Closed Syllables with Blends
Lesson Four
Closed Syllables
with Blends
Initial consonant blends
Final consonant blends
Initial and final consonant blends
Contents:
Lesson Plan Overview
 Detailed Lesson Plan

DO NOT COPY
4.1
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
4
Lesson Plan Overview

Connection Piece Map………………………………………………..….….page 4.4

Review…………………………………………………………………………..page 4.5
- Reading Sounds:
all short vowel connection pieces: i, e, a, u, o, y (/i/)
consonant connection pieces: b, d, k, f, gh (/f/, /g/), th, (/th/,/th/), z,
ch (/ch/, /k/, /sh/), r, w, wh, n, ng, y (/yu/)
-
Reading Syllables:
hip, ship, tip, tap, lap, lash, lush, hush, hash, have
boss, toss, loss, moss, mess, chess
-
Spelling Sounds:
all short vowel sounds: /i/ (i, y), /e/, /a/, /u/, /o/
consonant sounds: /p/, /t/, /k/ (k, c, ch), /g/ (g, gh), /f/ (f, ff, ph, gh), /v/,
/s/ (s, ss), /j/, /l/ (l, ll), /m/, /r/ (r, wr), /h/, /n/ (n, kn), /nk/, /kw/ (qu), /ks/
(x)
-
Spelling Syllables:
up, cup, cups, caps, cap, cash, sash, sap, sip, lip, lips
buzz, fuzz, fizz, fill, fell, bell, tell, sell

New Ideas!……………………………………………………………………page 4.8
- Initial Consonant Blends: cl, fl, bl, br, dr, cr, fr, gr, tr, pr, sl, pl, sm, sn, st, sp, sk
- Final Consonant Blends: mp, nd, sk, ft, nt, lf, lp, st, lt
- Initial and Final Consonant Blends: stand, cramp, brand

Tracking………………………………………………………………………page 4.12
- Reading Sounds:
all short vowel connection pieces: i, e, a, u, o, y
consonant connection pieces: p, t, c, g, ph, v, s (/s/, /z/), ch (/ch/, /k/, /sh/),
r, w, wh, n, ng, y (/yu/)
-
Reading Syllables:
trim, trip, trap, tram, cram, cramp, ramp, ram, rum, drum
sad, sand, land, lend, send, end, and, an
amp, tamp, stamp, stump, sump, lump, hump, bump, pump
DO NOT COPY
4.2
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
4
-
Spelling Sounds:
all short vowel sounds: /i/ (i, y), /e/, /a/, /u/, /o/
consonant sounds: /b/, /d/, /k/ (k, c, ch), /f/ (f, ff, ph, gh), /th/, /z/ (z, zz, x,
s), /j/, /l/ (l,ll), /r/ (r, wr), /h/, /m/, /n/ (n, kn), /nk/, /kw/ (qu), /ks/ (x)
-
Spelling Syllables:
slap, slop, stop, top, tops, tips, pits
tap, lap, clap, clip, clips, lips, lisp, list
mask, mast, mist, must, musk, tusk, husk

Word Sorting………………………………………………………………...page 4.15

Spelling Dictation…………………………………………………………...page 4.16
ask, clap, skip, sand, mask, clip, stump, stem, lend, steps

Reading in Context………………………………………………………….page 4.17
- Sight Words:
friend, does, were, her
-
Contractions: (optional)
I’ve, isn’t, haven’t, won’t
-
Homonyms: (optional)
you/ewe

Writing………………………………………...………………………………...page 4.22

Seatwork/Homework Assignments…………………..…………….………page 4.23
DO NOT COPY
4.3
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
Detailed Lesson Plan
Connection Piece Map:
Set up the connection pieces
as shown.
p
b
t
k
d
g
i
e
c
f
ph
s
gh
z
v
th
sh
ch
a
u
j
o
l
r
wr
m
n
kn
ff
ll
ss
w
ng
zz
h
nk
wh
y
ve
y
qu
s
x
Hint
There are no new
pieces for this lesson.
Use pieces already
introduced to create
the following blends.
Initial:
cl, fl, bl, br, dr, cr, fr,
gr, tr, pr, sl, pl, sm,
sn, st, sp, sk.
Final:
mp, nd, sk, ft, nt, lf,
lp, st, lt
DO NOT COPY
4.4
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
4
Review: Do a quick check on your student’s progress to
identify problems with discrete sounds or syllables.




