Blend, Build, Read, Write

Overview

Students practice decoding and spelling words with beginning and ending blends through an Orton-Gillingham routine. They move from teacher modeling to guided practice and independent application by decoding, building, reading, writing, and revising words and sentences.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Decode one- and two-syllable words containing common blends.
• Blend sounds smoothly to read words, sentences, and a short passage.
• Build and spell blend words with letter tiles.
• Write and revise clear sentences using accurately spelled words.

Success criteria

• I can identify and pronounce each sound in a blend.
• I can blend sounds to read a word and check that it makes sense.
• I can build and write blend words accurately.
• I can write a sentence with a capital letter, spaces, and correct end punctuation.

Curriculum links

• Grade 2 informative/explanatory writing: introduce a topic, use facts or definitions, and provide a conclusion.
• Grade 2 speaking and listening: recount an experience or story with relevant details and audible, coherent sentences.
• Grade 2 writing: focus on a topic and strengthen writing through revision and editing with support.
• Grade 4 writing: plan, revise, edit, and write routinely for different purposes and audiences.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook and sound drill. Teacher opens the blend hook and sound-drill slides with the question, “How can two consonants keep both of their sounds?” and models an Orton-Gillingham routine: look, say, tap each sound, blend, and write. Students echo the sounds in bl, st, gr, and nd, tapping one finger for each sound and blending the sounds into a word when shown.

2. 4–9 min · I do: model decoding and encoding. Teacher uses the teacher-model slides to model stop, blend, and grand, explicitly thinking aloud: “I see the letters, I say each sound, I blend, and I check the word.” Teacher then segments blend into sounds and writes it, emphasizing that both consonants in a blend are heard. Students follow on their fingers, read the words chorally, and air-write each word.

3. 9–15 min · We do: guided read and write. Teacher displays the sentence and passage on the guided-reading slides and leads students through a continuous blending routine. Read together: “Brad grabs a green flag.” Then read the short passage: “Brad and Grace grab a flag. They stand by the steps. The flag flaps in the wind.” Teacher pauses to ask, “Which words have blends?” and dictates flag and stand for students to segment and write on the blend reading and writing page. Students identify blends, read the text with a partner, answer the oral question, and check capitals and punctuation.

4. 15–23 min · You do together: decode-and-build station. Teacher pairs the six students and gives each pair blend word cards, letter tiles, and the decode-build-write recording page. Students take turns: one partner selects a card and points to each grapheme, while the other taps, blends, and reads the word; both partners then build it with tiles, check that every sound is represented, and write it. Partners switch roles after each card. Teacher circulates, prompting, “What sound do you hear first? What comes next? Can you blend it without stopping?” Suggested words include stop, clap, frog, brush, stand, plant, grand, and blend.

5. 23–27 min · You do independently: sentence application. Teacher displays the sentence-writing and editing slide and dictates, “The frog stands by the plant.” Students independently write the sentence on the sentence application section, then whisper-read it and edit with a three-point check: capital letter, spaces, and end punctuation. Students who finish write a second sentence using a blend word from the station.

6. 27–30 min · Share and assess. Teacher displays the closing discussion slide and asks pairs to share one word they built and explain how they checked its spelling. Students read one sentence audibly to a partner, then complete the final worksheet prompt: write grin or stop from dictation and underline the blend.

Resources

• the blend instruction and practice deck
• the blend reading, building, and writing worksheet
• Blend word cards: stop, clap, frog, brush, stand, plant, grand, blend
• Lowercase letter tiles
• Student dry-erase boards and markers
• Pencils and erasers
• Pocket chart or magnetic board
• Short decodable passage displayed or printed on the worksheet

Assessment

• During the sound drill and guided reading, listen for accurate individual sounds, continuous blending, and recognition of blends.
• At the station, check whether students can decode a card, build every sound with tiles, and record the word accurately.
• Use the final dictated word, sentence checklist, and oral partner reading to identify students needing additional practice with blending, spelling, or conventions.

Differentiation

• Support students who need it with a sound-to-letter strip, fewer word cards, enlarged print, finger-pointing, and sentence frames such as “The ___ is ___.” Allow extra processing time and have the teacher or a peer model one word at a time.
• For students with dyslexia or other reading difficulties, use consistent tapping, multisensory tracing, explicit sound-by-sound correction, and immediate rereading rather than guessing from pictures.
• EAL students may rehearse the sentence orally with a partner and use gestures or a quick explanation of unfamiliar words such as flag and flap.
• Extend confident readers by asking them to sort words by beginning or ending blend and write a two-sentence mini-recount using at least three blend words.