You're on track to get doubled donations (and unlock a reward for the colleague who referred you). Keep up the great work!
Take credit for your charitable giving! Check out your tax receipts
Donate
To use your $50 gift card credits, find a project to fund and we'll automatically apply your credits at checkout. Find a classroom project
Menu
Skip to main content

Help teachers & students in your hometown this season!
Use code HOME at checkout and your donation will be matched up to $100.

Your school email address was successfully verified.

Upload a classroom photo

Ms. Speer’s Classroom Edit display name

https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom/6868047 Customize URL

View your stats
Track donations »
Upload a classroom photo
With Lively Letters, my students are not just taught about sounds, they learn how they are produced. This curriculum is beneficial for all students because it provides an understanding of why letters produce specific sounds. When I introduce a new sound, I begin by producing the sound, having the child repeat it, then asking what part of their mouth produced the sound. Having them physically make the sound helps them make the connections and understand what goes into creating one sound. Each card has a unique character embedded with mnemonic devices to aid retention of the specific sounds. If I had a student who was confused on b/d reversal, I would use the characters on the cards. On the b card there are a set of lips and the lips are closed. I use this as a reminder that when I go to produce the b sound, my lips need to start closed. Next, looking at the d letter card, I would show the student that there is a tongue behind the letter and the lips are open, and the character is playing a drum on his tummy, not belly (calling it a belly only aids the b/d confusion). I would next have the child produce the d sound and think about what part of their mouth is producing the sound, while pointing out that there is a tongue behind the letter. This leads to realizing that the d is produced with the tongue while the b is produced with the lips. Having the characters embedded into each letter greatly helps children because it gives them a story they want to remember rather than just a letter they letters they need to remember.

About my class

With Lively Letters, my students are not just taught about sounds, they learn how they are produced. This curriculum is beneficial for all students because it provides an understanding of why letters produce specific sounds. When I introduce a new sound, I begin by producing the sound, having the child repeat it, then asking what part of their mouth produced the sound. Having them physically make the sound helps them make the connections and understand what goes into creating one sound. Each card has a unique character embedded with mnemonic devices to aid retention of the specific sounds. If I had a student who was confused on b/d reversal, I would use the characters on the cards. On the b card there are a set of lips and the lips are closed. I use this as a reminder that when I go to produce the b sound, my lips need to start closed. Next, looking at the d letter card, I would show the student that there is a tongue behind the letter and the lips are open, and the character is playing a drum on his tummy, not belly (calling it a belly only aids the b/d confusion). I would next have the child produce the d sound and think about what part of their mouth is producing the sound, while pointing out that there is a tongue behind the letter. This leads to realizing that the d is produced with the tongue while the b is produced with the lips. Having the characters embedded into each letter greatly helps children because it gives them a story they want to remember rather than just a letter they letters they need to remember.

Read more

About my class

Read more
{"followTeacherId":6868047,"teacherId":6868047,"teacherName":"Ms. Speer","teacherProfilePhotoURL":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp6868047_orig.jpg?crop=1302,1302,x0,y0&width=136&height=136&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1597117081607","teacherHasProfilePhoto":true,"vanityURL":"","teacherChallengeId":21504820,"followAbout":"Ms. Speer's projects","teacherVerify":956124183,"teacherNameEncoded":"Ms. Speer","vanityType":"teacher","teacherPageInfo":{"teacherHasClassroomPhoto":false,"teacherHasClassroomDescription":true,"teacherClassroomDescription":"","teacherProfileURL":"https://www.donorschoose.org/classroom/6868047","tafURL":"https://secure.donorschoose.org/donors/share_teacher_profile.html?teacher=6868047","stats":{"numActiveProjects":0,"numFundedProjects":1,"numSupporters":7},"classroomPhotoPendingScreening":false,"showEssentialsListCard":false}}
Supporting teachers and students since 2000

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need. Public school teachers from every corner of America create classroom project requests, and you can give any amount to the project that inspires you.

We've earned the highest possible ratings from Better Business Bureau, Charity Watch, Charity Navigator, and Guidestar.