Lesson 2: m /m/
Where this sound appears: M can appear at the beginning or end of a word (map, ham).
Quick Tip: When saying /m/, your lips press together and your voice hums through your nose. Have your child feel the vibration by touching their lips gently.
Extra Practice Worksheets (preview at bottom)
Step 1: Phonemic Awareness
No letters, no writing. Ears only.
Part A: Blending
"I am going to say some words one at a time. Squish them together into a word. Ready?"
rain + bow -> rainbow
tooth + brush -> toothbrush
Part B: Segmenting
"Now I will say a word. Break it into its parts and count them on your fingers. Ready?"
sunflower -> sun + flower
Step 3: Auditory Drill
"I will say a sound and you write the letter as fast as you can. Ready?"
Say: /a/ -> Write: A
If they write the wrong letter: give the correct answer, have them write it while saying the sound, then move on.
Step 5: Word Building
Not enough letter combinations yet for word building.
Step 6: New Concept and Letter Formation
Uppercase and Lowercase
"This is the uppercase M and the lowercase m. The name of this letter is M. Let us say the letter name together: M."
Different Ways to See This Letter
"Look at all the different ways you might see the letter M. It can look a little different in different books or on signs, but it is always the same letter. Can you find them all?"
ASL Sign
"This is the ASL hand sign for the letter M. Let us make it together."
"Hold up your hand and try to copy the shape on the screen. Great!"
Keyword, Mouth, Voiced or Unvoiced
"Our keyword for this sound is mouse. Say it with me: mouse."
"Now watch my mouth when I make this sound: /m/. Press your lips together. The sound hums through your nose."
"This is a voiced sound. Put your hand on your throat and say /m/. Feel your voice box hum? That means your voice is on."
Where the Sound Appears
"Listen while I tell you where you can hear this sound in words. You hear the M sound at the beginning of words like mouse and mat. You also hear it at the end of words, like in ham or jam."
How We Form the Letter
"Now let us learn how to write the letter M. Watch me first."
"Start at the top. Stroke down. Go back to the top, hump over to the middle, hump again to the right, then stroke down."
"First, let us sky write it together. Hold up your writing finger and write it big in the air. Ready? Go."
"Now trace it on your paper or whiteboard."
"Now write it on your own. Say /m/ each time you write it."
Day 2 | Step 10: Dictated Sentence
No dictated sentence for this lesson. There are not yet enough words for a complete sentence.