Note: M tells me I got some of the details wrong. I was combining the stories of a few different words. We did 10 this morning.
Me: How many syllables are in the word mother (holding my hand below my chin to show my chin bumping twice.
M: (after mouthing “mother”) two.
K: I wanted a glass of MILK!
Me: How do you ask for milk?
K: But I’m thirsty!
Me: Say, “May I have a glass of milk please?”
K: But I want the milk. You aren’t thirsty.
Me: (getting the milk) M, what are the sounds in moth-? We use a French overtone o, it buzzes a little in the nose.
M: O, o, oo (buzzing sound effect)
Me: M o th, use th.
M writes moth, then adds er.
Me: Wait, in spelling dictation we don’t connect the syllables, so we remember all the letters.
M erases the connector between h and e.
Me: M, tell me how to write mother.
M: M o (sounding very French) th er.
I write it on a used piece of construction paper with a dying squeaky magic marker. K hears the squeak.
K: I wanted to draw!
Me: There are more pieces of paper behind you on the desk, put away the cookie cutters, then you will have room to draw. M, underline the th and er. Which sound is th making in the syllable moth-?
We say th and th(voiced) a few times. M draws a 2 on top of the th, whispering to himself “2 doesn’t start at 2 O’clock, it starts at 10.”
K: I’m still thirsty.