Procedures:

1. Say: In order to become expert readers we need to learn the code that tells us how to pronounce words. We have already learned to read short vowel words with a, like cap, and e, like get, and today we are going to learn about short i and say its name, /i/. When I say /i/ I think of icky icky it’s too sticky syrup. [Show graphic image.]

2. Say: Before we learn about the spelling of /i/, we need to listen for it in some words. When I listen for /i/ in words, I hear i say its name /i/, and my lips open but my tongue stays on the bottom of my mouth. (Make a vocal gesture for /i/). I’ll show you first: fin. I heard i say its name and I felt my lips open but my tongue stay at the bottom of my mouth. There is a short i in the word fin. Now I’m going to see if it’s in bite. Hmm, I didn’t hear i say its name because my lips didn’t open and my tongue didn’t stay at the bottom of my mouth. Now you try. If you hear /i/ say, “Icky Icky It’s Too Sticky”. If you don’t hear /i/ say, “No ma’am that’s not it!.” Is it in chip, dime, dog, swim, hat? (Have children point to their mouths when they open and their tongue stays on the bottom if they feel /i/ say its name).

3. Say: Now let’s look at the spelling of /i/ that we’ll learn today. We spell /i/ with the letter “i”.  What if I want to spell the word fit?  “I am going to fit this into my backpack.” Fit means to fix or put something into place. To spell fit in the letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word, so I stretch it out and count: /f/ /i/ /t/. I need 3 boxes. I heard /i/ just before the /t/ so I’m going to put an i in the 2nd box. I hear that the word starts with /f/, which means I need to put an /f/ in the first box. I’m going to say it slowly now, /f/ /i/ /t/. I think One more, that means that /t/ goes in the last letterbox. When we combine them all, we get fit!

4. Say: Now I’m going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. Let’s start out with two letterboxes. Your first word is in. “We are in a school.” What should go in the first box? [Respond to children’s answers.] What goes in the second box? I’ll check your spelling while I walk around the room. [Observe progress.]  You’ll need three letterboxes for the next word. Listen to the beginning sound that goes in the first box. Then listen for /i/. Here’s the word: kit, I use my tool box kit; kit. [Allow children to spell words.] Time to check your work. Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board: k-i-t and see if you’ve spelling it the same way. Try another with three boxes: bit; I bit into the apple. [Have a volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work. Repeat this step for each new word.] Listen to see if this word has /i/ in it before you spell it: sad; I am mad because it is snowing outside. Did you hear our short vowel i? No, because we spell sad with short a. Next word. Let’s try spelling a word with four phonemes: gift; I received a gift for my birthday. One more then we’re done with spelling; and this time you need five boxes: split; I split my food with my friend at lunch.  Remember to stretch it out to get this tough word.

5. 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 tough word. [Display poster with split on the top and model reading the word.] First, I see there’s an i. I’m going to use a cover-up critter (colorful bendy wire stems with little googly eyes) to get the first part. [Uncover and blend sequentially before the vowel, then blend with the vowel.] /s//p/= /sp/. Now I’m going to blend that with /i/=/spi/. Now all I need I the end, /lt/= /split/. Split; that’s it. Now it’s your turn, everyone, together. [Have children read words in unison. Afterward, call on individuals to read one word on the list until everyone has had a turn.]

6. Say: You’ve done a great job and reading words with our new spelling for /i/: i. Now we are going to read a book called Slim Bill Gets a Hat. This story is about a crab named Bill who gets mad in the heat! Red fish Liz is nice enough to offer him her hat. You’ll have to read the rest of the story to find out if Liz’s hat fits Bill and if he can get out of the heat! Let’s pair up and read our new story. [Have children pair up and take turns reading alternate pages each while the teacher walks around the room monitoring progress. After individual pair reading, the class rereads Slim Bill Gets a Hat aloud together, and stops between page turns to discuss the plot.]

7. Say: That was a fun story. Did we find out if Liz’s hat fit Bill?  Yes, and he wasn’t hot anymore! Before we finish up our lesson on icky icky it’s too sticky /i/, I want to do an activity. Let’s do a worksheet about our icky icky it’s too sticky /i/ sound. To complete this worksheet, your job is to read the words and match the picture at the bottom with the word above. [Pass out assignment sheet and collect all worksheets when finished.]