Blending, Sentences, and Storytelling

---

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Subject: English Language Arts

Duration: 900 minutes (10 sessions of 90-minutes each)

Standards:

Aligned with California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts:

• RF.3.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
• RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
• W.3.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.
• L.3.1.i: Produce simple, compound, and complex sentences.

---

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Identify and pronounce three-letter blends with accuracy.
2. Engage in discussions to improve critical thinking and collaboration.
3. Summarize informational texts effectively, focusing on the main idea and supporting details.
4. Identify the differences between compound and complex sentences.
5. Write a narrative story incorporating complex sentences.

---

Materials Needed

• Copies of the text "Why We Celebrate the Fourth of July?"
• Sentence strips and cards with three-letter blends (e.g., "spl," "str," "scr")
• Anchor charts: Three-Letter Blends, Compound Sentences vs. Complex Sentences
• Graphic organisers for summarisation and sentence writing
• Notebook or writing paper, pencils, and coloured markers
• Whiteboard or chart paper for group work

---

Session Breakdown

---

Day 1: Intro to Three-Letter Blends (90 min)

Warm-Up (15 min)

1. Phonemic Awareness Game: Display words with common three-letter blends (e.g., "splash," "string," "scrub").
   • Use flashcards to show the blends ("spl," "str," "scr"). Say the sound aloud and have students echo it back.
   • Challenge students to think of one new word for each blend. Write their suggestions on the board.

Mini Lesson (20 min)

2. Anchor Chart Creation:
   • Create a class anchor chart titled "Three-Letter Blends." List example words with visuals (e.g., drawing a splash for "spl").
   • Emphasise the sound each blend makes and how they appear at the beginning of words.

Activity (30 min)

3. Blend Finder:
   • Provide students with printed worksheets featuring a word search and circling activity (e.g., circle all "scr" blend words in a word bank).
   • Next, have students draw a quick picture of at least 2 of the blend words they find.

Closure (15 min)

4. Exit Ticket: Students share one new word they learned with the class and write it down in their notebooks.

---

Day 2: Reading and Summarising (90 min)

Warm-Up (10 min)

1. Recap Quiz: Blend trivia. Read words aloud with three-letter blends. Students clap once if the word has a blend and stay silent if it doesn’t.

Mini Lesson (20 min)

2. Read Aloud:
   • Read "Why We Celebrate the Fourth of July?" aloud to students. Stop after key paragraphs to ask guiding questions:
     • "What is the main idea of this paragraph?"
     • "How does this section help explain why we celebrate the Fourth of July?"
   • Model summarising a paragraph by identifying the topic sentence and key details.

Activity (40 min)

3. Group Summarisation:
   • Divide the class into 5 groups of 4. Assign each group a portion of the text to reread and summarise using a graphic organiser.
   • Have groups write their summary on a poster and present it to the class.

Closure (20 min)

4. Discuss together: How does the Fourth of July celebration compare to other holidays we’ve studied?
   • Chart responses on the board.

---

Day 3: Comparing Sentences (90 min)

Warm-Up (10 min)

1. Review three-letter blends by having students brainstorm more examples (e.g., blend scavenger hunt in pairs).

Mini Lesson (30 min)

2. Types of Sentences:
   • Define and explain compound sentences (two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction). Write examples on the board.
   • Define and explain complex sentences (an independent clause joined with one or more dependent clauses using subordinating conjunctions).
   • Use a Venn Diagram on the board to compare the two.

Activity (40 min)

3. Sentence Sorting:
   • Provide index cards with sentences. Students work in groups to sort them into categories: simple, compound, complex.
   • Challenge: Have them rewrite a simple sentence into a compound or complex version.

Closure (10 min)

4. Students write one complex and one compound sentence about the Fourth of July in their notebooks.

---

Day 4-6: Writing a Narrative Story (270 min)

Day 4: Planning the Story (90 min)

1. Mini Lesson:
   • Discuss how to plan a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
2. Activity:
   • Students brainstorm ideas for a story about a memorable celebration (real or imagined) and complete a story map organiser.

Day 5: Writing the Draft (90 min)

1. Students use their story map to write the first draft of their narrative.
   • Encourage them to include at least 2 complex sentences.

Day 6: Revising and Sharing (90 min)

1. Peer Revision:
   • Students work in pairs to check for complete sentences, the inclusion of complex sentences, and overall flow.
2. Sharing:
   • Volunteers read their stories aloud. Celebrate as a class!

---

Day 7-8: Text Summaries (180 min)

Day 7: Class Summary (90 min)

1. Review: Reread "Why We Celebrate the Fourth of July?" as a class.
2. Whole-Class Activity: Create a detailed, collaborative summary on chart paper.

Day 8: Individual Task (90 min)

1. Provide students with a new informational article to summarise independently (age-appropriate).

---

Day 9-10: Final Summative Project (180 min)

Day 9: Integration (90 min)

Students integrate skills by:

1. Writing their own short informational paragraph with a three-letter blend focus and one complex sentence.

Day 10: Publishing (90 min)

1. Create a class booklet of student narratives and informational summaries. Celebrate together by reading them aloud and reflecting on how much they’ve learned.

---

Assessment

• Observation of group discussions and blended word activities.
• Review of student-created summaries and sentence sorting work.
• Narrative story graded using a rubric (focus on structure, use of complex sentences, and creativity).
• Final written summaries evaluated for main idea and key details.

---

Differentiation for Diverse Learners

• ELL Students: Provide visuals and sentence stems. Allow oral summaries.
• Advanced Learners: Challenge them to write longer narratives with more complex sentences.
• Struggling Students: Provide additional phonics support for blends and pair them with a supportive peer during group work.

---

Reflection

After Day 10, gather feedback through a quick reflective discussion:

• What was your favourite activity?
• What was challenging?
  Use their feedback for future lesson improvements.