Words Rule | EL Education Curriculum

You are here:

Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can identify the vowel spellings in a word to help me determine syllable type and use that information to decode it. (RF.2.3, L.2.2)
    • I can decode words with r-controlled vowel patterns.
    • I can identify spelling patterns based on syllable type.
  • Work Time A: I can read, identify the syllable type, and spell words with the spelling pattern r-controlled one-syllable words. (RF.2.3, L.2.2)
    • I can decode words with r-controlled vowel patterns.
    • I can identify spelling patterns based on syllable type.

Ongoing Assessment

  • Observe students during Opening A. Determine whether they can identify the syllable type based on spelling of the word.
  • Observe students during Work Time A.
    • Determine whether they can sort words with r-controlled spelling patterns by sound.
    • Also determine whether they can apply spelling patterns in writing words on white boards.
  • Exit ticket (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher)

Agenda

Agenda

1. Opening (3–5 minutes)

A. Syllable Sleuth: r-Controlled Two-Syllable Words: “artwork,” “barber,” “darker,” “starfish,” “burglar,” “harbor,” “partner”

2. Work Time (10 minutes)

A. Words Rule: r-Controlled Patterns /or/, /ar/, and /ər/ Words with Spellings “or,” “ar,” “ir,” “er,” and “ur”

3. Closing and Assessment (2 minutes)

A. Reflecting on Learning

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

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Bossy "r" anchor chart
    • "Bossy 'r' Triplets" story (optional)
  • Copy Syllable Sleuth Word List (one per pair).
  • Copy and cut apart r-Controlled Word Cards for Work Time A (one set per pair).
  • Gather materials for differentiated small group instruction (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Vocabulary

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

  •  r-controlled (bossy "r"), syllable, similar, patterns (L)

Materials

  • Syllable Sleuth Word List in a transparent sleeve (one for each pair)
  • White board markers (one per student)
  • White board erasers (or tissues, socks, etc.; one per student)
  • r-Controlled Word Cards (one set per pair)
  • White boards if not working at a desk/table (one per student or pair)
  • Bossy "r" anchor chart
  • "Bossy 'r' Triplets" story
  • Cycle 6 Assessment (optional)

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Syllable Sleuth: r-Controlled Two-Syllable Words: “artwork,” “barber,” “darker,” “starfish,” “burglar,” “harbor,” “partner”

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

Teacher: “Can you label the syllable type, the syllable type, the syllable type? Can you label the syllable type in each word today?”

Students: “Yes, we’ll label the syllable type, the syllable type, the syllable type. Yes, we’ll label the syllable type by listening to the sounds.”

  • Begin the Syllable Sleuth instructional practice:

1. Teacher says: “It’s time to be Syllable Sleuths. We are going to find some clues to help us figure out how to break longer words into parts so we can read them. Let’s start with a new word.”

2. Teacher displays the word “artwork” on the board.

3. Teacher models the Syllable Sleuth practice aloud:

      • “Look for the vowel and put a dot below each.”
      • “Look at the consonants between the vowels.”
      • “Notice if the /or/, /ar/, or /ər/ sound is present.”
      • “Divide the word (in this case, between the two consonants).”

4. Teacher draws a swoop under the first syllable and asks:

“What do we notice right after the letter ‘a’?” (the letter “r”)

“What vowel sound do you hear?” (/ar/; it is r-controlled)

“How do you pronounce the first syllable?” (“art”)

5. Teacher draws a swoop under the second syllable and asks:

“What is the second syllable?” (“work”)

“How do you know it isn’t ‘wōrk’?” (It makes the /ər/ sound.)

“So how would we read this word?” (“artwork”)

6. Teacher says: “Right! Remember, a sleuth is a detective. When you’re a syllable sleuth, your job is to search for the clues that let you know you have found a syllable. As a syllable sleuth, you will look for vowel sounds to see how to divide the words into syllables to read them.”

7. Teacher distributes the Syllable Sleuth Word List in a transparent sleeve, white board markers, and white board erasers.

8. Teacher reminds students (if needed) of the steps in the Syllable Sleuth instructional practice that were just modeled:

    • “Locate the vowels and put a dot below them.”
    • “Look between the vowels.”
    • “Divide the word into syllables.”
    • “Pronounce each syllable according to the spelling pattern (i.e., closed, open, magic ‘e,’ r-controlled, and vowel team).”
  • Consider reading students the "Bossy 'r' Triplets" story, found in the supporting materials.
  • Consider telling students that the r-controlled vowels are called bossy "r" vowels because the vowel is "bossed around" by the letter "r."
  • Consider showing students that the r-controlled vowel sound is neither short nor long. It is r-controlled.

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Words Rule: r-Controlled Patterns /or/, /ar/, and /ər/ Words with Spellings “or,” “ar,” “ir,” “er,” and “ur”

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

Teacher: “Can you take a closer look, a closer look, a closer look? Can you take a closer look at these words today?”

Students: “Yes, we’ll take a closer look, a closer look, a closer look. Yes, we’ll take a closer look at these words today.”

  • Begin the Words Rule instructional practice:

1. Teacher reads /ar/ and /or/ words aloud: “corn,” “barn.”

2. Teacher asks:

“What do you notice about these two words?” (They are both r-controlled vowels.)

