Clarify that it can be a double consonant or two different consonants between the vowels. Don’t skip the step of having readers identify the pattern: Vowel-Consonant-Consonant-Vowel (VC/CV).
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Activity: Rabbit Word Strategy
Standards
Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
Reader Goals
I can use a Rabbit strategy to read a word with more than one syllable.
Target Words
Rabbit word examples: muffin, insect
Helpful Hints
Guide
- Point to each syllable type as you Say
In this unit, we’ve learned three syllable types: Open, Closed, and Bossy R syllable type. If we can identify the syllable type of a word, we can pronounce the vowel sound and read the word. - Say
Now in this lesson, we are going to learn how to divide multisyllabic words—words with more than one vowel sound, into syllables.
Once we divide multisyllabic words into single syllables, we can apply what we know about open, closed, and bossy R syllable types to read each syllable and the word.
Let’s get started!
Guide
- Point to each animal as you Say
We are going to learn about 5 syllable division strategies. They are called Animal Syllable Division Strategies because they use animal words as a model to help us learn how to divide longer words with more than one syllable. The five animal strategies are rabbit, tiger, camel, lion, and turtle. - Point to the rabbit and Say
We’ll learn about the Rabbit word strategy in this activity. - Push next to continue
Guide
- Ask
Look at the word rabbit. How many vowels do you see in the word rabbit?
(two) - Say
Because the word rabbit has more than one vowel sound, it also has more than one syllable so it is a multisyllabic word. Let’s learn about the Rabbit word strategy by dividing the word rabbit into syllables. - Say
Let’s see how many syllables we have in the word rabbit. Clap rabbit with me. - Clap out with readers and Ask
rab•bit (2 claps)
How many syllables did you hear?
(2) - Say
I will show you how to divide this multisyllabic word into syllables.
First, let’s spot the vowels in the word. - Push next to spot the vowels
Guide
- Ask
Can you name the vowels in the word?
(vowels a and i) - Say
Now that we spotted the vowels, we will dot them so we can figure out how to divide the word into two syllables. - Push next to dot the vowels
Guide
- Say
So we spot and dot the vowels. I see two dots because we have two vowels in the word rabbit. Now let’s connect the dots. - Push next to connect the dots
Guide
- Point to the line and Ask
How many consonants do you see between the dots?
(2) - Ask
We have two consonants between two vowels. Can you name the vowel-consonant pattern?
(VCCV) - Push next to show the syllable division strategy
Guide
- Say
When we have two consonants between the vowels, we divide the word into syllables between the two consonants, VC/CV. That’s the Rabbit word strategy—divide between the consonants. - Push next to divide the word into syllables
Guide
- Point to the first syllable of the word and Say
I recognize the first syllable is a closed syllable because it has one vowel followed by a consonant, the letter b. This means we pronounce the letter a as a short vowel. When we recognize what kind of syllable it is, we know how to pronounce the vowel. - Say
Let’s read the first syllable of the word: /răb/.
(/răb/) - Point to the second syllable of the word and Say
I recognize the second syllable is also a closed syllable because I see the letter t right after one vowel at the end of the syllable –bit. This means we pronounce the letter i as a short vowel. - Say
Let’s read the second syllable of the word: /bĭt/.
(/bĭt/) - Say
So the word rabbit consists of two closed syllables: rab– and –bit. Now blend the syllables together: /răbĭt/.
(/răbĭt/)
Guide
- Say
Let’s review the Rabbit strategy. - Ask
How did we divide the word rabbit?
(We divided the word into syllables between the two consonants.) - Say
We use the Rabbit strategy when a multisyllabic word has two or more consonants between vowel sounds. The Rabbit strategy signals us to divide the word between the consonants.
Guide
- Say
Now let’s practice dividing words into syllables using the Rabbit word strategy. - Ask
Look at the picture. What are these?
