Skill-based Intervention Menu

What is it? The Skills-based Intervention Menu is a resource that you can use to select quick, engaging and impactful activities for teaching the focus skill in your skills-based teacher led small group.

How to Use it? After your students have been assessed and you’ve identified areas for growth, choose one skill and search for it in the Table of Contents under one of the main sections:

§ Phonological Awareness Activities§ Alphabet Knowledge Activities§ Phonics Activities

Can I Use Other Activities? Of course! These are just suggested activities. If you have an activity that teaches a skill your students need, go for it! Just make sure that it is meaningful and targets the focus skill.

Table of Contents

Phonological Awareness Activities

Skills Resources Page Number

Blending Syllables Compound Words

Compound Word Blending 1

Compound Word List 1

Blending Syllables

Fix the Broken Word 2

Who Are You Calling? 2

Two-Syllable Word List 3

Blending Onset-Rime

Hungry Monster 4

Sergeant Smarty 4

Onset-Rime Word List 5 Phonemic Awareness Activities

Skills Resources Page Number

Identifying Initial Phonemes

How Are These Things the Same? 6

One of These Things is Not Like the Other 6

Isolate Initial Phonemes

See It – Sound It 7

The First Sound Is… 7

Initial Phoneme Word List 8

Identifying Final Phonemes

How Are These Things the Same? 9

One of These Things is Not Like the Other 9

Isolate Final Phonemes

See It – Sound It 10

The Last Sound Is… 10

Final Phoneme Word List 11

Blending Phonemes What’s the Word? 12

Predict the Word 12

3 and 4 Phoneme Word List 13

Segmenting Phonemes

Sound Boxes 14

Alphabet Activities

Skills Resources Page Number

Alphabet Knowledge

I Spy 15

Marathon Letters 15

Phonics Activities

Skills Resources Page Number

Phonics

“Souper” Phonics 16

Letter Sound Boxes 16

Marathon Sounds 17

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Compound

Word List eyeball

downtown

eyelash

earring

eyelid

toothpaste

haircut

checkup

upset

teardrop

outside

sunlight

raindrop

cupcake

birthday

playground

sunshine

popcorn

raincoat

football

baseball

teapot

highchair

moonlight

haystack

doorbell

bookmark

snowflake

snowball

shoelace

sandbox

inside

sailboat

bedside

nightmare

lampshade

flashlight

eggshell

lipstick

Compound Word Blending Materials:

• Compound Word List (below)

Directions:

I Do: • Explain that a compound word is made by putting two different words together. For

example, basketball is really two words together: basket ● ball.• Model how to extend one hand as you say the first word and the other hand as you

say the second word. Then clap as you say the two words together as a compoundword.

We Do: • Ask students to listen carefully as you say a pair of words.• Teacher and students will use their hands to repeat the word pair and clap the

compound word.• Continue with 2 or 3 more pairs of words.

You Do: • Ask students to listen carefully as you say a pair of words.• Students will use their hands to repeat the word pair and clap the compound word.• Continue with 10 more pairs of words.

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Fix the Broken Word Materials:

• Two-Syllable Word List (see page 3) Directions: I Do:

• Tell children that you have some broken words that need to be put back together. • Model how to extend one hand as you say the first syllable and the other hand as you

say the second syllable. Then clap as you say the two syllables together as a word. We Do:

• Ask students to listen carefully as you say a pair of syllables. • Teacher and students will use their hands to repeat the syllables and clap the word

together. • Continue with 2 or 3 more pairs of syllables.

You Do: • Ask students to listen carefully as you say a pair of syllables. • Students will use their hands to repeat the syllables and clap the word. • Continue with 10 more pairs of syllables.

Who Are You Calling? Materials:

• 2 Syllable Word List (see page 3) • Fake phone receiver or your cell phone

Directions: I Do:

• Pretend someone is calling you (the principal, a family member, etc.). • When you answer it say, “Hi ________. Oh, you need me to gather some things for

you? Sure, I’ll help. What do you need?” • Pretend that you have a bad connection and all you hear are parts of the word: ti –

ger. • Model how to blend the syllables to figure out that the person on the other line needs

a tiger. We Do:

• Repeat the same procedure with 2 or 3 more words. • This time ask the children to help you figure out what the caller is trying to say.