Reading Sounds
Reading Syllables
Spelling Sounds
Spelling Syllables
5 Minutes
Quickly review material and homework from the last session to identify any problems the
student may be having with discrete sounds or syllables.
Review Reading Sounds
As you point to each connection piece, have the student make its sound.
Instructor points to the connection piece ‘p’ and says:
What sound does this connection piece make?
The student makes the sound /p/.
Repeat the process for:
Instructor points to connection piece
and student makes its sound

all short vowel connection pieces: i, e, a, u, o, y

consonant connection pieces: b, d, k, f, gh (/f/, /g/), th, (/th/,/th/), z, ch (/ch/, /k/, /sh/),
r, w, wh, n, ng, y (/yu/)
DO NOT COPY
4.5
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
Review Reading Syllables
Please refer to Methodology, page M.3, for details on chains and tracking.
Use the connection pieces on the board to make a simple word and have the student tell you
what it says.
As you move each connection piece into place, ask the student to make its sound. When the
word is complete, have the student repeat the individual sounds and then say the word.
Example:
The instructor places the connection piece ‘h’ on the board and the student says /h/,
then the connection piece ‘i’ is placed on the board and the student says /i/
and then ‘p’ is placed on the board and the student says /p/.
The students says /h/, /i/, /p/, and reads the word ‘hip’.
Continue the process with the following chains:


hip, ship, tip, tap, lap, lash, lush, hush, hash, have
boss, toss, loss, moss, mess, chess
DO NOT COPY
4.6
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
Review Spelling Sounds
Ask the student to find connection pieces that correspond to certain sounds.
Find /i/ for me.
The student should point to all of the connection pieces that represent that sound (‘i’ and ‘y’)
if alternate sounds have been taught.
Instructor makes sound and
student points to the correct piece(s)
Repeat the process for:

all short vowels sounds: /i/ (i, y), /e/, /a/, /u/, /o/

the consonant sounds: /p/, /t/, /k/ (k, c, ch), /g/(g, gh), /f/ (f, ff, ph, gh), /v/, /s/ (s,
ss), /j/, /l/ (l, ll), /m/, /r/ (r,wr), /h/, /n/ (n, kn), /nk/, /kw/ (qu), /ks/ (x)

Review Spelling Syllables
Ask the student to build a specific word using the connection pieces on the board.
Build the word ‘up’.
As the student places the connection pieces ‘u’ and ‘p’ on the board, she says their individual
sounds. She then reads the word ‘up’.
Continue the process with the following chains:


up, cup, cups, caps, cap, cash, sash, sap, sip, lip, lips
buzz, fuzz, fizz, fill, fell, bell, tell, sell
DO NOT COPY
4.7
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
New Ideas!
4
The concepts introduced in this section are
new to the student and provide a focus for the rest of the work
in this chapter.



10 Minutes
Initial consonant blends
Final consonant blends
Initial and final consonant blends together
Initial Consonant Blends
1. Introduce the concept of consonant blends.
Sometimes two individual consonant sounds blend or work smoothly together.
Place the connection pieces ‘f’ and ‘l’ on the board. Point to each connection piece and
give the sound.
This piece ‘f’ says /f/ and this piece ‘l’ says /l/. Together they say /fl/.
Add the connection pieces ‘a’ and ‘p’ to the ‘f’ and the ‘l’
to spell the word ‘flap’.
They are a blend because they work smoothly together
as in the word ‘flap’.
2. Introduce all the consonant blends. Place the connection
pieces together on the board to make the blends.
We are going to talk about some common blends.
They are: cl, fl, bl, br, dr, cr, fr, gr, tr, pr, sl, pl,
sm, sn, st, sp, sk,
Walk through each blend with the student following a
pattern.
This piece ‘c’ says /k/ and this piece ‘l’ says /l/.
Together ‘cl’ says /kl/.
Have the student repeat the process you have
demonstrated, articulating the sounds herself.
DO NOT COPY
4.8
Hint
Stick with two letter
blends at first. Don’t
introduce three letter
blends like ‘spr’ in
‘spring’ yet.
It’s not necessary to
present all the blends
at this time to younger
students.
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
3. Introduce initial consonant blends.
Sometimes we find a consonant blend at the beginning of a word, or at the end of a
word. Sometimes we even find them at both the beginning and the end!
I am going to show you some words that have blends at the beginning.
4. Make a word with an initial blend. Place the connection pieces ‘c’, ‘l’, ‘a’ and ‘p’ on the
board. As you point to each symbol, say the individual sounds.
Notice that in this word, there are two individual consonant sounds at the
beginning. They are the sounds /k/ and /l/. Blended together they make the sound
/kl/. The word is /kl/ /a/ /p/, ‘clap’.
Say the sounds again, this time emphasizing the /kl/ blend at the beginning.
Listen again: /kl/ /a/ /p/. I have blended the /k/ and /l/ together to make the sound
/kl/. The word is ‘clap’.
Continue this process with the following words:

