The following lesson plans complement the Readers In Rhyme Level 3 Cherry Set Readers. These plans offer a structured framework for small group instruction while reducing the need for extensive planning.
An index located at the back of the guide serves as a reference to assist with locating vocabulary and idioms used throughout the readers.
This guide was designed to aid general education teachers, reading specialists, ESL instructors, special education teachers, and any educator seeking valuable resources for teaching phonics to their students.
Lesson plans written by Deborah Kindred and Elizabeth Scagel
All rights reserved. This guide is intended to be used with Readers in Rhyme curriculum.
No. 71 Robin & Wren
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students. What birds do you see on the cover? Describe that it is a small bird like a robin. Robins have red feathers on their chests.
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about what is happening in the pictures. Identify the bird as a wren on page 8.
Vocabulary
Wee (P.1): very small
Precious (P.1): of great value or high price
Delay (P.1): put off or cause to happen more slowly
Snare (P.4) a trap
“By and By” (P.5): after a short time
Faithfully (P.8): loyal and dependable
“Came to Pass” (P.8): to happen
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Talk about the setting and characters in the story. Discuss the intentions of the cat, owl, fox, and the boy. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the main events of the story including as many details as they can remember.
Reread the story.
No. 71 Robin & Wren
Lesson 3
Comprehension Questions
1. What do you think the cat, owl, and fox really wanted to do with Wee Robin?
*Discuss how in many fairy tales foxes, cats, wolves, and owls do not act honorably.
2. Did the boy want to harm Wee Robin? How is the boy different from the three animals?
Extras
No. 71 Robin and Wren introduces the phonogram ci that says /sh/ the short-letter sh used at the beginning of any syllable after the first as in “special." Words that use the spelling pattern:
social
facial
glacial
official
vicious
precious
gracious
luscious
delicious
Spelling Practice: Remembering the spelling rule above, use the words from the list below to practice when to use the phonogram ti.
Dictation- Practice by spelling these words:
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students and looking at the picture on the cover. Ask, who do you think this book is about?
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about the pictures. Have students share their observations.
Vocabulary
Quaint (P.1): pleasing or nice in and old-fashioned way
Sneaky (P. 2): behaving in a sly or secret manner
Scowl (P.2): a mean looking frowning expression
Fled (P.4): to have run away (ask, what other words could you use instead of fled? Possible answers: hurried away, rushed, ran, raced)
Peered (P.5): looked closely or curiously
Shears (P.8): a big pair of scissors (go back to p. 3 or 4 to identify them in her pocket)
Chore (P.8): a job or piece of work that needs to be done
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Have students describe the setting and characters in the story. Discuss the saying, “Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy, and wise.” (A quote from Benjamin Franklin that means someone who gets enough sleep and starts work early in the day will have a successful life)
Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the main events of the story including as many details as they can remember.
No. 72 Brown Hen
Lesson 3
Reread the story.
Comprehension Questions
Comprehension Questions
1. Do you think Rooster and the mouse learned a valuable lesson? What was the lesson? Go back to p. And reread the saying, “Early to bed…”
2. If students are familiar with Little Red Hen, discuss how the two stories are alike and different.
Extras
No. 72 Brown Hen uses words with the phonogram OW and OU. Both of the phonograms first sounds are OW as in cow or out. Dictation- Practice by spelling these words that use the sound of /ow/ :
brown
mouse
scowl
house
down
flowers
towel
crowd
spout
found • fowl/foul
Homophone Practice: Have your students practice these spelling words that follow the ow or ou spelling pattern. Then ask them to spell the the homophones. Supply definitions for each word to help your students with vocabulary.
bow/bough • hour/our
aloud/allowed • brows/ browse
council/counsel
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students and looking at the picture on the cover. Discuss the meaning of the words, tale and tail.
Picture Walk
Go through the book and have students talk about the pictures. They can share observations about what the kittens might be doing.
