The Website of

cyrkids_s 

Kimberly Cyr

Lesson Plan for Starfall

Lesson Focus:  Phonics, vowel digraph “ee”

Group:  First Grade

Introduction

This is a phonics lesson created for First Grade introducing the vowel digraph “ee” using the website Starfall.com.  This is an explicit phonics lesson that would be used to teach this vowel digraph in the context of the story “Pete’s Sheep.”  This lesson is planned for a whole class, but could also be adapted to teach a small group of students (in remediation, for example).  As an introductory lesson, this is a short (about 25 to 30 minute) lesson.  Follow up lessons expanding upon and reinforcing this skill would be planned for the rest of the week.

Starfall.com is a comprehensive, interactive educational website designed to help children learn to read.  The activities and reading materials on this website were modeled on the “Big Five” focus areas recommended by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.  Starfall.com is divided into four sections:  (1) ABC’s—Let’s Get Ready to Read, (2) Learn to Read –Zac the Rat & Other Tales, (3) It’s Fun to Read –About Me and (4) I’m Reading—Plays, Non-fiction, Comics & More.  This lesson will focus on the “Learn to Read” section of the website specifically using Unit 7:  Pete’s Sheep.  The students will read this story and play a “double e” word-making game on Starfall.com to practice with this vowel combination.  

Objectives

The students will recognize the vowel diagraph “ee” as one way to express the long e sound (“When you see a double e, say E!”).

Given Starfall worksheet 37, the student will correctly circle all the “ee” words and write the correct word next to the picture clue.

Instructional Materials

  • Picture cards (bee, peel, sheep, tree, queen, sheet, teeth, breeze, sleep)
  • Magnetic letters and magnet board
  • One computer logged onto Starfall.com for every two students
  • One copy of Starfall worksheet 37 for each student

Lesson Sequence

Initiation and Purpose:   (Whole Group) “Today we will learn a new letter combination- double e.  Knowing this vowel combination will help us to be able to read and spell more words and to become better readers and writers.” 

Lesson Development: 

  1. Show students the picture card of a bee.  Ask a student to spell the word “bee” with magnetic letters on the board.  What do you think makes the /ee/ sound?  Underline the “ee.”  Explain this is one way to make the long e sound.  “When you see a double e, say E!”  Teach the class the “Double E” song (from Starfall).  This song is catchy and easy to sing along with the first time. (3 minutes)
  2. Hold up picture cards and explain that each of these words has the long e sound spelled “ee.”  Using magnetic letters, model and practice reading and spelling words with the “ee” vowel digraph. Have students take turns manipulating the letters to spell the words on the picture cards.  Engage all students by having them show a “thumbs up” if they agree the word is spelled correctly. During this activity monitor for student understanding—this will determine how much time is spent practicing. (about 5 minutes)     
  3. “Now we are going to read a story about a boy named Pete who can’t sleep.  Let’s read to find some double e words.”  In pairs (determined by the teacher) students will share a computer already logged onto Starfall.com.  Instruct students to go to Learn to Read:  Unit 7 ( http://www.starfall.com/n/long-e/le/load.htm?f ).  With a partner, students will read aloud Pete’s Sheep.  Monitor students as they read the story, taking anecdotal notes as to their success with the double e words.  (5 minutes)
  4. After reading the story, instruct students to play the “Make-A-Word” game (http://www.starfall.com/n/make-a-word/long-e/load.htm?f), taking turns with their partner.  (The students will have had prior practice with the same type of game on Starfall.com so they will be able to navigate.) (5 minutes)
  5. Have students return to their tables.  Explain the directions for Starfall worksheet 37 (http://www.starfall.com/ni/download/level-1b/wk201b-long-e.pdf) .  Students should complete the worksheet independently.  Students who complete the worksheet early can turn the paper over and write about what they do when they can’t sleep. (5 minutes)

Closure

Review the answers to Starfall worksheet 37 by calling on individual students to share their answers.  “Who can tell me what to do when you see a double e?”  Sing the “Double E” song. (5 minutes)

Evaluation 

Did students read the double e words in Pete’s Sheep correctly? (teacher observation & anecdotal notes)

Did student correctly circle all the “ee” words and write the correct word next to the picture clue?

Extension Activities:

  • Have students re-read the cut out book Pete’s Sheep
  • Read aloud Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw, making a list of all the double e words
  • Assign Starfall worksheet 38 for homework

 

Supplemental Materials

Picture Cards

http://www.starfall.com/ni/download/level-1b/wk201b-long-e.pdf (Worksheet 37)

http://www.starfall.com/ni/level-a/long-e/le-bw.pdf (Pete’s  Sheep cut out book)

http://www.starfall.com/ni/download/level-1b/wk201b-long-e.pdf (Worksheet 38)

 

Back to top

 Home | Review of Starfall | Review of Spelling City | PowerPoint- Finding the Topic

Web Quest- Journey to Japan | Sites for Students | Sites for Teachers

 

©Kimberly Cyr | 4/29/09 | kcyr@sjc.edu