Blending onset and rime together to make words is an important literacy skill that all students need to learn. The onset is the initial sound of a word, while the rime is the rest of the word, including the vowel sound and any final consonants. By combining the onset and the rime, students can quickly recognize and read many new words, improving their reading fluency and comprehension. Here are some fun and engaging activities to help students master this skill.

1. Word building: Provide students with a selection of onset and rime cards. Ask them to select an onset card and a rime card, and blend them together to make a word. Students can write the words down on a whiteboard or on paper, or they can create the word using letter tiles or magnetic letters. This activity is perfect for small group work or literacy centers.

2. Picture cards: Show students pictures of simple objects, such as a cat, a dog, a hat, etc. Ask them to say the name of the object slowly, stretching out the sounds in the word. Then, introduce them to onset and rime cards that match the first and last sounds of the word. Have students blend the onset and rime together to make the word that matches the picture.

3. Roll and read: Create a set of onset and rime dice. Students roll both dice, and then blend the two sounds together to make a word. If they read the word correctly, they get a point. This activity can be played in pairs or small groups, or as an independent activity.

4. Word families: Teach students about word families, such as the “at” family (cat, hat, mat, sat). Show them how changing the onset (c- at, h-at, m-at, s-at) changes the word, while the rime remains the same. Ask students to sort words into word families, and then blend the onset and rime together to read the words.

5. Read and draw: Provide students with a selection of onset and rime cards. Ask them to select two cards, blend them together to make a word, and then draw a picture of the word they made. This activity encourages students to visualize the words they are reading, which can improve reading comprehension.

Incorporating these activities into your literacy instruction can help your students master the important skill of blending onset and rime together to make words. By making learning fun and engaging, you can help ensure that your students stay motivated and excited about reading and writing.