Setting Purpose: From Engagement Text to Decodables | EL Education Curriculum

You are here

Home › Our Curriculum › ELA Grade K › ELA GK:S4 › ELA GK:S4:C23 ›

ELA GK:S4:C23:L116

Setting Purpose: From Engagement Text to Decodables

In this Lesson

You are here:

Download Materials

Daily Learning Targets

  • Opening A: I can retell events from the story "Time to Bake."
  • Work Time A (optional): Using evidence from the text, I can answer questions about the story "Time to Bake."
    • I can answer questions about the story using words and ideas from the story.
  • Work Time B: I can read the decodable text "Time to Bake." (RF.K.1, RF.K.3)
    • I can move my finger under words as I read them on a page, left to right and top to bottom.
    • I can turn the pages in order and begin reading the page on the left side, then the page on the right.
    • I can map graphemes (letters) and phonemes (sounds) for consonants in words I see or read.
    • I can map graphemes (letters) and phonemes (sounds) for vowels in words I see or read.
    • I can recognize and read many high-frequency words by sight.

Ongoing Assessment

  • Observe students during Work Time.
    • Determine whether they can independently find a given letter or word.
    • Also determine whether they can segment consonant and vowel sounds within words, and identify familiar sounds in or automatically read high-frequency words.
  • Record students' progress on the Snapshot Assessment.

Agenda

Agenda

1. Opening (3-5 minutes)

A. Engagement Text Read-aloud: "Time to Bake"

2. Work Time (10 minutes)

A. Comprehension Conversation (optional)

B. Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read

3. Closing and Assessment (2 minutes)

A. Reflecting on Learning

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

In Advance

  • Prepare:
    • Comprehension Conversation questions (if different from suggested questions)
    • Snapshot Assessment (optional; one per student)
  • Predetermine partnerships for retelling during Work Time B.
  • Gather materials for differentiated small group instruction (see Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher).

Vocabulary

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

  • decode, proficient (L)
  • wiggles, thud, sizzles, fuss, hush (T)

Materials

  • Enlarged Decodable Reader: "Time to Bake" (one to display; see supporting materials)
  • Engagement Text: "Time to Bake" (one for teacher use)
  • Highlighter, highlighting tape, or Wikki Stix (for teacher use)
  • Decodable Reader: "Time to Bake" (one per student; see Student Workbook)
  • Snapshot Assessment (optional; one per student)

Opening

OpeningMeeting Students' Needs

A. Engagement Text Read-aloud: "Time to Bake"

  • Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot":

"Gather around together, and listen up well. We're going to read a story that you can retell. When we read the story, you will grow. At the end, you'll say back what you know."

  • Display Enlarged Decodable Reader: "Time to Bake."
  • Begin a read-aloud of the Engagement Text: "Time to Bake":

1. Teacher says: "Listen carefully as I read today's story, 'Time to Bake.' After I am finished reading, you will retell the story to a partner and answer some questions about it."

2. Teacher reads the story aloud once or twice without interruption, pointing to the accompanying illustration from the Enlarged Decodable Reader for each section.

3. Students turn to a partner and retell the story in their own words.
  • Consider providing a copy of the Decodable Reader to students who need help retelling the story. The illustrations in the reader will show the sequence of the story; students can simply retell the details based on what they see in the illustrations.
  • Consider drawing students' attention to words like "bam" and "thud" that label actions and sounds being made.
  • Consider providing students with sentence frames to help them retell the story. Example:
    • "In this story, first, _____. Then, _____. Finally, _____."

Work Time

Work TimeMeeting Students' Needs

A. Comprehension Conversation (optional)

  • Teacher asks the following suggested comprehension questions:
    • Recall:

"What is the baker making?" (bread)

"What does the baker feed to the dogs?" (ham)

    • Vocabulary and Language:

"What does this mean: 'Sizzles zizzle'?" (Something is sizzling while it is cooking in the pot.)

"The text says 'The oil spits.' What does that mean? How can oil 'spit'?" (It pops out of the pan.)

    • Digging Deeper: Extension Questions:

"Where does this story take place?" (bakery or kitchen) "How do you know?" (Answers will vary.)

"Why do the dogs fuss?" (They want some ham. They are hungry.)

"What words could you use to describe what it looks like in this bakery or kitchen?" (noisy, busy, loud)
  • Consider making comprehension questions optional if students need more time for learning routines for the decodable.
  • Consider providing students with sentence frames to help them answer comprehension questions. Example:
    • "I think [insert name of character] is _____ because _____."

B. Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read

  • Suggested transition song, sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot":

"Now we'll read a story with letters that we know. Get your finger ready to follow the flow. When we see a word, we'll stop and look and get our mouths ready to read the book."

  • Begin the Decodable Reader: Partner Search and Read instructional practice:

1. Teacher displays Enlarged Decodable Reader: "Time to Bake."

2. Teacher says: "This book is based on the Engagement Text: 'Time to Bake.' I will read the words first, and then you will read the words with me. Look and listen for high-frequency words and for letter sounds that you know."

3. Teacher reads the Enlarged Decodable Reader aloud at least once, pointing to each word as it is read aloud.

4. Teacher reads the text once more. Teacher thinks aloud as he or she notices the high-frequency words "and," "a," "then," "the," and "is." Teacher highlights the words with a highlighter.

5. Teacher says: "Wow! This book has many of the high-frequency words we know well. We've been practicing them, so we know them in a snap!"

6. Teacher rereads page 4.

7. Teacher asks:

"Can you find the letters 'sh' at the beginning of a word?"