Provide feedback after the children respond. For example, “Yes, when we blend mar - ker, we get marker.”

You Do: • In small group, each child can take a turn blending syllables in 2 syllable words.

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Example 2

Syllable

Word List

teacher

problem

rabbit

subject

paper

index

cartoon

trumpet

hamster

happen

table

little

pencil

puppet

candy

number

slipper

valley

window

Thursday

apple

target

monkey

monster

rocket

lumber

ketchup

dinner

tiger

hammer

glasses

cattle

spider

panther

zebra

Friday

doctor

clover

magnet

mistake

garden

explain

number

enjoy

napkin

repair

pocket

contest

necklace

supper

zipper

explode

winter

yogurt

pumpkin

turkey

jacket

plenty

empty

yummy

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Sergeant Smarty

Materials: • Envelope• Picture Cards

Directions: I Do:

• Fill an envelope with several picture cards. Tell the children it’s a mystery envelope and it hassecret words in it. Only good sound detectives can figure out what the words are.

• Using a suspenseful voice, say the onset and the rime, leaving time between each segment(Example: s….ock).

• Model how you are listening to the first sound of the word and then the rest of the word. Thenmodel how you blend the two parts together to say the word.

• Pick up the object that matches the word you made by blending the onset and rime.We Do:

• Encourage children to work together as sound detectives to figure out each word. After theyblend the onset with the rime to make the word, let them pick up the object.

• Provide feedback by saying the sounds separately and then blending them to say the name ofthe object.

You Do: • Provide materials for children to do the skill independently in small groups.

Hungry Monster Materials:

• Homemade Monster Puppet (Hungry Monster)• Picture Cards

Directions: I Do:

• Using a monster voice, have the monster ask for food, but break up the words (onset-rime).• For example, the monster says, “I want some p…eas.” The teacher responds by saying, “Let me figure out

what food you are saying: /p/…eas. If I blend /p/ and eas, I get peas. He must want some peas.”• Then, the teacher can feed him the picture of peas.

We Do: • The teacher and children continue to ask the monster, “What do you want to eat?” The monster

continues to respond by giving the onset and rime separately.• For example, when the children ask, “What do you want to eat?” He says “t-oast.” The teacher

encourages the children to blend /t/ and oast and say toast. Do a few examples with the children.You Do:

• Provide children with pictures of food that have one syllable.• Say the onset (all the sounds before the first vowel) and then say the rime (the rest of the word), leaving

time between each segment: m-ilk, c-ake, ch-eese, n-ut, p-eas.• When you say the onset and rime for each word, the children can feed the hungry monster.

Note: When providing feedback, state back to the children what they did. For example, “Yes, you figured out the name of the food cheese by blending the first part of the word, /ch/, with the rest of the word, eese.” For an incorrect response, model blending the onset and rime of the word.

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Example

Onset-Rime

Word List

rat

met

him

box

cup

sick

doll

lamp

wind

fast

lost

rang

fish

farm

park

week

beach

room

coat

mouse

soup

boil

hurt

dance

cane

bike

poke

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How Are These Things the Same? Materials:

• Initial Sound Picture Cards Directions: I Do:

• Display picture cards that have the same initial sound. Enunciate the beginning sound as you say each word.

• Model how you figured out how the objects were the same. For example, “When I say sock, listen to the first sound my mouth makes /s/ /s/ -ock.” Call attention to the fact that you heard the same sound /s/ at the beginning of sand, salt, and soap.

We Do: • Display a variety of picture cards (some begin with /s/ and some do not). Tell children that you

need help finding all the objects that begin with /s/. • Have two piles, one for objects that begin with /s/ and one for objects that do not. Name each

object and have students place it in the appropriate pile. Encourage the children to enunciate the /s/ sound as they say the words that begin with /s/.