flop, blot, bran, dress, crush, fresh, grass, trim, press, slap, plum,
smell, sniff, stop, spill, skill
DO NOT COPY
4.9
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
4
Final Consonant Blends
1. Introduce the concept of final consonant blends.
We know that two consonants can blend together to make a smooth sound and that
some words have a blend at the beginning. Let’s talk about blends at the end of
words.
They are: ‘mp’, ‘nd’, ‘sk’, ‘ft’, ‘nt’, ‘lf’, ‘lp’, ‘st’, ‘lt’
2. Make a word with a final blend. Place the connection pieces ‘a’, ‘s’ and ‘k’ on the board.
As you point to each symbol, say the individual sounds.
In this word, there are two consonants at the end. They are ‘s’ and ‘k’. The word
is /a/ /s/ /k/.
Say the sounds again, this time emphasizing the /sk/ blend at the end.
Listen again: /a/ /sk/. I have blended the /s/ and /k/ together to make the sound /sk/.
The word is ‘ask’.
Continue this process with the following words:

ask, imp, and, ant, elf, help, last, gift, felt
DO NOT COPY
4.10
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
Initial and Final Consonant Blends
1. Introduce the concept of initial and final consonant blends together.
We know that two individual consonant sounds can blend together to make a
smooth sound. We also know that blends can be found at the beginning and at the
end of words. Guess what? Some words have blends at the beginning AND at the
end.
2. Make a word that has a blend at the beginning and at the end. Place the connection
pieces for the word ‘stamp’ on the board. Point to each connection piece as you say the
sounds /s/ /t/ /a/ /m/ /p/.
Point to each blend as you identify them.
The blend at the beginning of the word is /st/.
The blend at the end of the word is /mp/.
The word is /st/ /a/ /mp/: ‘stamp’.
Continue this process with the following words until a number of words have been
demonstrated which have blends at the beginning and at the end of the words:

clamp, flask, blend, drift, frost, grant
DO NOT COPY
4.11
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
4
Tracking: Critical practice of the new concept where your student
manipulates sounds and syllables.




Reading Sounds
Reading Syllables
Spelling Sounds
Spelling Syllables
10 Minutes
Tracking Reading Sounds
As you point to each connection piece, have the student make its sound.
The instructor points to the connection piece ‘l’ and says:
What sound does this letter make?
The student makes the sound /l/.
Repeat the process for:
Instructor points to connection piece
and student makes its sound

all short vowel connection pieces: i, e, a, u, o, y

consonant connection pieces: p, t, c, g, ph, v, s (/s/, /z/), ch (/ch/, /k/, /sh/), r, w, wh,
n, ng, y (/yu/)
DO NOT COPY
4.12
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
Tracking Reading Syllables
Please refer to Methodology, page M.3, for details on chains and tracking.
Use the connection pieces on the board to make a simple one-syllable word and have the
student tell you what it says.
As you move each connection piece into place, ask the student to make its sound. When the
word is complete, have the student repeat the individual sounds and then say the word.
Example:
The instructor places the connection piece ‘t’ on the board and the student says /t/,
the connection piece ‘r’ is placed on the board and the student says /r /,
the connection piece ‘i’ is placed on the board and the student says /i/
and the final piece ‘m’ is placed and the student says /m/.
She then blends the ‘t’ and ‘r’ together and says /tr/, /i/, /m/ and reads the word ‘trim’.
Draw your student’s attention to the blend at the beginning of the word: /tr/.
Continue the process with the following chains:



trim, trip, trap, tram, cram, cramp, ramp, ram, rum, drum
sad, sand, land, lend, send, end, and, an
amp, tamp, stamp, stump, sump, lump, hump, bump, pump
DO NOT COPY
4.13
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
Tracking Spelling Sounds
Ask the student to find connection pieces that correspond to certain sounds.
Find /b/ for me.
The student should point to all of the connection pieces that represent that sound (‘b’).
Instructor makes sound and
student points to the correct piece(s)
Repeat the process for:

