I never knew how much I love teaching phonics until I got back into the classroom! I have kindergarten, first grade and now second grade under my belt. I have a love for all three grades, but I think second grade is my favorite so far! We help transition our students from learning to read to reading to learn. However, there is still a lot of room for phonics. The consonant blends puzzles were a huge help for me students!
What is a Blend??
Blends are for more advanced young readers and are usually introduced in first grade and mastered in second grade. Of course, all students are different and we need to meet them where they are at!
Blends are two to three consonants that are side by side and retain their sounds. They don’t make a new sound like -th, -sh and -ch (those are digraphs!). However, we say these groups of consonants so quickly that they blend together naturally for older readers.
There are so many fun ways to teach and practice blends. My students loved these puzzles because it was a great visual when they put the word puzzles together.
Easy to Prep Center!
This center activity takes very little time to prep! To grab these consonant blends puzzles, click the download button at the bottom!
I like to print on card stock and laminate so I can use this resource year after year!
Small Groups AND Centers!
These puzzles can be used in both small groups and literacy centers!
Students simply choose a picture and decide what word they need to build!
They can either work on building all the words before recording them OR use the recording sheet to help with with letter placement.
Every literacy center I use in my classroom also has an “I Can” statement to ensure students know the expectation of the activity!
This center can be yours and in your classroom by the next day! Just click the download button and get your kids learning blends!