You Do: • Provide each child in the group with a set of pictures that begin with /s/ and things that do not

begin with /s/. • Tell children to make their own piles of things that start with /s/ and things that don’t.

Continue this process with other beginning phonemes.

One of These is Not Like the Other Materials:

• Initial Sound Picture Cards Directions: I Do:

• Display a set of four picture cards, three that begin with the same sound and one that is different (milk, man, mug, soap). Enunciate the initial sound as you name each object.

• Call attention to the fact that milk, man, and mug all begin with the same beginning sound, /m/. But you notice that soap begins with a different sound. Enunciate /s/ as you pronounce soap. “Soap begins with /s/. It doesn’t belong with the group of words that begin with /m/, so I will remove it from the group. Now we have a group of words that all belong together because they begin with /m/.”

We Do: • Present another set of four pictures, three that begin with the same sound and one that begins

with a different sound. Work with children to figure out which word does not belong in the group. Encourage children to listen carefully to the first sound in each word. Repeat the same strategy with a different set of objects. Provide specific feedback to children’s responses.

You Do: • Provide each child with their own set of four pictures. Ask the children to identify the one that

does not belong. During each child’s turn, have the child say the name of the objects out loud.

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See It – Sound It Materials: Initial Sound Picture Cards Paper Bag Directions: I Do:

• Place picture cards inside a paper bag. Model how to take one picture out of the bag and tell what it is. Isolate the beginning sound after you say each word. For example, “bear, /b/”

We Do: • Repeat the same procedure, but this time have the students name the picture and

isolate the beginning sound. You Do:

§ Pass the bag around the group, giving each child a turn selecting a picture, naming it, and isolating the beginning sound.

The First Sound Is… Materials: Initial Sound Picture Cards Directions: I Do:

• Place a set of picture cards on the table, making sure they all begin with different sounds. For example, /b/, /s/, /f/, /m/, /d/. Say, “I need to find a picture of something that begins with /b/.”

• Model how to isolate the beginning sound of a few items until you find the picture that begins with /b/ (bear). Show the students the card and say, “bear, /b/”. Then place it back on the table with the others.

We Do: • Use the same set of pictures and say, “Find the object that begins with /m/.” • Let the students look at the pictures and tell you which picture begins with /m/ by

saying “moon, /m/”. • Repeat this procedure with the remaining pictures/sounds.

You Do: § Place a new set of picture cards on the table. Ask a student to choose an item, silently

name the picture, and isolate the beginning sound. § The student will say to the next student, “Find the picture that starts with /__/.” § The next student will respond with the name of the picture and the beginning sound. § Continue this procedure for several more rounds

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Example Initial Sound Words /b/ /k/ /d/ /f/ /g/ /h/ /j/ /l/ /m/ bag ball

banana barn bat

bear bed

beetle bend big bike bird bow box boy bug bun bus

can car

carrot cat

caterpillar clam

clown coat cook corn cow crab cup cut

kangaroo kettle kick kid

king kite

koala

dad date den dig dish dog doll dot dug

fish five

flamingo flower

fly four

freedom frog

game gate get gift girl give go

goat goose gum

ham hammer

hand hat

heart hen hid hip his hit hog

horse hum hut

jacket jail jam jet

jewel jingle jog joy

jungle gem

gentle gerbil giant

giraffe

ladder lake lamb laugh leaf leg let like lion log

lunch

mad mail man map mat

match milk

mitten mom moon mop

mouse mouth mud mug

/n/ /p/ /r/ /s/ /t/ /v/ /w/ /y/ /z/ nail

nanny net nice night nine no

nod none nose not

note nudge

pan pen pet pig

pink police

pot puddle purple

rabbit rain rake ram ran rat red ring rip

road rod roll

rope rose rub run

said sail saw say seal see

seed seven sing sit six so

socks soon sun

supper

table tail

teacher ten

tiger toad

tomato toys

turnip turtle two

van vase

vegetable very vest vine violin

volcano vulture

walk walrus water

watermelon whale when white wiggle winter wolf

wood word

yak yam

yawn yellow

yes yolk you

young

zebra zero

zig-zag zipper

zoo zoom

/ch/ /sh/ /th/ chart chin chill

chain chicken

shake shark shape shack share shell

that think there this

thumb

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How Are These Things the Same? Materials: Final Sound Picture Cards Directions: I Do:

• Display picture cards that have the same final sound. Enunciate the final sound as you say each word.

