Snake Apple Teacher Guide 1
TK Phonics Sequence • Day 1
Snake and Apple Teacher Guide
Target Sounds: /s/ & /a/
Duration: 20–25 Mins
Instructional Objectives
Isolate and pronounce continuous consonant /s/ and short vowel /a/.
Connect sounds to letters S and A using tactile motor gestures.
Discriminate between initial sounds in spoken everyday words.
Materials
• Snake & Apple Slides
• Sand trays or shaving foam
• Green/red crayon packs
1 Multisensory Sound Hook (5 min)
Whole Group Circle
Sound /s/ — Sammy the Snake
"Weave your hand like a snake and hiss: sssssssss!"
Prompt: Check teeth together, tongue behind teeth, cool air escaping.
Sound /a/ — Annie's Apple
"Pretend to hold a big red juicy apple, mouth wide: /a/ /a/ apple!"
Prompt: Drop chin down, tongue relaxed at bottom of mouth.
2 Kinesthetic Letter Skywriting (7 min)
Gross Motor
Have children lock elbow straight and trace giant letters in the air with two fingers:
Letter S Chant:
"Curve to the left, swoop right down, curve back around like a snake on the ground!"
Letter a Chant:
"Around the apple round and neat, down the stem onto its feet!"
3 Auditory Discrimination: Sound Detective (6 min)
Ear Training
Say words aloud. If word starts with /s/, students make snake hands. If /a/, pretend to bite an apple!
sun (/s/) alligator (/a/) sand (/s/) astronaut (/a/) soap (/s/)
4 Differentiation & Multilingual Supports
Support / ELL
Use handheld mirrors to show mouth shape for /a/ vs /s/. Spanish cognates: sol (/s/), astronauta (/a/).
Extension
Challenge children to hunt classroom objects starting with /s/ or /a/ and draw them in mini-whiteboards.
Formative Check: Can 90% of children produce the sound immediately when shown letter card 'S' and 'A'?
Next: Day 2 Letters T & P
Snake Apple Slides Sound Safari • Day 1
S A
Meet S & A!
Get ready to listen, slither, and chomp with today's secret sounds!
👂 1. Listen to Sound
🐍 2. Do the Action
✍️ 3. Skywrite
Consonant Sound Sound Action #1
Ss
Sound: /s/ /s/ /s/
🐍
Sammy the Snake
Weave your arm like a snake in the grass and hiss:
"ssssssssssss!"
Keep teeth together and blow cold air: /s/ /s/ Sun!
Can you weave your hand and make Sammy's sound?
Short Vowel Sound Sound Action #2
Aa
Sound: /a/ /a/ /a/
🍎
Annie's Big Apple
Hold a giant red apple up to your mouth and take a big bite:
"/a/ - /a/ - Apple!"
Drop your chin wide open: /a/ /a/ Ant!
Open your mouth wide like a hungry hippo: /a/!
Sound Detective Game
Listen to the First Sound!
☀️
Sun
Starts with /s/
🐜
Ant
Starts with /a/
🧦
Sock
Starts with /s/
🪓
Axe
Starts with /a/
Show me: Snake Hands for /s/ | Apple Chomp for /a/!
Snake Apple Practice Sheet Sound Safari • Letter Exploration
Letters S and A Practice Sheet
Name:
Date:
1 Rainbow Finger Trace (3 Colors)
Start at the green dot 🟢 and follow the arrow!
🐍 /s/ Sound
S s
🟢 Start ➔ Curve left
"Curve left, swoop down, curve around!"
🍎 /a/ Sound
A a
🟢 Start ➔ Circle around
"Around the apple, down the stem!"
