Beginning Reading Design
By: Lily Strange
Under my Umbrella
Rationale: This lesson will teach children about the correspondence u=/u/. In order to be able to read, children must learn to recognize the spellings that map word pronunciations. In this lesson children will learn to recognize, spell, and read words containing the spelling u=/u/. They can use the meaningful representation (Uuuuunder my uuuuumbrella) they will spell and read words containing this spelling in a Letterbox lesson and read a decodable book that focuses on the correspondence u=/u/.
Materials: Clipart image of an Umbrella, cover-up critter, whiteboard or smart board letter boxes for modeling and individual letter boxes for each student, letter manipulatives for each child and magnetic or smart board letters for teacher: c,l,u,b,p,m,n,t; list of spelling words on poster or whiteboard to read: bun, club, plum, clump, punt, ; decodable text: Fun in the Sun, and assessment worksheet.
Procedures:
1. Say: In order to become expert readers, we need to learn the special code that helps us say and pronounce our words. We are going to learn about a short vowel today like the u=/u/ is umbrella. Can you say uuuuumbrella with me (drawing out the /u/ sound)? It is a lot like that song “under my umbrella”. I like to think of a big colorful umbrella (show graphic of umbrella) when I hear the /u/ sound.​
2. Say: Before we learn about the spelling of /u/, we need to listen for it by hearing some words. Personally, when I listen for /u/ words, I hear a uuu sounds almost like someone who is confused and having their mouth open [demonstrate vocal gesture by opening mouth and making uuu sound). Let me show you first: truck. Now I am going to try the word jeep. Hmmmm I don’t here that confused /u/ sound and my mouth wasn’t opened very long. Now I want you to try. If you hear /u/, say “uuuuuuu”, and scratch your head like you are confused. If you do not hear /u/ cross your arms and say, “I don’t think so”. Is it in sun, sand, pluck, stuck, stem? [Have children follow proper motions as above for each word.]
3. Say: Now let’s looks at the spellings of /u/ that we will learn today. One way to spell /u/ is just with the letter u between two consonants (write on board _u_...] the blank lines represent where consonants would go. What if I want to spell the word lunch? “When I get really hungry, I want to eat lunch.” To spell lunch in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word so I stretch it out and count: /l//u//n//ch/. I need four different letter boxes. I heard that /u/ just before /n/ so I am going to put these in different boxes. With each different sound we make we need different boxes.
4. Say: Now I am going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. You will start with an easy one with three boxes for the word bun. “Like a hamburger bun with a yummy cheeseburger with French fries.” What should go in the first box? [Respond to children’s answers]. What goes in the second box? I’ll check your spelling while I walk around the room. [Observe progress.] You’ll need four letterboxes for the next word. Listen for the beginning sound that goes in the first box. Then listen for /u/ and don’t forget to put the signal silent e at the end, outside the boxes if needed. Here is the word: club, I want to eat a yummy club sandwich. [Allow children to spell words.] Time to check your work. Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board: c-l-u-b and see if you’ve spelled it the same way. Try another with four boxes punt; The player had a long punt. [Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work. Repeat this step for each new word.] Now let’s try 4 phonemes: plum; the plum was very yummy. One more then we’re done with spelling, and this time you need five boxes: clump; my dog that shed has clumps of hair. Remember to stretch it out to get this tough word.
5. Now I am going to let you read the words you’ve spelled, but first I’ll show you how I would read a tough word. [Display poster with street on the top and model reading the word.] If I see there’s a double u, that’s my signal that the u will say the /u/ sound. I’m going to use a cover-up to get the first part. [Uncover and blend sequentially before the vowel and then blend.] /s//t/=/st/+/r/=/str/. Now I am going to blend that with /u/=/stru/. Now all I need is the end, /ck/. Struck; that’s it. Now it is your turn, everyone together. [Have children read words in unison. Afterwards, call on individuals to read one word on the list until everyone has had a turn.]​
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6. Say: You’ve done a great job and reading words with our new spelling for u=/u/. Now we are going to read a book called Fun in the Sun. This is a story about a boy named Bud who goes to the beach to enjoy the sun, in the story a bug tries to bother him, what do you think Bud will do? Will he be unhappy about the bug? Let’s read the story to find out.
7. That was such a fun story! How did Bud handle the bug? Yes! He moved away from the bug. Before we finish our lesson, I have one activity I want us to complete (hand out worksheets) collect them all at the end for assessment.
Resources: https://www.lessonplanet.com/teachers/short-vowel-u-k-1st
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