Mighty Mats Teacher Guide CKLA Skills Group Day 1 • 10 Minutes
Mighty Mats Teacher Guide
Target Focus m • a • t • d
Group Size: 3–5 Students
Materials: Sound Mat, 3 Chips, Letter Cards
Objective: Name m/a/t/d in 2s; segment 2-3 phonemes
1
Min 0–3: Rapid Letter Naming Sprint
Automaticity
Place letter cards (m, M, a, A, t, T, d, D ) in random order. Tap each letter briskly.
Teacher Script: "Eyes here! What letter? Think... [tap] Say!"
Choral Routine: Students say letter name, then sound: "Letter is M, sound is /m/!"
Sprint Round: Flash cards twice. Goal: under 1 second per card without hesitating on lowercase d vs a .
2
Min 3–7: CKLA Finger-Tapping & Sound Push
Phoneme Segmentation
Use CKLA non-dominant hand tap (left hand palm facing chest, tap right index finger to thumb, index, middle).
CKLA Finger-Tap Script:
"Say the word: mat . Tap each sound with me: /m/ (thumb), /a/ (pointer), /t/ (middle). How many sounds?"
Students: "3 sounds!"
Target Word Sequence:
at → /a/ /t/ (2 sounds)mat → /m/ /a/ /t/ (3 sounds)mad → /m/ /a/ /d/ (3 sounds)dad → /d/ /a/ /d/ (3 sounds)
Elkonin Mat Action: Students physically push 1 chip forward into each sound box as they segment each phoneme aloud, then slide a finger across to blend.
3
Min 7–10: Push-to-Spell & Quick Check
Code Mapping
Students replace chips with letter cards or write letters directly into their sound boxes.
Quick Chain Challenge (2 minutes):
m - a - t → change /t/ to /d/ → m - a - d → change /m/ to /d/ → d - a - d
Prompt: "If this is mat , what letter do I change to make mad ? Push the sound, name the letter!"
CKLA Precision Tip: Voicing & Crispnness
Crisp Stops: Ensure /d/ is clipped cleanly as /d/, not /duh/. Adding a schwa (/duh/) confuses segmenting when blending words like dad .
Segmenting Correction: If a student says the whole word instead of phonemes, model hand-on-arm or hand-on-mat: "Stop, feel the pieces: /m/... /a/... /t/."
Mighty Mats Student Mat Day 1 • Sound Sparks
Mighty Mats Workmat
Name:
Date:
1 Rapid Letter Runway • Touch & Name!
Say: Letter Name + Sound
m
A
t
d
M
a
T
D
2 2-Sound Box (at)
Push chip for each sound • 2 sounds
1
2
Slide to blend
3 3-Sound Box (mat • mad • dad)
Push chip for each sound • 3 sounds
1
2
3
Tap thumb, pointer, middle → then slide arrow
Sound Tile Cut Strip (or Place Magnetic Letters)
Push sound tiles into matching boxes
m
a
t
d
m
a
t
d
Click Clack Teacher Guide CKLA Skills Group Day 2 • 10 Minutes
Click Clack Teacher Guide
Target Focus o • c • g • i (+ review)
Group Size: 3–5 Students
Materials: Day 2 Mat, 3 Chips, Dry-Erase Marker
Objective: Contrast o/i/c/g; segment 3-sound CVC words
1
Min 0–3: Letter Naming & Sound Spark Drill
Rapid Naming
Drill target letters: o, c, g, i plus spiral review a, d, m, t .
Mouth Shape Cue: Short /o/ is wide open round mouth ("octopus"). Short /i/ is a gentle smile with teeth showing ("itch").
Choral Sprint: "Letter name? [c] Sound? [/k/] . Letter name? [g] Sound? [/g/] ."
Touch & Name: Students tap row 1 on their student mat, naming all 8 letters under 15 seconds.
2
Min 3–7: CKLA Finger-Tapping & Sound Box Push
Segmentation
Practice tapping and isolating medial vowels (/o/ vs /i/ vs /a/) and stop endings (/g/ vs /t/).
CKLA Finger-Tap Routine:
"Say the word: dog . Tap each sound with me: /d/ (thumb), /o/ (pointer), /g/ (middle). Now push 3 chips!"
Check: Middle sound is /o/!
5-Word Progression:
cat → /k/ /a/ /t/cot → /k/ /o/ /t/dot → /d/ /o/ /t/dog → /d/ /o/ /g/dig → /d/ /i/ /g/
Isolate & Compare: "What changed between cot and cat ? The middle sound! From /o/ to /a/!"
3
Min 7–10: CKLA Chaining & Quick Exit Check
Chaining
Students use their sound letter tiles to chain words on the mat.
