Guzzling Good Grape Soda

Tanya Ison

 

Rationale:  In order for children to be successful in phonics, spelling, word recognition, and reading they need to be able to understand phonemes.  Children must be able to recognize a letter symbol and connect a sound with the symbol quickly and accurately to become a successful reader.  This lesson will aid in the understanding of how to pronounce and write the correspondence g=/g/.  This lesson will provide children with a memorable gesture and sound to coordinate with the g=/g/ sound.

 

Materials:

 

Procedure:

  1. Introduce the lesson by explaining what correspondence we will discuss and why it is important to be able to pronounce and write the correspondence.  “Today we will talk about the g=/g/ sound.  Can anyone tell me what letter makes the g=/g/ sound?  That’s right the letter g makes the g=/g/ sound.  It is very important to be able to recognize the g=/g/ sound because this sound is in many of the words that you use every day.  An example of some words that have the g=/g/ sound are green, gate, bag, and egg.”
  2. Say to the children “Greg likes to guzzle good grape soda.”  Have the children repeat the alliteration, ask the children “what does your tongue do when you make the g=/g/ sound?  My tongue presses the top of the back of my mouth.” Have the children pretend to hold up a can of grape soda and guzzle the soda.  Have the children make the g=/g/ sound as they pretend to guzzle the grape soda.
  3. Put the alliteration “Greg likes to guzzle grape soda” on the board.  Have the children say the alliteration and each time they hear the g=/g/ sound have them to pretend that they are guzzling grape soda.  As you say the alliteration emphasize the g=/g/ sound. “G-G-Greg likes to g-g-guzzle g-g-good g-g-grape soda.”
  4. Have the children get out their primary paper and their pencil.  Tell the students that making a lower case g is very simple.  Demonstrate on the board how to draw a lower case g.  Tell the children that all you have to do is make a lower case o and then give the o a tail.” Have each student write lower case g’s on the fist line of their primary paper.  Walk around the classroom and observe the children as they write.  Offer positive praise and assistance to those who need it. 
  5. On the second line of the primary paper have the children write upper case G’s. Tell the children that “it is very easy to make an upper case G.”  Demonstrate on the board how to make an upper case G.  Tell the students “to make an upper case G you should make an upper case C and give it a table.” Walk around the classroom and observe the children as they write.  Offer positive praise and assistance to those who need it. 
  6. Say to the class “now I am going to say a set of words and I want you to raise your hand and tell me which word you do not hear the g=/g/ sound in.  Are there any questions?”  The first set of words is “goat, gum, gas, and can.  Which word do you not hear the g=/g/ sound in?” Repeat this exercise using the following groups of words:  glad, guess, gown, and coat—bug, tag, beg, and mat—green, giggle, gift, and blue.
  7. Read the story Giggle, Giggle, Quack to the students.  Remind the students to be good listeners and to pretend to guzzle their grape soda when they hear the g=/g/ sound.  
  8. Assessment:  Pass out the sheet with illustrations on it.  Review the illustrations with the students.  Have the children color each illustration that when said has the g=/g/ sound.  Ask the children if they have any questions before they begin. 

 
References:

Farrulla, Amber. Good Grape Soda-Gulp, Gulp, Gulp. http://www.auburn.edu/rdggenie/insp/farrullael.html

 Eldredge, J. Lloyd. Teaching Decoding in Holistic Classrooms. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Merrill. (1995) p. 50-70

Cronin, Doreen.  Giggle, Giggle, Quack. New York, New York. Scholastic. 2002

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