Collaborative Lesson

Title of Lesson

Exploring Letter
Sounds

Grade Level

First

Curriculum Area

Reading

Time Frame

8:10-8:50am

Developed By:

Melanie Kirby and Mrs. G

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Target Audience
The target audience for this lesson is a first grade class where students are at varying levels
of ability with foundational reading skills and phonological awareness. The classroom teacher
and I will focus on the two lowest groups for direct instruction on needed skills, while the other
students work independently on skills they need practice with.
Problem Identification/Learner Analysis
Several students in Mrs. Gs class are struggling with phonological awareness. As a result,
they are struggling readers because they do not have foundational reading skills.
Mrs. G and I met prior to the lesson to plan to analyze student data based on iReady results.
iReady is an assessment system used by our school that assesses the students ability levels
and tailors learning to meet them where they are. Likewise, the system places the students
into profiles, or groups, and gives specific instruction on what each group needs to work on.
We used those activities listed under each of the five profiles to determine what each group of
students needed to work on. From this determined that we would have five small groups
working at their level. The teacher and I would work with the two lowest groups and three
independent groups.
Profile 1: The data we analyzed stated that the students in this group needed to work on
alphabet recognition, letter sounds, and blending letter sounds. The teacher planned to use
flash cards for letters and letter sounds. We brainstormed how to make it more interactive and
decided on letter tiles for the blending the sounds to make words.
Profile 2: The data we analyzed stated the students in this group needed to work on letter
sounds, isolating and identifying the beginning, middle, and ending sounds in words, and
replacing/changing letter sounds (B, M, and E). I shared that my group would involve game
based learning to appeal to student interest.
Profile 3: The data indicated that the students in this profile were on track but needed practice
listening to reading and responding through collaborative conversations. We determined that
the students would listen to a story on tape twice and then respond with their partner to
discuss the basic story elements (i.e. character, setting, etc). The students used tablets to
scan a QR code in order to find the question about each story component. Once the question
was scanned, the students discussed it and recorded the information on their response log.
Profile 4: The data indicated that these students were also on track but needed practice in

listening and responding to reading as well as identifying new words in a story. We

determined that this group would listen to a story on tape and complete a reading response.
For this reading response, we decided to have the students find new or interested words from
the story and record them as well as reflect on the reading. The students in this group were
given a spot to draw and write about the reading. As an early finisher and extension, the
students were able to complete a word search I created with words from the text.
Profile 5: The data indicates that this group of students are performing well and can move on
to multi-meaning words and end of grade vocabulary/word building. We decided that this
group would work on homophones, make homophone pairs, and discuss the different
meanings of each word. Since this group is advanced, word cards without illustrations were
used. Once the students were done playing Homophone Slap, they were able to build words
by playing Boggle.
Content Standards
ELAGSE1RF2
a. Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
b. Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including
consonant blends.
c. Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sound (phonemes) in
spoken single-syllable words.
d. Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of
individual sounds.
ELAGSE1RL1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
ELAGSE1RL3: Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story using key details.
ELAGSE1SL2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or
information presented orally or through other media.
ELAGSE1L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multi-meaning words and
phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibility in an array of strategies.
ISTE 3: Research and Information Fluency
a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
ISTE 2: Communication and Collaboration
a. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a
variety of media and formats.
ISTE 6: Technology Operations and Concepts
a. Understand and use technology systems.
AASL Standards
AASL 1.1.2 Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.
AASL 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format in order to make
inferences to gather meaning.
AASL 1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.

AASL 3.1.4 Use technology and other information to organize and display knowledge and
understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
Understandings

Learning Targets

Overarching Understandings
I can use my knowledge of letter sounds in
many ways.

Related Misconceptions
There are misunderstandings in how to teach
phonological and phonemic awareness on a
continuum.

Knowledge
Students will know...
How to isolate the beginning, middle, and
ending sounds in words.
Replace or change beginning, middle, or
ending sounds in words to make new words.