Vocabulary
Quaint (P.1): pleasing or nice in and old-fashioned way "Tale of Woe" (P.2): a report of the bad things that have happened Baker (P.3): a person who makes bread and cakes "Late Hour" (P.4) a time of day that is very late Miller (P.5): person who operates a mill, a machine to grind wheat to make flour
Dough (P.5): flour and water mixed together Fetch (P.8): to go after and bring back “Kept Your Word” (P.8): did what you said you were going to do
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Have students describe the setting and characters in the story. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the main events of the story including as many details as they can remember.
No. 73 Mouse Tale
Lesson 3
Reread the story.
Comprehension Questions
Discuss the tale of woe in this story. Have the students think about something sad that has happened to them or someone else. (This can be real or made up.) After students have imagined their “tale of woe”, have them describe it aloud or write it down.
Extras
No. 73 Mouse Tale uses phonograms with the sound of “O”.
Dictation- Practice by spelling these words that use the sound of “O” :
• blow • although
• woe • showed • dough
goes • crow
window • toad
potatoes • flour/flower
Homophone Practice: Have your students practice these spelling words that found in Mouse Tale. Then ask them to spell the the homophones. Supply definitions for each word to help your students with vocabulary.
bread/bred • tale/tail
dough/doe • please/pleas • hay/hey
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students and looking at the picture on the cover. Ask if anyone knows another title for this story (many may already be familiar with Goldilocks)
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about what is happening in each picture. Students may recognize this as Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Vocabulary
Wee (P.1) very small
Porridge (P.2) a soft food like oatmeal "Fast Asleep" (P.5): sleeping deeply “By and By” (P.5): after a short time
Despair (P.6) to feel like there is no hope Startled (P.8): to move or jump suddenly from surprise
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Have students describe the setting and characters in the story. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the story, including as many details as they can remember.
No. 74 Goldenhair
Lesson 3
Reread the story.
Comprehension Questions
1. Should Goldenhair have gone into the house of the bears. Why or why not?
2. Did Goldenhair learn a lesson when she was startled by the bears coming home?
3. What might the bears have said or done after Goldehair ran away?
Extras
No. 74 Goldenhair features words that use the sound of A.
Homophone Practice: Have your students practice these spelling words that use phonograms with the sound of A. Then ask them to spell the the homophones. Supply definitions for each word to help your students with vocabulary.
• stair/stare
• fairy/ferry
• air/heir
• hair/hare
• maid/made
• mail/male
• bear/bare
• plain/plane
• break/brake
• great/grate
• pear/pair
• praise/preys/prays
• their/they’re
• way/whey/weigh
No.75 Chicken Scratch
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students and looking at the picture on the cover. Explain the meaning of the phrase “chicken scratch”
Picture Walk
Go through the book and have students talk about the pictures. Have students describe what they think is happening to Chicken Little.
Vocabulary
Cabbage Patch (P.1) a small area of land used to grow cabbages
Scritching (P.1) To make a light scratching sound, like a small animal burrowing.
Soil (P.1) the dirt or ground in which plants grow
Choking (P.3) to have a hard time breathing or swallowing Oak Tree (P.4) (talk about how Oak trees have acorns (seeds). At the end is a small cap that holds the seed.
“Take Care”(P.8) be cautious or careful
Rescue (P.8) to free from danger
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Talk about the setting and characters in the story. Discuss the intentions of the cat, owl, fox, and the boy. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the main events of the story including as many details as they can remember. Have students retell the sequence of the story. Guide students as needed or ask them to recall specific story details.
Reread the story.
No.75 Chicken Scratch
Lesson 3
Comprehension Questions/Narration
1. There are several problems in this story. Name one and how it is solved.
2. What is the cup that fell from the Oak tree? (students can look back at page 5, if necessary)
3. Do you think Chicken Little learned his lesson? Have students find the lesson on the last page and read it aloud. (“Take care not to bite off more than you can chew…”)
Extras
No. 75 Chicken Scratch features the phonogram TCH /ch/ the 3 letter /ch/ used after a single vowel as in “hatch.” Words that use this spelling pattern:
hatch
pitch
scratch
patch
switch
ditch
sketch
fetch
clutch
match
Spelling Practice: Remembering the spelling rule above, use the words from the list below to practice when to use the phonogram TCH.
