ALEX Learning Activity

Around the Room Counting Syllables With Friends!

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Robin Coachman
System:Dothan City
School:Dothan City Board Of Education
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2930
Title:
Around the Room Counting Syllables With Friends!
Digital Tool/Resource:
Multisyllabic Word Cards
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

The teacher will introduce students to syllables in this activity by showing the video What are Syllables? This video will help students decode grade-appropriate multisyllabic words by clapping, tapping, dividing, and reading out the words. Students will use words placed inside an envelope attached to an anchor chart to clap, tap, divide and read out multisyllabic words and syllable divisions with friends. An example anchor chart can be seen here.

This activity can be extended by allowing students to place one hand under their jaw and count out the syllable divisions for each word (as shown in the video.)  

This resource was created in partnership with Dothan City Schools.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 3
8. Apply knowledge of phoneme-grapheme correspondences, multisyllabic word construction, and syllable division principles to decode and encode (spell) words accurately in isolation and in context.

a. Decode multisyllabic words with common syllable patterns, including open/closed, vowel-r, vowel-consonant-e, vowel teams, consonant-le, and odd or schwa syllables.

b. Apply knowledge of multisyllabic word construction and syllable division principles to decode grade-appropriate multisyllabic words.

Examples: VC/CV, V/CV, VC/V, CV/VC; com-mit-ment, e-vent, ev-er-y, po-et

c. Decode and encode words with three-consonant blends, digraphs, trigraphs, quadrigraph eigh, combinations, diphthongs, and silent letter combinations.

Examples: spl-, str-, scr-, squ-; th, sh, ch, ck, ph; tch, dge, igh; er, ir, ar, or; oi, oy, ou, ow; kn, gn, mb, wr, gh

d. Decode and encode words with graphemes that represent multiple sound-symbol correspondences by applying knowledge of most common to least common frequency.

Examples: y can be read /y/ in yet, /ē/ in candy, /ī/ in fly
digraph ch can be read /ch/ in chair, /sh/ in chef, and /k/ in school
diphthong ow is read /ou/ in cow, but digraph ow is read /ō/ in snow

e. Decode and encode multisyllabic words using knowledge of stress or accent to pronounce a word correctly, including the schwa sound when appropriate.

Examples: the noun con'/vict vs. the verb con/vict'; the noun pro'/duce vs. the verb pro/duce'

f. Decode and encode words using knowledge of the morphological structure of a word, including prefixes, suffixes, and roots.

Examples: fore-, anti-, post-, sub-; -ment, -hood, -er, -or; port, ject, form, dict

g. Decode and encode contractions with am, is, has, not, have, would, and will.

Examples: I'm, he's, she's, isn't, don't, I've, he'd, they'll

h. Decode and encode frequently confused homophones accurately using knowledge of English and meaning to facilitate learning.

Examples: hear/here; night/knight; tacks/tax

i. Decode and encode words with hard and soft c and g.

j. Decode and encode grade-appropriate high frequency words that follow regular and irregular phoneme-grapheme correspondences, using knowledge of the specific sound-symbol correspondences that are irregular.
Learning Objectives:

Students will apply their knowledge of multisyllabic word construction and syllable division by clapping, tapping, dividing, and reading to decode grade-appropriate multisyllabic words.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

  1. The teacher will show the video: What are Syllables? The teacher will model multisyllabic words and syllable division by clapping, tapping, dividing, and reading out the words commitment, every, and poet. The teacher will draw students' attention to the fact words are made up of word parts and the number of vowel sounds will help them determine how many syllables are in a word.  

  2. The teacher will place six to eight pieces of anchor chart paper, depending on the number of students and number of groups, around the classroom labeled with these directions:

      • Choose a word from the envelope labeled "Word Bank."

      • Clap, tap, and divide the words into syllables to decode the multisyllabic word with your group. (Must do all four)

      • Choose the correct envelope to place the words in according to the number of syllables (for example "mistake" would be placed in the envelope labeled 2).

      • Listen for the timer to rotate to the next anchor chart. (A new set of the same words should be placed in the "Word Bank" envelope before rotating.)

  3. The teacher will place students in groups of three to four students. Students will rotate from one anchor chart to the next in a clockwise rotation around the room until they have stopped at each anchor chart. The teacher will set the timer for students to rotate every three minutes. Students will return to their seats after the last rotation.

  4. The final step is for the teacher to make a four to six-column chart and label it with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 syllables. The teacher will rotate from each anchor chart and read the words students have placed in the envelopes. Students will agree or disagree on the number of syllables, and the teacher will write the words under the correct column according to the number of syllables.
Assessment Strategies:

  • The teacher will monitor and observe students working in small groups.

  • The teacher will make anecdotal notes of students' understanding of the standard.

  • The teacher will use the anchor chart with six columns to assess students' understanding of multisyllabic word construction and division.
Advanced Preparation:

  • The teacher will need to make six copies of this Google Document. Also, attached to this document is the page that each student will need to divide the words.

  • The teacher will need to place six to eight words in the envelope bank for each anchor chart (depending on the number of groups desired).

  • The teacher will cut out and sort six to eight sets of the same words for the rotations.

  • The teacher will need to decide before the activity to have either the teacher or a chosen student place the new set of the same words in the "Word Bank" envelope. 

Materials Needed:

  • Anchor chart paper

  • Box of small envelopes

  • Masking tape

  • Markers

  • Note-taking pad

  • Pencils for each student

  • Clipboards for each student

  • Assign students in groups of three to four before the activity
Variation Tips (optional):

Intervention: Use this activity from the Florida Center for Reading Research in a small group to review syllable division principles. Students will complete the six-way syllable sort to identify the syllable patterns in words. Laminate word cards from this activity and allow students to divide words with a dry-erase marker in a small group with teacher support. 

Expansion: Advanced students can write (encode) other words with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 syllables to add to the previous anchor chart.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: decode, multisyllabic words, syllable division, syllable patterns, syllables