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The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Objectives

To hear, read and write initial letter sounds.

To use knowledge of sounds to write new words.

Resources

Laptop, PC or tablet | Mini whiteboard and pen | Pencil | Coloured pens | Sheet of paper

Vocabulary

Words in bold can be found in the 📄 Year 1 English Glossary.

Today's Lesson

What to Get Ready

Have the 📊 Life Cycle of a Caterpillar PowerPoint up and ready to watch and print out the 📄 Life Cycle of a Caterpillar sheet.

Phonics - Quick Fire

On a blank piece of paper, play the game, 'Letter Match' (shown in Video 2: Phonics Games). Use the following letters: H, h, S, s, B, b, P, p.

Phonics - New Learning

Lay the 📄 flashcards ‘dd’, ‘rr’, ‘ss’, ‘ff’ and ‘nn’ out in front of your student. Ask them to point to one they know and to tell you the sound it makes. Repeat the sound and demonstrate the matching action, asking your student to join in with you. Complete for each of the cards.

Phonics - Blend to Read

Remind your student how we blend to read a word:

Say the sounds.

Blend the sounds.

Read the word.

Support your student as they blend to read the following words from the prepared flashcards: ‘daddy’, ‘berry’, ‘sorry’, ‘hurry’. You need four Sound Beds for these words.

Now play Sound Swap.

Write the word sorry on your mini-whiteboard.

Ask your student, ‘How could you turn sorry into lorry?’

Support your student as they rub out the sand write in l.

Turn muddy into buddy.

Turn dummy into tummy.

Phonics - Extra Support

As your student is blending four sounds, encourage them to use their fingers to count the sounds. This will help them to hold the sounds in their head as they blend them to read the word.

Phonics - Extra Challenge

Try blending and splitting words with five sounds: frilly, smelly, granny. When splitting, remember to add a fifth Sound Bed: __ __ __ __ __

Phonics Play

PLAY - Grab a Grapheme - Phase 2 (Phonics Play)

Select the '+h b f ffl ll ss' option for your student to play.

Reading & Writing - Introduction

With your student take a look through the 📊 Life Cycle of a Caterpillar PowerPoint. Read through the description to your student; they might be able to help you with some of the reading.

Reading & Writing - Speaking and Listening

Explain that there are five stages to a caterpillar’s life cycle. Look at the first slide of the 📊 Life Cycle of a Caterpillar PowerPoint and think of an action which could go with that stage, for example, holding your hands together to look like an egg. Repeat with the other stages so you have an action for each stage. Then, not looking at the PowerPoint, see how many stages your student can remember using the actions to help.

Reading & Writing - Writing

Show your student the 📄 Life Cycle of a Caterpillar sheet. In the large boxes your student will draw a picture of each stage. Then in the smaller box underneath each stage your student will write a label to explain what is happening, for example, ‘Eggs hatch.’

Reading & Writing - Extra Support

If your student needs extra support with spelling a word, first ask them to say the word slowly. Ask them, ‘What is the first sound you can hear?’ then, ‘What is the last sound you can hear?’ and, ‘Can you hear any other sounds in the middle?’

You can also encourage them to use their 📄 Alphabet Mat to help them spot the sounds they can hear, but do not tell them the letters/sounds they need. It does not matter if spellings are incorrect.

Reading & Writing - Extra Challenge

If your student is ready for an extra challenge you could ask them to write more detailed labels. For example, instead of ‘Eggs hatch’ they could write, ‘Eggs hatch into baby caterpillars.’

Reading & Writing - What to Notice

While your student is doing this activity remember to praise them for the skills they are using.

For example:

‘I can see you are listening really carefully for sounds!’

‘Well done for remembering what stage comes next.’

‘I have noticed you reading your label to check it makes sense.’

Reading & Writing - Handwriting and Spelling

Explain to your student that when we are writing we need to make sure we are sitting properly because it gives us the best chance of doing our best writing. Share with your student the 📄 Correct Seating Position for Writing sheet. Together with your student, compare it with their current seating position. Are there any changes you could make to improve their position?

Ask your student to show you their best ‘a’, ’c’ and ‘e’ letters on a mini whiteboard or spare piece of paper. Check they are forming them correctly and ask your student which letters they think they formed best.

Ask your student to practise the small letters ‘i', ‘m’, ‘n’ and ‘o’ on a sheet of paper. They could then write some short words such as ‘man’, ‘am’, and ‘an’ ensuring they are using their best handwriting.

Citations

[1] www.phonicsplay.co.uk