Sound Builders Slides Phoneme Pilots • Session 1
Auditory Sound Lab
Blend & Segment Focus
Listen • Tap • Connect
Sound Builders
We hear individual sounds in spoken words, tap each sound button, and blend them together smoothly.
Sound Blending
Hear isolated sounds and slide them into one whole word.
Sound Segmenting
Hear a whole word and separate each individual sound.
Our Sound Routine
Kinesthetic Tapping Routine
1
Listen In
Eyes on the speaker. Open hands ready. Listen to the isolated sounds without speaking yet.
2
Tap Each Dot
Tap one finger to thumb for every sound you hear from left to right. One sound per dot.
3
Sweep & Blend
Sweep your hand left-to-right across your chest to blend all sounds into the whole word.
Teacher cues: "Touch the sounds..." → "Slide it together!"
Blending Practice • 3 Sounds
Touch and Connect
Word 1
Say each sound on its button, then follow the arrow to say the word:
/s/
Beginning
/u/
Middle
/n/
Ending
Sweep Left to Right →
"SUN"
Next sound sequence to try orally: /f/ - /i/ - /sh/ → "fish" • /m/ - /a/ - /p/ → "map"
Level Up • 4 Phonemes
Blending Consonant Clusters
Word 2
Keep each sound crisp and separate before sliding:
/s/
Sound 1
/t/
Sound 2
/o/
Sound 3
/p/
Sound 4
Connect All 4 →
"STOP"
Listen closely: Did you hear two separate sounds at the start? /s/ and then /t/ !
Reverse It • Break It Down
Segmenting Challenge
Whole Word → Parts
Target Spoken Word
"FROG"
Hold up your fingers: How many sounds live inside this word?
1
Sound 1: /f/ (first sound)
2
Sound 2: /r/ (second sound)
3
Sound 3: /o/ (vowel sound)
4
Sound 4: /g/ (ending sound)
Total sound count: 4 sounds! Quick try: Segment "camp" (/k/ /a/ /m/ /p/) & "ship" (/sh/ /i/ /p/ - 3 sounds!)
Pilot Checkpoint
Ready for Sound Mats!
You are Master Sound Builders!
✓ Blending Rule
Do not pause between the sounds—slide them right into each other like a zipper!
✓ Segmenting Rule
Every sound gets its own tap. Digraphs like /sh/ or /ch/ make just one sound!
Grab your sound mat and tokens. Time to push each sound into its box!
Next Step: Transition to Sound Boxes Activity mat & chips
Sound Builders Activity Sound Builders • Touch & Glide Mat
Reusable Phonemic Awareness Workmat
Oral Sound Practice
Name:
Date:
Directions: Place counters or coins on the bottom dots. As you hear each sound in the word, push one counter up into its sound box. Then sweep your finger along the arrow from left to right to blend the whole word!
2 2-Sound Words (e.g., in, at, go, me) Push up → Sweep
Sound 1
Sound 2
•
•
START ——————————————————> BLEND
3 3-Sound Words (e.g., cat, sun, ship, fish) Push up → Sweep
Sound 1
Sound 2
Sound 3
•
•
•
START ———————————————————————> BLEND
4 4-Sound Words (e.g., stop, frog, lamp, nest) Push up → Sweep
1
2
3
4
•
•
•
•
START ————————————————————————————> BLEND
Tip: Remember to say individual sounds (e.g., /s/ /t/ /o/ /p/) without adding extra "uh" sounds! Page 1 • Touch & Glide Mat
Segment & Map Worksheet
Listen • Count • Fill Sound Boxes
Independent • Guided Work
Name:
Date:
Directions: Teacher will say a word aloud. 1) Fill in one circle for each sound you hear. 2) Write an × or draw a dot in each sound box. 3) Write the total sound count.
1 Word 1
(Oral word)
Touch count:
Total Sounds
2 Word 2
(Oral word)
Touch count:
Total Sounds
3 Word 3
(Oral word)
Touch count:
Total Sounds
4 Word 4
(Oral word)
Touch count:
Total Sounds
5 Challenge!
(Oral word)
Touch count:
Total Sounds
Partner Sound Whisper Check
Peer Discussion
Whisper your favorite segmented word to your partner sound-by-sound (e.g., "/f/ ... /l/ ... /a/ ... /g/" ). Did they guess your word?
