Good Grape Soda--Gulp, Gulp, Gulp

Amber Farrulla 

Rationale:  This lesson will allow children to learn how to write and pronounce the correspondence g = /g/.  This lesson will permit children to learn about the ‘g’ sound in memorable settings, such as a tongue twister, a story activity, or a game.  Children must be able to recognize all the letter symbols, as well as connect the sound associated with each symbol quickly and accurately to become a good reader and writer.  “Knowledge of letters and phonemic awareness have been found to bear a strong and direct relationship to success and ease of reading acquisition” (Adams, 44.)

Materials:

Procedures:

1.  Introduce the lesson by explaining what concept we will talk about and why the correspondence is important.  “Today we are talking about the g = /g/ sound.  Who knows what letter makes the sound g = /g/?  The letter /g/ does.  It is important for us to know the letter ‘g’ because it lets us make a lot of different words.  If we did not know about the letter /g/ and the sound it makes, g = /g/, we would not be able to say, read, or write words like gum, tag, or green.” 

2.  Say to students:  “When I drink grape soda I hear /g/, /g/, /g/. Can everybody pretend to drink grape soda.  When you say /g/ where is your tongue?  My tongue presses the top of the back of my mouth. I gulp my grape soda because it tastes good.  Lets all gulp grape soda.”  Have children pretend to gulp grape soda. 

3.  “I have a great tongue twister I want to teach you (on chart paper).  Green gummy gushers make me glad.  (First, I will read it for the children.  Second, I will ask the children to read it with me.  Third, I will ask the children to say the tongue twister again, this time pretending that they are a machine gun while saying the /g/ sound in each word.   “G-G-Green g-g-gummy g-g-gushers make me g-g-glad.”    

4.  Say to students:  “Making a little /g/ can be tricky, but I know a little saying that helps me remember.”  Teacher goes to chalk board.  “First you make a little /a/, then great, make a basket so it will not fall through.” Teacher models the steps to make a lower case /g/.  Teacher passes out primary writing paper and pencils.  “Now let me see you try, remember little /a/ then a basket so it will not fall through.  I want you to make five lower case /g/’s.  Teacher walks around checking to make sure students are making /g/ correctly.  As the teacher walks around he or she should offer positive praise and assistance to those who need it.  “Goodness, great job everybody! Now we are going to work on an upper case /G/.  Do not worry if this sounds tricky, I have another saying.  Ready?  To make an upper case /G/ make a big /C/, then make a wall to hold it up.  Teacher models steps to make an upper case /G/.  You did such a great job making a lower case /g/ I want to see you try to make an upper case /G/.  Remember, big /C/, then a wall to hold it up.  I want everybody to make five upper case /G/’s.  Teacher walks around offering assistance and praise.

5.  “Now we are going to play a game.  First, we are going to look through all the cards and name each picture.  Teacher shows each picture and correctly names them.  Now I am going to hold up two pictures, I want you to tell me which picture starts with the /g/ sound.  I want you to raise your hand if you know the answer.  Does anybody have a question?”  Teacher holds up two pictures, (picture #1 is of a gumball machine or gum, picture #2 is of a fish.)  “Which picture begins with /g/?”  Teacher calls on a student who knows the answer.  Teacher holds up two new cards (picture #1 beach ball, picture #2 grapes.)  “Which picture begins with /g/?  Teacher calls on a student who knows the answer.  “Now I am going to hold up two new pictures.  This time I want you to tell me which picture ends with /g/.  Does anybody have a question?”  Teacher holds up two pictures (picture #1 ladybug, picture #2 tree.)  Teacher calls on the student who knows the answer.  Teacher holds up two new cards (picture #1 house, #2 jug)

6.  “Now it is time for us to read a story.  Today we are reading Green Eggs And Ham, written by Dr. Seuss.  I want you to listen very carefully and when you hear a word that has the /g/ sound in it I want you to gulp your grape soda.  Remember to be good listeners.”  Teacher reads the story, praising the children when they identify the /g/ sound by gulping their soda.  The teacher also reminds children to listen carefully when they gulp their soda without hearing the /g/ sound.      

7.  Assessment:  Teacher passes out crayons and a paper with eight pictures drawn on it (four of the pictures should have the /g/ sound it them {girl, dog, gift, goat}, the other four should not {box, log, bat, boy}.)  “I want everybody to look at this sheet with me.  Let’s talk about the pictures.  The teacher tells the students what each picture is.  “I want you to color each picture that has the /g/ sound in it.  Does anyone have any questions?  Remember to keep your eyes on your own paper.  I want to see what you know, not your neighbor.”

Alternative Assessment:  Teacher passes out paper that has been divided into four sections, each section is labeled one, two, three, or four.  “I am going to say two words.  I want you to draw a picture of the word that has the /g/ sound in it.  Can everybody point to the number one on your sheet?  Hold it up so I can see.  I want you to draw the first picture in this blank.  When you are done drawing your picture I want you to look at me.  Remember keep your eyes on your own paper.  I want to see what you know, not what your neighbor knows.  Is everybody ready?  Gate or bat.  Teacher gives children enough time to draw the picture.  “Next, I want you to find the number two on your sheet. When you find the number two I want you to hold it up and point to it.  Is everybody ready?  Bag or hat.  Teacher gives students enough time to draw the picture.  “Now I want you to find the number three on your sheet.  When you find the number three hold it up and point to it.  Is everybody ready?  Box or gift.  Teacher gives children enough time to draw their picture.  “Now I want you to find the number four on your sheet.  When you find the number four I want you to hold it up and point to it.  Is everybody ready?  Sun or girl.”

*Other forms of assessment are found in drawing the symbols /g/ and /G/, gulping at appropriate times during the book, and answering questions about the /g/ sound in the pictures.  

References: 

Eldredge, J. Lloyd. Teaching Decoding in Holistic Classrooms.  Englewood Cliffs, NJ:  Merrill. (1995) p. 53.

Adams, Marilyn Jager.  Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning About Print.  Illinois (1990) p. 44. 

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Amber Farrulla
Emergent Literacy