LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Here Comes the Circus

Boys and girls of all ages love the Circus. This is a lesson from an integrated unit. In this lesson, students will be introduced to the Kindergarten level words from the Dolch Word List.

A lesson plan for grade K English Language Arts

By Penny Stafford

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Learning outcomes

The students will learn the basic sight words.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

4 Hours

Materials/resources

  • Flashcards
  • Pocketcard
  • Word Ladder
  • Pictures of circus animals and performers
  • Individual word cards to send home with a letter of explanation for parents to use

Technology resources

Computer with Internet connection

Pre-activities

  • Have students tell what they would expect to see at the circus.
  • Record their responses on two charts - Animals or People.
  • Read books about the circus.
  • Introduce sight words using a simple sentence - I see a clown.

Activities

  1. Using a pocketchart, display the sentence, “I see a clown.” Use a clown picture on the clown card to help students.
  2. Show the students how to expand the sentence using the color words. “I see a red clown.” Continue to expand the sentence by changing the color word.
  3. After students have had time to practice using these words, introduce them to other words and sentence patterns.
  4. Using the following sentences and the Kindergarten level Dolch words, students can learn to read. Sentences used:
    • I see a _____clown.
    • The clown is ______.
    • Look at the ______ clown.
    • The clown can _______.

Dolch words used:

a
at
big
black
blue
brown
can
funny
go
green
help
I
is
jump
little
look
one
orange
play
purple
red
run
see
the
three
two
work
yellow

Assessment

Have students manipulate the words on the pocketchart and read their sentence to the class.

Make a Word Ladder and have the students read the words up the ladder.

Supplemental information

Dolch Word List
Circus programs
Related books
Records

Related websites

http://www.ringling.com

Comments

This activity can be altered to work with other units by substituting a new subject word such as bear, bunny, etc.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies to read and write.
    • Objective 1.02: Develop phonemic awareness and knowledge of alphabetic principle:
      • demonstrate understanding that spoken language is a sequence of identifiable speech sounds.
      • demonstrate understanding that the sequence of letters in the written word represents the sequence of sounds in the spoken word.
      • demonstrate understanding of the sounds of letters and understanding that words begin and end alike (onsets and rimes).
    • Objective 1.03: Demonstrate decoding and word recognition strategies and skills:
      • recognize and name upper and lower case letters of the alphabet.
      • recognize some words by sight including a few common words, own name, and environmental print such as signs, labels, and trademarks.
      • recognize most beginning consonant letter-sound associations in one-syllable words.
    • Objective 1.04: Read or begin to read.
      • Read or attempt to read own dictated story.
      • Attempt to read/reads simple patterned text, decodable text, and/or predictable texts using letter-sound knowledge and pictures to construct meaning.
  • Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.03: Use preparation strategies to activate prior knowledge and experience before and during the reading of a text.
    • Objective 2.05: Predict possible events in texts before and during reading.
    • Objective 2.06: Understand and follow oral-graphic directions.
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.01: Connect information and events in text to experience.
    • Objective 3.02: Discuss concepts and information in a text to clarify and extend knowledge.
    • Objective 3.03: Associate target words with prior knowledge and explore an author's choice of words.
    • Objective 3.04: Use speaking and listening skills and media to connect experiences and text
      • listening to and re-visiting stories
      • discussing, illustrating, and dramatizing stories
      • discovering relationships.