all short vowel sounds: /i/ (i, y), /e/, /a/, /u/, /o/

the consonant sounds: /b/, /d/, /k/ (k, c, ch), /f/ (f, ff, ph, gh), /th/, /z/ (z, zz, x,
s), /j/, /l/ (l,ll), /r/ (r, wr), /h/, /m/, /n/ (n, kn), /nk/, /kw/ (qu), /ks/ (x)
(This list includes new sounds, as well as sounds from the previous lesson.)
Tracking Spelling Syllables
Ask the student to build a specific word using the connection pieces on the board.
Build the word ‘slap’.
The student places ‘s’, ‘l’, ‘a’ and ‘p’ on the board, blends ‘s’ and ‘l’ together and sounds
out the word /sl/, /a/, /p/ and says the word ‘slap’.
Draw your student’s attention to the /sl/ blend.
Continue the process with the following chains:



slap, slop, stop, top, tops, tips, pits
tap, lap, clap, clip, clips, lips, lisp, list
mask, mast, mist, must, musk, tusk, husk
DO NOT COPY
4.14
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
Word Sorting:
Your student will recognize a variety
of word similarities by comparing and classifying the
features they have in common.
5 Minutes
Please refer to Methodology, page M.27, for detailed directions on Word Sorts.
Have the student sort words on the Word Sorting Handout at the end of this chapter.
Lesson Four
Word Sorting
Match the words with the sounds.
/cl/
/sk/
/nd/
/st/
stud, send, task, cloth, skit, lend,
cost, clop, stamp, grand, musk, clamp
Answers:
DO NOT COPY
cl
cloth
clop
clamp
sk
task
skit
musk
4.15
nd
send
lend
grand
st
stud
cost
stamp
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
Spelling Dictation:
An excellent check for sound
to symbol recognition.
5 Minutes
1. Say the word.
Spell the word ‘ask’.
2. Have the student repeat the word and then vocalize each sound in the word as she writes
it down, to connect sound to symbol.
Example:
Student repeats the word ‘ask’. She says /a/ and writes ‘a’, says /s/ and writes ‘s’, and
says /k/ and writes ‘k’.
3. Check for errors after each word is written, so the student receives immediate feedback.
See Methodology, page M.10, for error correction technique.
ask
skip
mask
stump
lend
DO NOT COPY
4.16
clap
sand
clip
stem
steps
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
Reading in Context:
4
The student puts isolated sounds
and words into a meaningful context.





Sight Words
Contractions
Homonyms
Reading Activity
Oral Reading Fluency
15-20 Minutes
Sight Words: Introduction of words that don’t always follow phonemic
guidelines or that enhance the student’s vocabulary.
1. Review previous sight words with your student. If she reads the word
correctly, place a check mark on the word card. After five check marks,
place the card in a ‘Words I Know” pile. These cards are reviewed less
frequently.
Adjust the number of sight words to suit your student. She should not have more than 10
cards that she is currently memorizing for reading. A younger student may need even
fewer cards.
Remember, the student is not expected to spell the words
2. Introduce Lesson Four sight words. Write each word on a card and encourage the student
to review them later as homework. Have the student repeat the words
as you read them.
The new words that I would like you to memorize for this
lesson are: friend, does, were, her.
DO NOT COPY
4.17
friend
does
were
her
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
Contractions: (Optional) Introduction of words that are commonly joined
together.
1. Introduce the concept of contractions.
When we talk we often slur words in the English language. We do this when we
join two little words together and omit the sounds of one or more letters. When we
leave out these letters we replace them with an apostrophe. I’m going to show you
how this works.
Illustrate what an apostrophe looks like (’).
2. Write the word ‘I’ on the board.
I would like you to read this word to me.
You are correct the word is ‘I’.
I have
I’ve
3. Write the word ‘have’ on the board.
I would like you to read this word to me.
That’s right the word is ‘have’.
I am going to join these two words together.
4. Make the contraction. Write the word ‘I’ again on the board.
I’m now going to add the word ‘I’ to ‘have’.
Instead of adding ‘h’ and ‘a’, I am replacing them with an apostrophe to show that
these letters have been dropped. Then I will add ‘ve’.
DO NOT COPY
4.18
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
Add the apostrophe (‘) and ‘ve’ to complete the contraction ‘I’ve’.
‘I have’ now reads as ‘I’ve’.
Have your student read the word ‘I’ve’.
5. Continue with this process until all the new contractions for Lesson Four have been
introduced. These contractions are then written on cards and added to your student’s list
of words to memorize.
I have…...I’ve
is not…….isn’t
have not…haven’t
will not…..won’t
Hint
‘Won’t’ is tricky to
explain, because it is
derived from ‘will’
and ‘not’.
Let the student know
that it breaks the rules.
You can suggest the
following saying to
help the student
remember:
Will is ill. Put on ‘t’
and he won’t be ill for
long.
DO NOT COPY
4.19
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
4
Homonyms: (Optional) Introduction of words that sound alike but have a
different spelling and meaning.
1. Introduce the concept of homonyms. Write the two ‘sound alike’ words for this lesson on
the board to illustrate how they sound alike, but are spelled differently and mean different
things.
Some words sound alike when they are read, but they are not spelled the same way
and they mean different things. This can make things confusing when you need to
spell a word that can have multiple spellings for the sound the word is making.
An example of this is the word ‘you’. To have the correct spelling for this word we
would have to put the word into context to give it the meaning we want. There are
two ways of spelling the word ‘you’.
you
2. Write the word ‘you’ on the board.
This word is ‘you’ meaning a person.
“Do you want to swim”?
ewe
3. Write the word ‘ewe’ on the board.
When you read this word it also reads as /you/, but it has a different meaning and
spelling. This word refers to a female sheep. “The ewe gave us her wool”.
You have to know the meaning of these words before you can spell them.
4. Write these homonyms on cards and add them to your student’s list of words to
memorize.
Definitions at a Glance
You: a person. “Do you want to swim?”
Ewe: a female sheep. “The ewe gave us her wool”.
DO NOT COPY
4.20
you / ewe
Literacy Links
Closed Syllables with Blends
Reading Activity: Choose a reading activity that best supports your
student’s reading ability.
Please refer to Methodology, page M.18, for details on reading activities.
Assisted reading: Read out loud and prompt the student to read words they have the skills
to decode.
Echo reading:
Read out loud while the student follows along, then the student re-reads
the same passage.
Choral reading: Read a passage together.
Shared reading: Take turns reading.
Repeated reading: Student reads a passage more than once.
Oral Reading Fluency: To measure the student’s ongoing progress, do a
one minute timed reading.
Please refer to Methodology, page M.24, for details on oral reading fluency.
1. Select a passage appropriate for the student’s skill level. While she reads out loud for
one minute, mark the number of words read and the errors made on the recording sheet.
2. Record the results on the Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) checklist.
DO NOT COPY
4.21
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
Writing:
To help your student develop the ability to
convert oral language into written expression and see the
similarity between reading print and writing words.


