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I’m excited to share how I use a “mystery bag” to teach the alphabet. It’s so fun!! And it’s a really interactive, tactile way for students to learn the letters/sounds.
So, what is this mystery bag?? It’s a bag full of items that begin with the “letter of the day.” (This bag is for the letter Pp.)
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how I use this mystery bag to teach the alphabet:
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- I start by introducing the “letter of the day” (the name of the letter and the sound it makes).
- I have my students practice saying the name and sound of the letter.
- Next, I model how to write the uppercase and lowercase letter.
- I then call on students to come up and pick an item from the bag. I encourage them to use their sense of touch to guess what the object is before looking. (I remind them that everything in the bag starts with the letter of the day.)
- I write the word on chart paper and continue this process for the other objects in the bag.
- Lastly, we brainstorm more words that begin with that letter and add them to the list on the anchor chart.
You can grab the anchor chart printouts here – or draw your own! The mystery bag can be a tote bag, gift bag, etc. (Really any bag will do!) If you’d like a list of ideas for the mystery bag, click here. The objects for the mystery bag are mostly all things you can find around your house or classroom. Easy peasy!
I use this same strategy to teach all the letters and it’s been a huge success! I also make sure to give my students plenty of opportunities for independent practice. Centers are perfect for that!
If you’re looking for a fun, hands-on alphabet center, check out this “Build a Letter” game!
Happy Learning!
~Tara