Includes FREE

resources!

Now you can make phonics fast and fun with this FREE sample lesson. It’s packed full of
teaching ideas and contains everything you need to teach the letter ‘s’.
What’s more, there are FREE resources on the CD too!

O e n th
In this Sample Lesson: On the resource CD:

res

CD
• Early Years Handbook - s lesson p2-3 • Living ABC Software ource
• Big Picture Code Card - Lowercase: s p4 • Alphabet Song: s
• ABC book: s p5 • Handwriting Song: s
• A-Z Copymaster: S, s p6 • Big Picture Code Card: s
• Early Years Handwriting Copymaster: s p6 • Early Years Handbook
• Early Years Workbook: s p7 CD Sample: s
• Alphabet & Handwriting Song lyrics p8 • Early Years Word Book: s

Sammy Snake
Search for Sammy
Snake’s letters
in the sea. Make
them yellow.

s ss
ss sr s s s
HandwritingC
opymaster

.
he can see !
d where
Sam’s hea care-ful-ly
10/2/04

Start at tail, oh so
n to his
Stroke dow
16:53
Page 43
(Black
plate)

Write Sammy Snak

e’s letter here.

s
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43
Name:
16/04/

Name:
A-Z Copymas t io l 2006
masters
ters © Letterland
L Copym asters Intern at
ationa
International Ltd
d 2007 Handw riting Letter land
Early Years ationa l ©
Letter land land Intern
Publis hedd by Letter
T07_text.indd
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04/02/2014 13:04
13:04
4

www.letterland.com
 Sample - Sammy Snake lesson
Early Years Handbook
ISBN: 978-1-86209-226-6
Code: EYH

Sammy Snake

Le
arn
Objective on both sides of the Big Picture

the act
Code Card.

i on
To teach the letter shapes and sound for s and S. Sammy Snake’s sound

What you need This is a simple hissing sound. If a child adds voice
instead of whispering it, the result will be ‘sssuh’,
Letterland materials so stress the hiss as a whispered sound. Sammy
Snake’s song on the Alphabet Songs CD or the
● Big Picture Code Cards: Sammy Snake (p4)
● A-Z Copymasters: s and Ss (p6) Sammy Snake’s
● Early Years Handwriting Copymasters (p6)
● Early Years Workbook 3 (p7) words
● Letterland Living ABC Software: Ss
(On Resource CD) sad snail
Other materials
sand snake
● Pipe cleaners
sandals soap
● Stocking ● Pairs of socks sausages socks
● Newspaper ● Washing line or school sound
● Needle and thread string scissors soup
● Sponge pads ● Pegs seaside special
● Green and yellow paint
seesaw spider
sister star
Teaching suggestions six start
Introducing Sammy Snake
sky summer
sleep sun
Show the children the picture of Sammy Snake on small sweets
sample resources material of the Letterland ABC
Book and introduce him using the sample script for
Session 1 (shown right) as a guide for what to say.
Invite one or more children to find and touch Sammy Sammy Snake sample script
Snake on the Alphabet Frieze. Ask them to touch his Session 1: Introducing Sammy Snake
head and his yellow and green striped tail.
This time, before I open my book, you have to be
very quiet because we’re going to meet somebody
Sammy Snake’s letter shape very special. This creature makes a special hissing
sound. Are you ready? Be very quiet so you can
Introduce Session 2. Then sing or chant the hear. I’m opening the book carefully and I’m
handwriting verse shown below (as on the making his sound, ‘sss…’
Handwriting Songs CD or Letterland Living ABC) to Did you hear it? Can you make it for me? That’s
help teach Sammy Snake’s letter shape: right. And who is it making that sound? A snake.
Oh, but look at that smiling snake. Do you think
Start at Sam’s head where he can see.
you need to be frightened of this snake? No, I
Stroke down to his tail, oh so care-ful-ly!
don’t. That’s because he’s a friendly Letterland
Invite one or more children to finger trace Sammy snake. Would you like to know what this snake is
2 Snake’s letter shape on the Letterland ABC Book or
FREE Letter Sounds Pronunciation Guide available from:
www.letterland.com/letter-sounds

