Long and Short a

This week, our Word Work (Spelling) pattern is long and short a patterns in accented syllables.

The spelling patterns for long a ("A" says it's name) are:
* words with "ai"
* words with "a consonant vowel" ("aCe")
* words with "ay"

Then there are the with "Open a":
* when you count the syllables, it is the word that has a long a before a syllable break

"Short a" are words that "a" does not say it's name, like in "basket" or "shadow". We drew a picture of someone who is sick (feels sad, tired, bed hair, sore nose) visiting a doctor and having to say, "short a" while the doctor uses a tongue depressor

When we are working in class, we underlined the long and short a patterns, for short a, we drew a "tongue depressor" under the patterns.

Students can earn initials this week for finding examples of these patterns in their reading ... (a lot of initials actually ... )