Today we continue with a series of enrichment activities for incorporating alphabet signs into story time.
11. Animal Sounds
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| Photo Credit: Dawn Prochovnic |
This is a fun game for partners. Choose one person to be the fingerspeller and one person to be the responder. The fingerspeller begins by fingerspelling the name of an animal, for example, C-A-T. The partner responds by saying the name of that animal and a sound for that animal, for example, “Cat” and “Meow.”
If you want to make the activity more challenging, extend the learning by inviting participants to research the ASL sign for the animal (for example, “Cat,”) before switching roles and continuing play.
12. Alphabet Sounds
This is is a fun game for partners. Choose one person to be the leader and one person to be the responder. The leader begins by making the handshape for one of the letters in the manual alphabet. The partner responds by saying the name of the letter, making the sound (or sounds) for that letter, and saying a word that begins with that letter. For example, if the leader signs “D,” the responder would say, “D” and the sound for “D,” and then a word that begins with “D,” such as “Dog.” If you want to make the activity more challenging, extend the learning further by inviting participants to also sign (or fingerspell) the word they say, for example, Dog (or D-O-G) before switching roles and continuing play.
13. Alphabet Words
This is a fun game for partners or small groups that extends the activity above. Get a timer and choose one person to be the leader and one person to be the responder. If you have enough people, choose another person to be the timekeeper (otherwise, the leader can be the timekeeper). The timekeeper sets the timer for one minute and says, “Go!” The leader begins by making the handshape for one of the letters in the manual alphabet and the partner responds by saying the name of the letter, making the sound (or sounds) for that letter, and saying as many words as they can that begins with that letter before the time runs out. For example, if the leader signs “B,” the responder would say, “B” and the sound for “B,” and then the words, “Book” “Box,” “Bank,” etc. Points are given for every word said that begins with the correct letter. Switch roles and continue play for several rounds. The person with the highest score at the end of the agreed upon number of rounds wins.
To add variety and challenge, modify the rules to focus on words that end with the target letter or that have the target letter somewhere in the middle of the word. You can also allow words that have the letter anywhere within the word.
If you want to make the activity even more challenging, invite participants to say and sign words that begin with, end with, or include the target letter, with three points being earned for each word said and signed.
Helpful Resources:
ASL Alphabet Glossary (use this link to download the activity packet for younger children, and the alphabet glossary from my books is included in that packet)
The sign for Alphabet
A to Z Sign with Me
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