Partner Name: We checked each other's sounds
Teacher Word List & Key available in Sound Builders Teacher Guide Page 2 • Student Practice Sheet
Sound Builders Teacher Guide Sound Builders • Teacher Guide
Lesson 1: Explicit Phoneme Blending & Segmenting Routine
15–20 Min Session
Learning Objective
Students will orally blend 2–4 spoken phonemes into whole words and orally segment spoken words into individual phonemes with 80%+ accuracy.
Materials Needed
Sound Builders Slides, Touch & Glide Mat (Page 1 of student activity), counters/chips (3–4 per student), pencils.
1 Explicit Blending Script (I Do • We Do • You Do)
Kinesthetic: Hand Sweep
Teacher Model (I Do): "Watch my mouth and fingers. I will tap one finger for each sound, then sweep to say the word: /s/ ... /u/ ... /n/. Slide it together: 'sun'. What's the word? Sun!"
Choral Practice (We Do / You Do): "Let's tap together. Ready? /m/ - /a/ - /p/. Slide it across your chest! Word? Map! "
2 Explicit Segmenting Script (Pushing Sound Chips)
Kinesthetic: Chip Push
Teacher Model: "The word is 'fish'. I say the word first: 'fish'. Now I push one counter up into each box for each sound I hear: /f/ (push 1) ... /i/ (push 2) ... /sh/ (push 3). How many sounds? Three sounds!"
Key Teaching Point: Remind students that /sh/ is two letters, but it makes only one spoken sound !
Paced Word Bank by Phoneme Count Gradual Release Progression
Level
Oral Target Words & Sounds
Focus Feature
2 Phonemes
up (/u/-/p/), at (/a/-/t/), in (/i/-/n/), go (/g/-/ō/)
VC / CV Structure
3 Phonemes (Continuous)
sun (/s/-/u/-/n/), fan (/f/-/a/-/n/), mop (/m/-/o/-/p/)
Continuous initial sound (easiest blend)
3 Phonemes (Digraphs)
ship (/sh/-/i/-/p/), chop (/ch/-/o/-/p/), path (/p/-/a/-/th/)
One sound per digraph
4 Phonemes (Blends)
stop (/s/-/t/-/o/-/p/), frog (/f/-/r/-/o/-/g/), lamp (/l/-/a/-/m/-/p/)
Initial & final consonant clusters
Worksheet Dictation Key (Page 2 of Student Activity) Read words aloud to students
Word 1: "cat" → /k/-/a/-/t/ (3)
Word 2: "fish" → /f/-/i/-/sh/ (3)
Word 3: "stop" → /s/-/t/-/o/-/p/ (4)
Word 4: "jump" → /j/-/u/-/m/-/p/ (4)
Chall: "plant" → /p/-/l/-/a/-/n/-/t/ (5)
Phoneme Pilots • Lesson 1 Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
Diagnostic & Formative Tools
Lesson 1: Error Correction, Scaffolds & Observation Rubric
Assessment & Support
Common Error #1: Adding the Schwa Sound ("buh" instead of /b/)
The Problem: When students articulate stop consonants with an extra vowel (e.g., saying "buh - ah - tuh" instead of /b/ - /a/ - /t/), blending becomes nearly impossible ("buhatuh").
Correction Script: "Clip that sound short! Keep it crisp and quiet. Not 'buh', just /b/. Touch your throat—make it quick and clipped: /b/!"
Common Error #2: Blurring Consonant Blends into One Sound
The Problem: In words like frog or stop , students often treat "fr" or "st" as a single sound unit, counting only 3 sounds instead of 4.
Correction Script: "Slow motion! Stretch out the beginning: /fff/ ... /rrr/. Do your lips and tongue change position? Yes! That means two separate sounds live there: /f/ and /r/!"
Instructional Scaffolding Ladder (From Most to Least Support)
Tier 3 (Maximum Support)
Continuous Blending without pauses: hold sounds together ("sssuuunnn" ). Use physical felt dots under each box.
Tier 2 (Moderate Support)
Finger-tapping with teacher modeling first sound only. Limit words to continuous initial sounds (/s/, /m/, /f/, /r/).
Extension (Challenge)
Introduce 5-phoneme words (blast, crisp, plant ) or have student segment silently and only report the sound count.
