1. Point to each picture and Say the word. Have readers repeat after you so they can learn to pronounce the s-blend words. As you Name each picture, Direct readers to feel the movement of their mouth parts as they move from the /s/ sound to the next consonant sound: Say
   Example
   These are snowmen. Everyone, say snowmen.
   (snowmen)
   The word starts with the consonant sound /s/. But I also hear the consonant sound /n/ right after it that blends with the sound /s/. Feel your tongue move from sound to sound as you say the blend /sn/. Say snowmen.
   (snowmen)

Word List

• snowmen
• sweater
• strawberries (*This is a three-sound blend.)
• sky
• slide
• swing
• snow
• spoon

2. Make sure that readers can pronounce each of the words before moving on. 

1. Point to each picture, Say the word, and Model how to clap the syllables in each individual word: Have readers follow your model for each word. Then, after readers clap, Ask how many claps they heard. 
2. Say
   The words we are learning in this book have different numbers of word parts called syllables. Watch me clap for each syllable. 
3. Clap as you Say each syllable
   snow•men (2 claps)
4. Say
   Clap snowmen with me.
5. Clap out with readers and Ask
   snow•men (2 claps)
   How many syllables did you hear?
   (2)
6. Repeat for all pictures:
   1) Say the word
   2) Model clapping the word in syllables
   3) Clap out the syllables with readers
   4) Ask—How many claps did you hear? 
   5) Say—That word has ____ syllable(s).
   sweat•er (2)
   straw•ber•ries (3)
   sky (1)
   slide (1)
   swing (1)
   snow (1)
   spoon (1)

1. Say
   Now, let’s listen for the sounds in the beginning blend for each word pictured. 
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant /s/ sound in the blend followed by the consonant /n/ sound: Say
   snowmen
   (snowmen)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word snowmen?
   (/sss/-/n/)

1. Say
   Let’s do another word.
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant /s/ sound in the blend followed by the consonant /w/ sound: Say
   sweater
   (sweater)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word sweater?
   (/sss/-/w/)

1. Say
   Let’s do another word.
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant sound /s/ followed by the other consonants in the blend /t/ and /r/: Say
   strawberries
   (strawberries)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word strawberries?
   (/sss/-/t/-/r/)

1. Say
   Let’s do another word.
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant /s/ sound in the blend followed by the consonant /k/ sound: Say
   sky
   (sky)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word sky?
   (/sss/-/k/)

1. Say
   Let’s do another word.
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant /s/ sound in the blend followed by the consonant /l/ sound: Say
   slide
   (slide)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word slide?
   (/sss/-/l/)

1. Say
   Let’s do another word.
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant /s/ sound in the blend followed by the consonant /w/ sound: Say
   swing
   (swing)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word swing?
   (/sss/-/w/)

1. Say
   Let’s do another word.
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant /s/ sound in the blend followed by the consonant /n/ sound: Say
   snow
   (snow)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word snow?
   (/sss/-/n/)

1. Say
   Let’s do another word.
2. Say the word and have readers repeat after you. Slow down pronunciation and Stretch out the consonant /s/ sound in the blend followed by the consonant /p/ sound: Say
   spoon
   (spoon)
3. Ask
   What blend of sounds do you hear at the beginning of the word spoon?
   (/sss/-/p/)

1. Segment the one-syllable words into individual sounds and Lift one finger as you say each sound: Say each sound in the following one-syllable words with an s-blend.
2. Say
   I’m going to say a word in parts, see if you can hear all the sounds in each word and tell me how many sounds you hear.
3. Have readers lift one finger as you say each sound: Say
   s-k-y        (3 sounds)
   s-l-i-de     (4 sounds)
   s-w-i-ng   (4 sounds)
   s-n-ow     (3 sounds)
   s-p-oo-n   (4 sounds)