Dictation- Practice by spelling these words:
patches
beaches
pitcher
scratching
cheaper
ranches
branch
peaches
kitchen
chicken
hatches
sketching
No. 76 Clever Pig
Lesson 1
Title
This is a story about pigs. Who knows a tale about pigs? Is there a clever pig in that story?
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about what is happening in each picture. Students will discover that this is the story of The Three Little Pigs
Vocabulary
Jig (P.2) a dance with quick jerky movements
“By and By” (P.3) after a short time
Straw (P.3) dry stalks of grain -discuss the 2 meanings of straw “Huffed and Puffed” (P.7) to breathe in a loud and heavy way because of physical effort
Cross: (P.8): grumpy or angry
Clever (P.8): smart
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Have students describe the setting and characters in the story. Discuss how the story ends. Did the story end the way they expected? In some versions the pigs escape and end up in the 3rd pigs house. Some students may tell you this.
Have students retell the sequence of the story. Guide students as needed or ask them to recall specific story details.
Reread the story.
No. 76 Clever Pig
Lesson 3
Comprehension Questions/Narration
1. If the pigs lived in a nice house with a garden, why do you think they chose to leave?
2. Did the pigs the wolf ate deserve to get eaten? Why or why not?
3. Usually in a fairy or folk tale wolves and foxes are dangerous characters and get up to no good. What other tales do you know where a wolf or a fox gets up to no good.? Find a version of the three little pigs where the pigs escape-read to the whole class.
Extras
No. 76 Clever Pig features words that use AW /aw/ that we may use at the end of a word and AU /aw/ that we MAY NOT use at the end of a word.
Homophone Practice: Have your students practice these spelling words that use phonograms with the sound of /aw/. Then ask them to spell the the homophones. Supply definitions for each word to help your students with vocabulary.
• haul/hall
• bawl/ball
• cause/caws
• claws/clause
• fawn/faun
• pause/paws
• maul/mall
• taught/taut
No. 77 Bluebird
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students. We have read a story about a Robin and a wren. Now we have a story about a bluebird. What do you know about Bluebirds?
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about what is happening in each picture. This is definitely a fairy tale-how do we know that?
Vocabulary
Hedge (P.1): a think row of shrubs or low trees
Meadow (P.4): land that is covered in grass
Clover (P.5): a common plant that has leaves in groups of three Hue (P.7): a particular color
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Talk about the setting and characters in the story. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the sequence of events in the story. Guide students as needed or ask them to recall specific story details.
Reread the story.
No. 77 Bluebird
Lesson 3
Comprehension Questions/Narration
1. Who can tell another name for the worm?
2. Even though the worm did not become a flower, do you think in one way he got his wish? Why or why not?
3. Do you think it is good for us to always get what we wish for? Why or why not?
Extras
No. 77 Bluebird uses words with the different sounds of /er/.
Homophone Practice: Have your students practice these spelling words that use phonograms with the sound of /er/. Then ask them to spell the the homophones. Supply definitions for each word to help your students with vocabulary.
• birth/berth
• bolder/boulder
• hurts/hertz
• herd/heard
• higher/hire
• ladder/latter
• manner/mannor
• surf/serf
• seller/cellar
• weather/whether
No. 78 Jack-o-Lantern
Lesson 1
Title
This is another Fairy Tale. Can you tell what a Jack-O-Lantern is?
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about the pictures. Have students share their observations. What time of year does this story take place?
Vocabulary
Soul (P.2) the part of human beings separate from their body that is the center of feeling, thought, and spirit.
