ending sound: /b/
Sound Sprint • Autonomous Stations Page 1 of 2 Groups 1 & 2 Station Tasks
Stations C & D • Fluency & Complex Patterns
Reading Power Stations
Name:
Date:
Station C
Group 4: Roll & Read Fluency Sprint (3 Students)
Partner Timer Routine
Directions: Roll a die. Read across the matched row as quickly and smoothly as you can. Partner marks a star for every row read fluently without stopping!
1
catpinrughotfed
☆
2
batlipmudpotweb
☆
3
fansitsunhopten
☆
4
mapdigcupfoxjet
☆
5
vanwigbusmopred
☆
6
panwintubboxleg
☆
Fluency Scoop Challenge: Read smoothly with phrasing:
The fat cat sat on a red mat.
Station D
Group 5: Complex Patterns & Code Breakers (2 Students)
