ALEX Classroom Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (1) -3 :

R3. Expand background knowledge and build vocabulary through discussion, reading, and writing.

[ELA2021] (1) -1 :

R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (1) 2 :

2. Actively participate in shared reading experiences and collaborative discussions to build background knowledge and learn how oral reading should sound.

Examples: read-alouds, oral dramatic activities

[ELA2021] (1) 6 :

6. Demonstrate basic to advanced phonological and phonemic awareness skills in spoken words.

a. Count, blend, segment, and delete syllables in spoken words, including polysyllabic words.

Examples: par-ti-cu-lar, cer-ti-fi-cate

b. Recognize and produce groups of rhyming words and distinguish them from non-rhyming groups of spoken words.

c. Produce alliterative words.

d. Blend and segment phonemes in single-syllable spoken words made up of three to five phonemes, including words with consonant blends.

e. Add, delete, and substitute phonemes at the beginning or end of spoken words made up of three to five phonemes, and produce the resulting word.

Examples: pan to pant; flight to light; cat to cap

f. Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken, single-syllable words.

g. Distinguish between commonly-confused vowel sounds and commonly-confused cognate consonant sounds, using knowledge of mouth position, voiced and unvoiced sounds, and manner of articulation.

Examples: /f/ and /v/, /p/ and /b/, /t/ and /d/, /k/ and /g/, /m/ and /n/, /ng/ and /n/, /s/ and /z/, unvoiced /th/ and voiced /th/, /ch/ and /sh/, /ĕ/ and /ā/, /ĕ/ and /ă/

Note: This is extremely important as a foundational phonemic awareness skill for all learners.

h. Identify the sound substitution in words with five to six phonemes.

Example: strips/straps, square/squire

[ELA2021] (1) 39 :

39. Improve writing, as needed, by planning, revising, and editing with guidance from peer editors, responding to their questions and suggestions.

[ELA2021] (1) 43 :

43. Use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing with guidance and support from adults, working both individually and in collaboration with peers.

A writing unit focusing on alliteration allows students to strengthen their phonemic awareness while practicing their developing writing skills. Through the use of mentor texts, students construct a definition of alliteration. Using these texts as models, students experiment with creating alliterative sentences. First, working as a class, students create an alliterative book. While studying additional mentor texts, students generate their own sentences to contribute to a class book using the beginning sounds of their names. At the conclusion of the lesson, students use the mentor texts as examples when independently creating their own alliterative books using the Alphabet Organizer interactive.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [ELA2021] (1) -1 :

R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (1) 37 :

37. With prompting and support, write simple poems about a chosen subject.

[ELA2021] (1) 39 :

39. Improve writing, as needed, by planning, revising, and editing with guidance from peer editors, responding to their questions and suggestions.

[ELA2021] (1) 43 :

43. Use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing with guidance and support from adults, working both individually and in collaboration with peers.

[ELA2021] (2) -1 :

R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (3) -1 :

R5. Utilize a writing process to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writings in various genres.

[ELA2021] (3) 42 :

42. Write poetry or prose in response to visual images to interpret their meanings.

Writing poetry is less daunting when students can analyze a model. In this lesson, students first listen to a read-aloud of Flicker Flash by Joan Bransfield Graham in order to understand the concept of shape and theme poems. Students use the interactive Theme Poems tool to create their own poems, then work with a peer to analyze their use of sensory language. Finally, students print and share their poems.