Setting Purpose: Spelling with Syllable Types | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA G2:S1:C1:L3

Setting Purpose: Spelling with Syllable Types

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Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can use what I know about closed, open, and magic "e" syllable types to read a sentence, identify which word is spelled wrong, and tell how it should be spelled. (RF.2.3, L.2.2)
    • I can decode a word with a vowel in the middle and a silent "e" at the end.
    • I can decode (regularly spelled) two-syllable words with long vowels.
    • I can identify the five or six types of syllables in written words.
  • Work Time A: I can use what I know about the closed, open, and magic "e" syllable types to spell words in a sentence (L.2.2).
    • I can identify spelling patterns based on syllable type.

Ongoing Assessment

  • Observe students during Opening A. Determine whether they can decode the words in the sentences as written, identify the misspelled word, and tell what pattern should be used to produce the correct vowel sound. Example: "This word says 'sade,' but it should say 'sad.' It shouldn't have that magic 'e' at the end."
  • Observe students during Work Time A. Determine whether they can spell words using the closed, open, and magic "e" syllable types.

Agenda

Agenda

1. Opening (5 minutes)

A. What's Wrong?: Using Knowledge of Open, Closed, and Magic "e" Syllable Types to Decode Words in a Sentence

2. Work Time (15 minutes)

A. Sentence Dictation: One- and Two-Syllable Words with Open, Closed, and Magic "e" Syllable Types to Spell Words in a Sentence

3. Closing and Assessment (3 minutes)

A. Reflecting on Learning: What Does It Mean to Be Proficient or Really Good at Reading and Writing?

4. Differentiated Small Group Instruction and Rotations (40-45 minutes)

In Advance

  • Cut apart the "What's Wrong?" sentences (for use in Opening A).
  • Pre-determine a sentence to use for Work Time A (sentence dictation): "Steven ate a gumdrop and ten donuts in the state contest," or "The hero will punish the bandit with a box of ripe pecans."
  • Gather materials for independent work time (see Differentiated Small Group Instruction and Rotations).

Vocabulary

Key: Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T)

  • syllable, vowel (L)

Materials

  • What's Wrong? sentences (one set for use in Opening A)
  • Whiteboards (one per student)
  • Whiteboard markers (one per student)
  • Whiteboard erasers (or tissues, socks, etc.; one per student)
  • Word Cards page (see supporting materials)

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. What’s Wrong?: Using Knowledge of Open, Closed, and Magic “e” Syllable Types to Decode Words in a Sentence

  • (Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of “The Muffin Man”):

Teacher sings: “Can you read and find what’s wrong, find what’s wrong, find what’s wrong? Can you read to find what’s wrong with the spelling that you see?”

Students sing: “Yes we’ll read to find what’s wrong, to find what’s wrong, to find what’s wrong. Yes we’ll read to find what’s wrong with the spelling that we see.”

  • Introduce the What’s Wrong? activity:

1. Teacher says: “The spelling patterns in words help us know what sounds to make when we see them. In the poem ‘A Moment in Time,’ the author made it tough for us to read because she didn’t use spellings that make the right vowel sounds in some of the words. Today we’re going to start with a game to help us review what we know about how to spell long and short vowel sounds using the open, closed, and magic ‘e’ spelling pattern.”

2. Teacher invites students to sit or stand in a circle.

3. Teacher places the What’s Wrong? sentences facedown in the center of the circle.

4. Teacher says: “This game is called What’s Wrong? There is a sentence on each of these strips of paper, but there’s something wrong in each sentence. You’ll need to read the sentence, say what’s wrong, and then, together, we’ll work to fix it. Let’s see how this works.”

5. Teacher models:

      • Teacher picks a sentence strip and reads it aloud exactly as written. Example: “James is hot. He wants to go and sit in the shad!”
      • Teacher asks:

“What’s wrong?”

      • Teacher invites students to turn to an elbow partner and share their ideas.
      • Teacher invites one or two students to share with the group (“shad” is not a word; it should be “shade.”)
      • Teacher writes “shad” on the board and says: “This is a closed syllable, so that’s why we made the /a/ sound for the vowel.”
      • Teacher asks:

“What do we need to do to make the vowel say /ā/?” (add an “e” on the end of the word; make it a CVCe syllable)

6. Teacher invites a student volunteer to pick a new sentence strip, read it aloud, and say what’s wrong.

7. Teacher writes the word on the board and invites students to name the syllable type it is and what syllable type it should be to make the word “right.”

8. Repeat steps 5–7 with the remaining sentence strips.

9. Teacher invites students to reflect on the relationship between spelling and reading:

“How does the author’s choice of syllable type when writing words affect the reader?” (author needs to choose the right spelling pattern so reader knows what sounds to make)

  • When posing questions, consider first inviting students to turn to an elbow partner to share their ideas, then inviting one or two students to share with the group. This promotes active participation from all students.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Sentence Dictation: One- and Two-Syllable Words with Open, Closed, and Magic “e” Syllable Types

  • (Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of “The Muffin Man”):

Teacher sings: “Can you write a sentence now, a sentence now, a sentence now? Can you write a sentence now and use the right syllable types?”

