Activity Description

Preparation:

Session 1:

1. Create “name fish”
   1. Cut fish shapes out of construction paper or colorful poster board
      • You may wish to laminate them so they can be re-used
   2. Attach something magnetic to each fish, like a paper clip
   3. Write names of students on strips of paper
   4. Stick each student name on a fish
2. Create fishing rods
   1. Buy plastic magnetic fishing rods from the dollar store or tie string to sticks and attach a magnet to the end of the string
3. Find 4-5 plastic buckets
4. Figure out how many syllables are in each students’ name in the class
   1. Choose an example student for each number of syllables
   2. For example: Mike (1 syllable), Candace (2 syllables), Trinity (3 syllables), Jamarion (4 syllables)

 Session 2:

1. Create “picture fish”
   1. Find pictures of concrete objects with 1, 2, 3, or 4 syllables
   2. Follow the same procedure as above for making the fish
   3. Ensure there is at least 1 picture per student
2. Distribute the fish evenly in the 4-5 buckets
3. Create baskets
   1. Find pictures of words that begin with 1, 2, 3, and 4 syllables (1 picture for each number of syllables)
   2. Stick each picture to the front of a basket 

Implementation:

Session 1:

1. Tell the students that they will be fishing for syllables
2. Explicitly explain what a syllable is
   1. For example, say, “Syllables are the small spoken pieces of words”
3. Model the activity using your three chosen students
   1. Fish a name from the bucket
   2. Read the name aloud
   3. Ask the class to help you clap the number of syllables
   4. Confirm the number of syllables
   5. Repeat for the other 2 students
   6. Ask each student to stand at the front of the class, holding the fish with their name
4.  Invite students to take a turn to fish their own names
   1. Have them identify the number of syllables in their names, providing support if necessary
   2. Have them stand behind the student with the same number of syllables as their own names
5. Once the activity is complete, have the whole class “check” to see whether each student is in the correct line by clapping the syllables together

Session 2:

1. Tell students that today they are going to go fishing for syllables again!
   1. Remind them of what a syllable is
2. Introduce the new baskets
   1. Explain that there are 4 baskets
   2. On each basket, there is a picture
   3. As a class, count the number of syllables in each picture
   4. Explain that the picture tells you how many syllables for words that go in that basket
3. Explain the activity
   1. Students will go fishing in a bucket and will pull a picture out
   2. They should figure out the name of the picture, and clap the number of syllables
   3. They should place the picture in the basket corresponding to their number of syllables
4. Model the activity
   1. Fish for a picture
   2. Say the name of the picture
   3. Clap the number of syllables
   4. Think-aloud about how you will decide what basket to put the picture into
5.  Allow students to engage in the activity
   1. Support students as they fish out the picture cards and sort them based on syllables
6. As a class, go through each basket of picture cards and “check” whether students are right by clapping syllables 

Adaptations For

English Language Learners/ESL:

- Provide support to students who are having difficulty segmenting the parts of the word
- Choose familiar words

LD/Reading & Writing Difficulties:

- Underline the parts of names to make the number of syllables explicit
- Practice clapping syllables in advance of the activity

Cultural Appropriateness & Diversity:

- Choose concrete objects that all students can easily identify

Differentiated Instruction:

- Allow students to work in partners when identifying the names/pictures on the card and sorting them

Related References

Evidence:
Phillips, B. M., Clancy-Menchetti, J. & Lonigan, C. J. (2008). Successful phonological awareness instruction with preschool children: Lessons from the classroom. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 28, 3-17.