Rationale: This lesson teaches children about the short vowel 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 correspondence a = /a/. They will learn a meaningful representation (Aaaa, an alligator!!- a person being scared of an alligator so they scream “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 an alligator; cover- up critter; whiteboard or smartboard for letterboxes (Elkonin boxes) for modeling and individual boxes for each student; letter manipulatives for each child and magnetic or smartboard letters for each teacher: a, s, k, m, p, g, t, h, f, l, d, r, c, r; list of spelling words on a poster or whiteboard to read: ask, map, sag, path, flag, drag, scratch; decodable text: “Lad and the Fat Cat”; assessment worksheet

 

Procedures:

 

1. Say: In order to become expert readers, we need to learn the code that tells us how to pronounce words. Today we are going to learn about short a and the sound it makes. When I say /a/, I want you to think that you just saw a giant, scary alligator crawling your way. We say “Aaaa, an alligator!!” because we are scared it will come towards us. [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 and, my mouth opens wide and my tongue stays behind my bottom teeth. [Make a vocal gesture for /a/.] I’ll show you first: cat. I heard a and I felt my mouth open wide and a say its name. There is a short a in cat. Now let’s try with the word lick. Hmmm, I didn’t hear a say its name and my mouth didn’t open wide. Now you try. If you hear /a/ say, “Aaaa, an Alligator!!” If you don’t hear /a/ say, “That’s not it.” Is it in at, brick, cop, bat, cab, sleep, crack, tack? [Have children make the /a/ sound with their mouths when they hear the /a/ sound in a word.]

 

3. Say: Now let’s look at the spelling of /a/. Let’s spell the word glad. “He was very glad to go on vacation with his friends.” Glad is another word for happy in this sentence. To spell glad in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word so I stretch it out and count: /g/ /l/ /a/ /d/. I need 4 boxes. I heard the /a/ sound after the l and before the d. The word starts with /g/ so I need a g. Then, I hear /l/, so I need a l. Next, if we say it again /g/ /l/ /a/ /d/ I hear our /a/, our screaming sound, after the l. At the end of the word, I hear a /d/ sound which is the letter d to finish the word glad.

 

4. Say: Now I’m going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. You’ll start out easy with three boxes for ask. This is like “I need to ask my mom if I am allowed to sleep over.” What should go in the first box? [Respond to children’s answers]. What goes in the second box and third box? I’ll check your spelling while I walk around the room. [Observe progress.] You’ll need another three letterboxes for the next word. Listen for the beginning sound that goes in the first box. Then listen for /a/ and move your mouth if you need to. The word is map like “She used a map to find out where the park was.” [Allow children to spell words.] Time to check your work. Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board: m- a- p, and see if you spelled it the same way. Let’s try one with 4 boxes: flag like “The flag waves high in the sky.” [Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work. Repeat this step for each new word.] Here is another 4-box word: drag like “We dragged the suitcase to the car.” One more, and then we are done with spelling. You will need 5 boxes for the word scratch. “The cat can scratch the dog.” Stretch this word out because there is a ch at the end that goes in the last box together because it makes one sound /ch/. [Repeat this with all the words left in the list.]

 

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 strap on the top and model reading the word.] There is our vowel a in str /a/ p I’m going to use a cover-up for 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/. The last part is /p/ so /stra/ + /p/ = strap. Strap is the word! 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.]

 

6. Say: You all have done a great job at reading these new word and spelling with a. Now we are going to read “Lad and the Fat Cat”. This is about a dog named Lad that wants to lay on the mat Scat is on. What will happen to Scat the cat who is face to face with Lad, the angry dog? Let’s pair up and take turns reading the story to find out what happens. [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 story aloud together, and stops between page turns to discuss the plot.]

 

7. Say: That was a good story. What happened to Scat and Lad? Scat had baby kittens, so Lad got sad he couldn’t lay on the mat. Before we finish, I want to see how you can solve a reading problem. I want you to look at the missing letters on this worksheet and figure out what letters will make the word a short a word. Look at the pictures to help you and then read the words to yourself after you write the letters in. [Collect worksheets to evaluate individual child progress.]

 

Resources:

 

• Bolton Olivia, Crying Baby Says “Aaaaaa”: https://ojb0003.wixsite.com/mysite-2/beginning-readin

• Murray, G. (2004) Jakes joke. Reading Genie: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/bookindex.html

• Assessment Worksheet: https://www.madebyteachers.com/products/short-cvc-words-writing-worksheet/

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