Cut pictures out of the magazines. These pictures should be brightly colored and have names that are simple to read and say. If you are making pink picture and word boxes, then you need to have pictures that have three-letter phonetic names like dog or hat. More advanced blue boxes can have pictures that contain phonograms, such as duck or goat. The pictures should be realistic rather than cartoons. The images should also be brightly colored and attractive.
Glue each picture to a separate note card. Use a lot of glue to make sure that the picture lies flat. It should be in the center of the card.
Write the name of each picture on a separate note card. Use the black marker, and write clearly and according to all the rules that students must follow in order to shape their letters correctly.
Trim the cards so that they will fit in the boxes. This may not be necessary as the cards should fit easily in the boxes, but be as large as possible in order to promote easy handling.
Laminate all the cards using the contact paper. The easiest way to do this is to lay the cards parallel to each other on a large sheet of contact paper and then seal them all at once. After you have sealed them, cut them apart with the scissors.
Place six picture cards and their corresponding word cards in each box. The students will be able to match the pictures to the words, thereby practicing reading and word recognition.