Letter of the Week: G

February 3 - 7Image from Go To Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox
Letter of the Week: G
Theme: Groundhog Day

What is your prediction?  Will Mr. Groundhog see his shadow?  Six more weeks of winter or an early spring?  Back before we had instruments and technology to track and predict weather patterns, farmers observed the habits of animals to try to figure out when winter was over so they could plant their crops.  Farmers in Europe used badgers, hedgehogs, and bears to forecast the coming of spring.  The early settlers in North America found the groundhog to be ideal as it wakes from hibernation in February and was easily observed in eastern United States and Canada.  Want more?  Check out the Groundhog Day website.  Groundhog Day (a.k.a. February 2nd) marks the halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.  Good reason to celebrate!  So bring on the groundhog!

‘G’ is a consonant.  From a speech perspective, /g/ is a tongue scraper (usually).  Just like /k/, we make the ‘g’ sound by elevating the back of the tongue to make hard contact with (scrape) the soft palate (back part of the roof of your mouth); Image from the LiPS Program by Lindamood-Bellthe air is released in a quick burst.  ‘G’ and ‘K’ are sound brothers; they are made exactly the same way - almost.  There is one difference.  /g/ is the noisy brother (voice on – vocal cords vibrate – to make this sound).  Hold your hand to your throat as you say /g/; you should feel vibration from the vocal cords.  Now say /k/ (a quiet sound); feel the difference?

In therapy:  We will be reading 'g'/Groundhog Day themed books, doing ‘g’/groundhog themed activities, and exploring the letter name, letter sound and letter symbol for 'g'.

Suggestions for home:  Sprinkle ‘g’ throughout the week.  Pick out a variety of activities highlighting the letter-sound or theme that appeal to your child (and you!).  Kids learn best through active and meaningful experiences.  And multi-modal learning helps make stronger and more diverse connections in the brain, which helps with retention and recall.  Most important, have fun!

BOOKS

• My “g” Sound Box (Sound Box Books) by Jane Belk Moncure
• Go To Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox
• Groundhog Day! by Gail Gibbons
• Ten Grouchy Groundhogs by Kathryn Heling
• Geoffery Groundhog Predicts the Weather by Bruce Koscielniak
• Groundhog Gets A Say by Pamela Curtis Swallow
• Gretchen Groundhog, It's Your Day! by Abby Levine
• The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun by Wendie C. Old
• Groundhog Weather School by Joan Holub
• How Groundhog's Garden Grew by Lynne Cherry

FOOD
Eating the Alphabet - G:  Consider adding some “g” foods to your menu this week.  Here are a few ideas:
     garlic bread     graham crackers     gazpacho     grapes (juice)     green beans

     granola (bar)     gum     garbanzo beans     goat cheese     Gobstoppers

     gumbo     grilled cheese sandwich     gravy     gooseberry pie     grapefruit

     guacamole     gummy bears     guava     gum drops

Feeling adventurous?  Make Grasshopper Pie or Groundhog cookies with your child! 

ACTIVITIES
Scavenger Hunt:  how many ‘g’ things can you find around the house, while shopping at the market, in a magazine or store ad flyers?

Field Trip:  

• Zoo/Aquarium:  can you find any animals with ‘g’ in their name?
• Head to the Seattle Children's Museum on February 2nd to celebrate Grondhog Day with art, science and more!
• February 1st head to Snohomish for the GroundFrog Day celebration

Be a letter detective:  hunt for the letter ‘g’ in a variety of texts (books, magazines, newspaper, road signs, license plates).

Sensory Play:

• go play miniature golf
• games, games, games
• gravel art (use colored aquarium gravel) - glue gravel in the shape of letters and/or pictures

APPS

• Mr. Groundhog Wants The Day Off

Do you have other fun ‘g’ ideas?  Take a moment and leave a comment.  I’d love to hear!

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