This lesson aims to offer young primary school pupils a fun and interactive approach to literacy by engaging them in water play while they develop their phonics and word-building skills. The activity is designed for Early Years teachers who are looking to invigorate their classroom with a dynamic and sensory-rich lesson. The use of a tuff tray filled with water combined with floating letters creates an appealing, hands-on learning experience. This approach not only sparks curiosity but also sets the stage for children to explore the fundamentals of language in a playful manner. 

The sessions' methodology involves a clear progression from reviewing phonics sounds to active engagement in constructing and segmenting words, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to benefit from the experience. Teachers are encouraged to demonstrate effective word segmentation on laminated picture cards, as seen in phrases such as "F-R-O-G," which reinforces the lessons practical and joyful approach. The strategy is to facilitate both individual and collaborative learning, thereby fostering a supportive classroom environment. Ultimately, the expected outcome is an improvement in literacy skills that is both measurable and enjoyable for all participants. 

Learning Objectives 

The primary aim is to build phonics knowledge by enabling children to identify different sounds and words accurately. The plan emphasises the blending of both CVC and CVCC word patterns to solidify their understanding of basic sentence structures. It also focuses on the segmentation of words, ensuring that pupils are comfortable with breaking down complex words into simpler parts. There is a strong commitment to developing fine motor skills through engaging hands-on water play activities. The lesson plan is carefully structured to enhance vocabulary among the pupils. All of these objectives are delivered in a playful context that encourages oral language development and interactive participation. 

Resources 

The lesson utilises a tuff tray filled with water, which serves as the central sensory element of the activity. It includes floating letters made from plastic, foam, or laminated material cut from sponges to ensure durability. Fishing nets, tongs, or scoops are used so that children can retrieve letters in an engaging manner. Small buckets or containers are provided and labelled with appropriate word categories for organisational purposes. Laminated picture cards depicting items such as a dog, cat, fish, frog, ship, and duck are available to guide word building. Towels are included for drying off hands or letters to maintain a tidy learning environment. Finally, a whiteboard with pens or clipboards with pencils is provided so that teachers can model and record findings, reinforcing the learning process. 

Set-Up 

The first step is to position the tuff tray in a shaded outdoor area.  It is important to fill the tray with clean water to maintain hygiene and transparency during the activity. This initial set-up creates an inviting atmosphere for the children to begin their exploration. 

Subsequently, teachers should scatter the floating letters evenly throughout the water, ensuring that every child has access to them. Laminated picture cards must be placed nearby where they can be easily seen and referenced. Finally, buckets labelled with word categories such as Animals, Things that Float, and Rhyming Words should be positioned strategically to guide the exploration and categorisation process. 

Main Activity: Splash and Spell 🌊

The activity begins with an introductory phase where teachers review the phonics sounds that the pupils have been working on, such as Phase 3 digraphs or standard CVC patterns. In this stage, example picture cards are presented and demonstrated by modelling how to segment words, for example saying, "F-R-O-G," to ensure clarity in expectations. This introduction serves as an essential warm-up to refresh the children's memory and set the tone for the playful activities ahead. It also builds anticipation for the hands-on tasks that are to follow. 

The main segment of the session presents Option A, which involves CVC Word Building, and Option B, known as Sound Sorting. In Option A, children are encouraged to 'fish' out individual letters from the water and assemble them into words that match the corresponding picture cards. Once the letters are collected, they place them next to the appropriately labelled bucket, with an extension activity inviting them to write the word on a whiteboard. In Option B, pupils scoop a letter, pronounce its sound, and then categorise it by placing it into the correct sound group bucket, such as placing a letter in the Ch bucket for words like "chicken." 

Additionally, Option C introduces the Rhyming Challenge, where a word card (for instance, featuring "cat") is used as a prompt to build a rhyming word such as "bat" or "mat." In this phase, children are invited to say the rhyme aloud and engage in a splashing action as they sound it out, fostering both auditory and kinaesthetic learning. The activity concludes with a collaborative effort where every child is encouraged to contribute, reinforcing the inclusive nature of the session. Overall, this part of the lesson is designed to promote active engagement and consolidate understanding through varied interactive methods. 

Plenary 

The session is brought to a close by gathering the children together to review the words they have successfully constructed during the activity. Each child is invited to share one word and articulate the associated sounds, thereby reinforcing their learning in a supportive group environment. The plenary session may also include an optional creative exercise where the class works together to build a fun, silly sentence such as The frog sat on a cat!"  

Assessment Opportunities 

Teachers are encouraged to actively observe the children's ability to identify and articulate individual phonemes throughout the session. They should listen closely to ensure that each pupil is blending and segmenting sounds accurately during the word-building exercises. Monitoring for confidence in using vocabulary aloud is crucial as it highlights the effectiveness of the hands-on approach. Additionally, teachers should check for correct spelling in the words chosen by the children, providing immediate feedback where necessary. 

Adaptive Teaching 

For learners who require additional support, the teacher can provide pre-made word cards with missing letters to assist in completing words. Simultaneously, higher-level pupils are given the challenge of creating sentences using two of the words they have discovered during the session. This strategy ensures that the activity is accessible and stimulating for all pupils. 

Extension Ideas 

To add further excitement, teachers might consider adding food colouring to the water so that the floating letters form colour-coded word groups. They could also introduce the concept of 'tricky words' that do not float by placing them at the bottom of the tuff tray for an extra diving challenge. Lastly, incorporating a water spray bottle to reinforce letter-sound recognition by spraying each letter as its sound is articulated can serve as an engaging, multisensory extension to the lesson plan.