3. Teacher says: “Right! These are all r-controlled words. The word ‘corn’ has an /or/ vowel sound in the middle.”

4. Teacher puts the “corn” and “barn” r-Controlled Word Cards on the board and asks:

“What vowel sound does ‘barn’ have?” (/ar/)

5. Teacher says: “Right! ‘Barn’ has an /ar/ sound in the middle.”

6. Teacher says: “Now I would like you to share with your elbow partner what you notice about these words and how you could group words that are similarly spelled.” Teacher shows the following Word Cards: “bark,” “dorm,” “yard,” “fork.”

7. Students share with an elbow partner what they noticed and how they can group similar words.

8. Teacher asks:

“Who would like to share what they noticed about these words?” (All the words spelled “or” in the middle have an /or/ vowel sound, and all the words spelled “ar” in the middle have an /ar/ vowel sound.)

9. Teacher groups words together by sound under the appropriate word header.

10. Teacher says the word “turn” and asks:

“What vowel sound do you hear?” (/ər/)

“What letters make the /ər/ sound in ‘turn’?” (“ur”)

11. Teacher says: “Right! The letters ‘ur’ make the
/ər/ sound.”

12. Teacher says: “first” and “her.”

13. Teacher asks:

“What sound do you hear?” (/ər/)

14. Teacher puts the “turn,” “first,” and “her” Word Cards on the board and says: “Right! All of these words have the same vowel sound but they are spelled differently. The letters ‘ur,’ ‘er,’ and ‘ir’ are sometimes called ‘bossy “r” triplets’ because they sound the same but look different. The more you read, write, and speak these words, the better you will remember how they are spelled.”

15. Teacher says: “Now you will partner up and practice more r-controlled words. Sort them by the vowel sound you hear.”

16. Teacher distributes Word Cards and white boards to students as they partner together.

17. Students divide Word Cards equally with their partner and take turns reading r-controlled words:

      • Student A reads word.
      • Student B identifies each word as /ar/, /or/, and /ər/ based on the sound the r-controlled vowel makes and writes the word on his or her white board.
      • Student B reads all words written.
      • Students switch roles.

18. Teacher records words onto the Bossy “r” anchor chart for students to reference.

  • Consider providing support as students make connections between spelling patterns and syllable types with sentence frames. Example:
    • “I notice the word ‘firm’ is a _____ syllable word.”
  • Consider making the words “corn” and “barn” headers for other words with the same vowel sound.
  • Consider explaining to students that there is no generalization for choosing the correct spelling for /ər/ other than frequency. “er” is the most frequent, followed by “ur.” “ir” is the least common spelling of the three for this sound.
  • Consider providing students with instruction on the spelling rule that when words end in the /ər/ sound, they are always spelled with the “er” spelling pattern.
  • Consider posting anchor charts for syllable types and vowel teams. This will support students analyze spelling and sound patterns to determine where a word should be broken into syllables. See the Syllabication Guide in K–2 Skills Resource Manual for sample charts, including keywords for each syllable type and vowel team.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning

  • Emphasize that successful learners take responsibility for their learning by setting goals for themselves. Invite students to reflect on something concrete they can work on during whole group or differentiated small group instruction. This may be based on their assessment goal-setting conferences, on feedback during differentiated small group instruction, or on their own self-identified needs. Example:
    • "I'm going to rewrite this r-controlled word with a different vowel to see if it looks right."
  • For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples:
    • "My goal is to _____."
    • "When I work towards my goal during small group instruction, I will _____."

Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher

Suggested Plan: Teacher works with students in the Partial Alphabetic and Full Alphabetic groups. If possible, teacher should also meet with the Consolidated Alphabetic group at least once per week.

Note: Groups not working with the teacher at a given time should be engaged in purposeful independent rotation work. Refer to the Independent and Small Group Work Guidance document for more details (see K-2 Skills Resource Manual).

Partial Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students build r-controlled words using Letter Tiles (see K-2 Word List for examples).
    • Students check spellings by identifying syllable types.
    • Students write list of words created as exit ticket.
    • Look over the exit tickets with student(s). Analyze words that were more challenging and discuss why.
  • Use the Assessment Conversion chart to determine appropriate Grade 1 lessons and Activity Bank ideas to use in daily small group instruction.
  • Check in with Accountable Independent Reading.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Letter Tiles (not included in supporting materials; see K-2 Word List for examples)
    • Paper and writing utensils (one per student; for writing words built with Letter Tiles)

Full Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students complete Sentence Builders with r-controlled words (found in supporting materials).
  • Look over the exit tickets with student(s). Analyze words that were more challenging and discuss why. Write a sentence with r-controlled words.
  • Check in with Accountable Independent Reading.
  • Activity Bank activities:
    • An Activity Bank Activity from the Affix category (A) or from the Vowels category (V)
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Sentence Builders (found in supporting materials)
    • Paper and writing utensils (optional; for students to write sentences)

Consolidated Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students complete Sentence Builders with r-controlled words (found in supporting materials).
    • Look over the exit tickets with student(s). Analyze words that were more challenging and discuss why.
  • Check in with Accountable Independent Reading.
  • Consider inviting students to write an article for the Sunnyside Gazette, using as many r-controlled words as they can.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Sentence Builders (found in supporting materials)
    • Paper and writing utensils (optional; for students to write an article for the Sunnyside Gazette)

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Sign Up