Teacher: Ms.

Tracy Sedano

Subject: Phonic Lesson (Elkonin

Boxes)

Teacher Actions, Students Actions, Materials

Summary of activity:
This plan can be used for students to learn and practice any phonemes.
The activity that is planned below is for students to segment words into
individual sounds or phonemes. It will teach students how to count the number
of phonemes in a word.
o This will build students phonological awareness and understanding of
alphabetic principle in decoding.
o This can be adapted and used for students at their skill level. It can begin with
practice decoding words by identifying the amount of phonemes or sounds
heard in a word, to higher level where students identify the letters that
correspond with sounds to write a word. It will help provide a smooth transition
into spelling.
Standard:
o
o

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2

Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.B

Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words.

Objective:
Students will be able to segment words into sounds and count the number of
phonemes in words.

Materials:
Templates of Ekonin boxes (row of square boxes that can range from 2-6

columns)
o You may laminate these for repetitive use and to transition into spelling
using dry erase markers.
o You may also just draw the boxes on a dry erase board or piece of paper
for each new word.
Material to be used as a counter. You may use bingo do marker, chips, or any
other material. This lesson demonstration will use fuzzy craft pom-poms to
count sounds.
Instructional Input (Teaching the skill):
Explain to your student that we will use Elkonin boxes (letter/sound boxes)
to learn phonemic awareness.
Tell your student they will listen for individual sounds and moving a pompom into the boxes for every time they hear a sound.
o Each box in an Elkonin box card represents one phoneme, or sound.
So the word dish which is spelled with four letters has only 3
phonemes: / d / / i / / sh /.
Demonstrate for your student how to use the Elkonin boxes. Use a 3
columned box at first.

o
o
o
o

o
o

Use the 3 columned template/draw "boxes" or squares on a piece of paper or

dry erase board with one box for each syllable or phoneme.
Pronounce a target word slowly, stretching it out by sound.
Ask the child to repeat the word.
For example: say the word sheep which consist of 3 phonemes (sounds)
/sh/ /ee/ /p/

Count the number of phonemes in the word, not necessarily the number of
letters.
Slide one colored pom-pom for each sound in each cell of the Elkonin box as
you repeat the word.

You may repeat this demonstration with a few more words to ensure your
student understands instructions.

Guided Practice (Practicing the skill together):

Have your student try to determine the sounds in the word together.
Repeat to your student that they need to put a pom-pom in a box each time
they hear a sound.
Use an example word to try together.
For example: say the word let
Use the 3 columned template/draw "boxes" or squares on a piece of paper
or dry erase board with one box for each syllable or phoneme.
Pronounce let slowly, stretching it out by sound.
Ask the child to repeat the word.
Have the child count the number of phonemes in the word, not necessarily
the number of letters. For example, let has three phonemes and will use
three boxes. /l/, /e/, /t/

Direct your child to slide one colored pom-pom (letter for more advanced)
in each cell of the Elkonin box drawing that represents the sound they can

hear in the word.

Follow along with your student helping them distinguish separate sounds in
a word by stretching out and emphasizing sounds as much as your child
needs.
If child is having difficulties distinguishing sound in a word. Repeat word
multiple times and help child place pom-poms in boxes as you repeat.
Repeat with more words as child needs.

Independent practice (Student does by themselves):

Have the student distinguish phonemes (sounds) by themselves.

Say a new word to the student pronouncing it slowly, stretching it out by
sound.
Have student repeat word and then continue to repeat as they manipulate
pom-poms into boxes for each individual sound.
You may start with 2-phoneme words and progress to larger phoneme
words.
o Up
o At
o Is
o Ant
o Bee
o Bed
o Bus
o Cup
o Dish
o Boat
o Dog
o Duck
o Frog
o Hand
o Leaf
o Pig
o Pot
o Rain
o Teeth
o Three
o Town
o Tree
For example: say the word pot
Have child repeat the word
Let the child try independently to identify the amount of phonemes

Repeat with words as the child advances with phonemes.

Assessment (5 min)
Have your student identify the amount of phonemes for the following. Read each
word to them:
1. How many sounds are there for the following word pea?

2. How many sounds are there for the following word sun?

3. How many sounds are there for the following word hand?

List of additional ways this plan can be used

Below is a link of the phonemes we will learn in class with their letter and their
sounds.
http://www.boardman.k12.oh.us/userfiles/363/Phonological
%20Awareness/44Phonemes.pdf
At the following link you may find additional words with Ekonin Boxes with images
already created!
http://bogglesworldesl.com/elkonin_boxes.htm
To increase difficulty for students, you can increase the number of boxes in words.
For example, sheep has three phonemes, but you can instead put four boxes
instead of three. This will test if student is able to distinguish the amount of
phonemes in a word.
As students gain success in decoding phonemes in words, they will be able to
progress to letter-sound relationships. As students understand letter-sound
relationships, they can write letters in the boxes instead of placing a counter.

Please feel free to use the following word as beginning templates for you and
your student to begin practicing decoding phonemes in words.