Beginning Reading Lesson

Eliza Gaber

 

Rationale: This lesson teaches children about the long vowel correspondence a_e = /A/. In order to be able to read, children must learn to recognize the spellings that map word pronunciations. In this lesson children will learn to recognize, spell, and read words containing the spelling a_e using guided spelling. They will also be able to read decodable texts after a brief phoneme awareness review. They will learn a meaningful representation (two siblings arguing over a toy).

 

Materials:

• Graphic image of two siblings arguing over a toy

• Cover-up critter

• Whiteboard or smartboard Elkonin boxes for modeling and individual Elkonin boxes for each student

•  Letter manipulatives for each child and magnetic or smartboard letters for teacher: a,t,e,c,p,v,r,s,f,l,m

• List of spelling words on poster or whiteboard to read: ate, cape, cave, scrape, flame, take, save.

• Decodable text: The Race for Cake

• An assessment worksheet.

 

Procedures:

1. Say: In order to become expert readers we need to learn the code that tells us how to pronounce words. We have already learned to read short letter words with n, like gnat, and today we are going to learn about long A and the silent e signal that is used to make A say its name, /A/. When I say /A/ I think of two siblings fighting over a toy that they both think is theirs and saying: “Ay! It’s mine!” [show graphic image].

2. Say: Before we learn about the spelling of /A/, we need to listen for it in some words. When I listen for /A/ in words, I hear a say its name /A/ and my mouth opens wide to where I see my teeth. [Make vocal gesture for /A/.] I’ll show you first: date. I heard a say its name and I felt my mouth open wide and to show my teeth [point to teeth]. There is a long A in play. Now I’m going to see if it’s in mad. Oops, I didn’t hear a say its name and mouth didn’t open wide to show my teeth. Now you try. If you hear /A/ say, “Ay! It’s mine!” If you don’t hear /A/ say, “Not there!” Is it in bad? Made? Plate? Go? End? Ape? [Have children emphasize the letter A if they hear it in the word].

3. Say: Now let’s look at the spelling of /A/ that we’ll learn today. One way to spell /A/ is with the letter a and a signal silent e at the end of the word to tell me to say A’s name. [Write a_e on the board.] This blank line here means that there is a consonant letter after a, and at the end of the word, there is a little silent e signal. What if I want to spell the word take? “I am going to take the bus to school.” To spell take in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word so I stretch it out and count: /t/ /A/ /k/. I need 3 boxes. I heard the /A/ just before the /k/ so I am going to put an a in the 2nd box, then the k in the 3rd box, and the silent e signal outside the last box. I hear a /t/ in the beginning, so I am going to put a t in the first box. Now I am going to say it slowly again, /t/ /A/ /k/. [Point to letters in boxes when stretching out the word: /t/ /A/ /k/]. (Also model the word plate).  

4. Say: Now I’m going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. You’ll start out easy with two boxes for ate, because the letter e will be on the outside of the last box. Ate is eat for the past, like “I ate lots of cereal for breakfast today and now I’m too full for lunch.” What should go in the first box? [Respond to children’s answers]. What goes in the second box? What about silent e, did you remember to put it outside the boxes? I’ll check your spelling while I walk around the room. [Observe progress.] You’ll need three letterboxes for the next word. Listen for the beginning sound that goes in the first box. Then listen for /A/ and don’t forget to put the signal silent e at the end, outside the boxes. Here’s the word: save; “Firefighter’s save lives”. [Have a volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work. Repeat this step for each new word.] Next word. Listen to see if this word has /A/ in it before you spell it: mall; “You can buy shoes at the mall”. Did you need a silent e? Why not? [Wait for student’s responses] Right, because we don’t hear /A/. We spell it without short vowel a. [Volunteer spells it on the front board.] Let's try another one with 3 phonemes. Listen to see if this word has /A/ in it before you spell it: make; "I love to make pies with my mom". Do you hear the silent e? [Wait for student's responses]. Yes, you can! Great job, that means that you can hear the /A/. Now let us try 4 phonemes: brave; “Police officers are very brave”. Where does the letter e go? For our last one, you need five boxes: scrape; “If I fall off of the monkey bars, I might scrape my arm”. Remember to stretch it out to get this tough word. Let’s try a few more: lake, gate, make, face.

5. Say: Now I am going to let you read the words you’ve spelled, but first I’ll show you how I would read a tough word. [Display poster with take on the top and model reading the word.] First I see there’s a silent e on the end; that’s my signal that the vowel will say its name. There’s the vowel a. It must say /A/. I’m going to use a cover-up to get the first part. [Uncover and blend sequentially before the vowel, then blend with the vowel.] /t/+/k/= /tk/. Now I’m going to blend that with /A/ = /tAk/. Take; that’s it. Now it’s your turn, everyone together. Words: ate, cape, cave, scrape, flame, save. [Have children read words in unison. Afterwards, call on individuals to read one word on the list until everyone has had a turn.]

6. Say: You’ve done a great job and reading words without new spelling for /A/: a_e. Now we are going to read a book called The Race for Cake. This is a story is about a brother and sister named Ben and Jess, and their pet dog, Lad. The siblings were very tired after swimming. However, when they smell that their Mom was baking a cake, they all decide to race to the cake! Let’s pair up and take turns reading The Race for Cake to find out who gets to the cake first. [Children pair up and take turns reading alternate pages each while teacher walks around the room monitoring progress.] After individual paired reading, the class rereads The Race for Cake aloud together and stops between page turns to discuss the plot.]

7. Say: That was such a great story! Can someone tell me who got to the cake first? Right, Lad, their dog, ate all the cake! I would be so sad if my dog ate the cake before I could! What would you all do? [Select 2-3 students to speak]. Before we finish up with our lesson about one way to spell /A/ = a_e, I want to see how you can solve a reading problem. On this worksheet, there are some words missing. Everyone needs to look in the box of word choices, and decide which a_e word fits best to make sense of the story. First try reading all the words in the box, then choose the word that fits best in each space. Reread your answers to see if they make sense! [Collect worksheets to evaluate each students’ progress.]

 

 

Resources:

 

Oh I didn't Know, Geri Murray: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/doorways/murraybr.htm

 

Sarah Hassett “Ay! I’m walking here”: https://smhassett3.wixsite.com/lesson-designs/beginning-reading

 

Murray, G. (2004) The Race for Cake. Reading Genie:http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/bookindex.html

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Assessment worksheet: https://ecdn.teacherspayteachers.com/thumbitem/Phonics-Printables-Long-Vowel-a_e-Freebie-032146000-1384489040-1406090948/original-977739-2.jpg

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http://wp.auburn.edu/rdggenie/home/classroom/engagements/

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