Letterland Living ABC software will help in achieving For consolidation of both letter shape and sound
the correct sound. use:
– On the resource CD Early Years Workbook
Things to do – On the resource CD Living ABC Software
Things to talk about
● Sleeping snakes Ask the children to pretend to
be snakes. They can all lie down on their stomachs
and slither and slide like Sammy Snake. Then they ● Socks Following on from the sock sorting
can pretend to sleep. Choose two children to stand activity, find out which is the smallest sock,
up and take small steps around the sleeping the longest and the widest sock. Ask what kind of
snakes. socks the children like best and what kind
[PD: Move with control and co-ordinate…] they think Sammy Snake might have, perhaps
striped socks. Let them decide how many he
● Sandpit Suggest that the children draw Sammy would need: one or none?
Snake’s letter in the sand six or seven times and
count them. ● Seaside Talk about what Sammy Snake might
[CLL: Attempt writing for various purposes…] like beginning with his sound at the seaside.
Also talk about anything the children themselves
● Stocking Sammy Help the children to stuff enjoy.
stockings with crumpled newspaper. Sew or tie up
the ends for them. Children can now decorate ● Sun Talk about how the sun helps to keep us
their snakes using sponge pads of green and warm, and makes the flowers grow and open.
yellow paint to make stripes. Warn about the dangers of too much sun.
[CD: Explore colour, texture, shape…] ● Sausages Learn the counting rhyme ‘Ten fat
● Pipe cleaner Sammy Ask the children to bend sausages sizzling in the pan’.
pipe cleaners into s-shapes and mount them on to ● Favourite foods Ask what the children think
paper using glue. Explain that the snakes should Sammy Snake might like for a snack. He likes
be mounted looking in the Reading Direction. anything starting with his sound, for example,
Draw faces and tails. soup, sandwiches, sausage rolls, sweets,
[CLL: Link sounds to letters…] spaghetti, strawberries, spiders, even when
● Sorting socks Bring in some pairs of socks. Get they are all sandy!
the children to sort them into matching pairs, then Explaining the capital S
display them on ‘Sammy Snake’s sock line’ shape
with pegs.
[PSRN: Use developing mathematical ideas…]
Explain that whenever Sammy
● Further practice Options for letter shapes: Snake has a chance to start an
– A-Z Copymasters: s and Ss (p6) important word, like a name or a
– Early Years Handwriting Copymasters (p6) word on a sign, he takes a deep
breath and gets bigger. Then people
call him a ‘super-size snake’.

called? He’s Sammy Snake. of sssun? And what’s that beside Sammy Snake?
Where is Sammy Snake? Yes, he’s at the Yes, it’s a sandwich. Does the word sandwich start
Letterland swimming pool, right next to the with Sammy’s special sound? Listen, sssandwich.
sea. Look, he’s sitting in the sun with some of And sssunglasses starts with a hiss, too.
his friends. They look like they’re having a really What is that thing with a yellow and blue sail?
sssuper time! A sailboat. Does the word sssailboat start with
Sammy Snake’s special sound? Yes, it does. Oh,
Session 2: Sammy Snake’s shape and sound Sammy Snake loves being by the swimming pool,
Do you remember our swimming pool picture? eating sandwiches in the sun.
Who do we see having a super time in the sun at Let’s say his sound while we make his letter.
the side of the swimming pool? Yes, it’s Sammy We’re going to start by his head, go all the way
Snake. Do you remember the sound he makes round his body and down to his tail. Ready?
at the beginning of his name? Say it with me, Start by his head, go round his body and down
‘Sammy Snake says ‘sss...’.’ to his tail and let’s say ‘sss...’ together. That’s
Do you hear his special sound at the beginning Sammy Snake at the swimming pool.
3
 Sammy Snake starts words like sad, sun, and six by hissing his ‘sss...’ sound.
t
On he Make your own Picture Code Card using the FREE resource CD! Sample - s card Big Picture Code Cards © Letterland
Big Picture Code Cards - Lowercase International Ltd 2011. LETTERLAND®
Print out the Letterland character and plain letter shape, then stick
res

CD
is a registered trademark of Lyn Wendon
ource them together to make your Picture Code Card. ISBN: 978-1-86209-224- Code: BPC

4
 ‘Sss…,’ Sammy Snake is having a lovely time by the Letterland swimming
pool. Sammy loves sunbathing, but he is always careful to put on
suncream when he’s in the sun. The sun is so bright today he may even
have to put on his sun hat and sunglasses, so he doesn’t have to squint.

