Unit 6, Week 1

Student Reader
Max and Jane
Prepare students to read the Student Reader for Unit 6, Week 1:
Max and Jane.

■■ REVIEW Have children review pairs of words with the short a sound and the
long a sound:
at/ate   mat/mate   tam/tame

■■ PREVIEW Tell children that the Student Reader Max and Jane contains many
words with the long a sound spelled a_e, such as Jane (p. 2), game (p. 2), race
(p. 3), take (p. 5), and Kate (p. 7).

■■ MODEL Explain to children that today they will learn how to read words that
have different spellings for long a.
Write play. In this word, the letters ay stand for the long a sound, /ā/. Segment
and blend play; then have children blend with you: /pl/ /ā/. Repeat the process
for long a spelled ai as in tail.

■■ APPLY Explain to children that the Student Reader Max and Jane contains
the words play and tail. What do you know about reading these words? (The
letters ay and ai can spell the long a sound, /ā/.)

■■ READ Then have children read Kindergarten Student Reader K.6.1 Max and
Jane.

After children read Max and Jane, have them practice using words with letters ay
and ai that have the long a sound, /ā/.

Photocopy the student practice page that accompanies this page. Distribute the
practice page to children.

In the top portion of the practice page, children will use the words play and
tail in sentences drawn directly from Max and Jane. You may wish to read the
directions together with children.

In the bottom portion of the practice page, children will match the words train,
hay, and pail with pictures. Children may not have encountered these words
before, so you may wish to have them work together or in small groups.
 Use with the
Name Student Reader for
Unit 6, Week 1
Words with ay and ai
Read the words in the box.
Pick a word to complete each sentence.
Write the word on the line.
play tail

1. Kate has a little .

Max and Jane like to

2.  .

More Words with ay and ai

Read the words in the box.
Look at the pictures.
Pick a word that matches each picture.
Write the word on the line below the picture.
train hay pail

To the Teacher: Read the accompanying teacher page before asking children to complete this practice page.