Teach:
Kindergarteners need to know just the basics of how to count syllables orally. A syllable is part of a word that contains one vowel sound. On chart paper, show the students an example of how to count syllables using the word, September. Sep- is the first syllable, -tem is the second syllable, and -ber is the third syllable. Have the students clap the word September and count the three syllables in the word. Have the students find the vowel in each part of the syllable and circle it. Practice with other words as the children usually enjoy to count syllables.
Practice
with Names:
Show the students how to collect data, create a graph from the data and how to use the data in a practical sense.
Create a chart to collect data. The title should read, Student's Name and Number of Syllables in My Name. Write each student's name in column form. Be sure to include your own name with the class. Clap the syllables and chart the information. Be sure to stress to the students that we are not counting the letters in their names.
Next, create a graph, and graph the information (data) that you collected about the names. Compare results from the data. How many students in the class have the highest, or lowest number of syllables? Which is greater or less than?
Last, show the students how data works. Create index cards with the number of syllables in the names, for example, cards would have the number 1, 2, 3, or 4, according to the data in the class (this can be done ahead of class). Pass the card out to the student who has that number of syllables in his or her name. Continue until all students have a card in hand with the number of syllables in their name. The students have to find all of the people in the class with that many syllables in their names and stand together in a group. Once the students have formed the groups, count the number of students in each group (have a student or students help). Read the chart and graph to compare to see if the results are the same on the chart and graph as the groups that they have created. Kindergarteners will
understand this practical activity.
Home and School Connection:
Assign the students to write all of their family member's names on a sheet of paper and count the number of syllables in each family member's name. Students really enjoy this activity and parents are usually surprised that Kindergarteners are already learning about syllables.