TICK! tOCK! SAYS THE cLOCK!
Rationale: This lesson teaches children about the consonant digraph ck = /k. In order to be able to read, children must learn to recognize the spellings that map word pronunciations. In this lesson children will learn to recognize, spell, and read words containing the spelling ck. They will learn a meaningful representation (“tick, tock” goes the clock), they will spell and read words containing this spelling in a Letterbox lesson, and read a decodable book that focuses on the correspondence ck = /k/.
Materials: Graphic image of a clock ticking; cover-up critter; whiteboard or smartboard Elkonin boxes for modeling and individual Elkonin boxes for each student; letter manipulatives for each child and magnetic or smartboard letters for teacher: s, t, a, c, k, p, e, l, o, d, u, i, b; list of spelling words on poster or whiteboard to read: stack, peck, clock, duck, stick, back; decodable text: The Stuck Truck, and piece of primary paper for assessment.
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 words with c, like cat, and k, like kit, and today we are going to learn about the sound that c and k make when you put them together! When I say /k/ I think of a clock, going “Tick, Tock! Tick Tock!” [show graphic image].
2. Say: Before we learn about the spelling of /k/, we need to listen to it in some words. When I listen for /k/ in words, I hear ck says the sound /k/ and my mouth opens like this. [Make vocal gesture for /k/.] I’ll show you first: stack. I heard ck make the ticcckkk tocccckkk sound and felt my tongue hit the roof of my mouth and my lips push forward. There is a ck = /k/ in stack. Now Now you try. If you hear /k/ say, “Tick Tock!” If you don’t hear /k/ say, “That’s not it.” Is it in clock, duck, stick, and black? [Have children touch their tongue on the roof of their mouth and move their lips forward when they feel /k/ say its name.]
3. Say: Now let’s look at the spelling of /k/ that we’ll learn today. One way to spell /k/ is by using a c or k separately. Today, we are going to spell it by using these two letters together! What if I want to spell the word stack? “I needed to stack the papers for my teacher.” Stack means place on top of one another in this sentence. To spell stack in letterboxes, first I need to know how many phonemes I have in the word so I stretch it out and count: /s//t//a//k/. I need 4 boxes. I heard the c and the k but I heard them together, so I will put them in a box together. The word starts with /s/, that’s easy; I need an s. Now it gets a little tricky so I’m going to say it slowly, /s//t//a//k/. I think I heard /t/ so I’ll put a t right after the s. One more before the /k/, hmm . . . /s//t//a//k/, I think I heard /a/ so I need an a. I have one empty box now. [Point to letters in boxes when stretching out the word: /s//t//a//k/.] The missing one is /k/ = ck.
4. Say: Now I’m going to have you spell some words in letterboxes. You’ll start out easy with three boxes for back. Back can be a part of your body, or the opposite of the word front, “My back was hurting after I lifted a weight.” What should go in the first box? [Respond to children’s answers]. What goes in the third box? What about the ck, did you remember to put it together in the last box? I’ll check your spelling while I walk around the room. [Observe progress.] You’ll need four letterboxes for the next word. Listen for the beginning sound that goes in the first box. Then listen for /k/ and don’t forget to put the c and the k together. Here’s the word: stick, I found a stick outside; stick. [Allow children to spell words.] Time to check your work. Watch how I spell it in my letterboxes on the board: s-t-i-ck and see if you’ve spelled it the same way. Try another with four boxes: clock; I need a clock to tell the time. [Have volunteer spell it in the letterbox on the front board for children to check their work. Repeat this step for each new word.] Next word. Listen to see if this word has /k/ in it before you spell it: rock; be careful when you climb on the rock. Did you need a c and k? Right, because we hear the /k/ in the name. Did you remember to spell /k/ with a ck? Now let’s try 3 phonemes again: peck; the bird would peck the lady if he got mad. One more then we’re done with spelling, and this time you need four boxes: black; When I draw the night sky, I use the color black. 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 black on the top and model reading the word.] First I see there’s a ck on the end; that’s my signal that the word will make the Tick Tock noise. I’m going to use a cover-up to get the first part. [Uncover and blend sequentially before the vowel, then blend with the vowel.] /b//l/ = /bl/ + /a/ = /bla/. Now I’m going to blend that with /k/ = /blak/. black; that’s it. Now it’s your turn, everyone together. [Have children read words in unison. Afterwards, call on individuals to read one word on the list until everyone has had a turn.] b l a c k.
6. Say: You’ve done a great job and reading words with our new spelling for ck = /k/. Now we are going to read a book called The Stuck Truck. This is a story of a big truck who strays away from the others and gets stuck in some sticky mud, what will he do to escape?. Let’s pair up and take turns reading The Stuck Truck to find out what the truck does to escape. [Children pair up and take turns reading alternate pages each while teacher walks around the room monitoring progress. After individual paired reading, the class rereads The Stuck Truck aloud together, and stops between page turns to discuss the plot.] 7. Say: That was a fun story. What happened to the big truck? Right, he had left the other trucks and got stuck. What did he do to escape? Right, the animals helped him. Before we finish up with our lesson about one way to spell /k/ = ck, I want to see how many words you can notice have ck = /k/ in them? I am going to call you up to my desk, individually and read some words to you. I want you to decide which of the words have the /k/=ck in them! I will be grading how many you get right!
​
​