5-7 Minutes
Cloze Activity
or
Student Reaction
Cloze Activity
Please refer to Methodology, page M.33, for details on cloze activities.
Encourage the student to fill in the blanks of a passage with words missing. It should relate
to the new concept or reading material just covered in the lesson.
Example:
I ________ from the glass and didn’t spill a drop of _______. (spend, milk, crust, drank)
or
Student Reaction
Please refer to Methodology, page M.35, for details on student reaction activities.
After the student has completed a reading assignment, ask her to create a written response to
several related questions (e.g., main ideas in the story, important details, conclusions, cause
and effect, sequence of events, etc.).
DO NOT COPY
4.22
Literacy Links
4
Closed Syllables with Blends
4
Seatwork/Homework Assignments:
Independent practice of new material and review of
previously taught concepts.
5 minutes
1. Choose appropriate homework from the worksheets attached:


Lesson Four: Read and Sort Puzzles (1)
Lesson Four: Read and Sort Puzzles (2)
Answers: clap, snap, stamp, twist, jump, stand
 Lesson Four: Fill in the Blanks (1)
Answers: 1. ask, grass; 2. cross, wind, dust; 3. spent, small; 4. blot, dress, spilt;
5. help, drink
 Lesson Four: Fill in the Blanks (2)
Answers: 1. spill, stand; 2. lift, held; 3. jump, stand; 4. damp, smell; 5. list, test
 Lesson Four: Picture Puzzles (1) - Initial blends cl, sk, fl, sp, gl, st
 Lesson Four: Picture Puzzles (2) - Final blends nt, nk, lf,
sp, sk
 Lesson Four: Picture Puzzles (3) - Final blends with
beginning consonant sk, ft, nd, lf, lk
 Lesson Four: Picture Puzzles (4) - Beginning and final
Hint
blends st, cr, pl, sp / mp, st, nt, nd
You may want to
begin the homework
2. Your student should also:
activity sheets during
the Read in Context
 Review worksheets from previous lessons
section of the lesson.
 Do repeated readings: read aloud a passage of
approximately 100 words that she read today in the
This lesson has many
Reading in Context section
worksheets, but it’s
 Read out loud to parents
not necessary to
complete all of them.
3. Remind your student to memorize the following:



Sight words: friend, does, were, her
Contractions: (optional) I’ve, isn’t, haven’t, won’t
Homonyms: (optional) you/ewe
DO NOT COPY
4.23
Choose the ones the
offer the best learning
opportunities for your
student.
Literacy Links