• Model how you figured out how the objects were the same. For example, “When I say sock, listen to the last sound my mouth makes sock /k/ /k/.” Call attention to the fact that you heard the same sound /k/ at the end of duck, lock, rock, and truck.

We Do: • Display a variety of picture cards (some end with /k/ and some do not). Tell children that you

need help finding all the objects that end with /k/. • Have two piles, one for objects that end with /k/ and one for objects that do not. Name each

object and have students place it in the appropriate pile. Encourage the children to enunciate the /k/ sound as they say the words that end with /k/.

You Do: § Provide each child in the group with a set of pictures that end with /k/ and things that do not

end with /k/. § Tell children to make their own piles of things that end with /k/ and things that don’t.

Continue this process with other final phonemes.

One of These is Not Like the Other Materials: Final Sound Picture Cards Directions: I Do: Display a set of four picture cards, three that end with the same sound and one that is different (frog, flag, mug, hat). Enunciate the final sound as you name each object. Call attention to the fact that frog, flag, and mug all end with the same final sound, /g/. But you notice that hat ends with a different sound. Enunciate /t/ as you pronounce hat. “Hat ends with /t/. It doesn’t belong with the group of words that end with /g/, so I will remove it from the group. Now we have a group of words that all belong together because they end with /g/.” We Do:

§ Present another set of four pictures, three that end with the same sound and one that ends with a different sound. Work with children to figure out which word does not belong in the group. Encourage children to listen carefully to the last sound in each word. Repeat the same strategy with a different set of objects. Provide specific feedback to children’s responses.

You Do: § Provide each child with their own set of four pictures. Ask the children to identify the one that

does not belong. During each child’s turn, have the child say the name of the objects out loud.

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See It – Sound It

Materials: Final Sound Picture Cards Paper Bag

Directions: I Do:

• Place picture cards inside a paper bag. Model how to take one picture out of the bag and tellwhat it is. Isolate the final sound after you say each word. For example, “web, /b/”

We Do: • Repeat the same procedure, but this time have the students name the picture and isolate the

final sound.You Do:

§ Pass the bag around the group, giving each child a turn selecting a picture, naming it, andisolating the final sound.

The Last Sound Is…

Materials: Final Sound Picture Cards

Directions: I Do:

• Place a set of picture cards on the table, making sure they all end with different sounds. Forexample, /b/, /s/, /f/, /m/, /d/. Say, “I need to find a picture of something that ends with /b/.”

• Model how to isolate the final sound of a few items until you find the picture that ends with/b/ (web). Show the students the card and say, “web, /b/”. Then place it back on the table withthe others.

We Do: • Use the same set of pictures and say, “Find the object that ends with /m/.”• Let the students look at the pictures and tell you which picture ends with /m/ by saying “gum,

/m/”.• Repeat this procedure with the remaining pictures/sounds.

You Do: § Place a new set of picture cards on the table. Ask a student to choose an item, silently name

the picture, and isolate the final sound.§ The student will say to the next student, “Find the picture that ends with /__/.”§ The next student will respond with the name of the picture and the final sound.§ Continue this procedure for several more rounds

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Example Final Sound Words /b/ /k/ /d/ /f/ /g/ /j/ /l/ /m/ bib

cherub crab cub grab rub tub

black book chick clerk dark duck hook ink pick pink truck

bad bed bird

bread mad mild mud red sad

giraffe leaf life

scarf stuff knife

dog egg frog hug pig

snug tag

stage wage rage

fudge dodge cage ridge huge

ball bowl snail spell

wheel

lime same dime

rhyme lamb ram

bomb

/n/ /p/ /r/ /s/ /t/ /v/ /ks/ /z/ brown

fan green lion

seven sun ten

cap cup hop lamp

lip sheep stop top

bear car

door ear four jar

star

bus dress gas

guess mess miss pass

walrus yes

cat eight goat not

present

live move Dave wave hive five

weave stove

box fox

mailbox six

wax

fuse nose haze maze

choose shoes

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What’s the Word?

