Phonics Lesson for The Lorax, by Dr.

Seuss

Components of effective phonics instruction

1. Goal and purpose
The purpose of this particular phonics lesson is for students to understand very
basic vowel diagraphs concerning the book, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss. This book
would probably be used as a two part lesson. Part one would be to read the story
and understand the underlying plot, such as pollution, the environment, etc… The
second part of the lesson would focus on vowel diagraphs based on the story. The
specific example would be tree, because The Lorax is about the Truffala Tree.
The goal of this lesson is for students to understand vowel diagraphs and be able
to expand on more complicated vowel diagraphs, such as the word read.
2. Phonemic awareness warm-up
At the beginning of the lesson, after briefly explaining to the students what we
would be doing in the library today, I would do some warm up exercises. Since
this particular book would be taught during Dr. Seuss month (every month is
another author appreciation month) I would go over the fact that Dr. Seuss used
many rhyming words. We would then practice out loud with some other Dr.
Seuss rhyming words such as the main character of Green Eggs and Ham is Sam I
Am and so forth.
3. Review of previously learned sound-spellings
Since students would previously had read The Lorax in the last week’s library
class, students would be familiar with the Truffula Tree and that is a major part of
the story. I would ask students how to spell the word tree and write it down on a
whiteboard/blackboard. Then I would ask students to sound out the word,
separating the /tr/ and /ee/. Students would then review words they’ve already
learned that contain /ee/ such as bee, see, fee, seed, feed, need, etc…
4. Direct instruction for a new sound-spelling
After students have identified all words that contain /ee/ I would then explain that
other words sound like they are spelled with an /ee/ but in fact are not. Following
the explanation I would give students examples and ask students to identify some
of these words. Some will be able to identify words such as read, lead, tea, seed,
bead, etc… These words will be written on the whiteboard/blackboard so
students can see that these words sound like /ee/ but are in fact /ea/ yet they have
the same sound.
5. Word building and spelling
As previously mentioned students would build these words on the
whiteboard/blackboard and spell them verbally. For the most part these students
are too young to write these words, yet are able to spell them out.
6. Sentence dictation
 We would then use these words in sentences. I would use the word “read” as an
example because the students are in the library and obviously we read in the
library. Additionally, I would write these words in a sentence or use them from
the text, so that students could understand how these words are used. Students
would also come up with their own words and use them in a sentence.
7. Reading decodable text
Students would then be able to read the text because of the skills they have
acquired.
8. Application to other contexts
After working on vowel diagraphs students will be able to apply this knowledge
to other Dr. Seuss books, such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs in Ham, There’s
a Wocket in my Pocket, etc… Eventually, they will understand vowel diagraphs
well enough that students will apply them to other stories and while reading.