Rationale:  children must be aware of the units of sound within words (phonemes) and the letters that represent them (phonics) in order to spell and read.  Of all the phonemes, short vowels are probably toughest to identify.  This lesson will help children identify /o/ (short o) , one of the short vowels.  They will learn to identify the /o/ sound in spoken words, by the letter it represents, and by picking words representing the sound.

Materials:  Primary paper pencil; chart with A dog chased a frog off a log to the pond; class set of cards with o on one side and ? on the other; cue cards listing the riddles; and picture page with a log, bug, block, hat, mop, sock, sun, dot, pot, bat, rock, and pen.

Procedure:
1. Introduce the /o/ sound by asking students have they ever been to the dentist.  If they can relate the movement of their mouth with the sound this can make the learning easier.  Today we will introduce the vowel o which makes the /o/ sound.  You may not notice how many words have the /o/ sound.  I will write the letter o on the board which represents /o/ sound.
2. Ask students:  What kind of sound does the dentist ask them to make?  Is it an /o/ sound?  This is the sound we are going to practice today.  Can everyone give a long /o/ sound?  What kind of shape was your mouth in.  Can anyone tell me the month that begins with an /o/ sound.  (Hint:  Halloween occurs in this month) October.
3. On a chart will be displayed a tongue twister.   A dog chased a frog off a log to the pond.  I will ask the students to say it with me.  Now can we all say it.  Next lets say it and stretch out the /o/ sound in all of the words.  A doooog chased a froooog oooff a looog to the pooond.
4. Students will be divided into 2 groups.  Each groups takes turns trying to guess a riddle.  Groups only get one guess.  They can take turns having a spokesperson, but only one can answer.
5. Have students take out primary paper and pencil.  We can use letter o to spell /o/.  Let’s write it.  Start at the fence line and draw continuous curved line that touches the sidewalk and curves back up to fence line (forms a circle).  I would like for you to make rows of o’s just like it.  When you see letter o all by itself in a word, that’s a signal for /o/.
6. Call on students to answer and tell how they knew:  Do you hear /o/ in mop or broom?  Lot or little? Long or short?  Cold or hot?  Log or tree?  Pass out o/? card to each student.  Say:  Let’s see if you can spot the mouth move /o/ in some words.  Show me o if you hear /o. and question mark if you don’t.  Give words one by one: A, dog, chased, a, frog, off, a, log, to, the, and pond.
7. For assessment, distribute the picture page and help each student name each picture.  Ask each student to circle the pictures who names have /o/.

Reference: Eldredge, J.L. Teaching Decoding in Holistic Classrooms. (1995) published by Prentice Hall. Pg. 156-157

Example to Questions
Ø I am thinking of something that we use to scrub floors. Mop
Ø It’s what you look at to find out what time it is. Clock
Ø I am a sea animal with 8 legs. Octopus
Ø He says, “Do you know what the ____ is cooking?” Roc
Ø Once you pop you can’t _____.  Pop
Ø I am something you wear on your feet. Sock
Ø I am the opposite of cold. Hot
Ø I am a type of coat you wear before you paint. Smock
Ø When you cannot find your way somewhere you are said to be this. Lost
Ø You do this before you enter a door.  Knock

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