Incredible I!

Rationale: For children to learn about spoken language through reading and writing.  Phoneme awareness is a key part of this learning.  Short vowels can be difficult for children to understand.

Materials: Elkonin boxes, letter manipulatives for f, i, t, b, s, r, “Tin Man Fix-It” by Sheila Cushman, Educational Insights containing words with /i/, marker, and dry erase board.

Procedures:
1. Introduce the lesson by explaining good readers not only know the letters, but the sound the letter makes.  Some sounds are harder to spot, but once you know what sound it makes it will be easier to spot.
2. Tell the students our sound for today is /i/.  Has anyone ever felt icky when they were sick?  What sound does the word icky start with? /i/, /i/, /i/, right?  The letter that makes the /i/ sound looks like this (draw an ‘i’ on the board).
3. (Tell children to take out three Elkonin boxes and the letters f, i, t, x, and n.)  We are going to spell some words that have the /i/ sound in them.  First spell the word tin.  Say, “The tin man fell down.”  If you need help raise your hand.  (I will walk around to every child and help anyone who needs help.)  Now spell the word fix.  Say, “How do you fix a snack?”  Now students take away one of your boxes, our next word has only two letters.  The word is it.  Say, “I helped him fix it.”
4. I am going to write some words on the board.  When I point to them, I want you to tell me what it is. (Have children read the words fit, kit, if, and sit.)
5. Have the children to put everything away.  Say to them: We are going to read ‘Tin Man Fix-It.’ Ask the students, “Can anyone name a movie that has a tin man in it?”  In this book the tin man has an accident and needs some help.  I am going to read you the book so we can find out what happens to the tin man.  Then I am going to let you read the book and write down words that has out /i/ sound in them.  If you need help just raise your hand.

Reference:  Eldredge, J. Lloyd (1995).  Teaching Decoding in Holistic Classrooms.  Columbus, Ohio:  Prentice Hall (P.27) (Ch.3).
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