Week 25, lesson 3 Phonemes "ar,a,al" - Phonics Phase 5, unit 3 - Lesson plan

In the third lesson of Week 25 for Phonics Phase 5, Unit 3, students embark on a phonetic adventure to explore the various spellings of the /ar/ phoneme. The objective of the day is clearly stated: to learn the different ways to spell the /ar/ sound. The lesson begins with a lively 'High Frequency Word (HFW) Race', where students review ten high-frequency words using flashcards. The first round involves reading each word individually, while the second turns into a team challenge to see which group can identify the words the quickest.

The teaching segment introduces the Ark pictophone, prompting students to identify the phoneme it represents. The teacher then reveals that the /ar/ phoneme can be spelled in different ways, demonstrating this by writing the graphemes , , on the board. Together with the class, the teacher practices writing words such as 'car', 'father', and 'calm', highlighting the grapheme that corresponds to the /ar/ sound. In the practice phase, the 'Missing Letter' game encourages students to identify the correct letter needed to complete words displayed on the board with missing letters. To apply their learning, children use mini whiteboards to write dictated words and sentences that include the /ar/ phoneme, such as 'All is calm at the park' and 'I can't bark like a dog', along with a list of relevant words. Teaching notes provide regional guidance, advising that in the South of England the focus should be solely on the Ark sound, while elsewhere, the distinction between the Ark and Ant sounds should be considered. The notes also inform that the grapheme appears in the middle of words when used to represent the /ar/ phoneme.