Beginning Reading with a Bee!

Rationale: This lesson teaches students about the long vowel correspondence ee=/E/. During this lesson, children will learn how to recognize, spell, and read words containing the correspondence ee=/E/. I will present a fun presentation and use the demonstration of a bee. They will spell and read words containing this spelling from a Letterbox Lesson and read a decodable book that focuses on the correspondence ee=/E/.

Materials: Graphic image of bee, cover-up critter, whiteboard or smartboard, flashcards with the letters of the alphabet, and a poster with spelling words : feet, tree, see, glee, sheep. The decodable book we will use is Lee and the Team and we will follow with an assessment worksheet ( https://www.greatschools.org/gk/worksheets/vowel-sound-ee/ ).

Procedures:

Say: Today we are going to be learning about the long vowel E sound. In some words, there are two e’s right beside each other (show example of “ee” on board). When we have two “e” friends, we still make the long vowel “e” sound. We have already learned the short vowel “e” sound like in the words hen and jet. When I think of two e’s beside each other, I think of a bumble bee! (Show image of bee).
Say: Before we learn about ee, we need to hear it in some words. When we say the letter “e”, we open our lips and our teeth to make the sound. I’ll show you first, then you show me! (Demonstrate how to move your mouth and produce the letter e sound.) Great job! Now when we have two letter e’s beside each other, we hold our sound longer. Let’s hold our letter “e” sound for a little bit longer this time! (Demonstrate holding the letter “e” sounds longer and point to writing of “ee” on board to time how long to say both of the letters together). Now let's listen for the letter “ee” sound in these words: seed, hat, three, apple, desk, cheese, sneeze. (Have students give thumbs up or thumbs down if they hear the “ee” sound).
Say: Now let’s look at the spelling of “ee”. Do you see two letter e’s? (Wait for response) Yes! We have a pair of letter “e” friends. We already learned how to write the letter e, so just add another one to make two. Let’s spell out the word bee. Ready set go! /B/e/e/. Let’s do another word: deep. /D/e/e/p/. Great job!
Say: We are going to read some of the words that are on the board. Let’s start with the first word- flee. F/l/e/e. I spy two e’s together which means it makes the long e sound! Let’s spell it together and read again out loud! (Spell f-l-e-e and then read it together as “flee”). Let’s do another word- beep. B/e/e/p/. I see two e’s together which means what class? (Wait for response of “ee” sound). Great! Let’s say it together now, (Say “Beep” with an emphasis on the ‘ee’ sound).
Say: You all have done a fantastic job with reading words and learning how to spell ee=/E/. Now we are going to read our book called Lee and the Team. This story is about Lee and his baseball team. Lee finds a bee while sitting in the weeds. Let’s pair up and take turns reading to find out what happens to Lee and the bee! (Students pair up and take turns reading alternate pages while the teacher walks around to supervise the reading of the story. After the completion of the book, the teacher will guide the class in reading it together and stopping to discuss the points and “ee” words in the book).
Say: That was a great story, right? If it wasn’t for the bee, the team would have been late to the game. Where were all of Lee’s teammates again? Right, under a tree until they had to flee from the bee. Before we finish our lesson today, I am going to pass out a worksheet of the sounds we learned today. I want you to complete the assignment on your own, but please raise your hand if you have any questions. I will be by to collect them when you are finished.

Letterbox Lesson

words we use are : bat, kite, tree, hut, bee, cake, meet

Resources:

Murray, G. (2004) Lee and the Team.pdf

Geiger, Anna (2013) https://www.themeasuredmom.com/spelling-long-e-lesson-plan-free-printables/

Assessment : https://www.greatschools.org/gk/worksheets/vowel-sound-ee/