Module 4: Short o- Language Arts 1 - Course Guide


Module Overview:

In this module, learners will focus on the short /o/ vowel sound, learning to recognize the letter Oo and the sound it makes. They will practice building and decoding simple CVC words with the short /o/ sound, like dog and top, by blending and segmenting phonemes. Learners will also develop skills in identifying syllables by clapping or tapping out parts of words. As they read stories, they will practice finding important details and distinguishing which parts are key to understanding the story. Learners will explore possessive nouns and how they show ownership. Additionally, learners will work on recognizing rhyming words with the short /o/ sound and practice changing the beginning and ending sounds of words to form new words. By the end of the module, learners will be more confident decoding words and understanding stories with the short /o/ vowel sound.


Module Materials:

Lesson # Lesson Title Material(s)
1 4.1 Short o Spelling Notebook
Handwriting Notebook
Journal Notebook
Words of the Week Notebook
crayons or colored pencils (assorted colors)
Sound Notebook
scissors
glue
2 4.2 Short o Handwriting Notebook
Journal Notebook
scissors
glue
modeling clay
3 4.3 Short o Handwriting Notebook
Spelling Notebook
Journal Notebook
sensory bag (sand or other material, sealable plastic bag)
scissors
glue
red crayon
4 4.4 Short o Handwriting Notebook
Spelling Notebook
Journal Notebook
crayons or colored pencils (assorted colors)
5 4.5 Short o Handwriting Notebook
Spelling Notebook
Journal Notebook
6 pieces of paper or notecards
sticky notes

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 4.1 Short o
  1. Distinguish the initial phoneme in words with the short o vowel sound.
  2. Identify the letter Oo and tell the letter sound.
  3. Define possessive noun.
  4. Identify key details of a text.
2 4.2 Short o
  1. Identify the syllables in a word.
  2. Construct CVC words with the middle /o/ phoneme.
  3. Analyze the details of a story to determine if they are important to the story.
3 4.3 Short o
  1. Identify short /o/ rhyming words.
  2. Recognize the phonemes to decode CVC words with the middle /o/ phoneme.
  3. Distinguish the initial and final phonemes of a word.
4 4.4 Short o
  1. Distinguish syllables in words by segmenting.
  2. Formulate CVC short o words by decoding.
  3. Distinguish the important details in a story.
5 4.5 Short o
  1. Construct words by modifying the initial and final syllables in a word.
  2. Recite sentences containing short o CVC words.

Module Key Words:

Key Words Words of the Week Spelling Words Vocabulary Words
phoneme: /o/; grapheme: o; possessive nouns; key details
syllables
key details
possessive nouns
phoneme: /o/
grapheme: o
decoding
ask
how
stop
hurt
at
top
mop
hot
doll
log
got
ham
jam
pin
did
freezing
bolt
focus
steep
worried

Module Assignments:

Lesson # Lesson Title Page # Assignment Title
2 4.2 Short o 4 Word Building
3 4.3 Short o 7 Vocabulary
4 4.4 Short o 10 Grammar


Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 4.1 Short o In this lesson, your learner will be introduced to the short /o/ sound. New spelling words will follow this phonics pattern, and review spelling words will follow previous modules’ phonics patterns. Students will also practice finding context clues to define new tier II vocabulary words in a text. Throughout the day, point out words that begin with the /o/ sound and encourage your learner to find more words with that sound. Point out details in stories that you read together and talk about what the detail adds to the story, whether it is information or description. Possessive nouns can be an abstract concept for first graders. It is important for them to understand the difference between the plural and possessive forms of nouns. Ask your learner: what belongs to who? For more concrete practice, have your child write nouns and the object they possess. Then, have them add a piece of elbow macaroni (as an apostrophe) and an s to make the noun possessive.
2 4.2 Short o To help learners identify syllables, try clapping or tapping hands as they say words aloud. Choose simple words and ask them to count how many parts or beats they hear. For example, rabbit has two syllables: rab-bit. For constructing CVC words with the middle /o/ sound, say the sounds slowly (e.g., /c/ - /o/ - /p/) and have the learner blend them to say cop. Use picture cards or objects to make this interactive and fun. When reading stories together, pause to talk about the details. Ask your learner which parts of the story are important and why. You can say, “Is this part important to the story? Why do you think so?” This helps build skills in understanding and analyzing key information.
3 4.3 Short o In this lesson, your learner will practice decoding short /o/ words. If your learner is struggling with decoding, it may be helpful to write the individual graphemes on cards and go through each sound before blending them. Once your learner can decode the words independently, you can practice reading fluently and with automaticity. Repeated readings of decodable texts can provide this practice. To reinforce the ideas of key details, ask questions about what your learner is reading and ask if a detail helps them understand the story.
4 4.4 Short o While reading aloud with your learner, point out key details and other details in the story. Compare the level of importance to the story of key details and other, less significant details. Help your learner to distinguish between key details and other details. Practice retelling the story using a few sentences that include key details. Encourage your learner to manipulate the beginning and end phonemes in CVC words. Give your learner CVC words with the short /o/ sound, like the word cob. Then, ask your child what words they could make if they replace the c or the b. You can practice possessive nouns by giving your learner a short phrase describing something that belongs to a noun like the cheese belongs to the mouse. Then, have your learner rephrase it to use a possessive noun: the mouse's cheese.
5 4.5 Short o As your learner becomes better at decoding short words, it is important to practice the words repeatedly to promote fluency. It is also a good idea to review the Words of the Week often because these words appear often in the sentences that students will read. Write the words on flashcards and have your learner practice decoding these words. Mark the parts they need to learn by heart by drawing a heart around those graphemes. If your learner struggles with modifying words with multiple syllables, give some additional practice segmenting multisyllabic words into syllables. As your learner becomes stronger in segmenting syllables, you can prompt them to modify the syllables. Have your learner practice writing possessive nouns. Say a sentence like The candy belongs to the boy. Have your learner rephrase it to make a possessive noun: the boy’s candy. Finally, when reading a story aloud with your learner, ask questions about the key details in the text.

Module Guiding Questions:

When a student starts a lesson ask them questions to check for prior knowledge and understanding and to review concepts being taught. At the end of the lesson ask the questions again to see if their answer changes.

Lesson Title Question
4.1 Short o
  1. What are key details?
4.2 Short o
  1. Why are key details important?

Module Video Questions:

When a student watches a video take time to ask them questions about what they watched. Suggested questions for the videos in this module are listed here. Suggestion: Have the student watch the entire video first all the way through. Then have them watch the video a second time, as they watch it pause the video and ask the questions.

Lesson Title Video Question

Module Suggested Read Aloud Books:

Take time to read to your student or have them read aloud to you. Read a different book each day. While reading the book point out concepts being taught. You may purchase these books or find them at your local library. Suggested things to discuss while reading the book:

  • What is the main idea?
  • What are three things new you learned?
  • How does this book relate to what you are learning about?

# Book Author Lexile Level
1 Octopus Escapes Again! Laurie Ellen Angus AD650L
2 Red, Stop! Green, Go! P.D. Eastman
3 Frog on a Log? Kes Gray
4 The Frog Who Lost His Croak Toni William
5 Go, Dog Go P.D. Eastman 240L
6 Hop on Pop Dr. Seuss 190L


Module Outing:

Take some time to apply what your student is learning to the real world. Suggested outings are below.

# Outing
1 Go on a nature walk in search of frogs or visit a nature center.