Liz, Igloos, and Indians
                                                    Emergent Literacy
Samantha McCullars

  Rationale
  To learn to read and spell words, children need to understand that letters stand for phonemes so that spellings map out the phoneme sequence in spoken words. Short vowels are some times hard to identify. This lesson is designed to help students recognize the short i (i=/i/) by giving practice to recognize /i/ spoken and written words.

  Materials
primary paper
pencils
paddles
cards with (any one syllable words, make sure they contain some i=/i/) words with picture on opposite side-teacher use
cards with numbers (each student will get four cards with same number)
Liz is Six (Educational Insights, copyright 1990)
small brown bags

   Procedures

1. Did you know that we learn to write a secret code? Did you know that your mouth moves when we say words? Today we are going to try to spot the /i/. The /i/ might not be easy to find in words but letâs try some anyway.

2. Does anyone like cold weather? Did you know that there are houses that are made of ice? What are they called? Igloos. Say the word igloo. Say it again but slower. IIggloo. This time we are going to wrap our arms around ourselves and shake like we are cold when we say /i/. Let's try it. IIIgloo.

3. Now let's try a tongue twister. The important Indians have entered the igloo. You try. Let's say it again and this time stretch out the /i/ sound. The iiimportant Iiindians have eeeentered the iiigloo.

4. We use letter I when we write. Have students take our primary paper. Let's write I letter I on our paper. Start from the fence and go down to the sidewalk. Then give it a hat. After I see your paper and you have a smiley face I want you to write three lines of the letter i. When you see the letter i all by itself that will tell you it makes the /i/ sound.

5. Have students answer and tell why they chose their answer: Do you hear /i/ in mouth or lip, tall or little, pit or pat, broom or brim, big or bag, dog or pig, did or done? Now I want you to take your paddle and hold it up when you hear /i/ if you do not hear /i/ leave your paddle on your desk. Words-bear, page, frog, hill, cup, mitt, head, kick, chip, log, fig, and tip.

6. How many people like to play baseball? This book is about a little girl who plays baseball on her birthday. Read Liz is Six (Educational Insights) and ask students to tell you some thing about the story. This time I'm going to read it and I want you raise your paddle if you hear any words with /i/.

7. For assessment have students grouped in 3-4, give each student numbered cards. I am going to hold up some cards with a word on one side and an object on the other. I want you to say the name of the object to yourself. If you think you hear /i/ in the word drop the card into the bag with /i/ on it.

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