Emergent Literacy Lesson     

                                        Vacuuming the V’s


                                                                                            Courtney Hamby


Rational: In order to be able to read words Children need to understand and be familiar with the various sounds that make up written words. This lesson will teach students the vocal gesture that is used to create the sound of /V/. This lesson also introduces students to the print make up of the letter “V”. The lesson will develop the student’s phoneme awareness of /V/, by giving them instruction and practice on how to form the /v/ sound and a creative hand gesture to help them recall the vocal gesture of /V/.

Materials: Primary paper
                  White Paper for Drawings
                  Board to write words on
                  Reading A-Z Decodable Book: Vin and Val
                  Assessment page with /v/ sound pictures and Vans
                  Tongue Twister on Sentence Strip Paper (optional)
                  Picture card of Vacuum cleaner and other /v/ words (optional)

I.   Procedures: Introducing the lesson

        A.) “The written language is like a secret code. Today, we are going to be learning about how to break this code. Every sound we say in words makes our mouths move differently. Today we are going to learn about the sound we hear in the word vacuum, /v/. Can you say /v/..? ”

        B.) “The first sound in the word vacuum is /v/.”

      1.       Show children the picture card of the vacuum.
Repeat the word vacuum by emphasizing the initial /v/ sound.

C.)“In order to create the /v/ sound we have to put are front teeth over are bottom lip. Like this.”

        1.      Model how to make the /v/ sound.
Get all the children to make the sound together.

D.)   “Today we are going to learn how to find the /v/ sound in words like vacuum.” (Show a picture of a vacuum cleaner or other /v/ words.)

II. Giving GESTURE to remember by:

A.)         Ask the children “What does the vacuum cleaner say as it clean the floor.”

      1.      Model the /v/ sound, showing how it compares to the vacuum cleaner sound.
Remembering that both sounds require the teeth to be placed over the bottom lip.

B.)         Today we are going to pretend to be vacuuming. Ok, let me hear your vacuum cleaners.”

      1.      Model to then how to pretend holding the handle of a vacuum cleaner and push it back and forth across the floor.
Then as a class say the /v/ sound while pretending to push your vacuums over the floor.

C.)         The /v/ sound we hear is like the sound that the vacuum makes as it vacuums the dirty floor. Let me hear those vacuum cleaners again.” 

            III.    Practicing the Sound with Tongue Twisters:

          A.) “Now we are going to try a tongue twister. I’ll read it first and then we will all say it together.”

  1.   Slowly read the rhyme below, emphasizing the /v/ sounds in the words.
  2.  Then have children say it with you.

EXAMPLE Tongue Twister:   

        Vicki never vacuumed up the violet vitamins diven over by the van.

B.)Now we are going to say it together again, but this time when we hear the /v/ sound in a word we are going to vacuum it up.”

1.      Say the tongue twister slowly together and when you come to a /v/ sound stop and pretend to vacuum it up.
2.        Remember to make the /v/ sound like the vacuum cleaner makes as it cleans.

C.)Repeat the above activity until you are confident that children can identify the initial /v/ sound in each of the words in the verse.

IV. Learning the Corresponding Letter

        A.)  “Now we are going to learn about the letter that makes the /v/ sound. Does anyone know what letter makes the /v/ sound?”

      1.      Give each student primary paper and a pencil to write with.
Tell them that they will all be drawing V’s today on their papers.

         B.) “This is the letter V. It makes the /v/ sound like in vacuum. This is how you write the letter V. Start at the roof or top line. Then draw a slanted line down like a slide. Stop to rest on the floor line and then draw a line sliding back up to the roof again. This is how you write the letter V.”

C.) “The letter V looks like a triangle without it’s top. Lets see everyone try to draw the letter V. Remember to start at the roof, slide to the floor and then slide back up.”

      1.      Check to see that all students are getting the concept.
How them practice making ten or so more on their own.
Remind them that this letter tells us to say the /v/ sound.

“When we see the letter V in a word we say the /v/ sound, like are vacuum cleaners.”

V.  Modeling & Finding the /v/ Sound in words:

A.                 Ask children to identify the sound they hear at the beginning of the word.

B.                 Say the following words and ask the children to raise there hand if they know which word has the /v/ sound in it. Say the words slowly enunciating each sound.

“Do you hear the /v/ sound in the word….. van or fan?”
(Violet or pink, over or top, vase or phone, ran or
vest, victory or flame, venom or snake, car or drive. )

C.                 Now play a game by giving them the following list of words one at a time. Tell them to vacuum up the /v/ words they hear. Remember to say each sound slowly so they can hear them.

“Everyone take your vacuum cleaners back out. I’m going to say words and when I say a word that has the /v/ sound I want you to pretend to vacuum it up.”

                         Words for Game:  VEST             SAVE            KISS        
                                                            VIOLIN         FISH            VALENTINE
                                                            VACUUM     SHAVE         FOUR
                                                            HOUSE         GUITAR        VASE            
                                                            CASE             VOLCANO    MOUSE

VI. Story and Writing Time

A.)    Read the decodable book Vin and Val.

B.)    Then reread it and have the students find and vacuum up every /v/ word they hear.

C.)    After reading, ask the students to tell you the /v/ words they heard in the story and write them on the board.

D.)   Then have the students draw a picture of their imaginary vacuum cleaner and write about the /v/ words they vacuumed up in today’s story. Encourage them to use invented spellings, as well as, the words written on the board.

VII.       Assessment Time

A.)    Give each student a copy of the V assessment sheet.

B.)    Tell them that the Van is driving to the /v/ words only.

“The Vans are trying to find the picture of the words that have the /v/ sound. Can you help then find the correct pictures.”

C.)    They have to draw a line from the van to the correct picture, that contains the /v/ sound.


                  Byrne, B., & Fielding-Barnsley, R. (1990). Acquiring the alphabetic principle: A case for teaching recognition of phoneme identity. Journal of Education Psychology, 82, 805-812.

                  Reading a-z.com (2004). Lesson 21-consonant v. http://www.readinga-z.com/newfiles/decode/lessonplans/lesson_21/21_print.html

                  Kidzone. (2004). Draw a line- beginning Vv words. http://www.kidzone.ws/kindergarten/v-begins1.htm

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