2 Sound Hunt: Color or Dab the Starting Sound
🟢 Green = /s/ 🔴 Red = /a/
☀️
sun
s
a
🐜
ant
s
a
🧦
sock
s
a
🍎
apple
s
a
🦭
seal
s
a
🪓
axe
s
a
3 Finger Hop Track: Tap & Say the Sound!
Hop your pointer finger along the lily pads and speak each sound aloud:
s "ssss"
➔
a "/a/"
➔
s "ssss"
➔
a "/a/"
➔
s "ssss"
Early Phonemic Awareness • Letter Sound Correspondence S & A Transitional Kindergarten Literacy
Snake Apple Family Book 📖
Take-Home Family Mini-Book • Days 1 & 2
Fold horizontally and vertically to create a 4-page palm-sized reader!
Letters: S & A
Page 1 • Cover TK Safari
🐍 🍎
Sammy & Annie
My Family Sound Book
Reader:
"Read this book aloud with someone at home!"
Family Cue: Say /s/ like a snake, /a/ like taking an apple bite!
Page 2 Sound /s/
Ss
"sssss goes Sammy!"
☀️ sun
🧦 sock
🥪 sandwich
Touch each picture and hiss Sammy's /s/ sound!
Page 3 Sound /a/
Aa
"/a/ /a/ bites Annie!"
🍎 apple
🐜 ant
🐊 alligator
Open your mouth wide like you're eating a big apple: /a/!
Page 4 Home Safari
🔍
Home Sound Hunt!
Can you find 1 thing in your kitchen or bedroom that starts with /s/ or /a/?
(Draw your found item here!)
Family Cheer: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Sign: ____________
Family Tip: 5 minutes of playful sound practice builds lifelong reading confidence!
TK Early Literacy
Tap Pop Teacher Guide 2
TK Phonics Sequence • Day 2
Tap and Pop Teacher Guide
Target Sounds: /t/ & /p/ + Blending
Duration: 20–25 Mins
Instructional Objectives
Isolate quick unvoiced stop sounds /t/ and /p/ (avoiding the "uh" schwa).
Master the Sound Arm routine for phoneme blending.
Blend known sounds (s, a, t, p) into first words: at, sat, pat, tap.
Key Focus
Stop Sound Crispness: Keep sounds clipped. Say /t/ like a crisp tick-tock, not "tuh". Say /p/ like popcorn popping!
1 Quick Sound Review & Intro to /t/ and /p/ (6 min)
Warm-Up
Sound /t/ — Ticking Timer
"Turn head side to side like a tennis match or clock: /t/ /t/ /t/!"
Tongue taps roof of mouth behind front teeth.
Sound /p/ — Popcorn Popper
"Hold hand in front of lips, feel quick puff of air: /p/ /p/ pop!"
Keep lips pressed, then release puff with no voice.
2 Sound Arm Blending Protocol (8 min)
Kinesthetic Blending
Model extending left arm straight out. Tap down the arm with the right hand:
1. Shoulder Tap
Initial Sound: /s/
2. Elbow Tap
Medial Vowel: /a/
3. Wrist Tap
Final Sound: /t/
The Sweep: Slide right hand all the way from shoulder to fingers: "ss-aa-t... SAT!" Read the whole word!
3 Guided Blending Sequence (6 min)
I Do, We Do, You Do
a - t
"at" (2 sounds)
s - a - t
"sat" (3 sounds)
p - a - t
"pat" (3 sounds)
t - a - p
"tap" (3 sounds)
Common TK Hurdle
Students sound out "/s/-/a/-/t/" but say "cat" or an unrelated word. Solution: Sing the sounds continuously without stopping between them: "sssaaat".
Celebration Cue
Remind students: "You just read your very first real words today! You are official readers!"
Formative Check: Can student tap 3 sound dots and sweep their finger across to say "sat"?
Next: Day 3 Letters I & N
Tap Pop Slides Sound Safari • Day 2
T P
Tap, Pop & Blend!
Today we meet two speedy stop sounds and read our very first real words!
⏱️ 1. Crisp /t/ Sound
🍿 2. Popping /p/ Sound
🦾 3. Sound Arm Blend!
Stop Consonant Letter Sound #3
Tt
Sound: /t/ /t/ /t/
⏱️
Ticking Clock
Turn your head side to side watching a tennis ball:
"/t/ - /t/ - /t/!"