Small Group Observation Checklist Record: ✓ Proficient • P Progressing • N Needs Support
Student Name
Blends 3 Sounds
Segments 3 Sounds
Segments 4 Sounds
1. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
2. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
3. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
4. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
Ready to progress to Lesson 2: Sound Shifters (Manipulation) Page 2 of 2
Sound Shifters Slides Phoneme Pilots • Session 2
Sound Manipulation Studio
Add • Drop • Swap
Unlock Word Transformations
Sound Shifters
Words can transform! By adding one sound, taking one sound away, or swapping a sound, we can create brand new words in an instant.
Add a Sound
Grow a word bigger
Drop a Sound
Take a sound away
Swap a Sound
Trade for a new sound
Sound Power 1
Add a Sound
Initial & Final Addition
Front Add (Initial)
Start with the spoken word:
"ICE"
Add /m/ at the beginning!
→ "MICE"
Back Add (Final)
Start with the spoken word:
"PAN"
Add /t/ at the very end!
→ "PANT"
Try this orally right now: Say "top" . Add /s/ at the beginning. What word? → "STOP!"
Sound Power 2
Drop a Sound (Deletion)
Removing Sounds Cleanly
Drop Front Sound
Start with the spoken word:
"SPARK"
Take away /s/ !
→ "PARK"
Drop Final Sound
Start with the spoken word:
"MEAT"
Take away /t/ !
→ "ME"
Try this orally: Say "cloud" without /k/ → "LOUD!" • Say "farm" without /m/ → "FAR!"
Sound Power 3
Sound Swap Chain
Substitutions in Action
Follow the sound mutations step by step:
Start Word
CAT
/k/ /a/ /t/
Change /k/ to /h/
First Swap
HAT
/h/ /a/ /t/
Change /a/ to /o/
Middle Swap
HOT
/h/ /o/ /t/
Change /t/ to /p/
Final Swap
HOP
/h/ /o/ /p/
We changed just one sound at a time , and transformed CAT all the way into HOP !
Fast Reflexes
Shifter Lightning Round
Oral Rapid Fire
Challenge 1 • Add
Say "late" .
Add /p/ at the beginning!
"PLATE"
Challenge 2 • Drop
Say "train" .
Take away /t/ !
"RAIN"
Challenge 3 • Swap
Say "bug" .
Change /g/ to /s/ !
"BUS"
Listen with your super ears: Did you hear which sound moved, disappeared, or changed?
Master Sound Shifters!
Ready for Sound Switcher
You Can Manipulate Any Spoken Word!
• Add It
Slip a sound into the front or back.
• Drop It
Delete a sound and say what remains.
• Swap It
Trade one sound for another sound.
Time for your Sound Switcher Activity sheet!
Next Step: Complete the Sound Switcher Activity worksheet
Sound Switcher Activity Sound Switcher Activity
Lesson 2: Phoneme Addition & Deletion Lab
Sound Mutations
Name:
Date:
Directions: Say each starting word out loud. Follow the sound change command (add or delete a sound), say the new word, and write or draw the new word in the blank box!
A Power 1: Add a Sound (Grow the Word)
Start Word "ice"
Add /m/ at the start →
New Word
Start Word "top"
Add /s/ at the start →
New Word
Start Word "men"
Add /d/ at the end →
New Word
B Power 2: Drop a Sound (Delete & Reveal)
Start Word "spark"
Take away /s/ →
New Word
Start Word "meat"
Take away /t/ →
New Word
Start Word "cloud"
Take away /k/ →
New Word
Turn page for the Sound Swap Word Ladder! Page 1 of 2
Sound Swap Ladder
Lesson 2: Phoneme Substitution & Mystery Swap
Step-by-Step Mutations
Name:
Date:
Directions: Climb up the sound ladder! Change only the indicated sound at each rung to reveal the next spoken word.
4-Rung Sound Swap Ladder Swap One Sound At A Time
4
Rung 4: Swap Ending Sound
Change /t/ in "hot" to /p/
New Word
3
Rung 3: Swap Vowel Sound
Change /a/ in "hat" to /o/
New Word
2
Rung 2: Swap Beginning Sound
Change /k/ in "cat" to /h/
New Word
1
Base Word (Start Here)
Say each sound: /k/ - /a/ - /t/
"CAT"
Partner Mystery Swap Challenge
Oral Pair Work
Partner A chooses a 3-sound word and whispers a swap rule (e.g., "Say 'pen'. Change /e/ to /i/!" ). Partner B says the secret word. Take turns!