Chaining Ladder (Teacher Dictates):
c - o - t → d - o - t → d - o - g → d - i - g
Exit Check: Point to one student at a time: "Tap and say the 3 sounds in tag ."
CKLA Articulation Tip: Voiced vs. Unvoiced Stop Consonants
Feel the Throat: /k/ (spelled 'c') is quiet/unvoiced (whisper pop). /g/ is noisy/voiced (vocal cords vibrate). Have students put hand on neck while comparing
Click Clack Student Mat Day 2 • Sound Sparks
Click Clack Workmat
Name:
Date:
1 Rapid Letter Runway • Touch & Name!
Say: Letter Name + Sound
o
C
g
i
O
c
G
I
2 Sound Box A • First Word (e.g., cot)
3 sounds • Push chip or letter
1
2
3
Tap sounds → slide to blend
3 Sound Box B • Chain Change (e.g., dog → dig)
Which sound changed?
1
2
3
Tap sounds → slide to blend
Sound Tile Cut Strip (Day 2 Letters)
Cut or place letters into Sound Box A and B
c
o
t
d
g
i
a
m
Sun Sprint Teacher Guide CKLA Skills Group Day 3 • 10 Minutes
Sun Sprint Teacher Guide
Target Focus n • h • s • f (+ vowels)
Group Size: 3–5 Students
Materials: Day 3 Mat, 3 Chips, Letter Tiles
Objective: Stretch continuous sounds; segment 3 phonemes
1
Min 0–3: Continuous Letter Naming Sprint
Continuous Sounds
Drill target letters: n, h, s, f and cumulative review m, a, o, i .
Continuous Sound Cue: "These sounds can stretch without stopping! Keep the air moving: /sssss/, /fffff/, /nnnnn/."
Letter Chant: "Letter is s , sound is /s/ (hiss like a snake!). Letter is f , sound is /f/ (teeth on lip!)."
Speed Point: Flash cards rapidly across the table. Praise instant identification of uppercase/lowercase pairs.
2
Min 3–7: Rubber Band Stretch & Finger-Tapping
Segmentation
Students use two hands to mime pulling a rubber band, then tap individual phonemes onto their sound boxes.
CKLA Stretch Script:
"Stretch it wide: fffff-aaaaa-nnnnn . Now tap each separate sound: /f/ (thumb), /a/ (pointer), /n/ (middle). Push your 3 chips!"
Total: 3 individual sounds!
Target Word Bank:
fan → /f/ /a/ /n/fin → /f/ /i/ /n/fit → /f/ /i/ /t/sit → /s/ /i/ /t/hat → /h/ /a/ /t/
CKLA Finger-Tap Rule: Always tap from left to right (thumb to pinky direction) so segmentation reinforces reading directionality.
3
Min 7–10: 5-Word Chaining Sprint & Exit Beat
Chaining
Fast-paced teacher-guided letter manipulation on student workmats.
Rapid Chaining Flow:
f - a - n → f - i - n → f - i - t → s - i - t → s - a - t
Prompt: "Spell fin . Now change /f/ to /s/... what word do you have? sin ! Now change /n/ to /t/... sit !"
CKLA Articulation Tip: Avoiding the Schwa on /f/ and /h/
Sun Sprint Student Mat Day 3 • Sound Sparks
Sun Sprint Workmat
Name:
Date:
1 Continuous Letter Runway • Stretch & Name!
Say: Letter Name + Sound
n
H
s
F
N
h
S
f
2 Rubber-Band Sound Box (fan • fin • fit)
Stretch continuous sounds • Push 3 chips
1
2
3
Thumb • Pointer • Middle → Slide to Blend
3 Sprint Chaining Box (sit • sat • hat)
Switch one tile • Say the new word
1
2
3
Which tile changed? First, Middle, or Last?
Sound Tile Cut Strip (Day 3 Letters)
Cut or place letters into the boxes
f
a
n
i
t
s
h
o
Bug Box Teacher Guide CKLA Skills Group Day 4 • 10 Minutes
Bug Box Teacher Guide
Target Focus b • l • r • u (+ review)
Group Size: 3–5 Students
Materials: Day 4 Mat, 3 Chips, Letter Tiles
Objective: Discriminate b vs d; segment short u CVCs
1
Min 0–3: Rapid Letter Drill & b/d Discrimination
Visual Discrimination
Drill target letters: b, l, r, u with immediate contrast against d .
CKLA b vs. d Anchor: "Letter b has a tall bat first, then a round ball! Letter d has a round doorknob first, then the tall door!"
Short /u/ Mouth Cue: Drop chin down slightly, relaxed belly breath: /u/ as in up or umbrella .
Sprint Flash: Show cards b - d - b - u - l - r - d. Students call letter names instantly.
