Reading Skills with Dr. Seuss

Learning Activity: 1 of 2                Grade Level: 1

NGSSS:

Benchmark LA.1.1.3.1: The student will identify individual phonemes (sounds) in words (e.g., CCVC, CVCC, CCCVC).

Benchmark LA.1.1.3.4: The student will manipulate individual phonemes to create new words through addition, deletion, and substitution.

Benchmark LA.1.2.1.4: The student will identify rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, and patterned structures in poems for children.

I.                    Activity Description: While reading Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, I will pause and call on students to substitute the word that was read last for one that rhymes and is contextually appropriate. After reading the book in this manner, students will write three substitute sentences and draw a corresponding picture in their reading journals.

II.                  Learner Outcomes: Through the use of modeled reading and writing, students will practice identification of rhyming words. By manipulating phonemes, students will practice identifying rhyming sounds.

III.                Instructional Procedures:

a.       Lesson Initiating Activity: After reading the first paragraph “Would you like green eggs and ham? Would you like them, Sam-I-am?” I will explain to the students that I am going to take out one of the words I just read and replace it with another one that rhymes with the original. “Would you like green eggs and spam? Would you like them, Sam-I-am?” To reinforce my example, I will write out the words ‘ham’ and ‘spam’ on the board and show students that the two words share the same ending.

b.      Core Activity:

1.       I will continue reading Green Eggs and Ham, pausing at the end of each page.

2.       I will call on a student to substitute the last word read by manipulating the first phoneme in the word.  

3.       I will write down the original and substituted words on the board.

4.       I will ask the class to give a thumbs up if they think the two words rhyme, thumbs down if they think the words don’t, or a thumb to the side if they are unsure.

5.       I will explain why or why not the word is an appropriate choice.

6.       I will repeat steps 1-5 until the book is finished or the allotted time runs out.

c.       Closure Activity/Assessment: Students will be assessed on their ability to manipulate individual phonemes and identify rhyming words. Students will be given a fill-in-the-blank sentences test. Underneath each blank line a contextually appropriate word will be given. Students must fill in the blank with a word that rhymes with the given word.

IV.                ESE and ESOL Strategies/Accommodations: For ESOL and ESE students, show all pictures in the book. If necessary during assessment, allow ESE students to choose the correct and appropriate rhyming word out of a choice of three pictures (i.e. if the given word is ‘bat’, the three pictures would represent a duck, a dog, and a cat. The appropriate choice would be a cat).

V.                  References:

Seuss, D. (1960). Green eggs and ham. New York:

 Random House, Inc.

Time for Math: 3rd Grade Lesson Plan

Objectives: 

Student will calculate elapsed time, given beginning and ending time.
Student will develop social and cooperation skills.

Materials Needed (for a class of 20 students):

Model clock (for teacher's use)

4 Paper plates

4 Time lines

4 Pieces of cardstock

4 Pairs of sissors

4 Fasteners

Method: 

I. I will introduce the concept of elapsed time. Using the example of every day 

school activities and the time they take place, I will explain that elapsed time 

can be calculated by subtracting the start time from the end time.

II. In 4 groups of 5, students will construct their own clock. Each group will be

given their own timeline. Groups will then be assigned 3 sets of start and end 

times. They must set up and solve subtraction problems to find the elapsed time 

as a group. I will then go over the answers with the class as a whole. 

III. Students will then be assessed individually by completing a worksheet with 

related problems. 

This lesson is based on the cooperative learning strategy. Before beginning the 

group activity, I will clearly define rules for group work (i.e. appropriate voice

levels and participation of every member of each group). I will manage the 

classroom by monitoring students during the activity. I feel that this is a fun

way to approach math from a practical and unique angle.