Words Rule | EL Education Curriculum

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Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can identify the vowel sounds in a word to help me determine how many syllables are in the word and use that information to decode it. (RF.2.3)
    • I can decode a two-syllable word that contains a vowel team (two vowels that make a long vowel sound).
    • I can decode a two-syllable word that contains the CVCe vowel pattern.
    • I can decode words with C-le syllable patterns.
  • Work Time A: I can read and spell words with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic." (RF.2.3, L.2.2)
    • I can use knowledge of vowel sounds to help me decode words with different spelling patterns.
    • I can identify spelling patterns based on vowel sounds.

Ongoing Assessment

  • Observe students during Opening A.
    • Determine whether they can count the number of syllables by identifying the vowel sounds in the word.
    • Also determine whether they can divide the word and identify the syllable types in order to decode it.
  • Observe students during Work Time A. Determine whether they can identify which spelling pattern to use when writing words with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic."
  • Exit ticket (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Agenda

Agenda

1. Opening (3-5 minutes)

A. Syllable Sleuth: Two-Syllable Words with Familiar Vowel Patterns: "sta-tion," "ver-sion," "bum-ble," "waf-fle," "ta-ble," "cou-gar," "shaf-fle," "thi-doze"

2. Work Time (10 minutes)

A. Words Rule: Words with "-k," "-ck," and "ic": "chick," "truck," "speak," "croak," "spark," "clerk," "desk," "pink," "chicken," "bucket," "magic," "clinic"

3. Closing and Assessment (2 minutes)

A. Reflecting on Learning

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

In Advance

  • Prepare Words Rule Word Cards for Work Time A.
  • Copy Syllable Sleuth Word List (one per pair).
  • Enlarge T-chart (optional).
  • Gather materials for differentiated small group instruction (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Vocabulary

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

  • multisyllabic, similar, syllable (L)

Materials

  • Syllable Sleuth Word List in a transparent sleeve (one per student or pair)
  • White board markers (one per student)
  • White board erasers (or tissues, socks, etc.; one per student)
  • Words Rule Word Cards (one for teacher to display; one per pair)
  • White boards (one per student)
  • T-chart (optional)
  • Cycle 15 Assessment (optional)

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Syllable Sleuth: Two-Syllable Words with Familiar Vowel Patterns: “sta-tion,” “ver-sion,” “bum-ble,” “waf-fle,” “ta-ble,” “cou-gar,” “shaf-fle,” “thi-doze”

  • (Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad”):

“We’ve been workin’ on some long words, sound by sound, by sound. We’ve been workin’ on some long words, so we can read more words aloud. We take a word like ‘maybe’ and break it into parts. ‘May’ plus ‘be’ makes ‘maybe,’ and now it’s time to start!”

  • 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 writes the word on the board: “station.”

3. Teacher models the Syllable Sleuth practice aloud:

      • Look for the word ending (-tion).
      • Underline “-tion.”
      • Divide the word just before the “-tion.”

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

“What vowel sound do we hear in this first syllable?” (/ā)

“How do we know this vowel sound is /ā/ and not /a/?” (because it is an open syllable)

“So how do we pronounce this first syllable?” (“stā”).

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

“What is this second syllable?” (“tion”)

“What do we know about dividing words with the ending ‘tion’?” (Underline the “-tion” and divide just before it.)

6. Teacher asks:

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

7. 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.”

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

9. Students complete the Syllable Sleuth Word List.

  • When working with words such as "cougar," where two vowels are used to indicate one sound, continue to remind students that every syllable has one vowel sound (as opposed to one vowel letter).
  • Consider annotating the letters in a vowel team by placing a dot under each and drawing a straight line between the dots. This can serve as a visual, reinforcing the fact that while there are two vowels, they make just one sound.
  • Consider annotating the magic "e" by drawing an arrow from below the magic "e" back to the vowel it gives its voice to. This can serve as a visual, reinforcing the role of the magic "e" and the fact that even though there are two vowel letters in that syllable, there is just one vowel sound.
    • Students apply Syllable Sleuth steps to one word at a time. After each word, the teacher models the division and decoding and students check their work.
    • Students work through the list independently or with partners. After a set period of time, the teacher models the division and decoding of each word while students check their work.
  • See Syllabication guide in the K-2 Skills Resource Manual as needed. Below is the syllable division for words used in Opening A: "sta-tion," "ver-sion," "bum-ble," "waf-fle," "ta-ble," "cou-gar," "shaf-fle," "thi-doze."

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Words Rule: Words spelled with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic": "chick," "truck," "speak," "croak," "spark," "clerk," "desk," "pink," "chicken," "bucket," "magic," "clinic"

  • (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 to group the words today."

  • Begin the Words Rule instructional practice:

1. Teacher displays Words Rule Word Cards on board and reads aloud (words with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" in random order: "chick," "truck," "speak," "croak," "spark," "clerk," "desk," "pink," "chicken," "bucket," "magic," "clinic").

2. Teacher says: "Now read these words to yourself and think about how you could group these words together in ways they are similar."

3. Students read words silently and notice similar patterns, and decide how they would group words together.

4. Teacher says: "Now I would like you to share with your elbow partner what you noticed and how you could group words that are similar."

5. Students share what they noticed and how they can group similar words (in pairs).

6. Teacher asks:

"Who would like to share what they noticed about these words?" (They all have the /k/ sound.)

"And where do you hear the /k/ sound in these words?" (mostly at the end)

7. Teacher says: "Yes, in most of these words we hear the sound /k/ at the end, but I noticed with you that there are two words with /k/ in the middle. Hmm... that makes me wonder how you grouped these words together. Who would like to share your thinking about grouping these words?"