Keep it short and crisp! Tap tongue behind top teeth: /t/ /t/ Top!
Do not say "tuh" — make it a tiny, quiet tap! /t/!
Stop Consonant Letter Sound #4
Pp
Sound: /p/ /p/ /p/
🍿
Popcorn Popper
Hold your fingers up like popping corn kernels:
"/p/ - /p/ - /p/ - Pop!"
Put your hand near your lips and feel the puff of air: /p/ /p/ Pan!
Whisper it! No voice box: feel the little puff on your hand!
The Sound Arm: How We Blend!
Stretch Out Your Arm!
1
Shoulder
Tap first sound
s
2
Elbow
Tap middle vowel
a
3
Wrist
Tap ending sound
t
SWEEP FROM SHOULDER TO WRIST: "ss-aa-t ➔ SAT!"
Reader Challenge: Blend With Me!
You Can Read!
🪑
s a t
sat
🖐️
p a t
pat
🚰
t a p
tap
Tap each sound dot, then slide your finger fast to read the whole word!
Tap Pop Blending Strips Sound Safari • Touch & Read Strips
Tap & Pop Blending Strips
Name:
Date:
How to Read: 1. Press each dot & say the sound. 2. Slide finger along the arrow fast!
Cut or Keep Intact
a
t
at 📍
s
a
t
sat 🪑
p
a
t
pat 🐶
t
a
p
tap 🚰
Read & Match: Draw a Line
sat
tap
pat
at
🚰
🐶
📍
🪑
Early Continuous Blending • VC & CVC Decodable Words SATPIN Sequence • Lesson 2
Tap Pop Family Book 📖
Take-Home Decodable Mini-Book • Days 3 & 4
Fold into quarters to create a real 4-page reading book!
Words: at, sat, pat, tap
Page 1 • Cover Reader Series
⏱️ 🍿 🌟
I Can Read Words!
Tap & Pat First Decodable
Reader:
"Watch me use my Sound Arm to read these words!"
Family Cue: Tap shoulder-elbow-wrist, then sweep and blend!
Page 2 First Words
🐶 🪑
Pat sat.
Pat the pup!
Point to each dot under the words as you read aloud!
Page 3 More Words
🚰 🐾
Tap, tap, tap!
Pat sat at it.
Clap your hands together when you finish reading the sentence!
Page 4 Reading Cheer
🙌
Family High-Five!
Your TK child is officially reading real words! Color 1 star each time they read this book:
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Reader Level: Super! Family: ____________
Celebrate: Praise the effort! Reading even two words independently is a giant TK milestone!
TK Early Literacy
Inch Nest Teacher Guide 3
TK Phonics Sequence • Day 3
Inch and Nest Teacher Guide
Target Sounds: /i/ & /n/ + SATPIN Mastery
Duration: 25 Mins
Instructional Objectives
Pronounce short vowel /i/ and nasal consonant /n/.
Segment and blend across all 6 SATPIN phonemes: s, a, t, p, i, n.
Build, swap, and read CVC words using sound boxes (pin, sit, pan, tin, tip).
Manipulatives
• SATPIN Word Builder Mat
• Printable letter tiles (s,a,t,p,i,n)
• Colored counters / cubes
1 Multisensory Sounds /i/ and /n/ (5 min)
Sound Intro
Sound /i/ — Inky the Inchworm
"Wiggle your pointer finger like a crawling inchworm: /i/ /i/ inky!"
Corners of mouth pulled back slightly into a gentle smile.
Sound /n/ — Noisy Airplane
"Spread arms wide like airplane wings and buzz through nose: nnnnnn!"
Feel vibration on nose bridge; continuous nasal sound.
2 Vowel Distinction Clinic: /a/ vs /i/ (5 min)
Auditory Precision
Short vowels are the trickiest for TK learners. Compare mouth shapes explicitly:
/a/ (Apple)
Wide dropped jaw (2 fingers height)
pan • pat • sat
/i/ (Inchworm)
Smile shape, jaw barely open (1 finger)
pin • pit • sit
3 Word Building Chain Routine (10 min)
Tile Manipulation
Guide children to push tiles into 3 sound boxes, changing just ONE tile at a time:
p - i - n
4 End-of-Sequence Observational Checklist
Mastery (Ready)
States 6/6 sounds automatically; blends CVC words without prompt.