Students sing: “Yes, we’ll write a sentence now, a sentence now, a sentence now. Yes, we’ll write a sentence now and use the right syllable types.”

  • Begin the Sentence Dictation activity:

1. Teacher says: “It’s our turn to write a sentence. But we’ll want to make sure that we use what we know about closed, open, and magic ‘e’ syllable types (spelling patterns) so that people can understand what we write.”

2. Teacher explains that first students will “exercise” their brains by listening to some words, identifying the vowel sound, and thinking about the syllable type that makes that sound. They’ll write it down and check their spelling.

3. Teacher distributes whiteboards, whiteboard markers, and whiteboard erasers.

4. Teacher invites students to listen as he or she says the word: “pretend.”

5. Teacher asks:

“How many syllables are in this word?” (two)

“What is the first syllable?” (“pre”)

“What vowel sound do you hear?” (/ē/)

“What syllable type is that?” (open)

“How do you know?” (The vowel sound is at the end of the syllable, not closed in by a consonant sound.)

6. Teacher invites students to write the first syllable on their whiteboards.

7. Teacher invites a student volunteer to spell the first syllable aloud while he or she records the spelling on the board.

8. Students check their spelling.

9. Teacher reminds students of the word: “pretend” and repeats steps 5–8 with the second syllable (“end”).

10. Students erase their boards.

11. Teacher says: “Now it’s time for us to write a sentence. It will have one- and two-syllable words using closed, open, and magic ‘e’ syllable types. It’s pretty silly, so listen carefully.”

12. Teacher says the pre-determined sentence aloud. Example:

      • “Steven ate a gumdrop and 10 donuts in the state contest.”

13. Teacher invites students to say the sentence aloud together two or three times.

14. Teacher and students work through the first word together using the process outlined in steps 5–9.

15. Teacher says the sentence aloud again and invites students to repeat.

16. Teacher says: “Now it’s time for you to try and finish the sentence on your own. Be sure to think about the syllables and vowel sounds you hear and whether the closed, open, or magic “e” syllable makes that vowel sound. We’ll stop after 5 minutes and look at the sentence together. Don’t worry if you don’t finish. Just do as much as you can.”

17. Students work while teacher circulates, supporting students as needed and reminding them to read their words exactly as they wrote them to check their work.

18. After 5 minutes, teacher writes the sentence on the board and students check their spellings.

19. Teacher reviews any words that may have been particularly challenging.

  • Remind students to read each word "exactly as they wrote it" after they write. This develops the important habit of self-monitoring. Example:
    • If students write "stat" for "state," they should read "stat" and see and hear that it does not match the sound they intended.
  • Steps 16-19 can be done in a variety of ways. Example:
    • Students may exchange their boards when finished and read the sentences back to each other "exactly as written" to verify if the spellings are accurate. Or have students work on one word at a time, then review the word together as a class before going on to the next.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning: What Does It Mean to Be Proficient or Really Good at Reading and Writing?

  • Invite students to reflect on what it means to be proficient or really good at reading and/or writing. Encourage them to make connections between the qualities they named in Lesson 1 for proficiency in other areas to proficiency in reading and/or writing. Example:
    • "To be proficient/good at playing the piano, we said that a person has to do things like 'know all the notes, how to put them together, how to hold the fingers, how to listen to the rhythm...'"
  • Ask:

"What does it look like or sound like to be proficient (really good at) reading and/or writing?" (Answers will vary. Examples: "Proficient readers notice how vowels are spelled and use that to figure out what the word says," or "Proficient readers sound smooth and expressive when they read aloud.")

  • Consider recording students' ideas on chart paper to revisit at the end of the cycle.

Independent Work Rotations

Suggested Plan: This first cycle provides time for students to practice what it means to work independently. A brief introduction is made to materials and expectations for work habits, and social interactions are established.

Note: Three suggestions for independent activities are given. Consider using any or all of these. For example, you may want to have all students working on the same activity or you may want to have two or three activities happening simultaneously for a set time, and then rotate students through. By Cycle 2, students are expected to be engaged in purposeful independent rotation work while one group meets with the teacher for differentiated small group instruction. Refer to Independent and Small Group Work Guidance document for more information.

Independent Reading:

  • Students spend time looking at their own individual book(s).

Word Work:

  • Students write their own silly sentences using the open, closed, and magic "e" words using the Word Cards page from Lesson 2 (included in the supporting materials in this lesson as well).

Or:

  • Activity Bank suggestions:
    • An Activity Bank activity from the Vowels category (V)
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
      • Word Cards page (one for each student)
      • Handwriting paper

Responding to Reflection:

  • Students draw a picture representing what they think it means to be a proficient reader and/or writer. They label and/or write about those things. For example: "The reader looks at how the vowels are spelled and uses that to help him or her figure out how to say the word." 
  • These can be displayed in the classroom.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Blank paper and writing utensil (one per student)
    • Drawing supplies

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