Teachers are use to making rectangular shapes flash cards, but consider round flash cards. Circular cards help students focus because the square and rectangle flash cards are distracting according to the brain research of Barron.
Barron, M. A.  (2000).  Surprising truths:  The implications of brain research.  Barron (2000).  http://nauticom.net/www/cokids/brain.html.  November, 18th.

Bat the Ball!

Players: whole class

Materials: • ball patterns, bat patterns, scissors, marker

Skill: blending

Getting Ready

Make 30 balls using the ball pattern. On each ball, write one of the following consonant digraphs or clusters: ch, sh, th, wh, ph, thr, shr, ph, br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr, bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl, sk, sm, sn, sp, st, sw, str, spr, spl.

Make 10 bats using the bat pattern. On each bat, write one of the following sets of vowel phonograms: ack, ail, ain, ake; ame, an, ank, ap; ash, at, ate, ay; eat, ell, est, ice; ick, ide, ight, ill; in, ine, ing, ink; ip, ock, op, uck; ig, unk, ale, aw; ir, oke, ore, ump; or, ang,

oast, oom.

Create a ball field in the classroom by designating one corner of the room for each base, including home plate.

How to Play

Divide the class into two teams. Invite children to name their teams using words that contain clusters and digraphs (for example, “The Great Base Stealers”). In turn, one player from the first team selects a bat. A pitcher “throws” a ball to the player. The player must then form a word using the beginning sound-spelling on the ball and one

or more of the vowel spellings on the bat. If the player can use all four vowel spellings to make a word, he or she earns a home run. If the player can use three of the spellings, a triple is earned. If two are used, a double is earned. And if one is used, a single is earned. If the player is unable to form a word, an out is earned. The player moves that number of bases and the game continues. After three outs, the second team is up at bat.

Variations

• You may wish to have teams take turns at bat. In this version, more than one player can be on any given base and teams earn points until three outs are scored.

• Use other vowel phonograms focusing on the vowel spellings you

wish to review. See the lists of phonograms scored.

Vowel Phonograms

Short-Vowel Phonograms: ab, ack, act, ad, aft, ag, am, amp, an, ance, anch, and, ang, ank, ant, ap, ash, ask, asm, asp, ast, at, atch, ath, ax, ead, ealth, eath, eck, ed, edge, eft, eg, eld, elf, ell, elp, elt, em, en, ence, ench, end, ength, ense, ent, ep, ept, esh, ess, est, et, etch, ext, ib, ick, id, iff, ift, ig, ilk, ill, ilt, im, imp, in, ince, inch, ing, inge, ink, int, ip, is, ish, isk, isp, iss, ist, it, itch, ive, ix, ob, ock, od, oft, og, omp, ond, op, ot, otch, ough, ox, ome, on, ough, ove, ub, uch, uck, ud, udge, uff, ug, ulk, ull, um, umb, ump, un, unch, ung, unk, unt, up, us, ush, ust, ut, utch, utt

Long-Vowel Phonograms: ace, ade, age, aid, ail, ain, aint, aise, ait, ake, ale, ame, ane, ange, ape, ase, aste, ate, ave, ay, aze, eak, eigh, ey, e, ea, each, ead, eak, eal, eam, ean, eap, ear, ease, east, eat, eath, eave, ee, eech, eed, eek, eel, eem, een, eep, eer, eet, eeze, iece, ief, ield, ibe, ice, ide, ie, ied, ier, ies, ife, igh, ight, ike, ild, ile, ime, ind, ine, ipe, ire, ise, ite, ive, uy, y, ye, o, oach, oad, oak, oal, oam, oan, oast, oat, obe, ode, oe, oke, old, ole, oll, olt, ome, one, ope, ose, ost, ote, ove, ow, own

Other Vowel Phonograms: air, are, ear, earn, erb, erge, erk, erm, ern, erve, ir, ird, irk, irl, irst, irt, irth, ur, urb, urge, url, urn, urk, urse, urt, ar, ard, arge, ark, arm, arn, arp, art, all, alk, alt, aught, aunch, aunt, ault, aw, awl, awn, ong, oss, ost, oth, ought, oar, oor, orch, ord, ore, ork, orm, orn, ort, our, oil, oin, oint, oise, oist, oy, ouch, oud, ounce, ount, ound, our, ouse, out, outh, ow, owl, own, ew, o, oo, ood, oof, ool, oom, oon, oop, oose, oot, ooth, ooze, oup, ube, uce, ude, ue, uke, ule, ume, une, ure, use, ute, uth, ood, ook, oot, ould, ull, ush

Title: String of sounds makes a word
Idea: Give each student a piece of string and say a word (ie:cat). Have the students pull the string tight with one end in each hand. Then have the students push the string together and slowly pull it apart for each sound that is in the word (ie: C A T). Once the string is stretched out again and each sound is made the students should "snap" the string back and say the word fast (Cat).  This will help the students to hear each sound in the word and also recognize the word as a whole.
Resource: Deanna Gilkerson - Emergent Literacy Course

Title: Rhythmic Recitation
Idea: Teacher (T) says letters aloud in rhythmic pattern while students softly tap or clap the matching rhythm.
Example: SCHOOL
T: school s-c-h o-o-l school
T: repeat the line before
Do this until students are comfortable with the rhythm.
Students (S) do it with you.
S: school s-c-h o-o-l school
S: students repeat line before
Fade the teacher spelling:
T: school s-c-h o-o-l school
S: school s-c-h o-o-l school
Resource: http://www.resourceroom.net/readspell/sightwordspell.asp