Using Phonograms to Create Words

Summary

Students learn to use phonograms to help them decode and spell unfamiliar words while reading and writing.

Materials

• Word Family Poems (e.g. : Plum Gum, by Adele Tolley Wilson)
• Poems on a Chart or Overheads or Big Books
• List of phonograms (pdf)
• Letter tiles
• Highlighter tape
• Wikki Stix
• Paper and pencil
• Center Activity list (pdf) for practice
• Anchor Word chart

Background for Teachers

Teacher must be familiar with "Making Words" activities.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will learn to recognize phonograms and use them to decode and spell unfamiliar words.

Instructional Procedures

This is a generic lesson plan with four main parts that can be used all year long.

1. Introduction
2. Whole group practice
3. Guided practice
4. Independent practice.

GRADUALLY RELEASE THE RESPONSIBILITY over the course of the week. When you introduce the new chunk and do whole group practice, make sure that you Model, Model, Model all the steps. Each day spend 5-10 minutes reviewing and practicing. Make sure that students who need the support get extra guided practice.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Introduce the new Word Chunk (phonogram).

   "The new word chunk that we are going to learn today is "at".

   Let's read this poem (or story) and see if you can hear or see any "at" words. (pointer, highlight tape, wicky sticks, etc.)

2. Use a Word Family poem or a story to introduce the new phonogram.
3. Learn the poem together and notice the new chunk!

PRACTICE WHOLE GROUP:
(All of this is student generated.)

1. Say the word chunk and write it down. (e.g.: "an")
2. If you can spell "an" then can you spell "can"? Write the word.
3. Use the word in a sentence (orally).
4. Repeat for a total of 5 words with different onsets.
5. Some activities that you can use whole group are Making Words and Chunk-O (like Word-O or Bing-O).
6. Each day make sure that you are releasing the responsibility to the students so that by Wednesday they are generating the words whole class and by Friday they are generating their own list.

GUIDED PRACTICE:

1. Use a variety of activities during Guided Reading (Small Group) to reinforce the chunk and the strategies used to make new words. See attachment.
2. Making Words (Whole Group and Small Groups)

INDEPENDANT PRACTICE:

1. Use a variety of activities during Center Time. View Center Activity ideas (pdf)

Extensions

Students can use their knowledge to write rhyming poems.

Assessment Plan

• Conferring / Anecdotal Notes (buddy, volunteer, parent, etc)
• Authentic Writing
• Reading the Sorts
• Spelling (Sentence Dictation)