Phonics Lessons: Super (Silent) E
Note: please leave the clip on the previous completed pages and focus on the last two pages in the book. Mrs. Herbert will move the clip as pages are completed. Thanks!
Lesson 54: a_e /ā/
We have learned that the letter a spells two sounds so far with short and long vowel sounds. The letter a as in apple and a as in acorn. The long vowel sound is the same as the vowel's name.
A spells /ā/ when there is a silent e at the end of a word, like in the words made and tape. The silent e makes vowels say their names, or long vowel sounds. It is important to notice when there is an e at the end of a word because it will tell us to say the long vowel sound like in the words, cake, same and made. Remember the e does not make a sound, it is silent.
In this week's text called, Cave in the Maze, students are looking for words that have the silent e to make the a say its long vowel sound. They are looking to highlight the whole word that has that spelling pattern of a_e. Be careful for spelling patterns that are included in the story that include those letters that aren't part of this spelling pattern. Students are also looking to illustrate the story to demonstrate their understanding of the text.
Heart (Irregular) Words of the Week
Heart words are words that do not decode or follow the spelling rules that we have been learning. We have to know them by 'heart'. However, once we learn more spelling rules, they may be only temporary heart words and the rules will come along later! In the meantime, we have been focusing on reviewing and learning the words below with focused in class practice.
This week we are reviewing (introduced last year):
- could
- would
- should
- or
- for
- there
- where
We are introducing as more review words also introduced last year:
Fluency Grids
With each lesson, there is a fluency grid with the lesson focus that is intended to help students recognize the phonics rule and assist in reading it with accuracy and automaticity. At home, challenge your young reader to read the word (aim is to decode/read each word within 3 seconds) and then recall it each time they see it within the grid of mixed up, repeated words. A couple minutes of practice is all they need. This acts as a warm up before reading the text that also applies the same skill while building on all the previous skills as well. Each week we are building on the previous week to become more fluent readers so we can focus on what the text is sharing rather than spending all the time decoding the words.
Homework Reminders
Students have been working on the story in their Reading Practice book that will come home each weekend. At school, they work with a partner to complete their fluency grid, read with someone their story and highlight the focus words. Following, they are illustrating a picture for the text to show their understanding. At home, students are to finish the above tasks and read to an expert the week's lesson(s). After completing, parents are to initial at the indicated spot at the top. This week, we are have completed one lesson so there will be one story to complete in their white Reading Practice booklet. Please see the information letter in the front of the book for more, detailed information about this weekend practice book coming home. Please return on Monday (or Tuesday if there is a no school day on Monday).
Happy reading!
