Pumpkin Phoneme Segmentation Mats for Phonemic Awareness
Use these pumpkin phoneme segmentation mats to build phonemic awareness this fall. They give lots of practice with blending and segmenting sounds!
Segmenting and Blending Sounds
Blending and segmenting units of sound is a foundational element to learning to read, so planning frequent practice with this skill is imperative. Use these pumpkin theme segment and blend mats to practice this important skill in an engaging, hands-on way. They are perfect for kindergarten and first grade.
Add it to your literacy centers or phonics centers to give kids a new way to practice segmenting words with 3 and 4 individual sounds. Afterward, students can slide their finger under each dot and blend the sounds back together.
Plus, you can add the optional recording sheet for practice with word mapping as well.
This blend and segment activity is a great way to build phonemic awareness during centers or small group instruction this fall.
Fall Phonemic Awareness Activity
This activity is super simple to prep. Just cut the mats apart and cut out the cards. You can laminate them for added durability or just print on card stock and use as is.
For easy storage, place the mats and word cards in a mesh zipper pouch or task card box for easy grab-and-go access.
Setting Up the Pumpkin Segmenting Sounds Mats
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Supplies Needed:
- Pumpkin Phoneme Segmentation Mats (button at bottom of the post to get them)
That is all! There are no added materials needed for this activity.
Instructions:
- Print the mats and word cards.
- Cut the mats and word cards apart.
- Store the mats and word cards in a mesh bag or another task card storage option.
Using the Phoneme Segmentation Mats
Students will place a word card in the box at the upper left hand corner of the mat. They will look at it and determine the word pictured.
Then they will segment the sounds in that word by touching a dot on the pumpkin and saying one sound for each dot.
If using the pumpkin wagon cards, students will touch each pumpkin as they say each sound in the word.
The cards have words pictured that are either 3 or 4 sounds. Many of the words with 3 sounds are CVC words or CVCe words and many of the words with 4 sounds are words with beginning or ending blends.
For example, the card with a web on it is placed on the mat with 3 dots. The student touches the first dot and says the beginning sound in the word, then they touch the second dot and say the middle sound and finally, they touch the third dot and say the third and final sound in the word.
Here’s how that looks:
- Touch the first dot and say the /w/ sound.
- Touch the second dot and say the /e/ sound.
- Touch the third dot and say the /b/ sound.
For mats with 4 sounds, here is an example using the word snake :
- Touch the first dot and say the /s/ sound.
- Touch the second dot and say the /n/ sound.
- Touch the third dot and say the /a/ sound.
- Touch the fourth dot and say the /k/ sound.
Differentiation Ideas
You can choose whether to have your students work on words with 3 sounds, 4 sounds or both.
If they are just beginning to learn phoneme segmentation, you can assign fewer word cards to complete until they are more confident in their skills. Students rocking their phonemic awareness skills can do more word cards at a time.
The mats can be used in small groups with teacher guidance or independently in centers.
You can also add the recording sheet for practice with word mapping as well.
There are lots of ways to use these pumpkin phoneme segmentation mats, so you can change them up and use them in a way that works best for your students.
I hope this phonemic awareness activity is a big help to you and engages the kids in lots of hands-on practice with segmenting sounds.
Click the button below to get the Pumpkin Phoneme Segmentation Mats and add them to your plans this fall!
Here are some more pumpkin theme activities!
Pumpkin Find and Cover the Letter
Pumpkin Letter Sounds Write the Room
Pumpkin CVC Spin and Build Mats