8. Teacher highlights the letters.

9. Teacher asks:

"Can you find the letter 't'?"

10. Teacher says: "This letter makes the /t/ sound at the end of this word."

11. Teacher highlights the letter.

12. Teacher asks:

"What vowel is in the middle of this word?" ("u")

13. Teacher says: "That's right! 'u' makes the /u/ sound. This word is pronounced 'shut.' Great job!"

14. Teacher says: "Now I will give a book to each of you. You and your partner will read the book together. Pay close attention to the high-frequency words 'and,' 'a,' 'then,' 'the,' 'is,' and other words we know in the book."

15. Teacher distributes the Decodable Reader: "Time to Bake" to each student.

16. Students read the Decodable Reader: "Time to Bake" with their partners. Partners may take turns (by page or whole text), read in unison, or both.

17. As they read, partners search for high-frequency words and letters in the Decodable Reader: "Time to Bake" together, "circling" high-frequency words with their fingers and pointing to letters as they say their sounds. Teacher circulates to help partners who need additional support finding words.

18. Teacher says: "Today you searched for words and letters in a book, and you used that to help you read it!"
  • If readers in the Pre-Alphabetic or Partial Alphabetic phase need help finding the high-frequency words, consider allowing a reader in the Full Alphabetic phase to help them. Or consider asking them to find the beginning letter of the word instead of the whole word.
  • If students need help recalling letter sounds, remind them of the keyword and sound of the letter. Example:
    • The keyword for the digraph "sh" is a finger to lips as though signaling for quiet by making the /sh/ sound.
  • Consider inviting students to identify the sound made by the letters they search for in steps 7, 9, and 12.
  • To extend the depth of analysis, consider writing pairs of words such as "jib" and "jab," "rub" and "dub," or "yip" and "yap" and inviting students to identify the sounds of the letters that differ (RF.K.3d).
  • As an extension for readers in the Full Alphabetic phase, consider asking students to think of a word that begins with the letter being searched.
  • Encourage students to "tap out" the CVC and VC words they read or point to each letter as they say its sound.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingMeeting Students' Needs

A. Reflecting on Learning

  • Emphasize that successful learners think about what they've learned and why it's important. Consider using a metaphor, such as a baseball player learning to keep his or her eye on the ball to know exactly when to hit it.
  • Ask:

"When we see a word that begins with the letters 'sh' like 'shut,' how can we remember the sound it makes?" (Think of the finger to the lips making the /sh/ sound.)

"How will that help us with reading or writing?" (Responses will vary.)
  • For students who need additional support organizing their ideas: Provide sentence frames. Example:
    • "When I saw the word 'then,' I _____."

Differentiated Small Groups: Work with Teacher

Suggested Plan: Teacher works with the Pre-Alphabetic and Partial Alphabetic groups. At this point in the year, the teacher may be ready to meet with three rather than just two groups per day. If so, the teacher should work with students in the Full and Consolidated Alphabetic phases at least once per week. The teacher may choose to guide students through the suggested independent activity or refer to the possible practice activities.

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 (see K-2 Skills Resource Manual) for more details.

All Groups

Either today or another day this week after the Decodable Student Reader has been introduced, follow the Decodable Student Reader routine with each group. Differentiate the routine as needed based on students' microphase. See Lesson 71 or Independent and Small Group Work guidance document for full routine. See supporting materials for Decodable Student Reader Planning and Recording Template.

Pre-Alphabetic:

  • Practice activity: Teacher guides students in cutting apart letters to build high-frequency words from previous cycles.
    • Students cut apart letters from the Letter sheet.
    • Teacher guides students in building high-frequency words "but" and "not."
    • Students paste letters on the High-Frequency Words sheet.
  • Consider also reading the Letter Stories: "sh," "th," or the vowels, found in the Learning Letters Book. After reading the stories, practice skywriting the letters. Repeat the following day with remaining letters.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Letter sheet (one per student)
    • High-Frequency Words sheet (one per student)
    • Scissors and glue sticks (one per student)

Partial Alphabetic:

  • Practice activity: Students cut out letters to build high-frequency words from previous cycles.
    • Students cut apart letters from the Letter sheet.
    • Teacher guides students in building high-frequency words "but" and "not."
    • Students paste letters on the High-Frequency Words sheet.
  • Consider also reading the Letter Stories: "sh," "th," or the vowels, found in the Learning Letters Book. After reading the stories, practice skywriting the letters. Repeat the following day with remaining letters.
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • Letter sheet (one per student)
    • High-Frequency Words sheet (one per student)
    • Scissors and glue sticks (one per student)

Full and Consolidated Alphabetic:

  • Independent Practice activity: Students complete "missing word" sentences with high-frequency words from previous cycles.
    • Students write missing high-frequency words in decodable sentences on the High-Frequency Word Sentences sheet.
    • Students create new sentences with high-frequency words.
  • Consider inviting students to make a box around high-frequency words in their Decodable Readers. Instruct students to underline short vowel sounds they know.
  • Conference with students about Accountable Independent Reading.
  • Choose a lesson from the K-2 Differentiation Packets to extend the students' learning. (Refer to the students' assessment data and the Assessment Conversion chart to determine an appropriate lesson or group of lessons.)
  • Additional Supporting Materials:
    • High-Frequency Word Sentences sheet and writing utensil (one per student)
    • Additional writing paper (optional)

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

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

Sign Up

Help us improve our curriculum.

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use. To learn more about EL Education, visit eleducation.org

Leave feedback