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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 short a. They will learn a meaningful representation with the “AAAA! Rollercoaster A!” saying, spell and read words containing this spelling in a Letterbox lesson, and read a decodable book that focuses on the correspondence a=/a/.

 

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Materials:

1. Image of rollercoaster on flip chart [see references]

2. “Andrew asked Asher if the fan ran in the van” also printed on flip chart

3. Whiteboard and marker

4. Letterboxes for each child

5. Letter tiles a, t, r, g, m, p, f, l, p, n, and c for each child.

6. Flipchart with STRAND, AT, RAG, MAP, FLAG, PANT, CRAMP, PLANT, GAT, and ZAMP printed on separate page.

7. Decodable book A Cat Nap for each group of two.

8. Pencils for each child

9. Worksheet for each child

10. Paper and pencil for running records

11. Cover-up critters for class and one for teacher

 

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Procedures:

1. Teacher will introduce lesson. Say: Are you guys ready to become awesome readers today? In order for us to become better readers, we must first learn the secret code which tells us how to pronounce words. To start, can we say together the vowels in our alphabet? [class, together: A, E, I, O, U.] Great job! Today, we are going to talk about a=/a/.

 

2. Teacher will introduce the saying. Say: Has anyone ever been on or seen a rollercoaster before? When someone is rushing down a fast rollercoaster, what do they say? [students: AAAA!!] Right! You scream by saying “AAAA!” Whenever we are on a fast rollercoaster and we scream we make the same sound as the vowel sound short a. The letter a says /aaaaaa/. When I hear the sound /a/ I think of being on a rollercoaster and screaming with my hands up like the people in our picture. [point to picture on flip chart] Do you think you can do that? Let’s try together. Say the sound /a/ and put your hands up like you are on a rollercoaster. Ready, 1, 2, 3. [class: /aaaaa/ puts hands up] 

 

3. Teacher will model mouth movements for /a/. Say: Now, we are going to listen for our /a/ sound in words and practice our rollercoaster motion. Whenever I am listening for /a/ in a word I hear the sound like I am on a rollercoaster. I feel the bottom of my mouth lower and my tongue sits behind my bottom teeth like this [model mouth movement for /a/]. I am going to say a list of words. If you hear the /a/ sound in a word, I want you to put up your rollercoaster arms. [when you say some of the words and children identify the /a/ sound, point out the vocal mouth movement for /a/] Do you hear it in: MAT, SAT, FOG, PAD, PIT, CAT?

 

4. Teacher will introduce tongue tickler. Say: I have a tongue tickler for you. [point to the tongue tickler on the flip chart and read] “Andrew asked Asher if the fan ran in the van” Let’s say it together [class: “Andrew asked Asher if the fan ran in the van”] Let’s say it one last time, but when you hear /a/, let’s use our rollercoaster arms. [class: says tickler with rollercoaster motion]

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5. Teacher will do letterbox lesson. Say: Now let’s look at the spelling for the sound /a/. You are going to need your letterboxes and the letters a, t, r, g, m, p, f, l, p, n, and c [class gets materials out]. I am going to show you how we can spell a hard word with the /a/ sound. I want to spell the word strand. While I was brushing my hair, a strand of hair fell out of my head. To spell strand in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word so I stretch it out and count: /s//t//r//a//n//d/. I need six letterboxes. This is a long word! I am going to figure out which box my /a/ sound is in first. /s//t//r//a/. That is the 4th sound so I am going to put the a in the 4th box. The word starts with /s/, that’s easy; I need an s. Now it gets a little tricky so I’m going to say it slowly, /s//t//r//a//n//d/. I think I heard /t/ so I’ll put a t right after the s. One more before the /a/, hmm . . . /s//t//r//a//n//d/, I think I heard growling /r/ so I need an r. Now we have two more boxes at the end. Let’s slow it down one more time and find our last letters. /s//t//r//a//n//d/. I hear /n/ and /d/, so I need n and d in my last two boxes. Now I’m going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. You’ll start out easy with two boxes for at. Like, We are at school. 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: rag. I will use a rag to clean up the mess; rag. [Allow children to spell word] Time to check your work. Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board: r-a-g and see if you’ve spelled it the same way. Try another with three boxes: map; We will use a map to get to our destination; map.[Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work. Repeat this step for each new word.] You’ll need four letterboxes for the next word. Here’s the word: flag, we face the American flag when we say the pledge of allegiance in the morning; flag. [Allow children to spell word] Time to check your work. [Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work.] Try another with three boxes: pant; When a dog is tired and thirsty, he will pant and look for water; pant. [Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work.] You’ll need five letterboxes for the next word. Here’s the word: cramp, I got a cramp in my leg when I was running; cramp. [Allow children to spell word] Time to check your work. [Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work.] Try another with five boxes: plant; When spring comes around, I like to plant new flowers in my garden; plant. [Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work.]

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6. Teacher will lead students in reading the words from the letterbox lesson. Say: Now I am going to let you read some a words, but first I’ll show you how I would read a tough word. [Display flip chart with STRAND on the top and model reading the word.] First, 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.] /s//t/ = /st/ + /r/ = /str/. Now I’m going to blend that with /a/= /stra/. Now all I need is the end, /n/ /d/= /strand/. Strand; that’s it. Now it’s your turn, everyone together. [Have children read words in unison. Afterwards, call on individuals to read one word on the list until everyone has had a turn.] Words: STRAND, AT, RAG, MAP, FLAG, PANT, CRAMP, PLANT, GAT, and ZAMP.      

                                                                           

7. Teacher will give booktalk and read a book. Say: You’ve done a great job and reading words with our new spelling for /a/. Now we are going to read a book called A Cat Nap. This is a story of a cat named Tab. He gets a full belly from eating his food and wants to go take a nap. He finds a bag to sleep in and falls asleep. Sam, Tab’s owner, picks up the bag and takes it to baseball practice with him since it has his baseball stuff in it. He doesn’t know Tab is in the bag! Let’s see what happens when Sam realizes Tab is actually in the bag. Will Tab escape without Sam knowing or will he pop out in the middle of baseball practice? Let’s pair up and take turns reading A Cat Nap to find out what happens [Children pair up and take turns reading alternate pages each while teacher walks around the room monitoring progress. If there is an odd number of students in class, the teacher will partner up. After individual paired reading, the class rereads A Cat Nap aloud together, and stops between page turns to discuss the plot]

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8. Say: Before we are done, I want you all to show me what you know about short a. I’m going to give you a worksheet that has pictures on it. I want you to color the pictures that have the /a/ sound in them, circle the words with the /a/ sound, and write three words with /a/ sound from the box. While you are working, I am going to call each of you up to read a book to me. [pass out worksheets. Children will read A Cat Nap to teacher and assess with running record for assessment]

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References:

Keith, Madison. AAAA!! Ghost! It's Halloween! https://mek0033.wixsite.com/mklessondesigns2017/beginning-reading-design

 

Murray, Geri. Oh, I didn’t know!: A Beginning Reading Lesson.

 

Kirkpatrick, Emma. Aaaaa Cried the Baby! https://emk0029.wixsite.com/mysite/beginning-reading

 

Book: Cushman, S. A Cat Nap. Educational Insights, Carson, CA (USA). 1990

 

Rollercoaster Image: https://it.vecteezy.com/vector-art/190747-ride-rollercoaster

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 Rollercoaster gif: https://giphy.com/gifs/animation-fun-loop-3o7WIp5mi2vAhRKyhq

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