(muffins) - Say
I see some muffins. Let’s look at the word muffin more closely. - Push next to show the word
Guide
- Say
Let’s see how many syllables we have in the word muffin. Clap muffin with me. - Clap out with readers and Ask
muf•fin (2 claps)
How many syllables did you hear?
(2) - Say
Now let’s divide this multisyllabic word into syllables.
First, let’s spot the vowels in the word. - Push next to spot the vowels
Guide
- Ask
Can you name the vowels in the word?
(vowels u and i) - Say
Now that we spotted the vowels, let’s dot them. - Push next to dot the vowels
Guide
- Say
I see two dots because we have two vowels in the word muffin. Now let’s connect the dots. - Push next to connect the dots
Guide
- Point to the line and Ask
How many consonants do you see between the dots?
(2) - Ask
We have two consonants between two vowels. Can you name the vowel-consonant pattern?
(VCCV) - Push next to show the syllable division strategy
Guide
- Say
When we have two consonants between the vowels, we divide the word into syllables between the two consonants, VC/CV, using the Rabbit word strategy. - Push next to divide the word into syllables
Guide
- Point to the first syllable of the word and Say
What type is the first syllable muf–?
(closed)
It is a closed syllable because it has one vowel followed by a consonant. Read the first syllable with the short vowel pronunciation: /mŭf/.
(/mŭf/) - Point to the second syllable of the word and Say
What type is the second syllable -fin?
(closed)
It is a closed syllable too because it has one vowel followed by a consonant. Read the second syllable with the short vowel pronunciation: /fĭn/.
(/fĭn/) - Say
So the word muffin consists of two closed syllables: muf– and -fin. Now blend the syllables together: /mŭfĭn/.
(/mŭfĭn/)
Guide
- Ask
Let’s do another word. What is on a log?
(ants, insects) - Say
I see some insects on a log. Let’s look at the word insect more closely. - Push next to show the word
Guide
- Say
Let’s see how many syllables we have in the word insect. Clap insect with me. - Clap out with readers and Ask
in•sect (2 claps)
How many syllables did you hear?
(2) - Say
Now let’s divide this multisyllabic word into syllables.
First, let’s spot the vowels in the word. - Push next to spot the vowels
Guide
- Ask
Can you name the vowels in the word?
(vowels i and e) - Say
Now that we spotted the vowels, let’s dot them. - Push next to dot the vowels
Guide
- Say
I see two dots because we have two vowels in the word insect. Now let’s connect the dots. - Push next to connect the dots
Guide
- Point to the line and Ask
How many consonants do you see between the dots?
(2) - Ask
We have two consonants between two vowels. Can you name the vowel-consonant pattern?
(VCCV) - Push next to show the syllable division strategy
Guide
- Say
When we have two consonants between the vowels, we divide the word into syllables between the two consonants, VC/CV, using the Rabbit word strategy. - Push next to divide the word into syllables
Guide
- Point to the first syllable of the word and Say
What type is the first syllable in–?
(closed)
It is a closed syllable because it has one vowel followed by a consonant. Read the first syllable with the short vowel pronunciation: /ĭn/.
(/ĭn/) - Point to the second syllable of the word and Say
What type is the second syllable -sect?
(closed)
It is a closed syllable too because it has one vowel followed by a consonant. Read the second syllable with the short vowel pronunciation: /sĕkt/.
(/sĕkt/) - Say
So the word insect consists of two closed syllables: in– and –sect. Now blend the syllables together: /ĭnsĕkt/.
(/ĭnsĕkt/)
Guide
- Say
Now it’s your turn to try out the strategy. I’ll show you the word, and you’ll divide it into syllables using the Rabbit word strategy you just learned. - Push next to continue
Guide
- Say
Let’s see how many syllables we have in this word. Clap shelter with me. - Clap out with your readers and Ask
shel•ter (2 claps)
How many syllables did you hear?
(2) - Say
Let’s divide this multisyllabic word into syllables together.
