Basic Productivity Tools (BPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Scavenger Hunt: Long and Short Vowel Sounds
Content Area/Grade Level(s): First Grade
Content Standard Addressed: ELACCKRF3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word
analysis skills in decoding words. Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings
(graphemes) for the five major vowels.

Technology Standard Addressed: Creative Communicator Standard

Selected Technology Tool: PowerPoint

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://www.dropbox.com/s/bhcsrwufjso4qsa/Long

%20and%20Short%20Vowel%20Lesson%20Plan.mp4?dl=0

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒

Creating

Levels of Technology Integration:

☐ Infusion Level: Students may work at a higher Bloom’s Level, but they do not have any “Voice
or Choice” during the activity and most of the decisions are made by the teacher.

☒ Integration Level: We would like to see ALL lessons/activities reach this level. The project is
student-driven. Students have “Voice and Choice” in the activities, selecting the topic of study and
determining the technology tool to demonstrate mastery of the standard. The teacher becomes
more of a facilitator.

☐ Expansion Level: The projects created are shared outside of the classroom, publishing student
work and promoting authorship. This could be reached by showcasing the project on the school’s
morning newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog, or publishing via an outside source.

Goal:

Students will know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. The
students will associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five
major vowels. Likewise, students will be able to discover their own examples of words using long and
short vowel sounds.

Lesson idea and implementation:

Initially, the instructor and students will begin the lesson reviewing what the vowels are. The
instructor will write down the vowels on the White Board or on an Anchor Chart. The instructor will
ask the students if the vowels always make the same sound. Vowels do not always make the same
sound. Vowels make short and long sounds. The instructor will then explain when the vowel says its
name, then it is the long vowel sound. Then, the instructor will explain when the vowel does not say
its name. The instructor will explain to students that there is an audio book that they will listen to as a
class which helps us practice our long and short vowel sounds.

TFrazier, 2021
 Basic Productivity Tools (BPT)

Students will all view the audio book via the Basic Productivity Tool, PowerPoint. Students will learn
about long and short vowel sounds through a variety of examples for each vowel. As students are
viewing this presentation as a class, the instructor will pass out blank Story Board handouts.

After this presentation is viewed, students will be placed in groups of four students. These students
will all be assigned a vowel. (Some groups will overlap vowels.) Students will now write down their
vowel on the top of their Story Board handout that they all have. Attached is a sample Story Board.

Students will brainstorm in their groups different words that use their vowel. For example, if students
have the vowel, A, they may brainstorm words such as cat, bat, ate, wait, etc. Students will think of
two examples with short A sounds and two examples with long A sounds. Students will then be
instructed to draw their word on the box and write what the word is below the picture. All students
must be respectful of others’ ideas and come to a common consensus of the words chosen. The
instructor will be the facilitator of this discussion. They will repeat this step for all four pictures. This
will take the time of one English Language Arts lesson.

The next day, students will all be in their groups of four again. The group will collaborate and use the
Basic Productivity Tool of PowerPoint to create their very own audio book about their one vowel.
Students will be guided by the instructor to find an image of their word to put on their PowerPoint
slide and then add text to the slide with the word that corresponds to the picture. All students will be
able to contribute one word to the PowerPoint and have chance to work with the Basic Productivity
Tool. The instructor will walk around the room facilitating conversation and checking to ensure
students understand long and short vowel sounds. Once students have their four slides done, they will
submit this draft to their instructor.

Their instructor will create the voice over on their presentation. Then, the next day of school, in
English Language Arts, the instructor will allow time for all work to be presented in front of the class.

Students will use three full days of English Language Arts to become experts about one vowel but
understand the difference between short and long vowels overall. They are creating a presentation,
engaging them in the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

This activity truly reaches all learners. Students will be involved in the UDL principle of Engagement.
They will have individual choice and regulation as they can come up with original ideas for their
TFrazier, 2021
 Basic Productivity Tools (BPT)
vowel. In addition, this lesson also reached the Representation framework of UDL as well. This is due
to the inclusion of a visual and auditory component. Students will hear their instructor reading their
words, but students will also have visual representations of the words. Finally, this lesson also
contributed to the UDL principle of Action and Expression because students applied the media tool of
PowerPoint to express their learning. This lesson enhances learning for all students and allows them
to engage with Basic Productivity Tools.

Reflective Practice:

These activities positively impact student learning because it encourages their use of Basic
Productivity Tools even as early as first grade! I foresee students disagreeing on which words to use
in their audio book, but that will be resolved as each student has the freedom to choose one word to
include. Likewise, the instructor is the facilitator of this assignment which assists in the mediation of
disagreements.

TFrazier, 2021