Lesson 3: s /s/

Use previously taught letters during review. Today’s new s comes after the New Concept slide. Read the directions aloud and say sounds where slashes appear.

Slide 1 — Welcome to Lesson 3

SAY
Today we’ll practice a and m and learn s. First, let’s put some word parts together.

LISTEN FOR
Gets ready to listen.

PARENT TIP
Have writing materials ready.

Slide 2 — Blending Practice

SAY
Listen to the two parts I say. Join them to make a whole word.

LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.

Slide 3 — Butter plus fly

SAY
Listen to these two word parts: butter … fly. Put them together. What word do they make?

LISTEN FOR
butterfly

PARENT TIP
Pause before saying the answer. If needed, say “butter … fly, butterfly,” and have your child repeat. Bring two hands together as you join the parts.

Slide 4 — Butterfly

SAY
Yes, butterfly! Say it with me: butterfly. We joined butter and fly to make butterfly.

LISTEN FOR
Says “butterfly.”

PARENT TIP
This is the answer picture. If your child did not get the previous item, use it to model the answer, then try the two parts again.

Slide 5 — Peanut plus butter

SAY
Listen to these two word parts: peanut … butter. Put them together. What word do they make?

LISTEN FOR
peanut butter

PARENT TIP
Pause before saying the answer. If needed, say “peanut … butter, peanut butter,” and have your child repeat. Bring two hands together as you join the parts.

Slide 6 — Peanut butter

SAY
Yes, peanut butter! Say it with me: peanut butter. We joined peanut and butter to make peanut butter.

LISTEN FOR
Says “peanut butter.”

PARENT TIP
This is the answer picture. If your child did not get the previous item, use it to model the answer, then try the two parts again.

Slide 7 — Segmenting Practice

SAY
Now pull the whole word apart into two word parts.

LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.

Slide 8 — Pancake

SAY
Say pancake. Now pull that word apart into two smaller word parts. What two parts do you hear?

LISTEN FOR
pan … cake

PARENT TIP
Move your hands apart. If needed, model “pan … cake.” These are word parts, not individual speech sounds.

Slide 9 — Pan and cake

SAY
That’s right: pan … cake. Those are the two parts in pancake. Say the parts, then say the whole word.

LISTEN FOR
pan … cake; pancake.

PARENT TIP
Point to each picture as you name the two parts.

Slide 10 — Wheelchair

SAY
Say wheelchair. Now pull that word apart into two smaller word parts. What two parts do you hear?

LISTEN FOR
wheel … chair

PARENT TIP
Move your hands apart. If needed, model “wheel … chair.” These are word parts, not individual speech sounds.

Slide 11 — Wheel and chair

SAY
That’s right: wheel … chair. Those are the two parts in wheelchair. Say the parts, then say the whole word.

LISTEN FOR
wheel … chair; wheelchair.

PARENT TIP
Point to each picture as you name the two parts.

Slide 12 — Visual Drill

SAY
Look at each letter and tell me its sound.

LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.

Slide 13 — Visual drill a

SAY
What sound does this letter spell?

LISTEN FOR
/a/

PARENT TIP
Ask for the sound rather than the letter name. If needed, say “This is a. It spells /a/. Your turn.”

Slide 14 — Visual drill m

SAY
What sound does this letter spell?

LISTEN FOR
/m/

PARENT TIP
Ask for the sound rather than the letter name. If needed, say “This is m. It spells /m/. Your turn.”

Slide 15 — Auditory Drill

SAY
Listen to my sound. Say it, then write the letter that spells it.

LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.

Slide 16 — Listen and write

SAY
Listen to my sound. Say it back, then write the letter that spells it.

LISTEN FOR
/m/ → m; /a/ → a

PARENT TIP
Parent prompts supplied for this picture-only slide: say /m/, wait for m; say /a/, wait for a. Say one sound at a time, leaving the answer slide hidden. Use a whiteboard or paper; letter cards are an alternative if writing is difficult.

Slide 17 — Check your letters

SAY
Let’s check your writing. Point to each letter and tell me its sound. Watch how the letter is made, then try it once more.

LISTEN FOR
Matches the written letters to the sounds you gave.

PARENT TIP
The slide models m and a. Show only the relevant part if you are checking one letter at a time. Follow the animation’s starting dots and stroke direction; pause or replay as needed.

Slide 18 — New Concept

SAY
Our new letter is s. Listen: /sss/.

LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.

Slide 19 — Meet s

SAY
This is uppercase S and lowercase s. Both forms spell /s/. Say /s/ with me.

LISTEN FOR
/s/

PARENT TIP
Point to each form. Formation practice comes later.

Slide 20 — Uppercase S

SAY
This is uppercase S. Its name is S. The sound we are learning is /s/. Say /s/ with me.

LISTEN FOR
/s/

PARENT TIP
Trace the displayed letter in the air. Keep the letter name and its sound distinct.

Slide 21 — Find different forms of s

SAY
These letters look a little different, but they are all s. Can you find a capital one? Can you find a lowercase one? They can all spell /s/.

LISTEN FOR
Points to uppercase and lowercase forms; says /s/.

PARENT TIP
Use this as letter recognition practice. There is no need to name every font or trace every example.

Slide 22 — S is a consonant

SAY
S is a consonant. Keep your teeth close and let the air hiss out: /sss/. Try it. Touch your throat gently. This sound doesn’t use a voice buzz.

LISTEN FOR
Makes unvoiced /s/.

PARENT TIP
Model /s/ as in sun. Avoid “suh” and the voiced /z/ sound. The crossed-out speaker picture can be explained as “our voice is off, but air still makes a sound.”

Slide 23 — Stretch s

SAY
We can hold /s/: /ssss/. Let’s hiss softly together. Now your turn.

LISTEN FOR
Sustains /s/.

PARENT TIP
Keep the sound steady and comfortable. Do not add a vowel at the end.

Slide 24 — Snake and sun

SAY
Say snake. What sound do you hear first? /s/. Now say sun. What sound comes first?

LISTEN FOR
/s/ in both words.

PARENT TIP
Read the words aloud and point to s. Snake contains a consonant blend; only the first sound is the target here.

Slide 25 — Grass and hiss

SAY
Say grass. Listen to the end: gra/sss/. Now say hiss: hi/sss/. What sound is at the end of both words?

LISTEN FOR
/s/.

PARENT TIP
Point to ss. Explain briefly: “These two s letters spell one /s/ sound here.” Do not ask the child to pronounce two separate /s/ sounds or learn the full doubling rule yet.

Slide 26 — Write lowercase s

SAY
Watch how we write lowercase s. Start where the dot shows us and follow the movement. Now draw it in the air with me. Try it on your board.

LISTEN FOR
Forms s and says its sound.

PARENT TIP
Play or replay the letter animation. Model once, trace together, then let your child try. Aim for recognizable formation rather than perfect handwriting.

Slide 27 — Write uppercase S

SAY
Watch how we write uppercase S. Start where the dot shows us and follow the movement. Now draw it in the air with me. Try it on your board.

LISTEN FOR
Forms S and says its sound.

PARENT TIP
Play or replay the letter animation. Model once, trace together, then let your child try. Aim for recognizable formation rather than perfect handwriting.

Slide 28 — Heart Words

SAY
Let’s learn a little word we use when we talk about ourselves.

LISTEN FOR
Let your child settle into the next activity.

Slide 29 — The word I

SAY
This word is I. Say I. I use this word when I talk about myself: I play. I read. It is written with a capital I, even when it is only one word. Read it with me: I.

LISTEN FOR
Reads “I.”

PARENT TIP
The word says the letter name I. Let your child point to themself and say a short phrase beginning with I.

Slide 30 — Good Bye

SAY
You worked on s today. What sound does it spell? Show me one thing you learned. I noticed how you kept trying. We’re finished for today!

LISTEN FOR
/s/

PARENT TIP
Choose one specific success to mention, such as hearing a sound, blending a word, or forming a letter. Stop here for the child.

Slide 31 — Copyright and course information

PARENT TIP
Adult information only. No child-facing script is needed; you may skip this slide during teaching.