LESSON PLAN FOR WORD DETECTIVES
Teacher: ______Jane Cook__________________________________________________________
Date: ____12/17/12____
Grade/Class/Subject: ___Grade 5 __________
Unit/Theme: Developing Vocabulary __________
Standard/s: _ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.5.3____
Content Objective in Teacher Language: Students will become “word detectives”, finding words that match their
syllable type, writing those words on a post it note and posting their words on a Vowel Pattern Chart. They will
apply syllable types when reading.
Content Objective in Student Language: I will find words that match my syllable type and
write them on post it notes. I will post my words on a Vowel Pattern Chart. I will apply syllable
types when I read.
Language Objective in Teacher Language: Working in a small group (of like syllable types), students will share
their words, post them on a group Vowel Pattern Chart and share their group’s words with the whole class. They
will explain why their chosen words fit their syllable type.
Language Objective in Student Language: I will discuss my words with my small group. We will create
a group Vowel Pattern Chart. We will share our words with the whole class. We will explain how our
words match our syllable type.
Key Vocabulary
Key vocabulary words will be
identified by the students as they read
and find words that match their syllable
type. Each group will have different
key words.
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What Materials Will I Use?
Materials that students are using in
class, e.g., textbooks, guided reading
literature, independent reading, etc.
Student handout with “Hot Spot and
Dot” technique (page 16), the
Vowel/Syllable Pattern Chart
Examples chart on page 17, the
Vowel/Syllable Pattern Chart on page
18, the syllable types (pages 19-25),
Instructions for Word Detectives (page
26), Roles & Responsibilities of Group
Members (page 27) and Exit Card
(page 28)
Post it notes
Overhead transparencies or handouts
of the Vowel/Syllable Pattern Chart
Examples chart on page 17 and the
Vowel/Syllable Pattern Chart on page
18
How Will I Differentiate?
All groups will be expected to find
words that match their syllable type.
Students will choose their own book.
Students will be placed into groups and
assigned a particular syllable type
based on level of difficulty, e.g., Magic
e words are easier to find than C +le
words or Vowel Talkers/Vowel
Whiners. Students who need to be
challenged can be asked to generate as
many words as they can (from their
heads) that match their syllable type
within a certain time frame or they can
be asked to find multi-syllable words
that fit in at least two different boxes on
the Vowel/Syllable Pattern Chart.
SIOP Features
Preparation
___ Adaptation of Content
 Links to Background
___ Links to Past Learning
 Strategies incorporated
Scaffolding
 Modeling
 Guided practice
 Independent practice
 Comprehensible input
Grouping Options
 Whole class
 Small groups
___ Partners
 Independent
Integration of Processes

Reading
 Writing
 Speaking
 Listening
Application
 Hands-on
 Meaningful
 Linked to objectives
 Promotes engagement
Assessment
 Individual
 Group
 Written
 Oral
SIOP Lesson Plan for Word Detectives – Page 1
Lesson Sequence:
See section below entitled Lesson Sequence for Vocabulary Development: Creating Word Detectives for specific details of
lesson sequence.
Reflections: This lesson can be done with any text and in any content area. For special needs students or second language
learners it might be better to introduce the syllable types one syllable at a time rather than all in one lesson. Knowing all of
the syllable types and using the “Hot Spot and Dot” technique will help students decode any unknown word they encounter.
SIOP Lesson Plan for Word Detectives – Page 2
Lesson Sequence for Vocabulary Development:
Creating Word Detectives
This lesson will engage participants in a vocabulary development activity. They will learn the
“Hot Spot and Dot” technique for breaking words into syllables. They will also learn about the
six syllable types and they will use whatever they are reading and become word detectives,
finding examples of their group’s syllable type. This strategy can be applied to any fiction or
non-fiction text. Knowing about the six syllable types and the “Hot Spot and Dot” technique for
breaking words into syllables will allow students to decode any unknown word that they
encounter. This lesson will take approximately 50-60 minutes to complete.
As a result of participating, students will be able to:
1. Use the “Hot Spot and Dot” technique to break words into syllable.
2. Find words that match their assigned syllable type and pronounce those words.
Time
5 minutes
Agenda
Welcome and Overview
1. Introduce the purpose of the lesson.
2. Explain that even though English is a language
that is made up from a number of other
languages, there are some predictable patterns
that can help us when we encounter words that
we don’t know. Tell them that today we will
become word detectives, looking for these
patterns.
SIOP Lesson Plan for Word Detectives – Page 3
Outcomes
Share purpose for lesson.