Developing (Practice)
Knows letter sounds with action gesture cue; blends with teacher arm sweep.
Emerging (Intervene)
Confuses vowels /a/ and /i/; needs continuous 2-sound VC practice (at, in).
SATPIN Milestone Reached: Students possess all foundational tools to read 20+ decodable words!
Next Unit: C K E H R
Inch Nest Slides Sound Safari • Day 3
I N
Inch, Nest & SATPIN!
Complete the 6 magical sounds and unlock dozens of brand-new words!
🐛 1. /i/ Inchworm
🪹 2. /n/ Airplane
🎢 3. Rollercoaster Blend!
Short Vowel Sound Letter Sound #5
Ii
Sound: /i/ /i/ /i/
🐛
Inky the Inchworm
Wiggle your pointer finger like a crawling inchworm:
"/i/ - /i/ - /i/ - Inky!"
Make a gentle smile shape with your lips: /i/ /i/ Igloo!
Pull the corners of your mouth back: /i/ /i/ /i/!
Nasal Consonant Letter Sound #6
Nn
Sound: /n/ /n/ /n/
✈️
Noisy Airplane
Hold your arms out wide like airplane wings and buzz:
"nnnnnnnnnnnn!"
Gently touch your nose and feel it tickle: /n/ /n/ Nest!
Tongue behind teeth, let the motor buzz through your nose!
The Sound Rollercoaster!
Climb, Peak & Zoom!
🎢 Start Climb
First Sound
p
/p/
⭐ High Peak!
Middle Vowel
i
/i/
💨 Zoom Finish!
Final Sound
n
/n/
ZOOM THEM TOGETHER: "p - i - n ➔ PIN! 📌"
SATPIN Word Factory
We Read All 6 Letters!
📌
p - i - n
pin
🧘
s - i - t
sit
🍳
p - a - n
pan
🥫
t - i - n
tin
You mastered S • A • T • P • I • N! You are officially word builders!
SATPIN Word Builder Mat Sound Safari • Hands-on Word Lab
SATPIN Word Builder Mat
Name:
Date:
My 3 Sound Boxes (Push Tiles In) 1 Sound Per Box
Beginning
Vowel
Ending
Slide & Read!
Word Build Missions
📌
pin
p i n
🍳
pan
p a n
🪑
sit
s i t
🥫
tin
t i n
Cut-Out Letter Tiles (Cut along dashed lines & place on mat)
Reusable Manipulatives
s /s/
a /a/
t /t/
p /p/
i /i/
n /n/
a /a/
i /i/
p /p/
t /t/
s /s/
n /n/
Elkonin Sound Boxes • SATPIN Word Building & Segmenting SATPIN Sequence Complete
Inch Nest Family Book 📖
Take-Home Decodable Mini-Book • Days 5 & 6
Fold into quarters to create a complete SATPIN celebration reader!
Full SATPIN Mastery
Page 1 • Cover Mastery Series
📌 🍳 👑
A Pin in a Pan!
Full SATPIN Decodable Reader
Reader:
"I can read words made with S • A • T • P • I • N!"
Family Cue: Point under each word together from left to right.
Page 2 Story Scene 1
📌 🥫
A pin.
A tin pin.
Touch each tracking dot: /p/-/i/-/n/ ➔ "pin"!
Page 3 Story Scene 2
🍳 🐜
A big pan.
Pip sat in a pan!
Can you find the ant named Pip in the picture?
Page 4 Reader Diploma
🏆
SATPIN Champion!
I know all 6 sounds:
s a t p i n
Official Super Reader! Signed: ____________
Congratulations: Your learner has completed Phase 1 synthetic phonics blending!
TK Early Literacy
