Little Red Riding Hood

Week Overview

Class: Senior Infants (ages 5-6)
Class Size: 17 students
Duration: 40 minutes per lesson
Subject: English
Focus: Phonics (oi/oy), Heart Words (once, who), Oral Language, Reading, Writing
Curriculum Framework:

• Aistear (Early Childhood Curriculum Framework, Ireland): Emphasis on language development, communication, and emergent literacy.
• English Language Curriculum for Junior and Senior Infants (NCCA, Ireland): Foundational oral language skills, recognition of high-frequency words (heart words), phonemic awareness, and emergent reading and writing skills.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this week, students will:

• Understand and retell the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
• Recognise and use the phonemes /oi/ and /oy/ in reading and writing.
• Read and write the heart words once and who fluently.
• Engage in oral language activities to develop descriptive vocabulary and sequencing skills.
• Practise emergent writing connected to the story and phonics focus.

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Success Criteria

• Can confidently say and identify the oi/oy sound in words.
• Can read and spell the heart words once and who.
• Can retell the story in correct order using pictures and their own words.
• Can write simple sentences using learned phonics and heart words.

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Daily Plans

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Day 1: Introduction & Oral Language

Objectives:

• Introduce Little Red Riding Hood story.
• Develop speaking and listening skills using story discussion.
• Identify phonemes oi/oy through oral language.

Resources:

• Illustrated storybook of Little Red Riding Hood.
• Large story sequencing cards.
• Phonics flashcards with oi/oy words (e.g., coin, boil, boy, toy).

Activities:

1. Storytime (10 mins):
   • Teacher reads Little Red Riding Hood aloud with expressive tone.
   • Stop occasionally to ask predictive questions, e.g., "What do you think will happen next?"
2. Oral Language – Sequencing (10 mins):
   • Students work in small groups (4-5 per group).
   • Using large sequencing cards, groups arrange the story events in order and retell the story using their own words.
3. Phonics Introduction – oi/oy (15 mins):
   • Teacher introduces the sounds /oi/ and /oy/ with examples.
   • Use visual aids (a coin for "oi", a boy with a toy for "oy").
   • Class repeats words and listens for the sound in new words.
4. Whole Class Game (5 mins):
   • “Phonics Bingo”: Teacher says a word aloud containing oi/oy or other known sounds; students mark their bingo cards.

Assessment:

• Observe student participation in retelling and correct identification of oi/oy sound.

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Day 2: Reading & Heart Words – once and who

Objectives:

• Identify and read heart words once and who.
• Practise reading simple sentences from Little Red Riding Hood.

Resources:

• Sentence strips with simple sentences from the story, containing heart words.
• Flashcards with once and who.
• Mini whiteboards for each student.

Activities:

1. Warm-up (5 mins):
   • Review oi/oy sounds with choral repetition.
   • Introduce heart words once and who by showing flashcards and using them in simple sentences.
2. Guided Reading (15 mins):
   • Teacher and class read simple sentences from the story together, focusing on identifying once and who.
   • Use highlighting strips or magnetic letters to focus on heart words in the sentences.
3. Phonics & Heart Word Sorting Activity (10 mins):
   • In pairs, students sort word cards into three piles: words with oi, words with oy, and heart words (once, who).
4. Writing on Mini Whiteboards (10 mins):
   • Teacher models sentence writing: e.g., "Once upon a time..." / "Who is that?"
   • Students write sentences using the heart words and phonics focus.

Assessment:

• Use individual whiteboard work to assess spelling of heart words and application of phonics.

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Day 3: Writing & Creative Expression

Objectives:

• Use phonics and heart words in emergent writing connected to Little Red Riding Hood.
• Develop fine motor skills through guided drawing and writing.

Resources:

• Writing frames with sentence starters.
• Colouring materials and story character masks (Little Red Riding Hood, wolf, etc.).

Activities:

1. Oral Story Recap (5 mins):
   • Brief group retelling of the story with students using their masks.
2. Guided Writing (15 mins):
   • Teacher provides writing frames with prompts such as: "The boy has a ___." / "The wolf says __."
   • Encourage use of oi/oy words and heart words once/who.
3. Creative Drawing (10 mins):
   • Students illustrate their writing to connect text and image.
   • Promote use of descriptive language orally as they describe their drawings to peers.
4. Peer Sharing (10 mins):
   • In pairs, children share their drawings and sentences, practicing full sentence oral language.

Assessment:

• Collect writing samples to evaluate correct use of phonics and heart words.
• Observe oral expressive skills during peer sharing.

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Day 4: Interactive Phonics & Reading Games

Objectives:

• Reinforce oi/oy phonemes in a playful context.
• Integrate heart word recognition in literacy games.

Resources:

• “Phonics Treasure Hunt” cards hidden around classroom.
• Board games focusing on oi/oy words and heart words.

Activities:

1. Phonics Treasure Hunt (20 mins):
   • Hide cards containing oi/oy and heart words around the room.
   • Students work in pairs or small groups to find cards and read words aloud.
   • Use discovery to form simple sentences related to the story.
2. Board Game (15 mins):
   • Small groups play a phonics board game involving identifying oi/oy sounds and spotting heart words once/who in sentences.
3. Class Reflection (5 mins):
   • Group discussion about favourite new words learned.
   • Elicit sentences from students using those words.

Assessment:

• Teacher records reading accuracy during activities.

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Day 5: Story Performance & Consolidation

Objectives:

• Consolidate story understanding, phonics knowledge, and heart word use via performance.
• Boost confidence in oral language and emergent reading/writing.

Resources:

• Story masks/puppets for characters.
• Large storybook for shared reading.
• Writing corner for extension activities.

Activities:

1. Story Performance (20 mins):
   • Children perform Little Red Riding Hood using story masks/puppets in groups.
   • Encourage use of heart words and oi/oy vocabulary during dialogue.
2. Shared Writing (10 mins):
   • Teacher scribes a story retell created by the class incorporating phonics and heart words.
3. Individual Writing Extension (5 mins):
   • Students write/draw their favourite part of the story or create a new ending using learned vocabulary.
4. Class Celebration (5 mins):
   • Praise progress in phonics, reading, and writing.
   • Display work visibly in the classroom.

Assessment:

• Informal assessment of oral language fluency and writing development.
• Use observation checklist on phonemic awareness and heart word usage.

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Notes for Teachers

• Integrate Aistear themes (well-being, identity and belonging) by discussing characters’ feelings and choices.
• Use multisensory strategies (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic) throughout phonics activities to embed learning.
• Differentiate supports for EAL and children with additional learning needs by pairing confident readers with peers and using additional visual cues.
• Use praise and positive reinforcement to build enthusiasm and confidence.

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End of Week Reflection

After the week, conduct a short feedback session with students to find out their favourite activities and new words learned, encouraging metacognitive awareness appropriate for their age. This aids in consolidating learning and guides future lesson planning.