First, let’s spot the vowels in the word. - Push next to spot the vowels
Guide
- Ask
Can you name the vowels in the word?
(vowels e and e) - Say
Remember that when a vowel is followed by the letter r it makes a bossy R sound. So that is why the letter r also is in red. It forms a vowel unit with the letter e that it follows. - Say
Now that we spotted the vowels, let’s dot them. - Push next to dot the vowels
Guide
- Say
I see two dots because we have two vowels in the word shelter. Now let’s connect the dots. - Push next to connect the dots
Guide
- Point to the line and Ask
How many consonants do you see between the dots?
(2) - Ask
We have two consonants between two vowels. Can you name the vowel-consonant pattern?
(VCCV) - Push next to show the syllable division strategy
Guide
- Say
When we have two consonants between the vowels, we divide the word into syllables between the two consonants, VC/CV, using the Rabbit word strategy. - Push next to divide the word into syllables
Guide
- Point to the first syllable of the word and Say
What type is the first syllable shel–?
(closed)
It is a closed syllable because it has one vowel followed by a consonant. Read the first syllable with the short vowel pronunciation: /shĕl/.
(/shĕl/) - Point to the second syllable of the word and Say
What type is the second syllable -ter?
(bossy R)
It is a bossy R syllable because the letter r follows the vowel. Read the second syllable with the bossy R pronunciation: /tər/.
(/tər/) - Say
So the word shelter has one closed and one bossy R syllable after we divide it: shel– and –ter. Now blend the syllables together: /shĕltər/.
(/shĕltər/)
Guide
- Say
Look at the picture. I see a Red panda in a box. Maybe it is in an animal shelter. - Point to the word shelter and Say
Let’s reread the word together: shelter.
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another word. - Say
Let’s see how many syllables we have in this word. Clap disturb with me. - Clap out with your readers and Ask
dis•turb (2 claps)
How many syllables did you hear?
(2) - Say
Let’s divide this multisyllabic word into syllables together.
First, let’s spot the vowels in the word. - Push next to spot the vowels
Guide
- Ask
Can you name the vowels in the word?
(vowels i and u) - Say
Remember that when a vowel is followed by the letter r it makes a bossy R sound. So that is why the letter r also is in red. It forms a vowel unit with the letter u that it follows. - Say
Now that we spotted the vowels, let’s dot them. - Push next to dot the vowels
Guide
- Say
I see two dots because we have two vowels in the word disturb. Now let’s connect the dots. - Push next to connect the dots
Guide
- Point to the line and Ask
How many consonants do you see between the dots?
(2) - Ask
We have two consonants between two vowels. Can you name the vowel-consonant pattern?
(VCCV) - Push next to show the syllable division strategy
Guide
- Say
When we have two consonants between the vowels, we divide the word into syllables between the two consonants, VC/CV, using the Rabbit word strategy. - Push next to divide the word into syllables
Guide
- Point to the first syllable of the word and Say
What type is the first syllable dis–?
(closed)
It is a closed syllable because it has one vowel followed by a consonant. Read the first syllable with the short vowel pronunciation: /dĭs/.
(/dĭs/) - Point to the second syllable of the word and Say
What type is the second syllable -turb?
(bossy R)
It is a bossy R syllable because the letter r follows the vowel. Read the second syllable with the bossy R pronunciation: /tərb/.
(/tərb/) - Say
So the word disturb has one closed and one bossy R syllable after we divide it: dis– and –turb. Now blend the syllables together: /dĭstərb/.
(/dĭstərb/) - Say
When we speak, we tend to pronounce the unstressed syllable as a schwa sound /ə/ which almost sounds like a short e. So it can also sound like /dəstərb/. For spelling, it is better to think of it with the short i pronunciation.
Guide
- Say
Look at the picture. The Red panda is napping, so Tim and Deepa observe it from afar not to disturb it. - Point to the word disturb and Say
Let’s reread the word together: disturb.
