Dinosaur Phonemic Awareness

Target Curriculum: English/Writing

Target Grade: K - K

SOLs: E/W.K.1   E/W.K.11   E/W.K.2   E/W.K.4   E/W.K.5   E/W.K.7   E/W.K.9  
Time: 5 one hour lessons

Objective:
The students will identify and supply rhyming words in the story and identify the letter Dd and it's phonetic sound.

Purpose:
To use a big book as the focus of a week's lessons in reading so students will enjoy reading and develop basic reading concepts.

Materials:
Dinosaurs Roar! by Paul and Henrietta Stickland, Scholastic Big Book

Procedure:
Day 1: Using the big book look at each page with the students allowing them to make predictions about the story, sometimes focusing on one word and using the beginning letter and picture clues to guess the word. Read the story following the print. Look for the word dinosaur on each page. After the story is read explain dinosaur begins with Dd and brainstorm together other words that begin with the same sound. Trace the letters and cut out pictures of words that begin with Dd. Pictures already prepared may be sorted by beginning sound or small objects may be sorted into clear tubs labeled with a beginning sound.
Day 2:Re-read Dinosaurs Roar!, still following the print with your finger or a small pointer, this time listening for words that rhyme. The students can clap when they hear two words that rhyme. List the rhyming pair on the board. After the story allow students to add other rhyming words to each pair. Students can come to the board and circle the letters that are the same in each word. Have the students sort picture cards this time by grouping pictures that rhyme together.
Day 3:Re-read Dinosaurs Roar! allowing students to supply the rhyming word on each page (cloze procedure). Also, have students take turns pointing to the words as you read on each page. Discuss reading top to bottom, left to right, cover, title, author, and illustrators. Students can make dinosaur masks or paper bag puppets and act out the story.
Day 4:Read the big book again and have students dictate a story modeled on this story premise using a different animal or child. Write it on chart paper and let students help spell by the letters for sounds. Also, have them think of words to rhyme in the new story. As you type the story on the computer and print it out have student groups illustrate a page of the new story.
Day 5:Read the big book chorally as a class (most students know it by heart) again having a student follow the print. Read the new class book you've put together with their illustrations. After typing the words for the big book I usually copy the text in smaller print and cut up for individual books. Students can print their name on as the illustrator and all the students names are listed as authors. Students read each page together and ilustrate. This book is taken home to read to their family.

Observations:
Reading big books to a class simulates the lap reading that some students have never experienced. When students feel involved in the process of reading and writing they enjoy it more, learn more, and share their books with others proudly.

Conclusions:
This week of lesson plans can be adapted to any big book. Students like the repetition and familiarity of reading the same book over and over. Math, Science, and Social Studies lessons can be pulled from many big books to create whole thematic units.

Extension:
Science SOLs: K.6, K.9 Investigating fossils and dinosaurs
Math SOLs:K.2, K.7, K.12, K.19 Count, sort, add, and measure dinosaurs.