FREE Volcano Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)

Most children are fascinated by volcanoes …. perfect for a geology theme. And “volcano” starts with the letter “v,” perfect for a letter “v” theme! For both themes, I have a free volcano do-a-dot printable for you. As usual, this is an instant download, versatile, and super easy to prepare.

 

Montessori-Inspired Printables at Living Montessori Now

My daughter, Christina (a former Montessori child), and I are partnering to bring you a series of Montessori-inspired printables. The printables are typically themed and use a number of Montessori principles (although you don’t need to be a Montessori teacher or homeschooler to use them):

• They use isolation of quality.
• They use photographs or realistic images to emphasize reality. Whenever I can, I’ll tell you the specific name of the object or animal featured on the credits page. This month’s do-a-dot printable uses Whakaari/White Island Volcano, New Zealand.
• They typically use traditional Montessori colors such as red for consonants and blue for vowels.
• They use lowercase letters, which are what we introduce letter sounds with in Montessori education. (Children tend to pick up the uppercase letters without being introduced if they’re introduced to the lowercase letter sounds.)
• They often feature themed printable versions of Montessori materials.

Free Volcano Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable

To download the volcano do-a-dot phonics printables, click here and then click on the file image in the upper right corner of the PDF to save to your computer (just choose where you want it saved).

Montessori-Inspired Activities Using the Volcano Do-a-Dot Printable

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Volcano Letter V Do-a-Dot Tray with Sticker Work

This is just one example of how you can use the do-a-dot printable. There are many ways to use our do-a-dot printables. Scroll down to see examples from previous posts. Just choose an activity that’s appropriate for your child’s age and skill level.

I used a Multicraft tray and ¾” color coding dots. I also added a cursive “v” font printable from our subscriber freebie volcano and earthquake pack. At other times, I’ll have a variety of transfer activities with do-a-dot printables, using tools such as quick sticks, sugar tongs, or toast tong.

You could add a tracing activity to the printable. If you laminate your printable, you can use an erasable crayon like the Melissa & Doug Learning Mat Crayons or Crayola Erasable Crayons. If your page isn’t laminated, you could add a pencil or colored pencil. I often do that. For a toddler or young preschooler who’s not ready to write letters, you can just leave off the crayon or pencil.

Volcano Phonemic Awareness Activity and Sticker Work

For toddlers, I typically use the do-a-dot printables for vocabulary, hearing the beginning sound of a word, and fine-motor skills. Generally, with toddlers, I’ll just focus on the /v/ sound at the beginning of “volcano.”

For a phonics lesson with young toddlers, I might casually say that volcano starts with /v/ (the sound, not the letter name). This is just to introduce hearing the phonetic sound. I don’t focus on the letter “v,” although I use the printable that we already have available. We often focus on the child hearing the beginning sound by saying something like, “Volcano, /v/, volcano.”

At 2 years old, Caleb loves working with sandpaper letters and learning letter sounds in a number of ways, so we’re doing more focused work on the letter sounds now. We follow the order shown in this post along with adding the featured letter. I don’t worry about going out of order for the monthly theme.

I love the way Caleb is concentrating on placing the stickers right on the dots in the photo! Note: Caleb’s mom (my daughter, Christina) took the photo in their home/Montessori homeschool environment.

I only use printables with toddlers that can be used for hands-on work, such as do-a-dot work, scissor cutting (cutting strips), or another type of printable that can be made into a manipulative. Printables when used with manipulatives are great for fine-motor development, work on important skills, and fit with the hands-on activities that are developmentally appropriate for toddlers.

If you want to know more about how to introduce the /v/ sound, check out my post on how to teach letter sounds using Montessori principles.

If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

As always, adapt your presentations for your unique child!

More Geology Resources

• Free Volcano & Earthquake Printables and Montessori-Inspired Volcano & Earthquake Activities
• Free Volcano and Earthquake Songs and Educational Videos
• Free Rocks and Minerals Printables and Montessori-Inspired Rocks and Minerals Activities
• Simple Excavation Sensory Tubs
• Rocks and Minerals Unit Study
• Story Stones – Farm Animal Families Treasure Basket
• Free Rock and Quartzite Do-a-Dot Phonics Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Free Rocks and Minerals Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
• Free Rocks and Minerals Songs and Educational Videos
• The Best Rock and Mineral Books for Kids
• Free Geology Lessons (20 Pages from KHT Montessori)
• Rocks and Minerals/Geology Unit Study Pinterest Board

Don’t miss our themed monthly packs! You’ll get  the link and password for the Living Montessori Now subscriber library with the current pack and all the past monthly packs if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!

Free Do-a-Dot Printables and Ideas for Using Them

I love the versatility of do-a-dot printables! If you’re doing a month-long theme, you could easily change out the type of do-a-dot activity weekly to add interest. Here are four ideas of hands-on activities for any of our do-a-dot printables from my frog do-a-dot printable post (see post for details and materials used).

Just click on an image to go to the post with the related free printable!

Note: I’ve arranged the following gallery in alphabetical order, although some posts have two do-a-dot printables (and two different letters). You’ll find at least one free do-a-dot printable for each letter of the alphabet!

Also, I don’t introduce letters in alphabetical order. You can find out the order in which I introduce letter sounds here. I deviate from that order for our unit studies, though, and focus on a letter that’s simply related to our unit. That’s in addition to our other letter work.

You can see all our free do-a-dot printables with the latest at the top here.

For complete themed alphabet do-a-dot packs, see our Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, Spanish Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, and Healthy Food Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack available for purchase in the Living Montessori Now shop.

Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!

The Montessori at Home! eBook and Montessori at Home! eBook and Materials Bundle are AMAZING resources! You can learn more about them here. Buy them in the Living Montessori Now shop.

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