Daily Lesson Plan -- Lesson 11

Long Sound "a"

Subject: English | Class: Prep | Series: Skillford

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Overview

In this lesson children learn that the long "a" sound can be spelt in three different ways: "ai", "ay" and "a_e". Children read twelve picture words aloud and listen for the long sound. They then circle the word that matches each picture and write words of their own under each spelling.

Learning Objectives

• Say the long "a" sound
• Know three spellings of long "a": ai, ay and a_e
• Read the words rain, pail, tail, wait, hay, day, tray, play, snake, cake, cage and plate
• Circle the word that matches the picture
• Write words of their own for ai, ay and a_e

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Day 1: Three Ways to Spell Long "a" (35 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook page 20, a tray of water (for the STEAM line), a paper plate

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Say the letter name "a" and tell children the long "a" sounds just like that. Say "cake" and listen for it.

Main Activity (20 minutes)

• Read: "The long 'a' sound can be spelt in three different ways."
• Read the instruction: "Read each word aloud and listen for the long sound."
• Read the three rows, looking at each picture:
  • ai: rain, pail, tail, wait
  • ay: hay, day, tray, play
  • a_e: snake, cake, cage, plate
• Point out the spelling in each word: "ai" in rain, "ay" in day, and "a_e" in cake (the "a", then a letter, then a silent "e")

Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

• STEAM (Science): Leave a tray of water in the sun, check it at play time, and talk about where it went
• STEAM (Arts): Paint a rainy day on a paper plate, then write "rain" under the cloud

Differentiation

• Support: Practise one row at a time, such as "ay": hay, day, tray, play
• Extension: Children say another word that has the same long "a" sound

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Day 2: Activity Time (35 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook page 21, pencils

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Say a spelling, such as "ai". Children call out words from it: rain, pail, tail, wait.

Main Activity (20 minutes)

• Activity 1: "Circle the word that matches the picture."
  • snake or snail (a snake)
  • hay or nail (hay)
  • cake or bake (a cake)
  • rain or tray (a tray)
  • tape or wait (tape)
  • pain or tail (a tail)
• Activity 2: "Write six words of your own under 'ai', 'ay' and 'a_e'."
  • Children write words with the long "a" under each spelling, using the words on page 20 to help them

Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

• Children read their own words aloud to a partner

Differentiation

• Support: Copy words from page 20 under the right spelling
• Extension: Children think of words that are not on page 20

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Teaching Tips

• The long "a" says its own name, "a"
• Three spellings: ai, ay and a_e
• Say each word slowly and listen for the long "a" before circling or writing