March 10-14
Letter of the Week: Z
Theme: Zebra/Zoo
Z, zebra, zoo - oh, my! We are getting close to the official start of spring. As we tackle the letter-sound 'z', what better theme than zoo (and zebras)?
‘Z’ is a consonant. From a speech perspective, ‘z’ is a “skinny air” sound. Hold your hand in front of your mouth while saying /z/. Just like /s/, the air coming out of your mouth should feel like a skinny or thin stream. The tongue is doing the heavy work shaping the flow of air being forced out, while the lips are contributing with a smile action. ‘Z’ and ‘S’ are sound brothers; they are made exactly the same way - almost. There is one difference. ‘Z’ is the noisy brother (voice on – vocal cords vibrate – to make this sound). Hold your hand to your throat as you say /z/; you should feel vibration from the vocal cords. Now say /s/ (a quiet sound); feel the difference?
In therapy: We will be reading 'z'/zebra/zoo themed books, doing ‘z’/zebra/zoo themed activities and exploring the letter name, letter sound and letter symbol for 'z'.
Suggestions for home: Pick out ideas that appeal most to your child (and you!). Kids learn best through active experiences. And multi-modal learning helps make stronger and more diverse connections in the brain, which helps with retention and recall. Sprinkle ‘z’ throughout the week. Most important, have fun!
BOOKS
FOOD
Eating the Alphabet - Z: Consider adding some “z” foods to your menu this week.
zucchini ziti zoo animal cookies zero shaped cereal
Feeling adventurous? Make Zebra cookies with your child! Like these or these.
ACTIVITIES
Scavenger Hunt: how many ‘z’ things can you find around the house, while shopping at the market, in a magazine or store ad flyers?
Field Trip:
I Spy: look for the letter ‘z’ in a variety of texts (books, magazines, newspaper, road signs, license plates)
Community helper: learn about zoo keepers
Sensory Play:
APPS
Do you have other Z ideas to add? I’d love to hear!
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