Our Partner Words:
Secret Word Discovered:
Teacher Guide contains complete answer progressions and oral prompt extensions. Page 2 of 2
Sound Shifters Teacher Guide Sound Shifters • Teacher Guide
Lesson 2: Advanced Phoneme Addition, Deletion & Substitution
15–20 Min Session
Learning Objective
Students will manipulate spoken words by adding, deleting, and substituting initial, final, and medial phonemes without print with 80%+ accuracy.
Materials Needed
Sound Shifters Slides, Sound Switcher Activity sheets (Pages 1 & 2), pencils, 2 different colored chips for sound swaps.
1 Sound Addition Routine
Prompt: "Say [word]... Now add [sound]!"
Teacher: "Say 'ice'." • Students: "Ice."
Teacher: "Add /m/ at the beginning and what's our new word?" • Students: "Mice!"
Teacher: "Say 'pan'." • Students: "Pan."
Teacher: "Add /t/ at the end and what's our new word?" • Students: "Pant!"
2 Sound Deletion Routine
Prompt: "Say [word] without [sound]!"
Teacher: "Say 'spark'." • Students: "Spark."
Teacher: "Say 'spark' without /s/!" • Students: "Park!"
Teacher: "Say 'meat'." • Students: "Meat."
Teacher: "Say 'meat' without /t/!" • Students: "Me!"
3 Sound Substitution Routine
Prompt: "Change [sound A] to [sound B]!"
Teacher: "Say 'cat'." • Students: "Cat."
Teacher: "Change /k/ to /h/ and the word is...?" • Students: "Hat!"
Teacher: "Change /a/ to /o/ and the word is...?" • Students: "Hot!"
Teacher: "Change /t/ to /p/ and the word is...?" • Students: "Hop!"
Student Worksheet Key (Sound Switcher Activity) Correct oral / written responses
Page 1 Answers (Addition & Deletion):
1. ice + /m/ → mice • 2. top + /s/ → stop • 3. men + /d/ → mend
4. spark − /s/ → park • 5. meat − /t/ → me • 6. cloud − /k/ → loud
Page 2 Answers (Word Ladder):
Base: CAT → Rung 2: swap /k/ for /h/ → HAT
Rung 3: swap /a/ for /o/ → HOT → Rung 4: swap /t/ for /p/ → HOP
Phoneme Pilots • Lesson 2 Teacher Guide Page 1 of 2
Manipulation Assessment & Scaffolding
Lesson 2: Common Roadblocks, Multi-Tier Scaffolds & Formative Checklist
Diagnostic & Support
Roadblock 1: Deleting Sound from Consonant Blend (Cluster Reduction)
The Challenge: When asked to say "clap" without /l/, students often say "lap" instead of "cap" because they struggle to isolate the second sound inside an initial blend.
Correction Script: "Use your fingers! Tap all 4 sounds: /k/ - /l/ - /a/ - /p/. Put your finger on the second sound /l/ and freeze it! Take /l/ out. What remains? /k/ ... /a/ ... /p/ → 'cap'!"
Roadblock 2: Medial Vowel Substitution Confusion
The Challenge: Swapping the middle vowel (e.g., bed → bad ) is cognitively heavier than swapping initial or final consonants because the vowel is embedded inside the word.
Correction Script: "Keep the front sound locked (/b/), keep the back sound locked (/d/). Only change the mouth shape in the middle: not /e/, make it /a/! /b/ - /a/ - /d/ → 'bad'!"
Differentiated Support Pathways
Intervention (Tier 3)
Use 2 colored blocks. Replace block 1 with a new color to physically show initial substitution before attempting mental manipulation.
Targeted (Tier 2)
Stick to initial sound substitutions only (rhyming families: cat → bat → fat → mat ) before attempting medial vowel changes.
Extension (Advanced)
Challenge students with 5-step chains or internal deletions: "Say 'snail' without /n/ → 'sail'!"
Phonemic Manipulation Mastery Tracker Record: ✓ Mastered • P Developing • ! Needs Review
Student Name
Adds Phonemes
Deletes Phonemes
Substitutes Phonemes
1. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
2. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
3. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
4. ____________________
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
Sequence Complete: Phoneme Pilots Master Unit Page 2 of 2