Icky Sticky letter i

 

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A Beginning Reading Lesson

By: Ashton Barnes

 

 

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

 

Materials: Graphic image of sticky gum; cover-up critter; sticky note Elkonin boxes for modeling and individual Elkonin boxes for each student; white board for teacher; letter manipulatives for each child and plastic letters for teacher: c, d, f, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, list of spelling words on poster or whiteboard to read: it, him, dig, flick, sprint; decodable text: Pig in a Bag, and 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 vowel words with a, like cat, and e, like help, and today we are going to learn about short i that says /i/. When I say /i/ I think of something sticky like bubblegum on the bottom of your shoe [show image].

2. Say: Before we learn about the spelling of /i/, we need to listen for it in some words. When I listen for /i/ in words, I hear sticky i, I feel my mouth open and my tongue out. [Make vocal gesture for /i/]. I’ll show you first: kick. I heard sticky i and I felt my mouth open and my tongue out. There is a short i in kick. Now I’m going to see if its in desk. Hmm, I didn’t hear sticky i or feel my mouth open with my tongue out. Now you try. If you hear /i/, say “sticky i”. If you don’t hear /i/, say “not it”. Is it in ice, mask, hint, nest, trick, taste? [Have students point to tongue when they feel sticky i].

3. Say: Now lets look at the spelling of /i/ that we’ll learn today. One way to spell /i/ is with the letter i. [Write i on the board]. What if I want to spell the word pinch? “The door will pinch me if I don’t move my hand in time.” To spell pinch in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word so I can stretch it out and count: /p/i/n/ch/. I need 4 boxes. I heard sticky i right after p so I will put i in the second box. The word starts with /p/ so I need a p. I am going to say the word again slowly so I can see what is after sticky i. /p/i/n/ch/. I heard /n/ so I will put an n in the third box. After /n/ I heard /ch/. C and h make the ch sound, so both letters will go in the fourth box.

4. Say: Now I’m going to have you spell some words in the letterboxes. You’ll start out easy with two boxes for it. What should go in the first box? [Respond to students’ answers]. What goes in the second? [Observe while walking around room]. You’ll need three boxes for the next word. Listen for the beginning sound that goes in the first box. Then listen for /i/. Here’s the word: him. I watched him do his work; him. [Allow students to spell word]. Time to check your work. Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board: h-i-m and see if you’ve spelled it the same way. Try another with three boxes: dig, The dog likes to dig in the yard, dig. [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 sticky i before you spell it: dent, be careful not to put a dent in my car, dent. Did you hear sticky i? Why not? Right, because we hear e instead of sticky i. We spell it with e instead. [Volunteer spells it on the board]. Now let’s try 4 phonemes: flick; I had to flick the bug off my shoulder; flick. Did you remember to keep c and k together to make /ck/? One more then we’re done with spelling, and this time you need five boxes: sprint; I will sprint to the mailbox to get the mail; sprint. Remember to stretch it out to get this tough word.

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 sprint on the top and model reading the word]. First, I see if there’s an i in the word to say sticky /i/. There’s the vowel i so it must say /i/. 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/p/ = /sp/+/r/ = /spr/. Now I’m oing to blend that with /i/ = /spri/. Now all I need is the end. /n/t/ = /nt/. /spri/+/nt/ = /sprint/. Sprint. That’s it. Now it’s your turn, everyone together. [Have students read words in unison. Afterwards, call on individuals to read one word on the list until everyone has a turn.]

6. Say: You’ve done a great job and reading words with our new spelling sticky i=/i/. Now we are going to read a book called Pig in a Bag. It is Tim’s tenth birthday and Ben gives Tim a pet pig, but the pig does not like the dog, Lad, and runs away. How will the boys catch the runaway pig? Let’s pair up and take turns reading Pig in a Bag. To find out how they will catch to pig. [Children pair up and take turns reading alternate pages while teacher walks around room to monitor progress. After individual paired reading, the class rereads Pig in a Bag aloud together and stops between page turns to discuss the plot.]

7. Say: That was a fun story. How did they catch the pig? Right, with the bag. What happened that made the pig run away? Right, he nipped at Lad. Before we finish with our lesson about sticky i, I want you to see how you can spell words using sticky i. On this worksheet, look at the picture and spell what the picture is using the letters on the right. Reread your answers to make sure the words represent the picture. [Collect worksheets to evaluate individual progress].

 

Resources:

Noie Yancey, Oh, Oh, My Knee Hurts: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/invitations/yanceybr.htm

Murray, G. Pig in a Bag. Reading Genie: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/pig/pigcover.html

Assessment worksheet: http://www.funfonix.com/worksheets/book1_page18.php

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http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/horizons.html