Overarching
I can use game
based learning to
practice phonemic
awareness.
I can scan QR codes
to find new
information.

Topical
I can identify letter
sounds.
I can isolate the
beginning, middle,
and ending sounds in
words.
I can replace/change
beginning, middle,
and ending sounds to
make new words.

Skills
Students will be able to...
Identify letters of the alphabet
Produce the letter and letter sound missing in
a word.
Identify the new word when a B, M, or E
sounds is changed or replaced.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Performance Task Description
Goal

Determine if the students are able to complete each task through a

checklist.

Role

To provide support and remediation in the area of phonemic

awareness.

Audience

1st grade students in small groups according to ability levels.

Situation

iReady data indicates that the two lowest groups need immediate
attention in specific learning areas. The other three groups are on
track and need additional practice independently. The teacher and I
decided to work with the two lowest groups to provide explicit
instruction.

Product/Performance

This performance based assessment will measure student

achievement by using a checklist for each component: letter sounds,

isolating sounds, and replacing sounds. The lead teacher requested a

checklist for this activity to monitor student progress. The students
received either a check or an x for each answer.
Standards

ELAGSE1RF2a-d, ELAGSE1RL1, ELAGSE1RL3, ELAGSE1SL2,

ELAGSE1L4, ISTE3, ISTE2, ISTE6, AASL1.1.2, AASL1.1.6,
AASL1.1.9, AASL3.1.4

Other Evidence
Profile 3: Reading Response Log
Profile 4: Reading Response Log
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Lesson
Students will break into small groups based on iReady data according to the class profiles.
Profile 1: Mrs. Gs group
The students will review alphabet and letter sounds through flash cards. Then, the teacher
manipulated letter tiles to blend letter sounds, and used sound/word cards to isolate the
beginning middle and ending sounds in words.
Profile 2: Media Specialist Group
We began with a fun alphabet review game that said nonsense words instead of the correct
letter. The students will identify the correct letter of the alphabet by clicking on a letter from a
choice of three. According to the data, this group of students needed additional help in short
and long vowel sounds. For this activity, the students will participate in game-based play
where they will sort the long and short vowels into carts and checked their answers. Next, the
students will listen for the missing letter sounds at either the beginning, middle, or end of the
word. The students will choose the correct letter to match the missing letter sounds. This
game-based resource allows the students to visually see the word through illustrations and
hear the word again if needed. It also periodically repeats directions if needed. Lastly, the
students will manipulate words to change/replace the beginning, middle, and ending sounds
in words. This game-based play will peak student interest and performance.
Profile 3: Independent
The students will listen to the story IDK twice, indicated as necessary by iReady data. Once
the listening to reading is complete, the students will use the QR reading response, tablet,
and dice to determine the reading response question. The students will roll the dice, scan the
QR code beside the number they rolled, and respond through collaborative conversations.
Profile 4: Independent
The students will listen to the story Hippo-NOT-A-Mus. Once the story is over, the students
will complete the reading response. Vocabulary was an area that these students needed more
practice in. This reading response had the students find new words to record on their
response log as well as other story elements. After completion of the reading response, the
students were able to find new vocabulary words in a word search created by the media
specialist.

Profile 5: Independent
The students in this group will work with end of grade vocabulary/word building and
homophones. The students will play Homophone Slap to make homophone pairs. When a
homophone pair is made, the students will explain the different meanings of each word. Word
cards without illustrations will be used for this group of higher level learners. Once the
students have completed the game, they will build words by playing Boggle.
Feedback and Reflections
Overall, I felt like this lesson went really well. The students seemed very engaged with the
activities in their centers. The students in my group seemed to respond well to the gamebased learning. In fact, they were very engaged and eager to participate. I believe this
assignment allowed me to embrace the role of the media specialist when it comes to
collaboration. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with the teacher to discuss data and
brainstorm activities to remediate and address the needed skills. The teacher really enjoyed
my suggestions and I felt valued as a resource and extension of the classroom.