2
Min 3–7: CKLA Finger-Tapping & Sound Box Push
Segmentation
Students isolate medial /u/ and contrast beginning /b/ with ending /b/.
CKLA Finger-Tap Script:
"Say the word: bug . Tap each sound with me: /b/ (thumb), /u/ (pointer), /g/ (middle). Push 3 chips!"
Prompt: "Where is /b/? In the front!"
Target Word Bank:
bug → /b/ /u/ /g/rug → /r/ /u/ /g/rub → /r/ /u/ /b/ (notice /b/ at end!)run → /r/ /u/ /n/bat → /b/ /a/ /t/
Sound Position Check: "In the word rub , where did you hear /b/? At the end! In bug , where was /b/? At the beginning!"
3
Min 7–10: Chaining & Quick Exit Check
Chaining
Fast-paced chaining with letter tiles on student mats.
Chaining Chain:
b - u - g → r - u - g → r - u - b → r - u - n
Exit Check: "Quick! Who can tap the 3 sounds in log ? /l/ /o/ /g/ - 3 sounds!"
CKLA Articulation Tip: Liquids /l/ & /r/
Tongue Lift for /l/: Have students feel the tip of the tongue touch the ridge behind their front teeth: /lllllll/.
Bug Box Student Mat Day 4 • Sound Sparks
Bug Box Workmat
Name:
Date:
1 Letter Runway • Watch for b and d!
Say: Letter Name + Sound
b
d
u
l
r
B
U
R
2 Sound Box 1 • /b/ in Front (bug • bat)
Push chip for each sound
1
2
3
Tap sounds → slide to blend
3 Sound Box 2 • /b/ at End (rub • rib • run)
Notice where the sound lands!
1
2
3
Tap thumb, pointer, middle → blend
Sound Tile Cut Strip (Day 4 Letters)
Cut or place letters into the boxes
b
u
g
r
a
t
n
l
Sound Showdown Teacher Guide CKLA Skills Group Day 5 • 10 Minutes
Sound Showdown Teacher Guide
Weekly Culmination Cumulative Check
Format: Rapid Drill & Progress Check
Materials: Showdown Mat, Tracker Pen
Target: 12+ letters/min & 3/3 phoneme accuracy
1
Min 0–3: Lightning Letter Flash (All 12 Letters)
Rapid Naming
Cycle all week 1 letters: m, a, t, d, o, c, g, i, n, h, s, f, b, u, r .
Round 1 (Choral): Flash cards at 1-second cadence. Students chant letter name + sound together.
Round 2 (Whip-Around): Point rapidly to individual students. 2 cards each. Note any hesitation on b/d or vowel confusion on tracker below.
2
Min 3–6: Phoneme Segmenting Championship
Segmentation
Teacher Prompt:
"Say sun . Tap it! /s/ /u/ /n/. How many sounds? What is the middle sound?"
Students tap & push 3 chips onto their mat.
Checklist Words:
• at (2 sounds: /a/ /t/)
• fog (3 sounds: /f/ /o/ /g/)
• rub (3 sounds: /r/ /u/ /b/)
• sit (3 sounds: /s/ /i/ /t/)
3
Min 6–8: Grand Chaining Showdown
Code Chaining
c - a - t → c - o - t → d - o - t → d - i - g → b - u - g
Students celebrate each chain link by sliding finger across and shouting the full word!
4
Min 8–10: Observational Progress Record
Record checkmark (✓) or dot (•)
Student Name Letter Naming (Rapid) b / d Discrim. 2-Sound Seg. 3-Sound Seg. Next Week Action 1. _______________ □ Yes □ Needs Time □ Clear □ Confuses □ ✓ □ ✓ Advance / Review 2. _______________ □ Yes □ Needs Time □ Clear □ Confuses □ ✓ □ ✓ Advance / Review 3. _______________ □ Yes □ Needs Time □ Clear □ Confuses □ ✓ □ ✓ Advance / Review
Sound Showdown Student Mat Day 5 • Sound Sparks Championship
Sound Showdown Workmat
Name:
Date:
1 Champion Letter Runway • Touch & Sound Sprint!
16 Letters • Goal: 15 Seconds
m
a
t
d
o
c
g
i
n
h
s
f
b
u
r
l
2 Showdown Arena 1 • 3-Sound Challenge
Push • Tap • Blend
1
2
3
Tap 3 sounds → slide to blend
3 Showdown Arena 2 • Grand Chaining Match
Switch 1 Sound!
1
2
3
Tap thumb, pointer, middle → shout the word!
Sound Tile Cut Strip (Day 5 Championship)
Cut or place letters into Arenas 1 and 2
c
a
t
o
d
i
g
b
u
n
