Week 4, lesson 1 Phoneme "ai" and Grapheme "ai" - Phonics Phase 3 - Lesson plan

In the first lesson of Week 4, young learners are introduced to the phoneme /ai/ and its corresponding grapheme as part of the Phonics Phase 3 curriculum. The objective of the day is to familiarize students with the /ai/ sound through an engaging character, the Ape in a Cape, accompanied by a grapheme flashcard. This lively introduction sets the stage for the lesson, capturing the children's imagination and piquing their interest in the new sound they will be exploring.

The lesson continues with a 'Quickdash' activity, where children revisit previously learned graphemes and pictophones, shouting out the sounds at an increasingly faster pace to reinforce their phonetic recognition. To teach the /ai/ sound, a story is shared about the Ape in a Cape, highlighting the phoneme within the narrative and incorporating an action where students can physically mimic flying while shouting /ai/. This multisensory approach helps to solidify the new phoneme in their memory. The practice phase includes writing the digraph in the air and on a friend's back, as well as decoding and blending words containing the /ai/ sound. To apply their new knowledge, children are asked to decode a phrase and illustrate it, with extension activities like Chalk and Letter Hunt to further enhance their learning experience.