Materials: 3 and 4 Phoneme Word List (p. 13)

Directions: I Do: Tell the students that they are going to play a game called What’s the Word? Tell the students that you are going to say the sounds in a word. The word is going to have only two sounds. Say, “the sounds are /e/…./g/. What’s the word?” Model how to say the sounds separately and then blend them together to say the word ‘egg’. Demonstrate the same procedure with a 3 phoneme word. We Do:

1. Practice more 3 phoneme words together, making sure you’re only providing the sounds. Ifstudents have mastered 3 phonemes, move on to 4 phonemes.

You Do: 1. Assign students their own sounds to blend independently, assisting only as needed.

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Example 3 Phonemes Words and

bean dad face ham cat

loose net read ant big

date

fin hit

cave mad night

rip bad bike dig fit

home Kim

mat nut

road beg boat dog fed hot kiss

moth path sail

bat book dime foot jack cop

maid peach

sun bed bug elk

geese job

cone meet peep sheep bake chick fan glue jail cup

pig pot

teeth beach chin feet gum cap lake thin

Predict the Word

Materials: 3 Phoneme Word List (p.13) (Note: Do not use 4 phonemes)

Directions: I Do: Explain to your scholars that today they will be learning a new reading song that will help them put sounds [phonemes] together to make words. Sing the following song to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”:

“The sounds in the word go /c/ /a/ /t/; /c/ /a/ /t/; /c/ /a/ /t/, The sounds in the word go /c/ /a/ /t/, Can you guess the word?”

• Model for the students how to blend the sounds /c/ /a/ /t/ to get the word – cat.We Do:

2. Sing a couple more verses of the song, using different sounds/words.3. Invite the students to name the word at the end of the song.

You Do: 2. Continue singing the song with new sounds/words.3. With each new verse, call on one student at a time to “guess the word”.

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Example 4 Phonemes Words crab lamp slim mist drop drum hunt sneak flight black snack

swim blob flop

bump dust

dream broke flag sand spin snob

stop jump just

speed float band brick clip

block spot blush

rust sleep stove pant stick drip toast flock club

brush brain

sweet mask slid flip clog truck flush skate price spice cast

twig skip frog plug spud flame bride globe class spill crib

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Sound Boxes Materials:

• Sound Boxes for each student and the teacher • Sound Markers (counters, bingo chips, pennies, etc.) • 3 and 4 Phoneme Word List (see page 13)

Directions: I Do:

• Begin by saying, “Today we are going to practice segmenting sounds to make words.” Show students how to set up the Sound Boxes by placing a sound marker under each sound box.

• Say a word from the 3 Phoneme Word List (for example, let). Model how to say the word slowly, phoneme by phoneme (/l/…/e/…/t/) as you move a sound marker to each box (in a left-to-right progression).

• Say the word again (let), sliding your finger below the boxes from left to right. We Do:

• Pass out the materials to each student and repeat the same procedure. • This time, the students will say the sounds and move the sound markers along

with the teacher. Practice this together with several more words. You Do:

• Continue the same procedure, but this time the teacher should only provide the word. Assist students only when necessary.

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I Spy a Letter Materials: Chart Paper or Dry Erase Board (with no more than 6 unknown letters printed on it) Magnifying glass (optional)

Directions: I Do: Tell students that every letter has its own special look. Introduce the letters that are on the chart on separate letter cards. For example, “I would like you to meet T. It has its own special look. It has a long straight line down and a little straight line across the top.” Tell students that they are going to play a game called “I Spy a Letter”. Describe one of the letters on the chart by saying “I spy a letter that…” and model how to identify the letter using a magnifying glass.

We Do: 7. Describe a different letter on the chart by saying “I spy a letter that…”.8. Have students name the letter you describe.9. Provide feedback by repeating the description and say the letter name.

