Unit Overview
Content Area: English Language Arts
Unit Title: Phonics/Word Recognition
Timeline: Ongoing
Target Course/Grade Level: Second Grade
Unit Summary: Students will be immersed in phonics instruction. Phonics instruction connects the
sounds of language (phonemes) to the written symbols (graphemes) that represent them. Phonics
instruction is commonly understood as the sound-symbol relationship. Students will also learn additional
sight words, words that are not phonetically based and are instructed through various modalities that
support memorization and automaticity.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: Technology, Speech and Language, Spelling
21st century themes and skills: Creative Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication and
Collaboration, Life and Career Skills; -flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social
skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility.
Anchor Standards:
Reading Foundational Anchor Standards are not recognized in the Common Core.
Learning Targets/Activities
Domain: Foundational Skills
Cluster: Phonics and Word Recognition
Standard #
Standards
RF.2.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.2.3.a
Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.
RF.2.3.b
Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
RF.2.3.c
Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.
RF.2.3.d
Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.
RF.2.3.e
Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
RF.2.3.f
Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
Unit Essential Questions
 Why is letter-sound correspondence important in
reading and writing?
 How do readers use their phonics knowledge to
help decode and comprehend text?
 Why is it important to know grade level words
with automaticity?
Unit Enduring Understandings
 Understanding spelling patterns rules helps us
spell and read unknown words.
 Readers must know and apply phonics and word
analysis skill to decode print with automaticity to
better comprehend text.
 Phonics leads to improved reading and writing
with better accuracy, decoding, spelling and
reading comprehension.
Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
 Read regularly spelled one syllable words correctly by distinguishing long and short vowels.
(RF.2.3.a)
 Associate symbols (graphemes) with sounds (phonemes), and sounds with symbols for vowel
patterns (eg. ai,/ay, ea/ ee,/ei/ey, ie/igh, oa/oe/ow, ue/ui, ) and diphthongs (eg. au/aw, ou/ow,
oo/ew, oi/oy) (RF.2.3.b)
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Associate symbols (graphemes) with sounds (phonemes), and sounds with symbols for r
controlled vowels (eg., ar, ir, er, ur, or) (RF.2.3.b)
 Associate symbols (graphemes) with sounds (phonemes), and sounds with symbols for beginning
and ending consonant blends and clusters (eg., st, str, sp, spl, sc, scr, -lk, -ft,) (RF.2.3.b)
 Associate symbols (graphemes) with sounds (phonemes), and sounds with symbols for silent letter
combinations (eg. kn, wr, gn, -mb, -lk, -mn). (RF.2.3.b)
 Apply knowledge of sound symbol relationships to correctly read words with, diphthongs, vowel
teams, r-controlled vowels, diagraphs, consonant blends and clusters, and silent letter
combinations. (RF.2.3.b)
 Read regular two-syllable words with long vowel sounds (eg., even, paper, teacher). (RF.2.3.c)
 Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes such as un, re, mis, dis, over, under, -ed, -er, ing, -es, -y, -est, -ly, -ier, -iest.(RF.2.3.d)
 Identify common irregularly spelled words (eg., bread, love, would, could, their, there, none,
both). (RF.2.3.e)
 Read grade appropriate irregularly spelled words. (RF2.3.f)
Learning Activities
 Sound/picture/objects/word sorts
 Word building puzzles
 Matching/memory games
 Word ladders
 Literature and rhymes
 Syllable sorts
 Clapping and tapping activities
 Elkonin boxes
 Sorting stamped images
 Poems and songs
 Bingo, tic-tac-toe games
 Word wall activities/games
 Word family activities
 Literacy centers
 Phonetic storybooks
 Making words
 Sand trays/wiki sticks
 Dictation
 Tracing of sight words (VAKT)
 Flexible grouping
 Word work/spelling
 Modeling
 Morning message
 Guided Reading small group lessons
 Earobics
Evidence of Learning
Formative Assessments
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Student participation
Anecdotal records
Teacher observation
Performance tasks: sorting, literacy centers
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Work station checklist/folders
Checklists
Dictation
Completed worksheets
Summative Assessments
 DRA
 WAWA (Word Awareness Writing Activity – letter/sound identification and phonics)/Developmental
Spelling Assessment
 Johnston Primary
 Post sight word assessments
 Running Records miscue analysis
RESOURCES/TECHNOLOGY
Teacher Instructional Resources:
 Project Read: Phonology
 Read Alouds/Mentor Texts
 Poems/songs
 Calkins Units of Study/Curricular Plans
 Reading First by Creative Teaching Press
 Phonemic Awareness: Playing with Sounds to Strengthen Beginning Reading Skills by Creative
Teaching Press
 Phonemic Awareness Handbook by Anthony D. Fredericks
 Making Words, Cunningham, Hall and Heggie
 Words Their Way: Pearson Learning Group
 Phonics from A to Z: A Practical Guide by Wiley Blevins
 High-Frequency Words: Stories & Activities; Evan-Moor Publishing
Integration of Technology:
 SmartBoard
 Earobics
Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
 www.fcrr.org Resource of academic information to assist teacher in evaluating their own teaching methods
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for reading instruction. Some resources for use with students in the classroom.
www.pinterest.com Electronic bulletin board that has endless resources for all components of teaching
reading. You have to navigate through the various resources.
www.teacherspayteachers.com Resources for supporting your reading workshop classroom. Some free,
most cost a low fee that goes directly to the teacher who posted the resource.
www.havefunteaching.com Free resources to utilize during center work or independent work. Includes
games, worksheets and self directed learning resources.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/ Multiple articles, lessons, and computer resources to support
teaching phonics, phonemic awareness and comprehension strategies.
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skill_builders/phonics_language_second_2nd_grade.htm A
variety of phonics games to play on the computer.
http://www.abcya.com/dolch_sight_word_bingo.htm This is a game that reads a second grade
sight word and student presses on word on bingo board. If correct a marker covers the word. When
bingo is made the game board “celebrates”.
http://www.abcya.com/dolch_sight_word_spelling.htm Student is given a sight word to spell.
Letters for that word are floating around the board. Student drags letters into box. When correct
screen celebrates.
www.starfall.com Variety of online resources to assist with lessons with students struggling to learn
phonetic sounds.
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/summerworkshop/valdes/index.html Many resources and
articles on phonics and phonemic awareness.
http://www.plattscsd.org/oak/smartboard/phonemic.htm Website with various games to reinforce specific
phonics lessons.
http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/student.cfm#grade2 Variety of phonics games with immediate
feedback on correctness.
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http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html#5 Various games to support what a
student understands about phonics.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/phonics/play/ Visual game utilizing phonemic awareness along
with phonics. Can be played on various ability levels.
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/ A variety of fun phonetic games for children to play independently.
Opportunities for Differentiation:
Learning centers/station (specific to level of phonetics instruction)
Flexible grouping
VAKT modeling
Leveling sorting activities
Assign wordwork based on phonics needs.
Teacher Notes:
Phonics instruction must be instructed in a systematic and explicit manner to be effective.
Phonics instruction must follow a logical sequence that introduces simple and common relationships and
builds in complexity.
Sight word instruction is supported through various strategies such as rainbow writing and repeated word
wall games/activities.