Skill Building

Lesson Plans for TO THE CIRCUS Level K

Building Skills

Phonics
Variant Vowel long /o/
Have students look on page 3 to find two words that have long /o/. When students have found the words, write knows and nose on the board. Discuss the two spellings of the long /o/ sound. Challenge students to find other examples of long /o/ words in the story: know, home, go, so, don’t, show, over, told. Write these on the board next to knows and nose and discuss their spellings. Have students brainstorm a list of words with long o. Have them tell you under which word you should write the words, according to their spellings. Discuss which seems to be the most common spelling of long /o/. Remind students that words can have one of these spellings but not be long /o/. As an example, point out the word some on page 8.

Word Work

Contractions
Have students turn to page 4 and reread the last sentence on the page. Point out the word couldn't and remind students that this is a contraction. It is made up of two other words. Ask students what the two words are (could, not) and write them on the chalkboard. Then show students how the apostrophe replaces the o to make the word couldn't. Have students find other examples of contractions in the text: I'm, didn't, don't, can't, you'll. Have them tell you what two words make up each contraction. Give out worksheet 2 and have students write in the two words that make up the contractions listed and provide the contractions for the second set of words.

Homophones
Write the words nose and knows on the board and have students read them. Explain that there are some words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Have students tell you the meanings of these two words. Then have students turn to page 4 and read the last sentence. Highlight the word wait and ask students what it means in this sentence. Ask them to think of another word that is pronounced the same but has a different meaning and is spelled differently (weight). Give students worksheet 2 and have them write another word or words for each that is spelled differently and has a different meaning. The word list is taken from the book, and the page number is provided for students to use as a reference.

Content Words
Create a topic web on the subject of the circus. Refer to the list made prior to reading. Have students look through the book to find words that relate to the topic of the circus and add them to the web. Talk about the meaning of each word and its importance to the topic of the circus. Then have students brainstorm other circus words to add to the web. They may suggest: hoop, high wire, camel, juggler, stilts, big top, tiger, horses, etc. Have them refer to the web when they do the writing activity.

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Word Work

Contractions
Have students turn to page 4 and reread the last sentence on the page. Point out the word couldn't and remind students that this is a contraction. It is made up of two other words. Ask students what the two words are (could, not) and write them on the chalkboard. Then show students how the apostrophe replaces the o to make the word couldn't. Have students find other examples of contractions in the text: I'm, didn't, don't, can't, you'll. Have them tell you what two words make up each contraction. Give out worksheet 2 and have students write in the two words that make up the contractions listed and provide the contractions for the second set of words.

Homophones
Write the words nose and knows on the board and have students read them. Explain that there are some words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Have students tell you the meanings of these two words. Then have students turn to page 4 and read the last sentence. Highlight the word wait and ask students what it means in this sentence. Ask them to think of another word that is pronounced the same but has a different meaning and is spelled differently (weight). Give students worksheet 2 and have them write another word or words for each that is spelled differently and has a different meaning. The word list is taken from the book, and the page number is provided for students to use as a reference.

Content Words
Create a topic web on the subject of the circus. Refer to the list made prior to reading. Have students look through the book to find words that relate to the topic of the circus and add them to the web. Talk about the meaning of each word and its importance to the topic of the circus. Then have students brainstorm other circus words to add to the web. They may suggest: hoop, high wire, camel, juggler, stilts, big top, tiger, horses, etc. Have them refer to the web when they do the writing activity.