Have students read the nursery rhymes aloud.Continuing to find inspiration in the work of Virginia Lee Burton, Munro Leaf and other illustrators of the past, Long ( The Little Engine That Could, 2005) offers an aw-shucks friendship tale that features a small but hardworking tractor (“putt puff puttedy chuff”) with a Little Toot–style face and a big-eared young descendant of Ferdinand the bull who gets stuck in deep, gooey mud. Then, have them scroll down to find the nursery rhymes and select 'Jack and Jill' for /ow/ as in now and 'Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary' for /ow/ as in grow. Have students find and read the two lists for the ow word family. Ask students which sound bow would make in the sentence, 'The package was wrapped with a big, red _.' Then, 'After the concert, the singer took a _.' Explain that sometimes you must read the whole sentence to know which sound to use in the word.īookmark the website Word Families in Nursery Rhymes. The only way to tell which sound is correct is by how the word is used in the sentence. Explain that this word can be pronounced with either the sound in now or the sound in grow. Next, on the overhead, make the word bow. Continue, dictating the words low, glow, mow, show, snow, crow, and tow, having students use their letters to make the words. Ask students what vowel sound they hear in grow (long /o/ sound). Using the overhead letter tiles, make the word grow. Students may need additional help with the er ending in the word flower.Įxplain that sometimes ow stands for a different sound. You might also have them use the new word in a sentence to reinforce vocabulary.

Always have students read the new word after making it. Have students read the word, and possibly write the word in their journal or personal dictionary.Ĭontinue, dictating the words cow, plow, town, brown, frown, clown, and flower. Now, what two letters make the /ow/ sound? What's the ending sound?' (Have students place their letters as you demonstrate). What's the first sound you hear? That's right, /d/. Using the overhead projector and overhead letter tiles, demonstrate the word now, explaining that the vowel combination ow often stands for the sound in now.ĭistribute letter tiles or squares to individuals or pairs of students, and ask them to follow along with you through a few sample exercises. Now put your head down.'Īsk students what common sound they hear in the words flower, now, and down. Chud said, 'Thank you for sharing that with us, Victoria. Read aloud Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.Īfter reading the book, remind students that Chrysanthemum was named after a flower and that every time Victoria said something bad about Chrysanthemum's name, Mrs.

Chrysanthemum kevin