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Beginning to Learn

“aaaaaa” Cries the Baby

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By: Morgan Steele

Rationale: This lesson teaches children about the short vowel correspondence a = /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. They will learn a meaningful representation (crying baby says aaaa), they will spell and read words containing this spelling in a Letterbox lesson, and read a decodable book that focuses on the correspondence a = /a/.

 

Materials: Graphic image of crying baby; cover-up critter; whiteboard; letter boxes for each student; letter tiles for each student and teacher; a, b, c, d, f, g, k, l, m, n, p, s, t; list of spelling words on poster to read: at, back, mat, gab, fat, fast, smack, glad, past; decodable text: Lad and the Fat Cat, and assessment worksheet.

 

Procedure:

1.Say: “In order to become expert readers we need to learn the code that tells us how to pronounce words. When I say /a/ I want you to picture a crying baby (show graphic). Can anyone show me how a baby cries? (Students show me how a baby cries). Great! I saw some of you rubbing your eyes like a crying baby. When we see our letter a=/a/ we will rub our eyes like a c=baby crying aaaa. Now let’s find which letter makes the /a/ sound.” Have the students find the letter A.  

 

2. Say: “Before we learn about the spelling of /a/, we need to listen for it in some words. When I say /a/, my mouth is open and my jaw and tongue are down. [Make vocal gesture for /a/.] When I say “sat” I heard the /a/ sound and felt my jaw drop and my tongue down. There is a short-a in sat. Now let’s see if it’s in bear. I didn’t hear the /a/ sound and I didn’t feel my jaw drop and tongue down. Now it is your turn to try. When you hear the /a/ sound in a word pretend to cry like a baby. Is it in: dog, cat, car, fix?”

 

3. Say: Now let’s look at the spelling of /a/ that we’ll learn today. What If I asked to spell the word mat? “The gymnast rolled on the mat.” To spell mat in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes are in the word so I stretch it out and count: /m//a//t/. I need 3 letterboxes. I heard /a/ just before the /t/ so I’m going to put an a letter tile in the 2nd box. The word starts with /m/, I need the m letter tile in the first box. There is just one more box after the a. Hmmmm, /m//a//t/, the letter tile t goes in the 3rd box. Now I will show you how I would read the tough word. (Display poster with smack on the top and model reading the word). I’m going to start with the a letter tile; that part says /a/. Now I’m going to put the beginning letters with it: s-m-a, /sma/. Now I’ll put that chunk together with the last sound, /sma-ck/. Oh, smack like” My brother smacks his food.”

 

4. Say: Now I’m going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. You’ll start out easy with two boxes for a=/a/. The word is at, like “I went to swing at the park.” What should go in the first box? [Respond to children’s answers]. What goes in the second box? 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/! Here’s the word: back, He had to start at the back of the line. [Allow children to spell words.] Time to check your work. Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board: b-a-ck and see if you’ve spelled it the same way. Try another with three boxes: fat; The pig was fat. [Have 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: pet; Mike wants another pet. Did you hear the crying baby? Why not? Right, because we don’t hear a=/a/. Now let’s try 4 phonemes: fast; the car went fast. (Allow kids to spell remaining words: gab, smack, past).  

 

 

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 glad on the top and model reading the word.]  First, I see there is a g in the beginning. That lets me know I put that letter in one box because it makes one sound. Then there is an l, it would go in the second box. Next is the vowel a. It must say a=/a/. I’m going to use a cover-up critter to get the last part of the word. (Uncover and blend sequentially after the vowel, then blend with the vowel) /d/. Now I’m going to blend that with /a/=/ad/. Now I will put everything together; /glad/. Glad; that’s correct! (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 have done a great job reading words with our new spelling for /a/=a. Now we are going to read a book called “Lad and The Fat Cat”. Booktalk: Lad is a very mad dog. His friend Scat has his mat. Scat can’t seem to get up! What could be the problem?

 Let’s continue reading “Lad and the Fat Cat” with our partners to find out what happens.” (Children pair up and take turns reading alternate pages while the teacher walks around the room monitoring progress. After the class rereads “Lad and the Fat Cat” aloud together and stops between pages to discuss the plot). 

 

7. Say: That was a fun story. Why was Lad mad? Right, the cat was on his mat. Before we finish up with our lesson about one way to spell with short a /a/ = a, we have a worksheet. On this worksheet, we will identify the pictures and words with short a.  [Collect worksheets to evaluate individual child progress.]

 

Resources: Elsea,Abby  Icky Sticky Bubble Gum:

https://ase0021.wixsite.com/mysite/beginning-reading

Book: Murray, Bruce, and Geri Murray. Lad and his Pals. Auburn: Geniebooks, 2019.   

Worksheet: https: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/416090453049105991/

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