Combining fun and games with practice and learning is a win-win situation. That’s why I love to use literacy cootie catchers, sometimes called chatterboxes or fortune tellers, in my classroom. These folded papers are a favorite with kids—and a great way to practice the skills of blending and segmenting sounds.
Watch the video below to see how to use the literacy cootie catchers in your classroom. The video talks about having students work in partners, and they work particularly well that way, but that’s not the only way to use them.
Can’t see the video, watch it here.
You can use literacy cootie catchers for
Independent practice in class
Follow the same steps shown in the video, but the student makes their own choices, works the cootie catcher, and writes down their results.
Small group work
Students can work around the group, with one student working the cootie catcher and others taking turns making choices and recording words. Students can pass the cootie catcher around and continue taking turns.
Part of a literacy station
Once students know how to use cootie catchers, you can use them at a literacy station as individual or partner work. Students often think of cootie catchers as games not work, so they can make a good “choice” activity.
Home practice and consolidation
Give students a cootie catcher and a worksheet set up with spaces to record their answers for home practice and consolidation of skills.
This helpful pack includes
- 26 different cootie catchers in color and black and white for 8 different sets of words/sounds.
- A word overview sheet that lists all of the words used in each chatterbox.
- Instructions for assembling the literacy cootie catchers and tips for how to use them.
The sounds highlighted in this pack include
- Set 1: Sound /ae/, Spellings: ay, ea, a-e, ai, a, eigh, ei
- Set 2: Sound /ee/, Spellings: e, ea, y, ee, ey, ie
- Set 3: Sound /oe/, Spellings: o, oa, ow, o-e, oe
- Set 4: Sound /er/, Spellings: er, ir, or, ur, ear
- Set 5: Sound /e/, Spellings: e, ea
- Set 6: Sound /ow/, Spellings: ou, ow
- Set 7: Sound /oo/, Spellings: oo, ew, ue, u-e, ui
- Set 8: Sound /ie/, Spellings: i, ie, y, i-e, igh
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A sneak peek inside the cootie catchers pack
Click here to download a sample of the cootie catchers.
This item is also available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Take a look at some of the excellent feedback for this resource
“LOVE LOVE LOVE these! What kids don’t love a cootie! My kids are wanting to play with their words all the time!”
“These have made learning and reviewing sounds fun for the students.”
“Super cute and my students are loving using them. Very creative idea.”
“This is an awesome product! The directions are very clear and I think my students will love being able to “play” during phonics. 🙂 Thank you!”
“My students love these and they don’t even know they are practicing spelling.”
What do you receive after your purchase?
Once you have completed your purchase you will receive an email with your receipt and a link to download the cootie catchers.
Click on the link in the email to open the resource as a PDF. You are then able to save the resource to your computer.
If you don’t see the email in your inbox check your spam or promotions folder.
Download your copy now
Pick this pack up today for an investment of only $8.00USD.
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You might also be interested in
- Phonics Homework to Last the Whole Year
- Phonics Cootie Catchers Bundle
- The Ultimate Digraph Activities Bundle
- Spin a Word Phonics Games Bundle
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