As elementary teachers, we know that one of the best ways to engage young learners is by incorporating playful, hands-on activities into our lessons. Luckily I had a very creative mother that was before her time and created fun lessons like this one (in the 80’s) that I’m still using today.
Today, I’m excited to share a creative and enjoyable way to teach the digraph “ck” to your students using rubber ducks and ponds! This lesson plan not only reinforces phonics skills but also introduces a fun visual element that helps children internalize the sounds they’re learning.
Why Focus on “CK”?
The “ck” digraph is often tricky for early readers to grasp. It’s a common combination of letters that typically appears at the end of words, such as in “duck,” “clock,” and “sick.” Teaching this digraph effectively can help students decode unfamiliar words and strengthen their phonics skills. I always make it very clear that ck will never be at the beginning of a word. If you are working on other digraphs click here for another helpful blog post.
Materials Needed:
- Rubber ducks (preferably small, plastic ones) Here’s a handy link for you: AL: https://amzn.to/3EUrBQq
- Small images of ponds ( I printed out several clipart images )
- Sharpie to write words on the ponds and the ck on the ducks (some with missing letters at the end, leaving space for “ck” from the duck)
- A whiteboard and markers (optional)
- circle plastic sink mat – link AL: https://amzn.to/4kdijPA
- tens frame paddle boards ( I use these as elkonin boxes ) link AL: https://amzn.to/3Qzrj3X
Step 1: Prepare Your Ducks
Before starting the activity, take some small rubber ducks and write “CK” on them. You can use a permanent marker or sticker letters. These ducks will help kids understand that the “CK” digraph works together as one sound. The idea is that the ducks are special because they carry the “CK” sound wherever they go!
Step 2: Set Up Your Pond Pictures
Next, print or draw pictures of ponds. You can make these on pieces of construction paper or a whiteboard in a pinch. On each pond picture, write part of a word that leaves off the /ck/ for instance: po for pond or sti for stick.
Step 3: Introduce the Digraph
Now it’s time to get into the fun part! Tell the children that the rubber ducks are going on a special journey across the pond to find their matching words. You can show them the pond pictures and explain that the “CK” digraph lives on the rubber ducks. Remind them that ck will never be found at the beginning of a word and comes together to make one sound.
Step 4: Match the Ducks with the Ponds
Invite the kids to have a rubber duck ‘swim’ to the next pond. . For example, the “CK” duck can be placed in the ponds to complete words that end in ck. This helping kids recognize that the “CK” digraph creates the “ck” sound in these words. You can make it a little competition or turn it into a collaborative game, where everyone works together to place all the ducks in ponds and take turns reading them aloud.
Step 5: Practice Together
Once the ducks are in their correct spots, say the words out loud together. For example, say “duck,” “sock,” and “back” as a group to reinforce the sound of the digraph. This repetition is key for helping kids internalize the sounds and spellings of the words.
Why This Works
- Hands-On Learning: By physically interacting with the ducks and ponds, kids can connect the visual and tactile experience to the sounds they are learning.
- Engagement: Kids love rubber ducks and the pond setting makes learning feel like an adventure!
- Reinforcement: The activity is not only fun but also reinforces the concept of the “CK” digraph in a memorable way.
Extra Tips:
- I use the paddles you see in the pictures above as elkonin boxes to reinforce the sound symbol spellings to orthographically map the word into their long term memory.
- For advanced learners, you can add more complex words with the “CK” digraph, such as “stuck,” “track,” or “luck.”
- Encourage kids to come up with their own “CK” words and add them to new ponds.
- I also follow up the activity with the sink mat circles you see in the pictures above as well. I write words on the top row and have students say each sound and press the bottom row circles as they say each sound and then blend the word.
Conclusion:
Teaching digraphs like “CK” doesn’t have to be a boring lesson. With a little creativity and some rubber ducks, you can make it an engaging, hands-on experience. The combination of visuals, sounds, and play helps children understand and remember the digraphs in a fun, interactive way. So, get those rubber ducks ready and start making learning to read a fun and splashy adventure!
I hope this fun idea helps spark your imagination in teaching the “CK” digraph! Let me know how it goes in your classroom!
