The Incredible Return-a-Ball
From The Electric Company · 2011
Summary
A Prankster invention called the Return-a-Ball bounces words back and reverses their letters — turning 'stop' into 'pots,' 'tap' into 'pat,' 'star' into 'rats.' The Electric Company discovers that these are all real words, sparking a close look at reversible word pairs and how letter order changes meaning. A compact, focused phonics episode perfect for word-study follow-up.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
The Return-a-Ball flips words backwards — and those backwards words turn out to be real!
- Name two word pairs from the episode that are reversals of each other (like 'stop / pots'). Are they related in meaning, or completely different?
- Why does changing letter order matter so much in English? What would happen to reading if 'stop' and 'pots' meant the same thing?
- Can you find a pair of words that are reversals of each other? (Try: 'dog / god,' 'saw / was,' 'net / ten.')
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: reversal, letter order, spelling, word pair, meaning.
Try it: Write the word 'star' — now reverse every letter and write the new word. Repeat with 'lap,' 'raw,' and 'tips.' Can you find any more reversal pairs in a book or on a word wall?