Sammy loves swimming too. He likes to splash in the sea or slide into the
swimming pool. Afterwards, he has a sandwich and settles down to do
some more sunbathing. All the splashing and sliding around has made
Sammy quite sleepy. Soon he will be snoozing in the sun.

Who can you see splashing in the pool? What’s that on the sand
by the sea?

Sample - Sammy Snake page

ABC Book
ISBN: Code: Letterland ABC © Letterland International Ltd 2011.
978-1-86209-222-8 (paperback) ABC SB (paperback)
LETTERLAND® is a registered trademark of Lyn Wendon
978-1-86209-221-1 (hardback) ABC HB (hardback)
978-1-86209-609-7 (paperback + CD) TB87 (paperback + CD)

5
 43
sssss
Sammy Snake
Stroke down to his tail, oh so care-ful-ly!
Start at Sam’s head where he can see.

Name:
Published by Letterland International © Letterland International 2006
Letterland Early Years Handwriting Copymasters
Name:
© Letterland International Ltd 2011. Sample - s page Early Years Handwriting Copymasters
Sample - s page
LETTERLAND® is a registered
04/02/2014 13:04 t
Early Years Handwriting © Letterland International Ltd 2011.
T07_text.indd 23
A-Z Copymasters
ISBN: 978-1-86209-239-6 Code: T07
rademark of Lyn Wendon Copymasters LETTERLAND® is a registered
ISBN: 978-1-86209-250-1 Code: T18 trademark of Lyn Wendon

6
 Search for Sammy Snake’s letters
Help Sammy Snake swim across
in the sea. Make them yellow.
the sea to the other side. Go over
the waves with a pencil. Then
slowly say what each picture is. Ss

s ss
s r
Write Sammy Snake’s letter here.

15 14
s s
T61_text.indd 14 16/04/2014 10:10
T61_text.indd 15 16/04/2014 10:10
Sample page from Workbook 3 - Ss page Early Years Workbooks Sample page from Workbook 3 - Ss page Early Years Workbooks
Early Years Workbooks 1-4 © Letterland International Ltd 2006. Early Years Workbooks 1-4 © Letterland International Ltd 2006.
ISBN: 978-1-86209-238-9 LETTERLAND® is a registered ISBN: 978-1-86209-238-9 LETTERLAND® is a registered
Code: T06 (pack of 4 books) trademark of Lyn Wendon Code: T06 (pack of 4 books) trademark of Lyn Wendon

7
 Handwriting Songs Interactive scenes Games and activities
Living ABC (Software)
ISBN: 978-1-86209-359-1 FREE software demo available on resource CD or online at:
Code: T70 www.letterland.com/phonics-books/Living-ABC-CD-ROM

Sample Alphabet Song, Track 20.

t
On he
Sammy Snake

res

CD
(To the tune of Sing a song of sixpence) ource
Sammy Snake says ‘sss…’ in words,
hissing all the time.
Alphabet Songs (CD)
Sammy Snake says ‘sss…’ in words,
ISBN: 978-1-86209-197-9
Code: T23 hissing all the time.
Hissing with a ‘sss..., sss...’,
hissing with a ‘sss...’.
Sammy Snake says ‘sss…’ in words,
he’s hissing all the time.

Sample Handwriting Song, Track 20. t

On he
Sammy Snake

res

CD
Start at Sam’s head ource
where he can see.
Handwriting Songs (CD) Stroke down to his tail,
ISBN: 978-1-86209-196-2 oh so care-ful-ly!
Code: T24

Letterland Starter Pack contents:

• Early Years Handbook
• Early Years Handbook CD
• ABC (hardback)
• Living ABC Software
• A-Z Copymasters
• Ealry Years Handwriting Copymasters
• Big Picture Code Cards (lowercase)
Letterland Starter Pack • Alphabet Songs CD
ISBN: 978-1-86209-835-0 • Handwriting Songs CD
Code: TD47 • Alphabet Frieze

Letterland materials cover all 44 phonemes and all the major Code: TH55
recurring spelling patterns in the English language, so you can ISBN 978-1-78248-134-8
teach advanced phonics too.

9 781782 481348
Published 2015 by Letterland International Ltd.
8 © Letterland International Ltd. LETTERLAND® is a registered trademark of Lyn Wendon.
Child-friendly phonics