Learning Z with Zane the Zipping Zebra

 

Rationale: This lesson will help a child to identify the phoneme /z/, a sound that is represented by the letter Z. Through the lesson will enable the student to recognize the phoneme /z/ in spoken words by learning a meaningful representation (like a zipper sipping “zzz”), practice finding /z/ in words, and learning a tongue tickler filled with /z/. Students will also learn to distinguish the letter /z/ in phonetic cue reading by distinguishing rhyming words from beginning letters.

 

Materials:

• Picture of the Letter Z and zipper https://www.google.com/search?q=gif+for+zipper&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=R40hoyu-QZYNBM%253A%252CWnQ5n1-zgfG8qM%252C_&usg=__frRQS_rDOUcXtWsjQE5ktnvzPhk%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwicyZGt4-3bAhWQq1MKHbV0C-cQ9QEILzAC#imgrc=R40hoyu-QZYNBM:

• Chart with tongue tickler “Zane the Zebra Zipped at the Zoo in Zig Zags”

• Primary Paper (1 piece per student)

• Pencils (1 pencil per student)

• Word Cards with ZAP, ZOO, ZONE, and ZOOM

• Assessment Worksheet: Z is for Zebra https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/5-Letter-Z-Worksheets-Alphabet-Phonics-Worksheets-Letter-of-the-Week-315512

 

Procedures:

1. Say: Our written language is a secret code. It can be tricky at times because we may not know what letters stand for- the mouth moves as we say words. Today we are going to work on spotting the mouth move /z/. When we spell /z/ we spell it with the letter Z. Z sounds like the noise a zipper makes like “zzzz”.

2. Now let’s practice making the noise a zipper makes- /z/, /z/, /z/. Notice where your tongue is? Your lips and teeth are apart but your tongue is touching the roof of your mouth. Now when you make the /z/ sound, pretend like your zipping your jacket up. Every time we make the /z/ sound we are going to pretend to zip our jacket up.

3. Now I am going to show you how to find /z/ in the word Zap. I will stretch the word out slowly and I want you to listen for my zipping zipper sound. Zzzz-aaaa-ppp. I will try it slower: Zzzzzz-aaaaaaa-pppppp. I could feel my lips apart and my tongue at the roof of my mouth.

4. Say: let’s try the tongue tickler that is on the poster: “Zane the Zebra Zipped at the Zoo in Zig Zags” Let’s say it together. Now stretch out the /z/ at the beginning of every word. “Zzzzane the Zzzzebra Zzzzipped at the Zzzzoo in Zzzzig Zzzzags” This time we are going to break it off in the beginning of the word: “/z/ane the /z/ebra /z/ipped at the /z/oo in /z/ig /z/ags”

5. I am going to saw two words to you and I want you to tell me which one you hear /z/ in. Do you hear /z/ in Zap or Tap? Zoom or Groom? Buzz or Fuzz? Now let’s see if you can recognize the motion of /z/. When you see /z/ pretend to zip your jacket up if you do not hear /z/ then put your hands in your lap: say, zane, sing, jump, Zoo, feed, Zebra.

6. Pass out primary paper and a pencil to the students. “We use Z to spell /z/. Lets practice writing a capital Z. First, you draw a short line on the rooftop then a diagonal to the left down to the sidewalk thena short line to the right. I will then model this on a whiteboard and ask them to write uppercase Z, ten times. While they are doing this, I will walk around to see if any are having trouble with it. Once they are finished I will say “now let’s try a lowercase z. To make a lowercase s you make a short line then a diagonal then a short line back to the right. I will model this again on the whiteboard. “Now let’s practice the lowercase z ten times.” I will walk around again to see if anyone needs any help.

7. We are going to read our letter /z/ book, Animal Strike at the Zoo. Book talk: The animals at the zoo feel they aren’t being respected or treated fairly – so they’re on strike!  “‘We’re paid only peanuts!’ the elephants shout.  “And goodness, we’re bigger than that.’ So now they won’t trumpet or lumber about. They just sit around looking fat.'”  We love the silly text and the bright pictures.

8. Show ZAP and show the students how to decide if it is zap or tap: The Z tells me to make my zipping sound; /z/, /z/, /z/. So this word is zzz-ap, zap.

9. To assess the students on z=/z/, I will pass out the worksheet. Then have students write Z in front of the words that have an Z in the beginning. Walk around and help the students who have not grasped z=/z/. Call students individually to read the phonetic cue words from the cards.

 

Reference:

https://www.themeasuredmom.com/books-to-read-for-letter-z/

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Zipping with Z by Hannah Wiggins http://hnw0015.wixsite.com/hannah-wiggins/emergent-literacy-lesson-plan