Consonants on Parade Lesson 12: The Letters X, Y, and Z

Improve visual and audio recognition of all consonant letters and increase recall of consonants and their sounds. Lively humorous stories, special sound effects, games, rhymes, puzzles, secret messages and illustrations heighten interest. Ideal for individuals and small groups, Consonants on Parade lessons are self-directing and self correcting enabling students to work through out the lessons independently, with private evaluation.

Lesson 12: The Letters X, Y, and Z
Objectives • to strengthen visual recognition of the letters X, Y, and Z • to reinforce the ability to associate the letters X and Z with their sounds and the letter Y with its consonant sound • to reinforce identification of words containing X, Y, or Z • to develop the ability to recognize the sounds of X in the initial, medial, and final positions • to develop the ability to recognize the consonant sound of Y in the initial and medial positions • to develop the ability to recognize the sound of Z in the initial position

In the Lesson In this lesson, Dr. Alphabet herself makes an appearance and introduces two of her children, letters X and Y. Later in the lesson, letter Z arrives upon the scene.

On page 1 of the activity sheets, students are presented with pictures of six tables which have been set up at an outdoor market. Each table holds two items. As the narrator names each pair of illustrated items, students circle the one whose name contains the sound of the letter X.

The second activity sheet deals with the consonant sound of Y in the initial and medial positions. The narrator reads a series of eight words which correspond to eight sets of illustrations. Students shade in the circle below the first illustration in a set if they hear the consonant sound of Y in the initial position. They shade in the circle below the second illustration if the consonant sound of Y is in the medial position. Sound effects are used after each example to reinforce the correct response.

Letter Z and its sound is handled on page 3.* A jigsaw puzzle on the page is divided into four large pieces. Each piece contains numbered shapes. As the narrator reads a list of words, the students circle the numerals that correspond to words which have the sound of Z in the initial position. With the help of the narrator, the students check and correct their work. They are then instructed to shade in all shapes which contain circled numerals, and, finally, to cut out the puzzle pieces and fit them together. After following these directions, students should see a large Z hidden in the puzzle.

* Students will need a pair of scissors to complete exercise on page 3