8. Students share how words are grouped. (Words ending in "-k," words ending in "-ck," words with "-ck" in the middle, and words ending in "-ic.")

9. Teacher says: "Yes, it looks like we have four groups of words: Some ending in '-k,' some ending in '-ck,' some with '-ck' in the middle, and some ending with '-ic.' I wonder if we can figure out how to know which letters to use for the /k/ sound in words by taking a deeper look at these words. Let's start with the words ending in '-k,' 'speak,' 'croak,' 'spark,' 'clerk,' and 'desk.'"

10. Teacher asks:

"What do we notice about these words?" (They have a long vowel sound made by a vowel team or r-controlled vowel; "-k" follows s in "desk.")

11. Teacher says: "Right! So we can say that we spell /k/ with '-k' after a long vowel sound, like with these vowel teams. We also spell /k/ with '-k' at after an r-controlled vowel. And what about the words, 'desk' and 'pink'? Those don't have a long vowel sound. That reminds me that we have seen words spelled with '-k' after the consonants 'l,' 'n,' or 's.' I remember learning words with 'ank,' 'ink,' 'unk,' and 'onk,' so that makes sense. We can say that we also spell /k/ with '-k' after the consonants 'l,' 'n,' and 's.'"

12. Teacher says: "Now let's look at the words with '-ck' in the middle or at the end: 'chick,' 'truck,' 'chicken,' and 'bucket.'"

13. Teacher asks:

"What do we notice about these words?" (The vowel sound is short; the "-ck" is at the end of a closed syllable.)

14. Teacher says: "Right! I really like hearing that you noticed the short vowel sound in the closed syllable. That is helpful when we read and spell words with more than one syllable, like 'chicken' and 'bucket.' So it sounds like we can say that we spell /k/ with '-ck' after a short vowel in a closed syllable."

15. Teacher says: "Now let's take a look at these words with /k/ spelled with '-ic' at the end."

16. Teacher asks:

"What do you notice about these words?" (They are two-syllable words.)

17. Teacher says: "Right. These are two-syllable words with /k/ at the end. When we have a word with more than one syllable that ends with the closed syllable /i/ /k/, we use '-ic.' WOW! Words DO Rule! We have discovered some really cool things about /k/ words today. Now let's practice with some /k/ words. I will read a word and you will think about what we have learned as you write the word on your board. Remember, we spell /k/ with '-k' after a long vowel sound and r-controlled vowels. We spell /k/ with '-ck' after a short vowel in a closed syllable. Lastly, we learned that when /i/ /k/ is at the end of a multisyllabic word, we use '-ic.' Let's go! After you write each word, I will write it on the board so you can check your work."

18. Teacher reads word as students think and write it on their white board: "fork."

19. Teacher writes word on the board as students check and correct their work.

20. Teacher asks:

"How do we know this is spelled with '-k'?" (The /k/ sound follows an r-controlled vowel.)

21. Repeat steps 17-20 with remaining words: "rock," "comic," "beak," "rocket."

22. Teacher says: "We will learn more words with these sounds this week. Knowing these spellings will help us continue to be better readers and writers."

  • Consider creating an anchor chart for student reference when they are expected to spell words with the /k/ ending sounds. The spelling generalizations for /k/ are as follows:
    • "-k" after a long vowel sound (example: after a vowel team)
    • "-k" after an r-controlled vowel
    • "-k" after the consonants "l," "n," and "s"
    • "-ck" after a short vowel sound
    • "-ic" at the end of multisyllabic words
  • Consider giving a sentence containing each word to help support vocabulary development for students.
  • As students may be unfamiliar with the word "multisyllabic," consider unpacking the word to support understanding.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning

  • Emphasize that in any organization made up of a group of people working toward a common goal, everyone has their own responsibilities, but they also collaborate (work together) so that everyone can "grow and flourish" or "be the best they can be." Consider using a metaphor such as a sports team, city government, or other group that may be familiar to students. Invite students to share how the classroom community is such an organization. It is made up of a group of people (students and teachers) working toward a common goal (everyone becoming proficient readers and writers).
  • To support students' reflection of their own role in collaboration, consider inviting them to reflect on one or more of the following questions:

"What can I do today that will help create a classroom community where all of us can 'grow and flourish' as readers and writers/become proficient readers and writers?" Encourage specificity.

"How can I ask for help so I can 'grow and flourish' as a reader/writer or 'become proficient' as a reader/writer?" (Example: "I can ask someone to look over my work and give me feedback.")

  • Depending on students' comfort level, consider inviting them to share their own personal goals (based on feedback from mid- or end-of-module assessments or self-identified goals based on daily work).
  • For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Examples:
    • "When I see someone _____, I'll make sure to _____."
    • "If someone asks me to _____, I'll _____."
    • "If I have a question about or need help with _____, I'll _____."

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 "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" words using Letter Tiles (See K-2 Word List for examples).
    • Students check spellings by identifying vowel sounds and syllables.
    • 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.

Full Alphabetic:

  • Students complete exit ticket:
    • Students complete Sentence Builders with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" 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 "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" words.
  • Check in with Accountable Independent Reading
  • Activity Bank Activities:
    • An Activity Bank activity from the Fluency category (F) or from the Vowels category (V)
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Sentence Builders with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" words
    • Word List for Sentence Builders

    Consolidated Alphabetic:

    • Students complete exit ticket
      • Students complete Sentence Builders with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" 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 "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" words as they can.
    • Additional Supporting Materials:
      • Sentence Builders with "-k," "-ck," and "-ic" words
      • Word List for Sentence Builders

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