You Do: 6. Describe a letter on the chart and call on random students to find and name the letter on the

chart7. (Optional) Choose a student to play “teacher” and describe a letter. Let the student call on

classmates to find and identify the correct letter.

Marathon Letters

Materials: Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Cards Dry Erase Board and Marker Letter Sheet (optional)

Directions: I Do: Use a dry erase board and marker to review 2-3 (previously taught) unknown letters (NOTE: Choose letters based on student data). Model writing the letters on the board and describe them as you write. For example, “The letter “s” has 2 curves.” Next, set up the game by placing the letter cards face down on the table. Model how to pick a card from the top. Explain that if you name the letter correctly, you get to keep that card. If you do not name the letter correctly, the card goes back in the deck. The goal is to have the most cards at the end of the game.

We Do: 4. Go around in a circle and ask students to identify the letters.5. If a student names the letter correctly, he/she gets to keep that card. If the student does

not name the letter correctly the card goes back in the deck.6. The student that has the most cards at the end wins.

You Do: 4. Give each student an individual letter card deck or a sheet with letters in rows.5. Let them practice naming letters independently.

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SOUPer Phonics Materials: Bowls (or cups) AND spoons for each student Small Alphabet Cards Directions: I Do: Say, “Today we will be making our own soup – but instead of using real ingredients, we’ll be using letters from the alphabet.” Spread some letters out on the table for everyone to see. Model the activity by saying a sound (for example /o/). Show them how you think through finding the letter that makes that sound. Then place the letter on your spoon and drop it into your bowl. We Do:

10. Pass out bowls and spoons to the students. Ask students to listen carefully as you say another letter sound.

11. Teacher and students will look through the letters until they find the correct one and drop it into their bowl.

12. Continue with 2 or 3 more letter sounds. You Do:

8. Ask students to listen carefully as you tell them some letter sounds. 9. Students will use their spoons to scoop the correct letters up and then drop them into their

bowls. 10. Continue with 5-6 more sounds. 11. Once all the ingredients have been added, have students say the sounds as they use their

spoons to scoop them up.

Letter Sound Boxes Materials: Sound Boxes laminated or inside sheet protector for each student and the teacher Dry Erase Markers 3 and 4 Phoneme Word List (see page 13) Directions: I Do:

• Begin by saying, “Today we are going to practice segmenting sounds and writing their letters to make words.” Show students the Sound Boxes.

• Say a word from the 3 Phoneme Word List (for example, let). Model how to say the word slowly, phoneme by phoneme (/l/…/e/…/t/) as you touch each box with your finger (in a left-to-right progression).

• Say the word again (let), sliding your finger below the boxes from left to right. • Repeat the word again, phoneme by phoneme, and write the corresponding letter of the

phoneme heard in each box from left to right. • Say the word again (let), sliding your finger below the boxes from left to right.

We Do: Pass out the materials to each student and repeat the same procedure. This time, the students will say the sounds and write the letters along with the teacher. Practice this together with several more words. You Do: Continue the same procedure, but this time the teacher should only provide the word. Assist students only when necessary.

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Marathon Sounds

Materials: • Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Cards • Letter Sheet (optional) • Alphabet Picture Cards

Directions: I Do:

• Use Alphabet/Picture Cards to review 2-3 (previously taught) unknown letters/sounds (NOTE: Choose letters/sounds based on student data). Model how to name the letter, sound, and word on each card. For example, “The letter “s” says /s/ like in the word soup.”

• Next, set up the game by placing the letter cards (no pictures) face down on the table.

• Model how to pick a card from the top. Explain that if you name the sound correctly, you get to keep that card. If you do not name the sound correctly, the card goes back in the deck. The goal is to have the most cards at the end of the game.

We Do: • Go around in a circle and ask students to name the letter sounds. • If a student names the sound correctly, he/she gets to keep that card. If the

student does not name the sound correctly, the card goes back in the deck. • The student who has the most cards at the end wins.

You Do:

• Give each student an individual letter card deck or a sheet with letters in rows. • Let them practice naming sounds independently.