• Introduce and expose students to the r-controlled /ur/ sound, as in the words term, dirt, and curl.
• Build oral comprehension skills.
• Model fluent reading.

Story Summary
Mr. Irwin gets into trouble when his first-grade class takes field trips. He falls into the water at the lake and accidentally enters the arena at the circus. By the end of the story, Mr. Irwin is delighted to take them on his favorite field trip—to the library. 

Build Background
Ask students to share the types of field trips they have taken with their class. Invite them to share what they did and saw on these trips. Ask if anything unusual or funny ever happened on a field trip. 

Preview the Book
Read the title and ask students to identify the sound at the beginning of the word Irwin's. Explain that you will read a story aloud that has many words with the
r-controlled /ur/ sound, as in the word dirt. Have students say the r-controlled /ur/ sound. 

Write Irwin's on the board. Read the word aloud to students. Have a volunteer come to the board and circle the letters that stand for the r-controlled /ur/ sound in the word. Remind students that the letters i and r together stand for the r-controlled /ur/ sound. Write the words her and turn on the board. Read each word aloud to students. Have a volunteer come to the board and circle the letters that stand for the r-controlled /ur/ sound in each word. Remind students that the er, ir, and ur letter combinations all stand for the r-controlled /ur/ sound. 

Open the book and show students the illustrations on each page. Ask them to identify any words with the r-controlled /ur/ sound from the pictures. Invite students to predict what the story might be about. 

During Reading
Read the story aloud with expression, emphasizing the r-controlled /ur/ sound in the words. Ask students to clap their hands each time they hear the r-controlled /ur/ sound. Point out that they might hear the r-controlled /ur/ sound at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the word. 

Allow students to ask questions during reading. Pause occasionally to ask students to predict what might happen next. 

After Reading
Reader Response
Have students explain whether the book is fiction or nonfiction. Invite them to summarize the story and/or describe their favorite part. 

Comprehension
Ask specific questions that allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the book.

• Why was the library Mr. Irwin's favorite field trip?
• Why did Mr. Irwin tell his students that they were at the lake to observe and not disturb?
• How did Mr. Irwin end up in the circus arena?