OnTrack Reading

Preparation: Write the letters, a, e, i, o and u prominently on the board. Select the words you wish to use for the demonstration of chunking after the vowel sound from the word list down below or print this PDF of the list:

Download the Word List for Lesson 3

Class time elapsed: 0 minutes

Ask someone to recite the Main Rule, to see if anyone can do so.

Write on the board: Main Rule: Stop each chunk after the vowel sound and use the First Vowel Sound.

Underline the phrase “vowel sound”

Ask what it means and discuss/clarify the answer you get.

Class time elapsed: 2 minutes

Underline the phrase “First Vowel Sound.”

Ask who knows the First Vowel Sounds, while pointing at the letters you’ve written on the board.

Practice the First Vowel Sounds by pointing at the five letters in random order, using your classroom management skills to determine an appropriate procedure, e.g., chanting together, individual performance, contest between groups, etc.

Class time elapsed: 6 minutes

Underline the word “chunk.”

Explain that each syllable in a two, three or four syllable word has exactly one vowel sound. Then explain that chunks are not the same as syllables because the dictionary defines syllables without using the Main Rule. However, each chunk also has one vowel sound, just like a syllable. Add that if they ever have to take a syllable test, they will flunk it miserably if they use what they are going to learn in this course about chunks.

Demonstrate application of the Main Rule using the following word list.

2-Syllable Words
limit (li mit)
timid (ti mid)
panic (pa nic)
finish (fi nish)
pastel (pa stel)
talent (ta lent)
clinic (cli nic)
basket (ba sket)
fabric (fa bric)
habit (ha bit)
metric (me tric)
vanish (va nish)
plastic (pla stic)
credit (cre dit)
triplet (tri plet)
twisted (twi sted)
distress (di stress)

3-Syllable Words
diminish (di mi nish)
benefit (be ne fit)
javelin (ja ve lin)
establish (e sta blish)
domestic (do me stic)
kilogram (ki lo gram)
democrat (de mo crat)
apricot (a pri cot)
skeleton (ske le ton)
venison (ve ni son)
minimum (mi ni mum)
platinum (pla ti num)
element (e le ment)
telegraph (te le graph)

4-Syllable Words
epidemic (e pi de mic)
mathematics (ma the ma tics)

Write the first word on the list above on the board as you normally would and ask someone what the first chunk is. (All of the words on the list use only First Vowel Sounds spelled only with a single letter.) If they add a consonant sound following the vowel sound, point back to the Main Rule and say “Stop each chunk after the vowel sound.” If they use the Second Vowel Sound instead of the First Vowel Sound, again point to the Main Rule and say “Use the First Vowel Sound.” If they get a sound completely wrong in that it is an impossible option for that spelling, simply say “This can’t be (insert the sound they said here.) What is the First Vowel Sound for this letter?”

Proceed through the list until the time allotted is up.

Have the class recite the Main Rule: “Stop each chunk after the vowel sound and use the First Vowel Sound.”

Class time elapsed: 10 minutes

Note to the Teacher: The concentration so far should be on understanding what a vowel sound is, memorizing the First Vowel Sounds, realizing that the Second Vowel Sound of each is just the letter name, memorizing the Main Rule and then learning to apply it. Of course, the Main Rule doesn’t work for all words, but that will be addressed shortly in the curriculum.

Next mini-lesson: Learning the Rule of c

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