Miss Sydney Hall

Say: In order to become expert readers, we need to learn the code that tell us how to pronounce words. We have already learned to read short vowel words with u, like bus, and today we are going to learn about long U and the double o signal that is used to make U say its name, /OO/. When I say /OO/ I think of a train saying “Choo Choo!” [show the graphic image]. Now let’s look at the spelling of /OO/ that we will learn today. We will be spelling /OO/ with the letter o twice next to each other. [Write “oo” on the board.]

Say: Before we learn about the spelling of /OO/, we need to listen for it in some words. When I listen for /OO/ in words, I hear oo say its name /OO/ and make a little o shape with my mouth like this. [Make vocal gesture for /OO/.] I’ll show you first: moo. See, there it is! [Repeat saying moo while making a circle motion around lips to show the vocal gesture.] Now you try! [Have children say “moo” make a circle motion around their pursed lips when they feel /OO/ say its name.] Now I’m going to see if it’s in the word “hot”. Hmm, I didn’t hear oo say its name and my mouth was open like a yawn, not like a tiny o. Let’s try some more words. If you hear /OO/ in a word say, “Choo Choo!” If you don’t hear /OO/ say, “That’s not it.” Is it in boot, sock, bird, zoo, school, bus? [Wait for response between words.]

Say: Now let’s look at the spelling of /OO/ that we will learn today. What if I want to spell the word scoop? “I had one scoop of chocolate ice cream.” A scoop is a utensil that is like a spoon. It is used for removing something, like ice cream, from a container. To spell scoop in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word so I stretch it out and count: /s//k//OO//p/ [count on your fingers each time you say another phoneme]. I need 4 boxes. What vowel sound did I hear in the word scoop? Let’s sound out the different phonemes one more time: /s//k//OO//p/. I heard that /OO/ just before the /p/ so I’m going to put double oo in the third box! The word starts with /s/, that’s easy; I need an s. Let’s see, what’s next: /s//k//OO//p/? I think I heard /k/ so I’ll put a c right after the s. Now we have /s//k//OO/ and I only have one empty box; what’s missing? [Point to letters in boxes when stretching out the word: /s//k//OO/p/.] The missing one is /p/ = p.

Say: Now I’m going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. [Pass out materials or have students get them out.] You’ll start out with an easy two boxes for boo, like what a ghost says. When you do boo, I want you to think of our train saying “Choo Choo!” What should go in the first box? [Respond to children’s answers.] What goes in the second box? I’ll check your answers while I walk around the room. [Observe progress.] You’ll need three letterboxes for the next word. Listen for the beginning sound that goes in the first box. Then listen for the /OO/ and don’t forget to put the letter after the /OO/ to finish the word! Here’s the word: tool. “My dad needs to get a tool to fix the sink.” [Allow children to spell word.] Time to check your work! Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board and see if you’ve spelled it the same way: t – o – o – l [stretch out /t//OO//l/ while completing letterboxes]. Try another with three boxes: moon. “The cow jumped over the moon.” [Have volunteer spell it in letterboxes on the front board for children to check their work. Repeat this step for each new word.] Next word. Listen to see if this word has /OO/ in it before you spell it: lock. “I need to lock the door when I leave the house.” Did you hear /OO/? [Wait for responses.] That’s right, we don’t hear /OO/ like the train saying “Choo Choo!” in the word lock. We spell lock with our short vowel o. Now let’s try a word with four phonemes: broom. “I clean my house with a broom.” One more then we’re done with spelling, and this time you need five boxes: stools. “We all sat on stools at the party.” This word is a little more difficult, so don’t forget to stretch it out!

Say: Now I am going to let you read the words you’ve spelled, but first I’ll show you how I would read a really tough word. [Display the word stools and model reading the word.] First I see there is oo in the middle; that’s my signal that the vowel will say /OO/ like “Choo Choo!” I’m going to use a cover-up to get the first part. [Uncover and blend sequentially before the vowel, the blend with the vowel.] /s//t/ = /st/. Now I’m going to blend that with /OO/ = /stOO/. I have two more letters that are missing: /l/ and /s/ = /stOOls/. Stools, that’s it! Now it’s your turn, everyone together. [Display words that the students have spelled on the board. Have students read words in unison. Afterwards, call on individuals to read one word on the list until everyone has had a turn.]

Say: You’ve done a great job spelling words with /OO/! Now we are going to read a book called Zoom Groom. This is a story of a poodle named Scooter. A poodle is a type of dog that is really fluffy and has curly hair! One night, Scooter realizes that he is tired of howling at the moon. He decides what he really wants to do instead is to open up a new grooming shop for other dogs! Does Scooter open up a groom shop? Does he help other dogs get groomed? Let’s pair up and take turns reading Zoom Groom to find out what happens with Scooter and the grooming shop! [Children pair up and take turns reading alternate pages while teacher walks around the room monitoring progress. After individual paired reading, the class rereads Zoom Groom aloud together, and stops between page turns to discuss the plot.]

Say: That was such a fun story! Did Scooter open up his grooming shop after all? What happened during the day at the grooming shop? [Discuss answers as a class.] Before we finish up with our lesson about oo = /OO/, I want to see how you can solve a reading problem. On this worksheet, I have pictures and below the pictures there are words that go with the picture. I want you to choose the word that both matches the picture and has the /OO/ sound. First try reading all the words under each picture, and then choose the word that best fits the picture and rewrite below on the lines. Reread your answers to see if they make sense. [Collect worksheets to evaluate individual child progress.]