Cottontail (P.3) small rabbit
Brownie (P.6) a small fairy or hobgoblin creature believed to inhabit houses and barns
“Good Luck” (P.6) good fortune or a happy outcome
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Talk about the setting and characters in the story. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss events in the story that really could take place and those that maybe could not. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the sequence of events in the story. Encourage students to include as many details as they can remember. If needed, ask specific questions to prompt them along.
Reread the story.
No. 78 Jack-o-Lantern
Lesson 3
Comprehension Questions/Narration
1. In most old fairy tales the Fairies are girls and Brownies are boys who like to play pranks and make mischief. They are very small and hard to find. Does anyone know another fairy folk story about gnomes, elves, pixies or leprechauns?
2. What was Little Orange Pumpkin’s greatest wish?
3. What was the gift he gave the fairies in return for making him a Jack-o-Lantern? (he shined light for their party)
Extras
No. 78 Jack-o-Lantern: Little Orange Pumpkin
Homophone Practice: Have your students practice these spelling words that use phonograms with the sound of /ee/. Then ask them to spell the the homophones. Supply definitions for each word to help your students with vocabulary.
• week/weak
• beet/beat
• deer/dear
• creek/creak
• please/pleas
• peer/pier
• sealing/ceiling
• seize/seas
• lean/lien
• piece/peace
• need/knead
• flee/flea
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students. Just from the cover can you predict what may happen in this story?
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about the pictures. Have students share their observations.
Vocabulary
Rude (P.1) showing poor manners and being thoughtless of others
Ease (P.2) ability to do something without difficulty
Refined (P.3) to be free from impurities, not ugly or rude
Polite (P.4) having good manners and showing respect for others
Selfless (P.5) not being concerned about yourself “pretty sight” (P.5) visually appealing or nice to look at
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Talk about the setting and characters in the story. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the sequence of events in the story. Encourage students to include as many details as they can remember. If needed, ask specific questions to prompt them along.
Reread the story.
Lesson 3
Comprehension Questions/Narration
1. Explain how Little Girl Blue was rude at the beginning of the story.
2. Why do you think it is important to have good manners and say please and thank you? How does it make you feel if someone is rude to you?
3. What did Little Girl Blue do at the end of the story that showed she had changed her ways?
Extras
No. 79 Little Girl Blue features the “please song” the animals sing. Have your students memorize the song.
Hearts, like doors, open with ease, To very, very little keys. And don’t forget that two of these Are ‘I thank you’ and ‘If you please.’
Give your students concrete examples of how they can be polite and show good manners to their teachers, parents and others.
No. 80 Stars in the Sky
Lesson 1
Title
Introduce the book by reading the title to the students. When do we see stars? Do you think this is going to be a fairy story?
Picture Walk
Go through the book and talk about the pictures. Have students share their observations.
Vocabulary
Lass (P.1) a young girl
“By and By” (P.1) after a short time
Indeed (P.2) truly or certainly
Brook (P.2) a small stream
Palm (P.8) the underside of the hand
Read the story.
Lesson 2
Reread the story.
Discussion Ideas
Talk about the setting and characters in the story. Guide students to identify the problem and solution. Discuss how the story ends.
Have students retell the main events of the story including as many details as they can remember.
Reread the story.
No. 80 Stars in the Sky
Lesson 3
Comprehension Questions/Narration
1. Name the kind of animals that were the characters “Four-Feet” and “NoFeet-at-All”
2. What was the “Stairs without Steps?” hint: It’s light that shines at night
3. Do you think the story takes place while the girl is awake or asleep? Why do you think so?
Extras
No. 80 Stars in the Sky features the sounds of “N” kn says /n/ the 2-letter n, used only at the beginning of a word as in “knight”. The phonogram gn says /n/ the 2-letter n, that MAY be used at the beginning or end of a word as in “gnome” or “sign”
Spelling Practice: Remembering the spelling rule above, use the words from the list below to practice when to use the phonogram kn or gn. Gibe the students the definition of the words so they know which spelling to use. Dictation- Practice by spelling these words:
