“What’s in the Box?”
This is one of my student’s favorite games to play! It’s a great way for students to practice phonemic awareness and it’s fun! Inside this fancy polka dotted box are a few random objects that all start with the same beginning sound (E.g. Pp).
I give my students clues as to what could be in the box. For example, this is something that makes the “P” sound, it’s pink, and it likes to play in the mud. Students whisper to their neighbor what they think it is, then I pull name sticks to have students share their answers.
Sometimes if I pull a student’s name, and they aren’t sure of the answer, I have them “phone a friend.” (Who wants to be a millionaire style). The student “calls” their friend by pretending to phone them and asks them “Do you know something that makes a “p” sound, is pink, and likes the mud?” Their friend gives them the answer (I think it’s a pig). The student then says “Thank you!” and “hangs up” and then repeats their friends answer (My friend told me a pig, so I’m going to guess a pig”)
I like “phoning a friend” because it’s a fun way for students to discover the answer to the question while not skipping over them if they don’t know.
I also purchased all of these “Alphabet Sounds Teaching Tubs” from Lakeshore Learning Store. Totally worth it, my kids absolutely LOVE playing this game!
I have also switched it up and used this box to teach ending and medial sound as well. For example, I’ll pull different items from various tubs that have the “g” sound at the end of the word. Inside the box I would put a “pig” “dog” and “mug.” I have also taught rhyming words using these tubs as well (placing a cat, hat, bat, and rat inside the box). The possibilities are endless!
Happy Teaching!
This is such a cute, fun and easy game. I Love it! Where did you get the cute box from? I will begin teaching TK this coming school year in August. I have been teaching Kindergarten for 22 years at my current school. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Your site is so happy and cute! Thank you for sharing your great ideas! -Kelley
Hi Kelley! I actually got the box from Paper Source! Here’s a link to a similar one, (I got the smallest box shown)
https://www.papersource.com/gift-wrap/gold-big-boom-on-fuchsia-gift-boxes-bx45109071.html
So exciting that you started TK, how have you liked it so far? I find it’s the best of both worlds, not quite preschool but not quite kindergarten. It’s an amazing age to teach!