Introduce students to the concept
of patterns in the English
language.
5-10 minutes
10 minutes
Modeling How to Use the “Hot Spot and Dot”
Technique for Breaking Words Into Syllables
1. Ask students what a syllable is. If they are
having difficulty, explain that a syllable is part
of a word that is spoken together. It must have
at least one vowel and can have one or more
consonants. Tell them that they probably
clapped words into syllables when they were
younger. Clap the word “pocket” as you say it
to model the two separate syllables. Explain
that they will now learn a new way to divide
words into syllables that will help them
pronounce new words.
2. Tell the students that they are going to become
word detectives today, looking for specific
syllable types that match a particular pattern.
They will learn a technique that will help them
break words into syllables to help them in their
detective work.
3. Introduce the “Hot Spot and Dot” technique by
referring students to page 16. Describe the steps
and model an example on the board.
4. Ask students to work with a partner to apply the
“Hot Spot and Dot” technique to the four words
at the bottom of page 16.
Modeling the Six Syllable Types
1. Introduce the students to the six different
syllable types by referring them to the
Vowel/Syllable Pattern Chart Examples chart on
page 17.
2. Briefly explain each syllable type, referring
students to the explanations of the six syllables
on pages 19-25 and modeling an example of
each syllable type, applying the “Hot Spot and
Dot” technique, as appropriate.
SIOP Lesson Plan for Word Detectives – Page 4
Provide the students with a
model and strategy for decoding
vocabulary words using the “Hot
Spot and Dot” technique.
Describe each syllable type and
model examples.
15-30 minutes
Guided Practice in the Six Syllable Types
1. Give the following instructions orally to the
students and refer them to the Instructions for
Word Detectives – it would also be helpful to
have these written on the board or on an
instruction sheet:
 You will be assigned a specific syllable type
and given post it notes.
 You are to take out one of your books and
become a word detective, looking for words
that match your syllable type.
 You will have five minutes to scan your
book, finding words that match your
syllable type.
 Write only one word that matches your
syllable type on each post it note along with
your name. You need to find at least 5
words.
 After five minutes is up, you will bring your
post it notes to your group (the other
students who are finding your syllable type)
and compare words with your group
members, making sure that they really
match your syllable type.
 Your group will post these on the
Vowel/Syllable Pattern Chart on page 18
and prepare to share your best examples
with the whole class.
2. Have the students count off by 6 (assign them
by guided reading group or some other method)
so that the class is divided into 6 groups.
Assign a different syllable type to each group.
Make sure that students know what syllable type
they will be looking for. Then ask them to take
out a book and start finding words that match
their syllable type and writing words on their
post it notes.
SIOP Lesson Plan for Word Detectives – Page 5
Provide the students with guided
practice in decoding vocabulary
words applying the use of the
“Hot Spot and Dot” technique
and the syllable types.
Guided Practice in the Six Syllable Types
(continued)
3. When five minutes is up, ask students to move
into their expert group (those detectives who
found the same syllable type). Refer them to
the handout entitled Roles and Responsibilities
of Group Members on page 27. Ask them to
assign a role to each group member. Tell them
that they have 1 minute to decide who will serve
in which role in their group. If they have fewer
than 5 group members, they will need to serve
in more than one role.
4. Give students 5-10 minutes to compare their
words and place them on the Vowel/Syllable
Pattern Chart on page 18 and prepare to share
your best examples with the whole class.
5. Tell each group that their Reporter should be
prepared to share their group’s words with the
whole class.
6. Pull the whole class together and ask the
Reporter from each group to share a word from
their chart. Scribe their word on an overhead
transparency of the Vowel/Syllable Pattern
Chart on page 18. Ask the rest of the class
whether those two words match the syllable
type and how they know. If it’s a multi-syllable
word, ask what other box on the chart it could
go into. Continue “round robin” so that all
groups contribute at least one word to the chart.
As time permits, continue soliciting words and
building the class chart using words from their
own reading materials.
5-10 minutes
Closure & Next Steps
1. Debrief the lesson by facilitating a discussion.
Ask students the following questions:
 What did you learn today?
 How do you think this will help you when
you read?
2. Ask students to write responses to each section
on the Exit Card to give you feedback on what
they learned during today’s lesson (see page
28). NOTE: You can also collect each
student’s post it notes as a formative
assessment.
SIOP Lesson Plan for Word Detectives – Page 6
Bring closure to the lesson and
collect feedback from the
students on the lesson.