Ew…That’s Iiiicky!

Beginning Reading
Heather Lynch

Rationale:  In order for students to become successful readers they must first recognize that letters are a map of phonemes in spoken words.  This lesson will teach students to recognize, spell, and to read words that contain the i=/i/ correspondence.  Students will learn this correspondence through meaningful representation, as well as through practice with both spoken and written words containing the i=/i/ correspondence.

Materials:
Poster with the letters Ii on it and a picture of dripping goo 
Tongue twister on sentence strip: The important Indian was ill with injuries inside the igloo
Marker to underline sounds
Elkonin boxes: a set for each student and one large felt set for the teacher (4 boxes)
Letters for each student: i,s,a,t,n,h,d,f,p,e,r,l,m
Felt letters for teacher: i,s,a,t,n,h,d,f,p,e,r,l,m
Tim Man Fix-it enough copies that students can partner read
Primary paper (enough for each student)
Pencil (for each student)
List of pseudo words: sib, hist, mip, fid, lin, sill.

Procedures:
1.  Display the poster of Ii with the goo picture on it and the sentence strip so that the class can see it.  Can anyone tell me what this picture is?  It looks like icky sticky goo!  Now I want everyone to say icky sticky with me.  Good job.  This time I want you to pretend like you have something gross and icky on your hands and shake them like you are trying to get it off.  Let’s say it again and shake your hands as you say icky sticky and stretch out the /i/ sound.  Ready?  Iiicky Stiiicky.

2.  The letter Ii makes the /i/ sound in icky sticky.  I’m going to read this tongue twister and I wanted you to listen for all the icky sticky sounds.  “The important Indian was ill with injuries inside the igloo.”  Now I want you to say it with me.  Good job.  This time let’s stretch out all the /i/ sounds and make your icky sticky hand motion.  “The iiimportant Iiindian was iiill with iiinjuries iiinside the iiigloo.”  Very good!  (If the children need extra emphasis underline the /i/ sounds on the sentence strip)

3.  Give each child a set of Elkonin boxes and pre-selected letters for the letter box lesson.  Model how to spell the words with the i=/i/ correspondence.  “I’m going to spell the first word to show you what we are going to do.  The first word is sit.  I’m going to stretch the word out in my mouth so I can hear all the different sounds, /ssss//iiii//tttt/.  The first sound I hear is the /s/ sound so I am going to put a s in the first box. /s//iiii//tt/.  I think I hear our icky sticky sound next so I will put an i in the second box. /s//ii//ttt/, t is the last sound so I will put it in the last box.  I think that is all the sounds in sit, but let me make sure. /ssss//iiii//tttt/ Yes!  That’s how you spell sit!  Now let’s see if you can do some on your own.”

4.  Now begin the letter box lesson.  Give the students one word at a time to spell while the teacher walks around the room to check their progress.  If I students misspells a word pronounce it exactly as they have it spelled and ask them to try again.  Once all the students have the word spelled correctly move on to the next word.  LBL word list:  2 phonemes—[is, at, in], 3 phonemes—[hid, fit, pin, hen, rip], 4 phonemes—[slim, fish].  Once all the words have been spelled write them on the board one at a time and have the students read them aloud.  Model the first word.  "I am going to show you how to read our words.  The word is f-i-s-h.  Let's see.  F makes the /f/ sound.  I know that sh says /sh/, and we learned that i says /i/.  So if I put all of this together I get fff-iii-shhh. Oh fish!"  After the letterbox lesson is complete, take up all materials.

5.  Divide the students into pairs and introduce the book Tin Man Fix-it.  Give a book talk to introduce the book.  “Tin man Tim is working in the garden with Jim.  Then along comes Sid who is a big kid.  Sid comes in a hits Tim.  He broke Tim.  Oh no what is going to happen to Tim?  Do you think someone can fix him?  Well, you will have to read to find out what happens.”  After the book talk distribute the books to the pairs and have them read together out loud, alternating pages.  Walk around the room to monitor reading.

6.  When the students have finished reading take up all books and distribute primary paper and pencils to each student.  Have the students write a message about their favorite food.

7.  While the students are busy writing call each student to your desk and have them read a list of pseudo words.  Assess their knowledge of the i=/i/ correspondence by how many pseudo words they are able to read correctly.  If they are not able to read the words completely but do read the i=/i/ correspondence completely give them credit for that word.

References:

Loveless, Valerie.  Iiiicky, Iiiicky, Stiiicky.  http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/catalysts/lovelessbr.html

Murray, Bruce.  The Reading Genie.  http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie