One of my focus skills during guided reading is phonemic awareness, and one of the ways we practice is by using Elkonin Boxes. The kids push counters into boxes for each phoneme they hear. Well, I loved the idea of this activity, but it just didn't sound or look like a whole lot of fun, so I "spiced up" my Elkonin Boxes using colorful paint sample strips! {You know me. It's got to be cute.} I just picked a few bright colors from the paint sample station at Lowe's, glued them to a sheet of paper, and laminated it. I found some cute mini cars the kids can use to "push" or "park" the sounds! The squares on the paint strips kind of look like little parking places for the cars!
Stay tuned this week for...ApPleS! I'll post pictures of some of our apple activities!
Where did you find the sweet little mini-cars? I would love to hear more about your apple unit before you post it - I'm doing apples next week too! You have such cute and fun ideas! E-mail me at: growingkinders@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteWHAT A GREAT IDEA!! I try and make my own elkonin boxes on the computer- but LOVE your paint chip idea.. I may have to go to Lowes tomorrow!!
ReplyDeleteI just discovered you blog. I love it! Your Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse post is awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou have great ideas.
You profile pic reminds me of the Landing in Jacksonville, Florida because of that blue bridge in the background. I lived and taught there for two years!
I use Elkonin Boxes in my room too! But just boring ol' pennies up to this point. I like your idea SO MUCH BETTER! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI love using Elkonin boxes because you can use hundreds of different types of manipulatives, but this one really does take the cake! So creative!
ReplyDeleteI love the apple cut-away! I used this with my third grade students as part of our nonfiction features study! Thanks for the idea! :)
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the ideas on the use of Elkonin boxes which I have long used in my role as a speech-language pathologist working on phonological awareness. The cars were especially appealing and I wanted to pass along two ways I came up with to "spice up" the Elkonin boxes. I bought different colored "bingo daubers" and the children can use those to mark where they hear the sound. I also bought translucent, small boxes with snap on lids to manipulate where the sound is as I bought 3 clear and one pink.
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